EMI sold to universal

[Ferretfancy]

There is a threat to those of us who like hearing historic reissues, as the government are planning to push back copyright. This will deter companies like Naxos and Dutton, and I imagine that whoever becomes responsible for EMI reissues will decide that they are no longer worth it. We have been so lucky to be able to buy remasterings of early classic recordings, but that may not last.

[Biffo]

Am I alone in not being particularly bothered about artwork? I am more interested in the music the new owners of EMI are going to release. The packaging of the recent EMI 'Icon' series is, like most classical releases, fairly dull but the actual content has been interesting. The artwork on the Sony 'The Original Jacket Collection' has to be the most hideous ever but there has been some excellent content (the Szell and Caballe issues especially so).

My main concern about the back catalogue (I've more or less given up on new EMI releases) is whether there is anything left that hasn't already been reissued several times. The Steinberg set in the 'Icon' series cames as a pleasant surprise but many recent releases just repeats. I have collected a fair amount in the British Composers series but haven't noticed very much new recently, instead the same material has been reissued in ever bigger boxes.

[Barbirollians]

I could not disagree more with mahlerei about the Pappano - I think Geoff Brown's review in the Guardian had it about right . It is a terrific performance to my ears .

[martin_opera]

The answer is to release back catalogues on download only - minimal production costs/artwork/notes etc. Cheaper for the record companies, better for us as we get more availability and better for the planet as fewer resources are used in producing and transporting these massive box sets.

[barber olly]

The answer is to release back catalogues on download only - minimal production costs/artwork/notes etc. Cheaper for the record companies, better for us as we get more availability and better for the planet as fewer resources are used in producing and transporting these massive box sets.

Yes, but some of us like something for the creaking shelves to show for our hard earned cash.

[rauschwerk]

The answer is to release back catalogues on download only...

Indeed. My creaking shelves are virtually full. DG have shown the way here and I was recently pleased to acquire some deleted Haydn recordings by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra without acquiring symphonies I already have in other versions.

[jayne lee wilson]

Yes, that Sony Original Jacket Szell box was rather cluttered-looking itself, but the miniature LP-sleeves of the Beethoven cycle were a delight, I get them out just to look at sometimes. I myself do like decent artwork, I've even paid more occasionally to get the original CD releases for that very reason, especially if there's been no remastering. The originals often sound better too.

Am I alone in not being particularly bothered about artwork? I am more interested in the music the new owners of EMI are going to release. The packaging of the recent EMI 'Icon' series is, like most classical releases, fairly dull but the actual content has been interesting. The artwork on the Sony 'The Original Jacket Collection' has to be the most hideous ever but there has been some excellent content (the Szell and Caballe issues especially so).

My main concern about the back catalogue (I've more or less given up on new EMI releases) is whether there is anything left that hasn't already been reissued several times. The Steinberg set in the 'Icon' series cames as a pleasant surprise but many recent releases just repeats. I have collected a fair amount in the British Composers series but haven't noticed very much new recently, instead the same material has been reissued in ever bigger boxes.

[Parry1912]

Yes, that Sony Original Jacket Szell box was rather cluttered-looking itself, but the miniature LP-sleeves of the Beethoven cycle were a delight

I've got one of the Horowitz boxes and the 'Rubinstein plays Chopin' set. I love the miniature LP sleeves - especially the gatefold ones!

[Barbirollians]

That Chopin set costs nothing for 10 CDs of utterly marvellous playing . I got to know Chopin from badly pressed RCA records of these performances in the 1980s - how wonderful they are . The Brahms set is superb too.

[Parry1912]

I don't think anyone plays Chopin like Rubinstein.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The answer is to release back catalogues on download only - minimal production costs/artwork/notes etc. Cheaper for the record companies, better for us as we get more availability and better for the planet as fewer resources are used in producing and transporting these massive box sets.

It's certainly better than nothing, but I am not alone in preferring to buy my CDs ready made rather than spending an age downloading them on to massive boxes/spindles of blank CDs, designing and printing labels and having no programme notes.

[MickyD]

It's certainly better than nothing, but I am not alone in preferring to buy my CDs ready made rather than spending an age downloading them on to massive boxes/spindles of blank CDs, designing and printing labels and having no programme notes.

I quite agree, EA. I want to see as well as hear something for my money - a professionally produced CD with a proper cover (good or bad) lodges in the mind, and I know full well that if I started making my own CDs, they would all get lost in a horrid jumble somewhere, never to be played again.

[DublinJimbo]

It's certainly better than nothing, but I am not alone in preferring to buy my CDs ready made rather than spending an age downloading them on to massive boxes/spindles of blank CDs, designing and printing labels and having no programme notes.

But the whole point of downloads is to bypass the physical CD and to access the digital files directly (nowadays almost inevitably by way of iTunes). I've been a dedicated advocate of downloading for the best part of four years, and have built up a digital collection equivalent to some 1700 CDs. I can access this collection in ways I never dreamt of when I was limited to CDs on shelves (I do still have about 1500 physical CDs), and I never have to worry about putting CDs back in their right places after a listening session. More and more record labels and download sites now offer high-quality digital downloads (at least CD quality, and in many cases better than that), and the majority of these also include a digital version of the CD booklet.

All of this has led to a re-blossoming of my enjoyment of recorded music. I am investigating new types of music, I am listening to composers whose work I would never have dreamt of buying on CD, I can access all this music with a flexibility never before possible, in many cases it sounds better than a CD would, and I am freed from the former perennial problem of constantly investing in more and more physical storage space.

[Bryn]

But the whole point of downloads is to bypass the physical CD and to access the digital files directly (nowadays almost inevitably by way of iTunes). I've been a dedicated advocate of downloading for the best part of four years, and have built up a digital collection equivalent to some 1700 CDs. I can access this collection in ways I never dreamt of when I was limited to CDs on shelves (I do still have about 1500 physical CDs), and I never have to worry about putting CDs back in their right places after a listening session. More and more record labels and download sites now offer high-quality digital downloads (at least CD quality, and in many cases better than that), and the majority of these also include a digital version of the CD booklet.

All of this has led to a re-blossoming of my enjoyment of recorded music. I am investigating new types of music, I am listening to composers whose work I would never have dreamt of buying on CD, I can access all this music with a flexibility never before possible, in many cases it sounds better than a CD would, and I am freed from the former perennial problem of constantly investing in more and more physical storage space.

And this vast collection of downloads, all lossless at 96/24 are they, or 320kbps M4As from 44.1/16 at the very least?

iTunes has but two roles on this computer: tuning in to BBC Radio 3 in HD Sound when other routes fail, and converting audio files to M4A for player which either do not play AAC files as such, or play them but will not allow fast forward or reverse searching. Let it handle FLACs, APEs, MP2s, etc. and iTunes (and iPlayers) might have some attraction. Until then ...

[barber olly]

Looks like downloads are like Marmite!
My Score Marmite 1 Downloads 0