Music lovers, record labels and reviewers' attitude to 'budget' labels.

[pastoralguy]

I've just left a post of the 'What and you listening to now?' thread about a PILZ Vienna Master Series recording of the Beethoven Violin Concerto. In the early days of cd there seemed to be a reluctance on the part of the big companies to release their back catalogue for any less than full price. This left the market open for companies such as NAXOS and PILZ to jump in and fill the gap with cheaply made recordings that were sold on a 'pile 'em high and sell 'em cheap' basis. So hungry were consumers for the newly fangled but expensive discs that they were prepared to accept discs that were often serviceable and, occasionally, superb.

Am I correct in thinking that mainstream organs such as Gramophone and the BBC wouldn't review them?

[mikealdren]

I haven't heard of PILZ but Gramophone and the BBC do review Naxos and others although reissues such as Brilliant tend to be in round up reviews such as Rob Cowan's columns.

I guess the all time classic of many years ago was Hanae Nakajima's recording of the Emperor concerto which Joseph Cooper chose on BaL.

[Bryn]

I've just left a post of the 'What and you listening to now?' thread about a PILZ Vienna Master Series recording of the Beethoven Violin Concerto. In the early days of cd there seemed to be a reluctance on the part of the big companies to release their back catalogue for any less than full price. This left the market open for companies such as NAXOS and PILZ to jump in and fill the gap with cheaply made recordings that were sold on a 'pile 'em high and sell 'em cheap' basis. So hungry were consumers for the newly fangled but expensive discs that they were prepared to accept discs that were often serviceable and, occasionally, superb.

Am I correct in thinking that mainstream organs such as Gramophone and the BBC wouldn't review them?

No. A prime example would be the recording of Beethoven's 5th Piano Concerto as played by Hanae Nakajima (the orchestra and conductor cited varied between labels). This was Joseph Cooper's Building a Library recommendation, back in the day. Her recordings of other Beethoven Piano Concertos were also recommendable, as was her survey of Ravel compositions for the piano, though the latter did not, IIRC, make it to bargain basement labels.



[ https://www.gramophone.co.uk/forum/r...hanae-nakajima ]

[Oakapple]

I remember when that recommendation was made, in the 1970s I think. It was hard to find because it was not sold in the usual record shops but in certain supermarkets.

I think Naxos have been treated fairly by reviewers, though I don't think they have been piled high. Discs that never seem to get publicity are those you sometimes find in shops that sell publishers' remainders. I once saw a complete Ring cycle in Superdrug, but I cannot remember who the performers were. I wish I'd bought it.

[Stanfordian]

I remember when that recommendation was made, in the 1970s I think. It was hard to find because it was not sold in the usual record shops but in certain supermarkets.

I think Naxos have been treated fairly by reviewers, though I don't think they have been piled high. Discs that never seem to get publicity are those you sometimes find in shops that sell publishers' remainders. I once saw a complete Ring cycle in Superdrug, but I cannot remember who the performers were. I wish I'd bought it.

Yes, some years ago in Superdrug sets of the Ring Cycle and Shostaovich 15 symphonies were a fiver each.

[Bryn]

Yes, some years ago in Superdrug both Ring Cycle and Shostaovich 15 symphonies were for a fiver each.

Yes, that was due to the parent company for both Superdrug and Brilliant Classics was the same and they needed to clear old stock with alacrity.

[LMcD]

I have some Pilz CDs, but I wouldn't say they were are in the same league as Naxos.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Some discussion of the Nakajima/NSO/Tschupp Emperor scattered around this Thread:

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?13711-Our-Summer-BAL-41-Beethoven-Piano-Concerto-No-5-in-E-Flat-Major/page3&highlight=Hanae+Nakajima

... although the youTube recording is no longer in the link Roehre provided. It is (I think - the conductor & orchestra has been "reassigned" here [although the same sour woodwind intonation makes it clear it's the same recording]) here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H9RK8BW2L0

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I once saw a complete Ring cycle in Superdrug, but I cannot remember who the performers were. I wish I'd bought it.

Probably the Badische Staatskapelle/Günter Neuhold set (now on BRILLIANT Classics), Oaky. Various covers, the one I have is this:



Not a bad set - and a real bargain at around the £5 I paid for mine! (Some squawky-shouty singing, but that's true of a not a few other sets which would set you back a fiver a disc!)

IIRC, Teamsaint also bought a set.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Oh! And there are second-hand copies available for about £7.25 (which includes P&P):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B000063W9Z/

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I have some Pilz CDs, but I wouldn't say they were are in the same league as Naxos.

NAXOS releases were reviewed in the mainstream publications and on R3 from the start. Pilz never - probably because of the "imaginative" ascriptions of the performers. (It wouldn't surprise me to discover that Pilz never sent their discs for review in the first place.)

[Pulcinella]

The only Pilz CD I think I have in my collection is of works by Paul Dessau:

https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/east-german-revolution-paul-dessau-a-composers-portrait-mr0002169249

Bought in Florence for 11500 lire on 27 February 1992 (receipt tucked inside liner!).
I bought it because it had the Bach Variations on it, which I had got to know from another recording on LP (bought on spec in a bargain basement sale), now released on CD.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dessau-P-Orchestral-Variations-Orchestermusik/dp/B0052734L8

They start differently: drums in one and not the other!

[LMcD]

I remember Edward Greenfield's 'Emperor' review. He kept referring to 'Pianist X', revealing the name only at the very end.
Does anybody else remember the review in which the top recording of the New World Symphony was by DG engineer/producer Otto Gerdes?

[jayne lee wilson]

A flash through the Gramophone archive finds many early-1990s references to the "Pilz Group" in distributor listings, ads etc., all for sampler-CDs, but no immediate review refs.... a longer look may reveal more, but the sky is bright, the cats are fed, the sun might almost come out soon and the birds need a top-up....

But yes, Naxos reviewed from the start of course....not always so positively early on though! With good reason, if you ever bought some of them.....
All credit to them for their creative A&R development since......

Arte Nova likewise..... some real hidden treasure there...
Worth recalling too that the Penguin Guide to Bargain Compact Discs always had these labels well covered....
(IM, EG, RL)....

[mikealdren]

It wouldn't surprise me to discover that Pilz never sent their discs for review in the first place.

A good point, a few years ago some friends recorded the early Rachmaninov and Anton Rubinstein piano trios privately and sent a copy to Gramophone who dutifully (and quite positively) reviewed it. Sadly the page turner wasn't credited!