The Gloat Thread

[Guest]

In London over the weekend, a visit to the Oxfam bookshop on Upper St, Islington, yielded:

Boulez/Chereau Ring DVD (including Making Of...documentary only available as part of the US set; 8 DVDs in all) for all of ......20.00!

Also picked up Chailly's rather rare Prokofiev 3 disc and his Turangaglila Symphony; and von Otter and Bonney in Brahms' Liebeslieder Walzer - all for £2.49 apiece!

On a lowbrow note, also picked up Abba's Complete Studio Recordings box. Not a huge fan of their tuneful pop but reckoned it would be a good investment. Boy, was I right: it was a limited edition of only 6,000 copies, which now commands silly prices on amazon marketplace etc. I got it for all of ...... £14.99 (that's 10 CDs, plus 2 DVDs).


Now, where's the smug emoticon?

[Petrushka]

I picked up Klemperer's EMI Fidelio for £3 a few weeks ago at a local charity shop. Böhm's Tristan was also there at the same price but I already have that. When I went in again a couple of hours later that too had gone. They write the date the item came in the shop on the price label and both showed that very morning.

You have to be quick!

[Mandryka]

You have to be quick!

Indeed you do! He who hesitates is lost....

[waldo]

I haven't picked up a good bargain for years. I don't even look any more. The charity shops in my area don't seem to get many classical CDs.........

Some time ago, though, I did happen to find myself in a HMV that was downsizing its classical department and selling off most of its stock. I picked up Mitsuko Uchida's seven CD set of Schubert, Barenboim's EMI Complete Beethoven and the Guilini Don Giovanni (with libretto) for £2.99 each. Waiting at the checkout, my knees were weak with adrenalin.

Ah, but that was years ago now.......

[Alison]

And isn't the Uchida set disappointing !

[waldo]

Disappointing?

No, I don't think so. A very fine set, I have always thought. Not as good as her Mozart, perhaps, but still very good.

What don't you like about it? (And who is better?)