David Rothstein wrote:

>In general I think it is best to obtain a complete set of important works
>maybe for the simple reason of the shame to be without these works in your
>home.
>
>I for one couldn't imagine being without a complete set of Beethoven,
>Bruckner or Mahler symphonies, so I bought the Klemperer, Jochum, Kubelik
>sets (respectively) taking into account budget prices. ...

I don't have a complete set of either Bruckner of Mahler symphonies and
don't feel particularly ashamed of this (although I will buy them one day).
It's just more important for me to have a complete set or two (or three)
of Mozart symphonies - come to think of it, I do have three of them -
including the youthful and doubtful works.  Or to have the "complete"
works of Webern or both sets of "complete" Varese.

I don't think there is a single composer or work that is an absolute
must for everybody.

-Margaret Mikulska