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Bach sets

Dialectic

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I have two "complete editions" of the works of Bach: the popular and inexpensive Brilliant Classics set and the Hänssler Classic set.

I am familiar with two other Bach sets: the now difficult-to-find Teldec Bach 2000 set and the Universal Music Group Bach 333 set released in 2018.

Anyone heard the Bach 2000 or Bach 333 sets? Are there any other Bach "complete editions" out there?
 

Bart

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I have the BACH2000 collection.
Here you find a list of the 333 set:

https://www.bach333.com/en/#contents and then select "CD overview".
The majority of the recordings (at least the HIP ones) in there I have heard.

The '333' is a bit of a mixed bag (on purpose), but mostly interesting. They used a rather broad selection of interpreters and that should be a good thing to help discover and develop one's preferences.

I personally do not care for non-HIP recordings - don't see the point of adding a Brendel or a Pogorelich to the mix (piano). But others might appreciate such choices. The addition of historical recordings might be interesting as well, I myself struggle to enjoy old and technically challenged recordings.

The 2000 set is still worth while, especially the cantatas. Harnoncourt and Leonhardt were really the pioneers here and the use of boy sopranos added something special. But the modern HIP-recordings in the new set are more matured interpretations overall. I personally really like the Herreweghe cantatas, unfortunately his recordings of the cantatas are far from complete. You'd have to buy them separately anyway.

Organ in the 2000 set was all done by Koopman. Good thing there's a wide range of interpreters in the 333 set.
The passions etc. as well as the orchestral works in the '333' are all solid choices.

In a nutshell, the '2000' is more consistent, but a little outdated here and there. The '333' is more eclectic, but with better recordings (apart from the historical ones). Hope this helps.
 
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