Bargains

[Dave2002]

There are some fair bargains in the Selections clearance sale (not sure if this has come up before in this thread), including:

Complete Beethoven set, 85 CDs for £79 inc piano sonatas/concertos with Gulda, symphonies Leipzig Gewandhaus/Masur, violin sonatas with Grumiaux/Haskil, quartets with Guarneri, piano trios with Borodin Trio inter al. I am not one generally for complete sets (and some of these I am sure are available cheaply elsewhere) but seems like good value. The Guarneri quartets and the Grumiaux/Haskil are available separately in this clearance sale.
Brahms chamber music for £12.99
Schumann chamber music for £5.99
Tippett selected orchestral works cond by Tippett for £1.50
and quite a few others including Scriabin and Glazunov symphonies.

Plus this week there is the Rachmaninov box set for £34.99. I don't know whether it's any good - 28 CDs, but if you're going to buy it at all this might be a good time.

I have so far not preferred Polyansky's Glazunov symphony set to others, though maybe I should give it another chance. At £5.99 for 7 CDs it's not bad value, and you do get some rare (perhaps deservedly so?) cantatas as well. At the price it's probably a reasonable introduction to Glazunov's symphonies, though if you don't get to hate them, then I suggest exploring other versions as well. The Schumann chamber music is also good value - though I don't know the versions - http://www.selections.com/BX111/schu...htext=Schumann I hadn't noticed the Scriabin before, but at £2.99 for 3 CDs conducted by Muti it seems a snip.

I've seen most of the rest before - the Tippett is worth having, though I have it already.

PS: The promotions sections might also be of interest. Currently they have Britten's Peter Grimes conducted by the composer, and Pierre Fournier playing Bach cello suites, both at competitive prices - and there are more.

[hafod]

There are some fair bargains in the Selections clearance sale (not sure if this has come up before in this thread), including:

Complete Beethoven set, 85 CDs for £79 inc piano sonatas/concertos with Gulda, symphonies Leipzig Gewandhaus/Masur, violin sonatas with Grumiaux/Haskil, quartets with Guarneri, piano trios with Borodin Trio inter al. I am not one generally for complete sets (and some of these I am sure are available cheaply elsewhere) but seems like good value.

As you say this may be available more cheaply elsewhere - jpc to be precise at €49.99 - which works out around £50 with the delivery charge and, providing there is not too much duplication of actual performances in one's collection, something of a steal I think.

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Ludwig-van-Beethoven-1770-1827-Ludwig-van-Beethoven-Complete-Works-limitiert/hnum/2861650?SESSIONID=836ff28b7a31d6da3f9d3019a5af79a0

[robk]

I've ordered the Scriabin Symphony set with Muti & The Philadelphia for £2.99. Thanks to Aeolium & Dave for the tip. Can't decide whether to go for the Glazunov.

[aeolium]

As you say this may be available more cheaply elsewhere - jpc to be precise at €49.99 - which works out around £50 with the delivery charge and, providing there is not too much duplication of actual performances in one's collection, something of a steal I think.

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/deta...9d3019a5af79a0

I thought it would be cheaper somewhere, hafod. I have the Gulda sonatas and concertos and the Grumiaux/Haskil violin sonatas inter al so there would be quite a bit of duplication for me.

[Bryn]

As mentioned in the "Had I never listened closely enough?" thread, the contents of the 4 CD set of Alvin Curran's Inner Cities is available in decent data rate mp3 download format for £4.99 at amazon.co.uk. The liner notes may be found at Mr. Curran's website.

[murieston]

From amazon - Janet Baker, Beverly Sills in Bellini's opera I Capuletti e i Montecchi - great performances from both of these singers. At £2.99 a bargain in any language.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bellini-I-Capuletti-Montecchi/dp/B0002XV2XO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328804547&sr=8-1

[cloughie]

I've ordered the Scriabin Symphony set with Muti & The Philadelphia for £2.99. Thanks to Aeolium & Dave for the tip. Can't decide whether to go for the Glazunov.

Just a small point, probably unimportant if what you are seeking is an ecomical way of getting to know the Glazunov Syms, but No7 is BBCNOW Otaka not Polyansky.

[Dave2002]

Just a small point, probably unimportant if what you are seeking is an ecomical way of getting to know the Glazunov Syms, but No7 is BBCNOW Otaka not Polyansky.

Agree about that, and i liked pretty much all of Otaka's set, which I also have on BIS, though it turns up occasionally as a cheap and reasonably acceptable download - less than £10 when it's on offer, e.g from Amazon.

At the low prices for Selections it's usually worth buying more, and trying to batch things together, as otherwise the postage is significant.

[Dave2002]

Has anyone actually tried/sampled that Brilliant Rachmaninov box? Not sure if it's one to miss, or not!

[Dave2002]

If you haven't already bought any of the goodies you fancied from the Selections sale I'd say that your chances of getting any are now low. Most of the items mentioned here are not now listed, including the Glazunov symphonies and the Schumann chamber music and the Scriabin symphonies.

[robk]

I've just received a note from Selections to say they have sold out of the Scriabin Symphonies. Feel disappointed which is silly because they were not on my wish list. I'll have to order something else as a consolation!

If you haven't already bought any of the goodies you fancied from the Selections sale I'd say that your chances of getting any are now low. Most of the items mentioned here are not now listed, including the Glazunov symphonies and the Schumann chamber music and the Scriabin symphonies.

[Bryn]

I had the very good fortune to to find the CD illustrated below in the Windsor Oxfam shop today. Still in its film wrapper, though with the front of the jewel case cracked, it was priced at £1.99. I intend to spin it tonight, before H&N.

[Dave2002]

I've just received a note from Selections to say they have sold out of the Scriabin Symphonies. Feel disappointed which is silly because they were not on my wish list. I'll have to order something else as a consolation!

I know the feeling. They shouldn't have done that though, if you did the order through the web site. It's happened to me on occasions, but it ain't good. Stock control!

I couldn't get another cheap copy of the Glazunov symphonies either (to give away) so I ended up ordering Svetlanov's set - which (fortunately - I just checked) is cheaper than at Amazon.

[mathias broucek]

Giulini's Sony (Bavarian RSO) B minor Mass is £2.74 to pre-order on Amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bach-Mass-Minor-BWV-232/dp/B006TX27J4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329213187&sr=8-1

[cloughie]

I had the very good fortune to to find the CD illustrated below in the Windsor Oxfam shop today. Still in its film wrapper, though with the front of the jewel case cracked, it was priced at £1.99. I intend to spin it tonight, before H&N.

Though not a Norrington fan, particularly post LCP, I might have been tempted at the price for a comparative listen.