What download have you bought?

[Beef Oven!]

Well, I could not resist this, given the high praise that the set has been receiving from forumistas!

At £15.99 for a 16 Bit CD quality download.

8 CD set - a bargain!

[Bryn]

Well, I could not resist this, given the high praise that the set has been receiving from forumistas!

At £15.99 for a 16 Bit CD quality download.

8 CD set - a bargain!

I must change my QOBUZ account to a UK one when it comes up for renewal at the end of May. The French site's Euro price works out nearly £2 higher when the purchase is made via Paypal (€19.99 as against £15.99). I might upgrade to Sublime, though the subscription itself actually works out more expensive (£219.99 as against €219.99).

[On the French site (I have not checked the UK one) the 8 CD set is attributed to "Olivier Messiaen - Thomas Aquinas". O.K., I know Messiaen used his langage communicable to represent quotations from Aquinas in his Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité, but that organ work is not in the set, so why the attribution? Ah, this may offer some sort of rationale.]

[Beef Oven!]

I must change my QOBUZ account to a UK one when it comes up for renewal at the end of May. The French site's Euro price works out nearly £2 higher when the purchase is made via Paypal (€19.99 as against £15.99). I might upgrade to Sublime, though the subscription itself actually works out more expensive (£219.99 as against €219.99).

[On the French site (I have not checked the UK one) the 8 CD set is attributed to "Olivier Messiaen - Thomas Aquinas". O.K., I know Messiaen used his langage communicable to represent quotations from Aquinas in his Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité, but that organ work is not in the set, so why the attribution? Ah, this may offer some sort of rationale.]

Thanks for pointing out that the Messiaen set is 8 CDs not 6 - even better, not sure how I got that wrong. Haven’t listened to any of it yet.

I will check the number of Hi-Res downloads I’ve bought and tote up what the discount would have been, had I been a Sublime subscriber. I will then add to it my £9.99 Apple Music monthly subscription then subtract it from the £200 (?) Sublime annual fee. If the outcome is a negative value, I may wish to switch from Apple to Sublime. To be honest, I don’t stream very much, I buy.

Re: Canyons/Lambert you mention 2005 as the year of an iffy transfer. I have a 2004 set - on Apex. Is that the same transfer?

[Bryn]

Thanks for pointing out that the Messiaen set is 8 CDs not 6 - even better, not sure how I got that wrong. Haven’t listened to any of it yet.

I will check the number of Hi-Res downloads I’ve bought and tote up what the discount would have been, had I been a Sublime subscriber. I will then add to it my £9.99 Apple Music monthly subscription then subtract it from the £200 (?) Sublime annual fee. If the outcome is a negative value, I may wish to switch from Apple to Sublime. To be honest, I don’t stream very much, I buy.

Re: Canyons/Lambert you mention 2005 as the year of an iffy transfer. I have a 2004 set - on Apex. Is that the same transfer?

Love the Constant/Lambert mix-up. Not sure which transfer was used for that Apex album but I don't think those works suffered as much in the 're-mastering' as some of the piano works and Trois petites Liturgies did. Indeed, I don't recall much in the way of print-through pre-echo in the original CD issues I have.

[Beef Oven!]

Love the Constant/Lambert mix-up.

When I was searching Amazon for a picture of the Constant Apex CD to post I was perplexed and couldn’t understand why Amazon didn’t stock it. It took about ten minutes to realise my Lambert mix-up! I obviously suffered a relapse when I came to post!!!

Not sure which transfer was used for that Apex album but I don't think those works suffered as much in the 're-mastering' as some of the piano works and Trois petites Liturgies did. Indeed, I don't recall much in the way of print-through pre-echo in the original CD issues I have.

I have had the Constant/Apex from around the time of its release and have never thought anything was wrong with the sound. I listened to it last night and the 1 hour 40 minutes flew past!

[Richard Barrett]

Well, I could not resist this, given the high praise that the set has been receiving from forumistas!

It should be snapped up while stocks last!

[Beef Oven!]

It should be snapped up while stocks last!

You say that, but I’ve dithered before on something, and went back later, only to find that the download is no longer 'stocked'!

[Nick Armstrong]

[teamsaint]

It should be snapped up while stocks last!

One of my favourite daft expressions in any case
Particularly relevant in my line of work.

Very tempted by that Cambreling download, but then I'm tempted by lots of stuff, and pottering round Foyles today didn't help much.

[Beef Oven!]

Agreed.

Where did you download it from and how much was it? Is it Hi-Res?

I bought it recently - see post #88

[Nick Armstrong]

Agreed.

Where did you download it from and how much was it? Is it Hi-Res?

I bought it recently - see post #88

Ah sorry, haven't been able to follow threads for a few weeks. I got it from PrestoClassical, £10.80 for a lossless, 44.1 kHz, 16 bit download.

[Beef Oven!]

Ah sorry, haven't been able to follow threads for a few weeks. I got it from PrestoClassical, £10.80 for a lossless, 44.1 kHz, 16 bit download.

Fabulous isn’t it? The period instruments really make a difference. Luscious orchestral tone, clarity and plenty of body - it better suits the music.

[Bryn]

I must have it!!!!!!!!!!!! (edit: Qobuz however will not allow me to have it, and all other possibilities seem to be much more expensive)

Have given it the acid test and tried Chronochromie from the set yet? Not, I feel, the most gripping performance in the box.

[Richard Barrett]

Have given it the acid test and tried Chronochromie from the set yet? Not, I feel, the most gripping performance in the box.

I did but I wasn't really paying attention, which perhaps answers your question. La Transfiguration is superb though, worth the price on its own. There seem to be some odd balances in Turangalîla and one Ondes entry that doesn't happen - is it a live performance I wonder? Rather disappointing not to have even recording dates and soloists' names with the download, not to mention the liner notes.

[Bryn]

I did but I wasn't really paying attention, which perhaps answers your question. La Transfiguration is superb though, worth the price on its own. There seem to be some odd balances in Turangalîla and one Ondes entry that doesn't happen - is it a live performance I wonder? Rather disappointing not to have even recording dates and soloists' names with the download, not to mention the liner notes.

I'll send you the recording dates and related details later today. However, though pretty extensive, the liner notes would be unlikely to tell you anything you do not already know.