Bargains

[PJPJ]

Are there any obvious "highlights", and is there a problem for us in the UK?

What did you go for?

You need a French address of some sort........

I've bought the odd Harmonia Mundi release over the past few months, yesterday the Lewis/Belohlavek Beethoven PCs which I've heard several times on CD. Then there's the French label Timpani; I've collected a fair few CDs over the years but have been sorely tempted recently by the George Onslow chamber music for piano and wind, charming and delightful, so got that as well. (24 bit sound for both is excellent.)

http://www.timpani-records.com/2c2185.php

(The Onslow tracklist times are all wrong - the total time is correct.)

[amateur51]

I bought both of these when they were available cheaply. 30 Euros sounds a decent enough price for the Belder. That price seems similar to what I paid a few years ago for each set, but even Belder usually costs a lot more now. I agree that a little Scarlatti, lovely though it is, goes a long way. I think there is at least one other set worth considering - isn't it by Richard Lester - and doesn't look like a bargain in any format - http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_...i+lester&ajr=0 The details of the Ross set are here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scarlatti-Co...5705246&sr=1-1 Someone else can find these cheaper - but I'd say a target price of under £40 for any would be very good now, though comparable with what I paid.

I paid £50 for the Scott Ross set at HMV in Oxford Street about seven years ago, so interested Londoners keep your eyes peeled

[amateur51]

... ah, Scarlatti is a composer who somehow 'gets' to me more than anyone else. I think there is a consonance between his musical obsessiveness - and he is obsessive - and something in me. In playing him (trying to play him) there is a physical joy of the fitting under the fingers that I find nowhere else. And in listening to him, a physical excitement - and yet also a sudden heart-rending emotion at an unexpected harmonic change - that - given the tiny field in which he chose to operate - is just wonderful...

That's well put, vints The excitement & the unexpected harmonic change I find akin to that in CPE Bach

[AmpH]

Mention of Pieter - Jan Belder reminded me of this excellent and well priced little set of Rameau discs which have given me much pleasure :-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rameau-Complete-Harsichord-Pieter-Jan-Belder/dp/B002JH8INS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS?ie=UTF8&coliid=I4SG6XMP5O12G&colid=DVA460UIFFZ6

[MickyD]

Interesting comments....I am at present on CD 3 of 36! It will be an interesting exercise to listen to all 555 sonatas, I'll probably do one disc per day. I already had the discs that Staier did, but when I saw this set in a local shop yesterday for such a crazy price, I simply couldn't resist, even though I have long been thinking about getting the Ross. I think it had been there for a while, the box was sitting on the top of a shelf gathering dust!

At present the Belder is under £80 on amazon.uk, but on Amazon.fr.... 599 euros! I knew the euro was in trouble, but even so...

[MickyD]

Mention of Pieter - Jan Belder reminded me of this excellent and well priced little set of Rameau discs which have given me much pleasure :-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rameau-Compl...d=DVA460UIFFZ6

Again, an amazing price. I notice that one listener says that the set surpasses the Decca Rousset, which would be quite a feat, in my opinion. And has anyone heard Belder's Soler? I presume it must be good, too.

[vinteuil]

And has anyone heard Belder's Soler? I presume it must be good, too.

yep

[much better than the Gilbert Rowland on naxos - (much more attractive sound, more exciting, more envoûtant... )]

[MickyD]

I see that he has also done some of the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book - the last time I heard those pieces was on an old Folio Society set with Christopher Hogwood, which sadly never made it to CD.

[teamsaint]

Can anyone recommend any cheap Bartok S Q sets, please . The Belchea and Keller are both £7 complete on amazon............any good?

[Bryn]

Can anyone recommend any cheap Bartok S Q sets, please . The Belchea and Keller are both £7 complete on amazon............any good?

Get the Belchea. The Keller is good, but the Belchea is outstandingly so.

[teamsaint]

Get the Belchea. The Keller is good, but the Belchea is outstandingly so.

cheers, Bryn, I will follow your advice. Looking forward to getting stuck into these......

[EdgeleyRob]

Can anyone recommend any cheap Bartok S Q sets, please . The Belchea and Keller are both £7 complete on amazon............any good?

I have the Keller set TS.It has good reviews and sounds great to my (non-expert) ears.

[Barbirollians]

I bought the 1963 Juilliard recordings 10 years ago for a song - now I see they are out of circulation and going for megabucks . Very fine there are too and I have never felt the need to get any other.

[visualnickmos]

For the Bartok SQs, the Takacs Quartet are pretty damn good (Decca)

[mathias broucek]

For the Bartok SQs, the Takacs Quartet are pretty damn good (Decca)

When I was a student at Bristol in the late '90s the Takacs came and did a concert for the university which featured Bartok. It was pretty mind-blowing stuff! Of course my ears were better attuned back then.....