What download have you bought?

[Rosie55]

I downloaded this and then accidentally bought a hard copy on Amazon too. No to worry, as I will give it as a birthday present next week. Very good new CD of intriguing and evocative piano music by Dobrinka Tabakova, Joseph Phibbs and Hannah Kendall. I'm enjoying it. Picked it up after seeing a review in Gramophone and I fancied something new and fresh so took the plunge. Some good 1min per track samples on this site:

https://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/classical/products/8365461--halo-music-for-piano

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/halo

[Beef Oven!]

I downloaded this and then accidentally bought a hard copy on Amazon too. No to worry, as I will give it as a birthday present next week. Very good new CD of intriguing and evocative piano music by Dobrinka Tabakova, Joseph Phibbs and Hannah Kendall. I'm enjoying it. Picked it up after seeing a review in Gramophone and I fancied something new and fresh so took the plunge. Some good 1min per track samples on this site:

https://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/classical/products/8365461--halo-music-for-piano

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/halo

Thanks Rosie - although I subscribe to Gramophone, I'm clearly doing no more than skip-reading it because I keep missing stuff like this.

I've played this release twice through this morning on iMusic and so far the Joseph Phibbs Preludes captures me most. At approaching 24 minutes, these preludes are not insubstantial. Although the Tabakova works are very good, and Hannah Kendall's triptych is most enjoyable, I think it's the Phibbs that I'll be returning to most.

[Rosie55]

I agree. The Phibbs have a real atmosphere and sense of the night about them. Except Neon! I love the insanity of this track, as a contrast to the set.
The Kendall was played on BBC Breakfast last week.
Tabakova is new to me, but I find her works here immediately enjoyable and atmospheric too.
This is a very good CD and great to see an "accompanist" showing off his pianistic mettle! Very good playing throughout. I liked him on the Jonathan Dove Naxos song cycles CD too. I wish R3 would play some of these tracks , particularly those with the great Patricia Bardon who is such a characterful singer whom we rarely hear singing song.

Thanks Rosie - although I subscribe to Gramophone, I'm clearly doing no more than skip-reading it because I keep missing stuff like this.

I've played this release twice through this morning on iMusic and so far the Joseph Phibbs Preludes captures me most. At approaching 24 minutes, these preludes are not insubstantial. Although the Tabakova works are very good, and Hannah Kendall's triptych is most enjoyable, I think it's the Phibbs that I'll be returning to most.

[Beef Oven!]

The Second Miles Davis Quintet - The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965

This period is my favourite period in Jazz, not just Miles Davis. My preference is for post-bop and Free-Jazz/avant garde.

I bought it as an Amazon download for £19.99 as the 16 bit CD quality download from Qobuz is £63, which I feel is too steep. The CDs are going for silly prices. The sound quality is very satisfactory indeed. A bit toppy, but more than acceptable.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Complete_Live_at_the_Plugged_Nickel_1965

[robk]

Following Beef Oven's link to Primephonic I downloaded 'Bohemia' with Tamsin Waley-Cohen & Hue Watkins at a very good price. Unfortunately track 15 is missing and tracks 13 & 14 are wrongly described. I have emailed the company - so will find out what their customer support is like.

Primephonic have sent me a link with the missing track so all is well.

[Beef Oven!]

First purchase from Primephonic, as sign-posted by HighlandDougie, with a 20% welcome discount.

Alfred Schnittke - String Quartets 1-4
Molinari Quartet

Hi-Res 24/48. £10.39 2 CD set equivalent.

Currently listening to the superb s4t #2

[Beef Oven!]

Raymond Murray Schafer - String Quartets 1-12
Quatuor Molinari, Marie-Danielle Parent, soprano.

16 bit CD quality from Qobuz. Equivalent to 4 CDs.

Astonishing music - not sure why this composer is not talked about more. The string quartet no.4 is one of the best things I've heard in years.

Gramophone review of S4ts 1-7 here

Edit: S4tet #9 is even more interesting!

[Beef Oven!]

Mozart - Symphony #38
René Jacobs: Freiburg Baroque Orchestra

eClassical 16 bit download

I already have 39, 40 & 41 in this series, so eClassical's policy allowing single track purchases with no penalty for part-album purchases, really is a benefit to collectors.

[Beef Oven!]

Just downloaded this Alkan 13 CD set equivalent, from Presto for just £9.75 !!!!

Can believe no-one's mentioned this amazing bargain.

The FLAC Zip file is downloading as I type.

[Bryn]

Just downloaded this Alkan 13 CD set equivalent, from Presto for just £9.75 !!!!

Can believe no-one's mentioned this amazing bargain.

The FLAC Zip file is downloading as I type.

Already unzipped and on my Xperia XZ, Now to put on on the Dodocool too.

[Beef Oven!]

Already unzipped and on my Xperia XZ, Now to put on on the Dodocool too.

Thanks for the heads up on this Bryn, too good to miss. I'm out at the minute, but when I get back, it's going on a micro sd card and into my FiiO!

[Bryn]

Thanks for the heads up on this Bryn, too good to miss. I'm out at the minute, but when I get back, it's going on a micro sd card and into my FiiO!

One minor annoyance is that all 206 FLACs are in a single directory/folder. At least they are named sensibly. Just a matter of creating suitable filing system for them.

[teamsaint]

One minor annoyance is that all 206 FLACs are in a single directory/folder. At least they are named sensibly. Just a matter of creating suitable filing system for them.

A small word, but an important one.

Surprised that there isn't an MP3 of this box on Amazon, as they often do a cheap download of Brilliant sets.

[Bryn]

A small word, but an important one.

Surprised that there isn't an MP3 of this box on Amazon, as they often do a cheap download of Brilliant sets.

The mp3 version at Presto is £8.00.

[teamsaint]

The mp3 version at Presto is £8.00.

Ta. I'll have a look tomorrow, but I'd probably go for the FLAC at that price.