Bargains

[Bryn]

Not yet released but Artur Schnabel's Beethoven sonata cycle, newly re-mastered, is being re-released next month:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-P...383482&sr=1-12 ...

The problem with transfers of those Schnabel Beethoven sonata recordings is not so much the sample rate and quantisation depth but the source material. Finding copies which used the highest grade of shellac is hard indeed. It will be interesting to hear how they compare to transfers by other audio restoration engineers.

[LeMartinPecheur]

The problem with transfers of those Schnabel Beethoven sonata recordings is not so much the sample rate and quantisation depth but the source material. Finding copies which used the highest grade of shellac is hard indeed. It will be interesting to hear how they compare to transfers by other audio restoration engineers.

As it's Warner might they have access to the HMV metal 78rpm masters?

[Conchis]

As it's Warner might they have access to the HMV metal 78rpm masters?

They will own those masters, having acquired them as part of the EMI catalogue.

Afaic, the last Schnabel remasters dated back to the late 80s/early 90s (Keith Hardwick, I think). But would it make any kind of 'economic sense' for Warner to pay for an upgrade? Somehow, I doubt it. I believe EMI's resident remaster person (Peter Mew) has now retired.

[EdgeleyRob]

And for fans of Lyrita and British symphonies, this looks like a bargain:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Sym...9383837&sr=1-8

Worth it for Boult's Moeran Sinfonietta and Del Mar's Rubbra 4.
I don't know the Krips Searle 2 so I'm going to order the cd c/w Robert Still's 3rd and 4th

[Beef Oven!]

Worth it for Boult's Moeran Sinfonietta and Del Mar's Rubbra 4.
I don't know the Krips Searle 2 so I'm going to order the cd c/w Robert Still's 3rd and 4th

It’s a cracking bargain, but I’ve already got it all except the Sterndale Bennett and one or two others.

The Krips Searle is not quite as good as the Alun Francis recording on CPO IMV, but although some people poo-poo Robert Stlll as an artistic reactionary, his music is very much worth hearing.

[johnb]

They will own those masters, having acquired them as part of the EMI catalogue.

Afaic, the last Schnabel remasters dated back to the late 80s/early 90s (Keith Hardwick, I think). But would it make any kind of 'economic sense' for Warner to pay for an upgrade? Somehow, I doubt it. I believe EMI's resident remaster person (Peter Mew) has now retired.

There is a discussion about the new re-mastering here, in which Mark Obert-Thorn makes a couple of very interesting contributions regarding sources, etc.

[Bryn]

There is a discussion about the new re-mastering here, in which Mark Obert-Thorn makes a couple of very interesting contributions regarding sources, etc.

Yes, MO-T raised the same points in his notes for his Naxos transfers. Not sure I want to shell out for the new set on spec. MO-T's Naxos set is my current 'go to'.

[Bryn]

I note the pre-order price over at amazon.fr is but €15.99 (plus €3.80 p&p to UK, of course). That's around £16.57 including p&p at today's exchange rate.

[HighlandDougie]

I note the pre-order price over at amazon.fr is but €15.99 (plus €3.80 p&p to UK, of course). That's around £16.57 including p&p at today's exchange rate.

Thanks Bryn - I didn't look at AmFrance as their prices are - usually but clearly not always - higher - but postage-free for me in France. There is also a Furtwaengler/VPO/Stockholm PO Beethoven cycle for €9.99, "re-mastered in 2010". In terms of these re-masterings, I suspect that it's the Japanese market which might have been the spur. There is a double SACD of Schnabel LvB sonatas, which was released there last year, and the Furtwaengler cycle appeared in SACD format there a year or so earlier. I've pre-ordered both of them so will be able to make some comparisons with other re-masterings of the same performances when they eventually appear.

If anyone is lusting after the Karajan boxes in their bumper slip-case edition (recently featured somewhere in this M/Board), it's significantly cheaper on AmFrance as well. 101 CDs for €118.80 (plus ? for postage to the UK), by comparison with £146.45.

[Dave2002]

It's easy, Dave. Go to the search engine and simply put customer service or contact Amazon. It'll give you a link to all your most recent transactions and use the link with contact Amazon on it. They do take a dim view of third party sellers who provide poor or misleading service.

As I feared it wasn't quite so simple, but I think I have made progress.

Putting "customer service" in Amazon's search engine gets a lot of books and maybe DVD training videos about customer service!

Eventually putting the term "amazon uk customer service" into a general search engine - I think mine via Firefox is currently set to Google - finds several helpful sites, including these:

Resolver - http://www.resolver.co.uk/companies/...ontact-details

Telegraph article - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...ct-Amazon.html

The Resolver site is a site for complaints about Amazon Customer service. On this occasion I have not so far needed that.

The Telegraph site contains this link - http://goo.gl/WOFI3. - which seems to be useful. I hope I was able to navigate that page sufficiently well in order to send a message to Amazon, and now I'm waiting for a reply.

[EdgeleyRob]

It’s a cracking bargain, but I’ve already got it all except the Sterndale Bennett and one or two others.

The Krips Searle is not quite as good as the Alun Francis recording on CPO IMV, but although some people poo-poo Robert Stlll as an artistic reactionary, his music is very much worth hearing.

Thanks BeefO I appreciate your comment,I have everything in the set bar the Krips Searle.

[MickyD]

All of Hogwood's Haydn symphonies for under £25 - what a bargain. And when I think what I paid for them all individually!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009LNI0T0/ref=dra_a_rv_ff_fx_xx_P2000_1000?tag=dradisplay0bb-21&ascsubtag=44d37c386a7b59f5c809b21bc31fecce_S

[Bryn]

All of Hogwood's Haydn symphonies for under £25 - what a bargain. And when I think what I paid for them all individually!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009LNI0...b21bc31fecce_S

When I think what paid for the same box from amazon.it. Snap it up quick before it gets removed from the catalogue.

Just ordered 2 sets as presents.

[Rcartes]

All of Hogwood's Haydn symphonies for under £25 - what a bargain. And when I think what I paid for them all individually!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009LNI0...b21bc31fecce_S

Not quite all:the set includes Nos 1-75, 94, 96, 100, 104, 107 (Symphony A) and 108 (Symphony B). Still a terrific bargain, though.

[Bryn]

Not quite all:the set includes Nos 1-75, 94, 96, 100, 104, 107 (Symphony A) and 108 (Symphony B). Still a terrific bargain, though.

As MickyD wrote, "All of Hogwood's Haydn symphonies" (well, not the couple of live performances in poor quality sound to be found on his website).