Bargains

[Dave2002]

Dave, the Amazon downloader downloads the CDs as individual tracks rather than one huge file, so it should just keep chugging away until it finishes. Perhaps it would be useful for Amazon to publish the total size of the albums available for download.

For what it's worth I downloaded a 4 gig operating system update the other week, and that downloaded without any problem - I'm with Virgin.

OK - now I have the details.

On a 75 Mbps (yes - really that) link it took 1.5 hours to download the 33 CD equivalent MP3s of the Bayreuth Festival Amazon Decca set.

It took about 20 minutes to copy the files (plus a few spare to fill up the gaps) to a DVD and verify it.

I suspect the download rate was actually around 6 Mbps, which is what it needed to be to achieve this by my calculations. Thus the rate limitation was probably at the server end rather than across the link. The final folder size was under 4 Gbytes.

Anyone with lower data rate links will of course find the time increases, and perhaps not necessarily in direct proportion. I'd guess that 5 hours should do for most people, so probably best not to use the machine for anything else during that time, unless you're feeling very confident.

It is doable!

[amateur51]

OK - now I have the details.

On a 75 Mbps (yes - really that) link it took 1.5 hours to download the 33 CD equivalent MP3s of the Bayreuth Festival Amazon Decca set.

It took about 20 minutes to copy the files (plus a few spare to fill up the gaps) to a DVD and verify it.

I suspect the download rate was actually around 6 Mbps, which is what it needed to be to achieve this by my calculations. Thus the rate limitation was probably at the server end rather than across the link. The final folder size was under 4 Gbytes.

Anyone with lower data rate links will of course find the time increases, and perhaps not necessarily in direct proportion. I'd guess that 5 hours should do for most people, so probably best not to use the machine for anything else during that time, unless you're feeling very confident.

It is doable!

Thanks for this, Dave2002!

[MickyD]

As someone who has very little Britten in my collection, who thinks that this bargain box from Decca might be a good bet?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001EOOC3W/ref=pe_109191_26148381_pe_epc_d1

[barber olly]

As someone who has very little Britten in my collection, who thinks that this bargain box from Decca might be a good bet?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001EOOC3...8381_pe_epc_d1

bargain box from Decca? or even EMI. Whatever label at under £1 per disc, even avoiding chunks I'd rather not hear, looks like good value to me with a good roster of conductors and performers.

[hafod]

Always on the lookout for unusual reportoire, I have had my eye on the 10 cd set of Rheinberger piano music from Carus. I first saw it on jpc for 50 euros which, for me, is rather a lot to pay for a shot in the dark. Amazon UK then had it for a tad over £40 but astonishingly it is listed today for £16.39. I have taken the plunge. Should anyone else be interested here is the link:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Piano-Works-J-Rheinberger/dp/B005805ET4/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I315RY7TLK1JZ9&colid=AZFAVK42ANC5

[Roehre]

There is a lot to discover in this box.
I received an email from Carus-Verlag some weeks ago, announcing it was available for 49.90 Euros if ordered before July 31st. With Hafod I found that a bit too much, as I got appr. 4CDs worth of music already. But £16.39 is not too bad.

[Bryn]

As someone who has very little Britten in my collection, who thinks that this bargain box from [EMI] might be a good bet?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001EOOC3...8381_pe_epc_d1

Many thanks for the tip-off. My set arrived today. The only direct duplicate in there for me was Knussens's Prince of the Pagodas.

[Barbirollians]

What ! You do not already own Ida Haendel's legendary Britten Violin Concerto ???

[Bryn]

What ! You do not already own Ida Haendel's legendary Britten Vioin[sic] Concerto ???

Why the 'ell would I have wanted that?

[Barbirollians]

Pastoralguy will be after you now !

[martin_opera]

Itunes currently have Bjorling and Milanov's RCA recording of Aida conducted by Jonel Perlea (seach for Jonel Perlea Aida) and it's only £2.49. The version you want is the one released on 18 November 2008. Itunes also lists three other versions of the same recording: two at over £20 and one at £4.49. The £2.49 has sound as good I suspect as the original RCA recording. It's a great version of a great opera - enjoy!

[Jonathan]

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! I paid full price for the Rheinberger piano music because I really didn't expect it to appear on Amazon. It is very good though...

[Dave2002]

Many thanks for the tip-off. My set arrived today. The only direct duplicate in there for me was Knussens's Prince of the Pagodas.

Bryn

Is there a decent track listing anywhere? I found one at CD Universe, but the details didn't really make sense - with Metamorphoses after Ovid being played by full orchestra, allegedly, with orchestras conducted by Richard Hickox (track 154) and Reginald Goodall (track 155) .Maybe I should just opt for this anyway, but it'd be good to know what's really on it first.

[amateur51]

Bryn

Is there a decent track listing anywhere? I found one at CD Universe, but the details didn't really make sense - with Metamorphoses after Ovid being played by full orchestra, allegedly, with orchestras conducted by Richard Hickox (track 154) and Reginald Goodall (track 155) .Maybe I should just opt for this anyway, but it'd be good to know what's really on it first.

Does this help, Dave2002?:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/search.php?searchString=The+Britten+Edition&page=2

[Dave2002]

Does this help, Dave2002?:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/sea...Edition&page=2

am51

It does indeed. Very much better than this - http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7755638 (AVOID) - perhaps I shouldn't even include that link! Thanks.