Amazing Blu-Ray for those who can play Region B

[Bigshot]

UPDATE: THIS DISK IS REGION FREE!

I ordered this blu-ray from Amazon.co.uk. It's unique, because it isn't in hidef. Instead, they used all the disk space to pack 14 hours of standard definition video on the disk. This one is orchestral music conducted by Stokowski, Munch, Jochum, Markevitch, Karajan, Klemperer, Giulini... A virtual who's who of conductors. I have a few of the Classic Archive DVDs and they are great.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00LHLLEB0/

Check out the contents... WOW!

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81gPyQ2Ov4L._SL1500_.jpg

Edited September 4, 2014 by Bigshot

[Bigshot]

OH GOOD GRIEF! There are three more in this series...

Piano with Kempf, Brendel, Arrau, Michelangeli, Cziffra, Gould, Janis, Gillels, etc

Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00HS7C0D8/

Track Listings: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71wUzun45qL._SL1500_.jpg

Strings with Szeryng, Milstein, Rostropovich, Tortelier, Grimeaux, Stern, etc

Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00GB0OVBM/

Track Listings: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/81RT2b1v5IL._SL1500_.jpg

Ensembles with Amadeus Qt, Oistrakh, Menuhin, Casadesus, Francescatti, etc

Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00J9X94Q0/

Track Listings: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/818365bCr0L._SL1500_.jpg

These are a treasure trove! 60 hours of great classical music on video for under $200. ALL OF THESE ARE REGION FREE!

Edited September 4, 2014 by Bigshot

[Bigshot]

They are all available at Amazon US too

[Bigshot]

This disk is fantastic! Worth every cent they're charging for it. The blu-ray packs in as much as 10 or more DVDs, so think of this as a box set, even though it is just a single disk. Tons of great stuff! I'm going to be devouring this for a long time. The total running time of the disk is 945 minutes. (Content listing below.)

The programs have surprisingly good picture quality (mostly B&W) and clear, clean sound (mono PCM). I was expecting much worse, but the notes reveal that these come directly from British, French and Canadian TV archives. They probably look and sound better than when they were originally broadcast.

The disk is broken into chapters by pianist. Once you select a pianist you can select the work by jumping through the chapter stops. Not the easiest way to navigate, but at least there aren't a million menu screens of text to plow through. My only quibble is that the individual recitals don't have title slates or subtitles identifying the work being played. Thankfully, the booklet has complete track listings along with the dates and venues of the broadcasts, and a bio of the artists in English, French and German.

Here is a listing of the contents...

Glenn Gould (157 minutes): The Alchemist (documentary) 1974 / Partita No6 BWV830 1974 / The Piano Revealed on Film (1950s)

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (68 minutes): 1965 Recital with Scarlatti, Chopin & Debussy / Debussy Preludes Book 1 1978

Georges Cziffra (77 minutes): 1963 Recital with Liszt & Chopin / Franck Symphonic Variations Cziffra Jr cond. ORTF 1965 / Bonus: Benno Moiseiwitsch Wagner-Liszt Tannhauser Overture

William Kempf (101 minutes): Schumann Arabesque op18, Papillons op2 1961 / Schumann Davidsbundlertanze Op 6 Books 1 & 2 1963 / Beethoven Piano Sonata 17 Tempest 1968 / Beethoven Piano Sonata 14 Moonlight & Piano Sonata 27 1970

Aldo Ciccolini (112 minutes): DeFalla Midnight in Gardens of Spain Benzi cond. ORTF 1960 / Recital with Pick-Mangiagalli, Albeniz, Mendelssohn & Schubert 1961 / Beethoven Piano Concerto 4 Sebastian cond. ORTF 1962 / Recital with Liszt, Granados & Chabrier 1967

Samson Francois (126 minutes): Chopin Piano Concerto 1 Skrowaczewski cond. ORTF 1962 Chopin Waltz 11 / Ravel Piano Concerto in G Pritchard cond. ORTF 1964 / Ravel Forlane 1959 / Debussy Recital 1962 / Ravel Concerto for the Left Hand Fremaux cond. Orch of Opera of Monte Carlo 1964 / Grieg Piano Concerto Fremaux cond. ORTF 1967

Claudio Arrau (113 minutes): Schumann Piano Concerto op54 Hurst cond. LPO 1963 / Schumann Carnival op9 1961 / Beethoven Piano Sonata 32 1970 / Bonus: Soloman plays Beethoven Piano Sonata 23 Apassionata 1956 (his only performance on film)

Emil Gillels / Andre Cluytens (87 minutes): Ravel Daphnis et Chloe, Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition (arr Ravel) Cluytens cond. ORTF 1960 / Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto Cluytens cond. ORTF 1959 / Prokofiev Piano Sonata 3 1959

Byron Janis (51 minutes): Prokofiev Piano Concerto 3 Paray cond. ORTF 1963 / Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini Froment cond. ORTF 1968

Alfred Brendel (51 minutes color): Beethoven Piano Sonata 29 Hammerklavier 1970 / Beethoven Two Bagatelles op126 1970