Bargains

[Dave2002]

Now they also have a Mendelssohn box for £6.99.
My comments on this one are similar to my earlier comments re Handel - I've probably got most of the CDs already, unless Brilliant have updated/repackaged the box - but I think some of the performances are good. I'd have to cross check against an earlier box set I have.

http://www.selections.com/mendelssoh...rks-10cds.html

Overall the CDs seem much the same as the performances I have in the somwhat earlier 40 CD set - "The Masterworks".
Without seeing the individual tracks it's hard to be sure that everything is included, though presumably simply duplicating the discs, even if relabeled is easier than divvying out the music again. For this reason I'd suspect that the piano concerto CD also contains the Capriccio Brillante, played by Derek Han. The one disc which must be new is the CD of violin concertos - CD10, though the performances were in the earlier box, but on separate CDs. The D minor concerto is played by Gil Sharon, while the E minor is played by Emmy Verhey.

It is a decent enough set, at the low price of £6.99.

[mikealdren]

There were some early mono CDs where they put some tracks on the right and some on the left. Twice as much music per CD and excellent value when CDs were expensive but not easy to play back. I have an excellent compendium of Feuermann recordings in this format. I eventually copied the tracks onto two CDs.

Mike

[Don Petter]

There were some early mono CDs where they put some tracks on the right and some on the left. Twice as much music per CD and excellent value when CDs were expensive but not easy to play back.
Mike

Easy enough with the trusty Quad - Either track on both speakers at the touch of a button.

[Dave2002]

Today - start of the Linn download offerings: - http://www.linn.co.uk/christmas?__ut..._utmk=22741304

Shepherds' Farewell, Embraceable You, Ghost Narrative

Remember to choose the format you want. Not sure if possible to download in different formats - e.g FLAC and MP3 - i.e revisit the download site.

Might as well choose 24 bits (FLAC or ALAC) unless those formats really don't work for you. If revisits are possible, an MP3 version can also be convenient.

[Howdenite]

Andreas Staier's Diabelli Variations are on eClassical's Advent Calendar (2nd day). $6 and a bit for 16 bit FLAC and $9 for 24 bit FLAC. http://www.eclassical.com/pages/christmas2013.html

[Thropplenoggin]

Andreas Staier's Diabelli Variations are on eClassical's Advent Calendar (2nd day). $6 and a bit for 16 bit FLAC and $9 for 24 bit FLAC. http://www.eclassical.com/pages/christmas2013.html

Thanks for flagging this, Howdenite and Dave.

Perhaps we should start a separate 'Yuletide Bargains: Downloads and Discs' thread, since these are often only available for one day?

[Dave2002]

You had me slightly puzzled there Throps. I'm afraid "free" trumps a discount - though the eclassical ones are for a whole CDs worth, so if there's a particular one wanted then that would be good. Perhaps the Diabelli Variations by Staier might for not that much might prompt me to act, though.

I don't know when Linn update their site, but at present they still seem to have Day 1, so I'm waiting to see what'll come round for today. Others might want to try dashing in and see if they can still get the Shepherd's Farewell

PS: If you want to start a One Day Bargains, or a Yuletide Bargains thread, please kick it off.

[johnb]

Andreas Staier's Diabelli Variations are on eClassical's Advent Calendar (2nd day). $6 and a bit for 16 bit FLAC and $9 for 24 bit FLAC. http://www.eclassical.com/pages/christmas2013.html

The other disc on offer, Danças Brasileiras (São Paulo SO/Roberto Minczuk) looks well worth a punt for $4.44 (16 bit FLAC).

[Dave2002]

The other disc on offer, Danças Brasileiras (São Paulo SO/Roberto Minczuk) looks well worth a punt for $4.44 (16 bit FLAC).

Prices in dollars - so maybe under £2.80? My converter says £2.71 today. However, that's only 16 bit, so presumably the 24 bit version costs a pound or two more.

[Dave2002]

Today's Linn offering is the 3rd movement of Bach's Brandenburg concerto no 3. (What's this got to do with Christmas?). It's played by the Dunedin Consort conducted by John Butt. Sounds good, though in the 24 bit version.

http://www.linn.co.uk/christmas

[johnb]

Silly question: what on earth is the point in downloading a single movement on its own (free or otherwise) other than to sample a recording?

Perhaps that is Linn's strategy - give away sample tracks in the hope that some people will buy the whole CD download .

[Dave2002]

Silly question: what on earth is the point in downloading a single movement on its own (free or otherwise) other than to sample a recording?

Perhaps that is Linn's strategy - give away sample tracks in the hope that some people will buy the whole CD download .

Could be useful if people wanted to sample 24 bit vs 16 bit vs MP3 to see if they can hear any difference, maybe. I haven't figured if we're allowed to download all the versions yet - to compare, but may try later.

Given that some companies charge a lot more for 24 bit than MP3 downloads that could be helpful. OK - I probably still wouldn't do the download, but some would. Most of the Linn material is available on multi-layer SACD, so would help to gain a feel for the recording and also the performance. Personally I'd perhaps still risk the clutter, and send for the SACD, but not everyone would do that. That would also mean that the best quality in CD only mode would be 16 bits, so some who don't have an SACD player, or who want to rip the data and did not have a DSD capability (very unlikely for most of us) would actually not benefit from the higher quality of the 24 bit material.

The Messiah, IIRC, with the Dunedin Consort is a very good version with good sound, but then so is Colin Davis's (looks odd with/without the 's - what the heck, it's having an extra 's' this time ...) version with the LSO, though perhaps the sound on that recording isn't so good. I wonder if a track from that recording (i.e. the Dunedin Messiah) will eventually feature in the 24 days of Christmas!

[HighlandDougie]

so presumably the 24 bit version costs a pound or two more.

$6.22 - and very jolly it is, too

[Dave2002]

$6.22 - and very jolly it is, too

or £3.80 in currency we still use in England!

[soileduk]

or £3.80 in currency we still use in England!

And if you have the right credit card you can pay in $ without having to pay a transaction fee.