Hi Graham, the book was published in 2009 and some of the later pictures are of albums from that period. Here are some pics……
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How clever of you to show a page with my musical hero and the world’s greatest conductor, Carlos Kleiber.
The book looks fascinating, but hens’ teeth territory, I assume.
Well, I had read your thoughts on Carlos Kleiber! I opened at a random page and saw the picture, so thought I would photograph that one! I saw the book on Oxfam online for £20 so not too pricey for what it is.
You did very well there. I always thought that DGG’s covers were streets ahead of the rest. Compare them to the deathly boring covers of their sister corporation Philips, and you’ll see what I mean.
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Thank you very much for the tip, David. (I think that) I’ve managed to find and order a copy.
You must stop finding excuses for me to spend money - I have zero will-power when goodies like this are on offer!
No, frigging Visa card declined yet again - despite six-figure sum in my bank account. Violence may ensue. Just pass on if you read of London banker stabbed.
This arrived in my mailbox today, all the way from Belgium to me in St. Louis, MO USA.
I already had a copy of this but it is very noisy, and plays VG at best. I really wanted a minty copy. I found a Netherlands seller on discogs with this original. I am playing the first disc after cleaning it and it is amazingly good sounding. The dscs are all shiny and glossy, and so this one plays with nary a tick or pop. Just some very light surface noise I barely notice at all.
For those who don’t know what this is, it’s Wilhelm Kempff’s complete recording of the Beethoven Sonatas on 11-LPs on DGG, from the mid-60s. What makes having this OG so nice versus later reissues is that DGG still had a full tube mastering chain and the sound is just gorgeous.
This cost me €65 plus €30 to ship, so about US $110, or 10 bucks a disc. Score!
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Week done, JDP, you have got yourself a little box of treasure there. (I’ve never seen that particular set before.)
You ought to be lucky with the records, as DGG vinyl pressings from 20-odd (?) years ago were second to none.
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I have this 2 LP selection that I think I bought sometime around 1985. I’ve always liked the performances, but the sound is pretty thin and distant. Overall, the recordings seem to show their age.
If yours are sounding good (and assuming they are the same performances and recordings) maybe I should seek out a copy of your set.
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I would not describe the sound of my copy as thin and distant. More like rich which very nice presence and ambience. It’s like the piano is there in the room.
One of the finest examples of this work, IMO. I have a very nice Decca release, pressed in Holland.
Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet, complete. A classic performance with Loren Maazel and the Cleveland Orchestra.
About 60 years ago actually. 
My DGG (Deutsche Grammophon Gesselschaft) copy includes the labels with the large tulips, which disappeared by 1972 (or earlier) when it became just DG (Deutsche Grammophon /Polygram).
When you get to my (advanced) age, the odd 40 years here or there make no odds, really!
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I think it’s power of recall that trips us up. I vividly remember people, places, things, events from way, way back (mostly) like it was yesterday but when I stop and try and work things out, it’s always a lot longer! It frustrates me when I’m the only one who remembers. I also feel like about 10 years are missing between 1995 and today because of how recent that feels.
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There was a very clever film onTV a few days ago about someone who was the only person alive who remembered the Beatles’ music. A silly premise, perhaps, but an interesting film all the same.
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And the publicist saying “Hey Jude? No make that Hey Dude. It’s much better.”
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There are at least 6 complete cycles of Beethoven’s symphonies conducted by Karajan, including two for video. I can’t say whether the 1977 Tokyo cycle, released on video, is included in that number, perhaps this cycle is the seventh.
Same here. A bit of a gem!
I was only ever aware of one cycle on video, but hadn’t been aware of a set made in Japan. So perhaps the Japanese cycle is a second video set?
Far too many, in any event, whatever one’s views on Karajan and Beethoven!