Bargains

[mathias broucek]

simples! - 100 CDs - what might a normal CD cost? say £13.75??

So - 100 CDs - should cost £1,375.
Actually costs - £29.

You - and Mrs P save £1,346.

Now what would you - and especially Mrs P? - like to do with this £1,346 you have suddenly acquired???

LOL. Are you Gordon Brown in disguise?

[hafod]

Agreed. Also, although there are some fairly decent performances in the box, there's a lot of stuff that's less than top drawer and in late 1940s sound.

Yes indeed - but at 30p a disc there is much to discover and it will be an enjoyable time doing so. Moreover, if one is careful not to abuse the box like poor old Amateur 51, then selling it on without making a loss is a real possibility should one feel the need. Even if that is not possible then it is still great vfm. All those hours for the cost of a bottle of Veuve Clicquot from Waitrose which lasts nowhere near as long and no prospect of selling the empty!

[cloughie]

Yes indeed - but at 30p a disc there is much to discover and it will be an enjoyable time doing so. Moreover, if one is careful not to abuse the box like poor old Amateur 51, then selling it on without making a loss is a real possibility should one feel the need. Even if that is not possible then it is still great vfm. All those hours for the cost of a bottle of Veuve Clicquot from Waitrose which lasts nowhwere near as long and no prospect of selling the empty!

On the positive side - looks good value for money and some interesting contents
On the negative side - have I shelf-space? and have I time to play it in addition to the current backlog?

[Bryn]

On the positive side - looks good value for money and some interesting contents
On the negative side - have I shelf-space? and have I time to play it in addition to the current backlog?

Indeed. The latter points are what is holding me back.

[gurnemanz]

On the positive side - looks good value for money and some interesting contents
On the negative side - have I shelf-space? and have I time to play it in addition to the current backlog?

On first scrutiny certainly plenty there to justify the minimal outlay. Even the ones that might not be to my taste long term will be of curiosity value for one listen. I was surprised to find quite a lot of Jaap Schröder with Concerto Amsterdam from the 70s in with all the older recordings.

Re shelf space. Every centimetre counts. I have eliminated the overlarge box and just shelved them in their sleeves, thereby reducing width required to about 8 inches.

[Bryn]

... Re shelf space. Every centimetre counts. I have eliminated the overlarge box and just shelved them in their sleeves, thereby reducing width required to about 8 inches.

Reminds me of the way, once the superfluous cardboard space-fillers were removed, I was able to easily fit the whole of the contents of:



into:



the former's box being of very impractical design and the latter far too capacious for its contents.

[Pianorak]

But that's only £7.97 plus postage!

PS. Will be interested to hear how you like the Scriabin Preludes c/w the Chopin.

I must admit I don't find the Scriabin Op.11 set very interesting. Both Zhukov and Richter recorded excerpts only AFAIK. The only piece which sets my pulse racing, No. 8 Allegro agitato, isn't included in either recording. Maybe Khatia Buniatishvili could make the set sound a bit more interesting.

However, exceptionally pleased with Zhukov's Chopin Preludes. Very clean finger work, a highly individual interpretation throwing a welcome new light on the set.

[amateur51]

I must admit I don't find the Scriabin Op.11 set very interesting. Both Zhukov and Richter recorded excerpts only AFAIK. The only piece which sets my pulse racing, No. 8 Allegro agitato, isn't included in either recording. Maybe Khatia Buniatishvili could make the set sound a bit more interesting.

However, exceptionally pleased with Zhukov's Chopin Preludes. Very clean finger work, a highly individual interpretation throwing a welcome new light on the set.

You clearly know your Scriabin, pianorak, which I certainly don't.

However, I was rather taken with the Scriabin in this recital by Arcadi Volodos at the Musikwerein in Vienna on DVD - it's also available on CD only

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Stuq6shws4Q

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B002V9L5HA/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

[HighlandDougie]

However, I was rather taken with the Scriabin in this recital by Arcadi Volodos at the Musikwerein in Vienna on DVD - it's also available on CD only

That what revealed to me the astonishing originality of Scriabin's piano music - the rest of the recital is pretty wonderful as well (Ravel's Valses Nobles et Sentimentales are ... well, you really have to hear them). The recent Olli Mustonen Scriabin recital on Ondine is also worth looking out

[amateur51]

That what revealed to me the astonishing originality of Scriabin's piano music - the rest of the recital is pretty wonderful as well (Ravel's Valses Nobles et Sentimentales are ... well, you really have to hear them). The recent Olli Mustonen Scriabin recital on Ondine is also worth looking out

I agree about the Volodos recital, HighlandDougie - I must try to catch his next concert in London

And many thanks for the Mustonen disc suggestion.

[Pianorak]

You clearly know your Scriabin, pianorak, which I certainly don't.

However, I was rather taken with the Scriabin in this recital by Arcadi Volodos at the Musikwerein in Vienna on DVD - it's also available on CD only

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Stuq6shws4Q

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B002V9L5HA/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Many thanks for the links, Am51. No more need to wonder what to do with my Thursday evening! And yes, I do have a couple of his CDs. I also remember his Rach 2 at the proms a few years ago. Brilliant musician!

Edit: Magnificent playing! Best listened to on CD rather than the DVD as there are too many places where picture and sound are not in sync which would probably irritate on repeated viewing.

@HighlandDougie - thanks for the Mustonen Scriabin mention. Being a Scriabin nut it's an obvious must-have!

[akiralx]

However, I was rather taken with the Scriabin in this recital by Arcadi Volodos at the Musikwerein in Vienna on DVD - it's also available on CD only

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Stuq6shws4Q

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B002V9L5HA/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Also available on SACD and bluray (whose image quality has been criticised, though), I have the former on order, looking forward to hearing it.

[mathias broucek]

For folk who are not alergic to Sinopoli, there's a 16 CD set of DG orchestral recordings for £29 on marketplace and his Mahler cycle for £22.

[mathias broucek]

For folk who are not alergic to Sinopoli, there's a 16 CD set of DG orchestral recordings for £29 on marketplace and his Mahler cycle for £22.

PS just put Sinopoli into search (can't manage to do a link from my mobile!)

[vinteuil]

For folk who are not alergic to Sinopoli, there's a 16 CD set of DG orchestral recordings for £29 on marketplace and his Mahler cycle for £22.

... i think there are two DG Sinopoli boxes - 16 CDs orchestral; 8 CDs concerti