European CD shops

[Dave2002]

I was delighted to discover the CD shop in the Gewandhaus in Leipzig recently. Small, but big enough to have index cards for a reasonable number of composers. When I commented that it was good to have a proper CD shop, and that in the UK almost all shopping is done online, I was then infomed politely that there are now only 12 CD shops left in Germany.

Opportunities to browse for new CDs are dwindling worldwide, and soon there'll only be charity shops left. Relish the chances you have left while you can.

[french frank]

It appears we now have a second(?) one in Bristol. As well as the established Providence Music in St George's Road, behind the Council Ho... oops, I mean behind City Hall, we now have Opus 13, on St Michael's Hill. Haven't been able to visit yet, but it opened four weeks ago.

[Stanfordian]

I was delighted to discover the CD shop in the Gewandhaus in Leipzig recently. Small, but big enough to have index cards for a reasonable number of composers. When I commented that it was good to have a proper CD shop, and that in the UK almost all shopping is done online, I was then infomed politely that there are now only 12 CD shops left in Germany.

Opportunities to browse for new CDs are dwindling worldwide, and soon there'll only be charity shops left. Relish the chances you have left while you can.

There are two CD shops in Munich in particular the cavernous section in the Ludwig Beck department store. As a CD shop it would be hard to better. In Berlin I like to visit Dussmann again it has a large and wonderfully comprehensive selection.

[pastoralguy]

The Philharmonie in Berlin has a shop attached. Quite a good selection although, inevitably, weighted towards the Berlin Phiharmonic. (Not complaining though!)

[richardfinegold]

I was pleased to find about 4 CD shops in Vienna a few months ago.

[Alison]

How about Amsterdam?

[Petrushka]

HMV, FNAC and Virgin Megastore were on the Champs Elysee in Paris when I was last there a few years ago and Gallerie Lafayette had a reasonable selection. Wonder what has happened since then?

I found three CD shops in Vienna in 2008 but stock wasn't as big as I expected for the musical capital of the world and prices were on the high side. There was an interesting selection of VPO historic discs in the Haus der Musik which are not available here. The Vienna Philharmonic museum there is well worth a visit.

[visualnickmos]

Recently on a visit back to London, I went to the newly re-opened HMV shop, (which bizarrely is in the same building as the very first HMV) and the classical section is a joke.

[pastoralguy]

Salzburg has two superb cd shops which had discs that were not yet available in the UK. One in particular had signed copies of discs by top artists including an Lp deluxe edition of Karajan's 1977-78 Beethoven symphony set signed by the Maestro himself! It was being sold on behalf of an individual and was €200! I almost bought it until common sense kicked in!!

Prices were expensive for discs but the poor exchange rate of the pound against the euro doesn't help.

[pastoralguy]

Recently on a visit back to London, I went to the newly re-opened HMV shop, (which bizarrely is in the same building as the very first HMV) and the classical section is a joke.

I was there a few weeks ago and was horrified at the poor range on offer. Oh dear.

[HighlandDougie]

HMV, FNAC and Virgin Megastore were on the Champs Elysee in Paris when I was last there a few years ago and Gallerie Lafayette had a reasonable selection. Wonder what has happened since then?

Virgin Megastores in France went bust last summer; I don't think HMV still exists in the Champs-Elysées (??) but FNAC is still there. Although slightly off-topic (because it deals in "pre-owned" CDs), La Chaumière à Musique in its new guise as Melomania, 38 boulevard Saint-Germain is a delightful shop - same knowledgeable staff, great stock, keen prices.

[amateur51]

Although slightly off-topic (because it deals in "pre-owned" CDs), La Chaumière à Musique in its new guise as Melomania, 38 boulevard Saint-Germain is a delightful shop - same knowledgeable staff, great stock, keen prices.

Oh that could prove very expensive, Paris + bargain CDs hmmmm

[richardfinegold]

HMV, FNAC and Virgin Megastore were on the Champs Elysee in Paris when I was last there a few years ago and Gallerie Lafayette had a reasonable selection. Wonder what has happened since then?

I found three CD shops in Vienna in 2008 but stock wasn't as big as I expected for the musical capital of the world and prices were on the high side. There was an interesting selection of VPO historic discs in the Haus der Musik which are not available here. The Vienna Philharmonic museum there is well worth a visit.

Vienna had a nice well stocked EMI store on Kartnerstrasse and at least two other well stocked shops flanking the Opera house. I encountered a couple of other shops further away in the Ring towards the Danube.
Salzburg indeed had two fine shops. The better of the two was just the other side of the river from the Old Towne and had a floor devoted to used vinyl as well. Prices were reasonable but as per the rest of Salzburg, no true bargains.
Prague had a store that I liked a few blocks from the Rudolfinum, with the emphasis being on Czech PO recordings past and present.
I didn't see any stores in Budapest but I was only there for a day and a half.
35 years ago when I attended University in a large Midwestern college town there were record stores on every block. I whiled away many an hour there looking at lps and learned a lot by reading the liner notes on lps. I think that many people may have had their interest in classical music spurred on that way. I wonder how much the demise of record stores has contributed to a loss of interest by younger generations. Or perhaps I'm wrong and the newer ways of browisng for music, such as youtube, have developed new audiences.

[Stanfordian]

The Philharmonie in Berlin has a shop attached. Quite a good selection although, inevitably, weighted towards the Berlin Phiharmonic. (Not complaining though!)

.

Hiya PG,

Yes it's a decent enough selection in the Philharmonie and I really enjoy going there on my reporting trips. But Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus on Friedrichstraße is about 12 times bigger. Not to be missed.

[pastoralguy]

.

Hiya PG,

Yes it's a decent enough selection in the Philharmonie and I really enjoy going there on my reporting trips. But Dussmann das KulturKaufhaus on Friedrichstraße is about 12 times bigger. Not to be missed.

Thank you for that. I was going to start a posting asking about cd shops in Berlin but, before leaving, starting sorting out my CDs and was horrified by the number of recent releases that are still un-wrapped! I really can't justify buying any more. (Although I did obtain the Brahms Symphonies with Kempe conducting on Testament. )

Mrs. PG bought me two Berlin Phil. Tee shirts which I refuse to take off.