Bargains

[Dave2002]

There are still a few I "have" to go back for - including the Shostakovich set, and the Mozart vol I which contains the violin concertos I was asking about. I'll probably add in the Stravinsky too, though some of those are also in the Ballet set I think.
I've still got quite a bit of fiddling around with files to get everything downloaded and stored away. I think I'm only up to about 10 or so Gbytes worth, so far, so way to go!

I am assuming that once I've paid I'll have a few days at least to get these downloaded.

[LeMartinPecheur]

For those of you still with the space and time for huge sets, this Dvorak Edition https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dvorak-Vari...GY6AQKDDW8JN8Z is listed in Amazon's Black Friday bargains today - £58.38 from £77.74 (but see Which?'s report on fictitious BF bargains - Black Friday or Bloody Fool?!).

Couldn't see anything else classical but some deal on a similar Handel Edition big box is promised(?) for this evening.

[Dave2002]

For those of you still with the space and time for huge sets, this Dvorak Edition https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dvorak-Vari...GY6AQKDDW8JN8Z is listed in Amazon's Black Friday bargains today - £58.38 from £77.74 (but see Which?'s report on fictitious BF bargains - Black Friday or Bloody Fool?!).

Couldn't see anything else classical but some deal on a similar Handel Edition big box is promised(?) for this evening.

There are some BF bargains, but some "bargains" are sneaky. I noticed some prices on a few items go up by about £50 a few days ago, and miraculously they came down to the previous price as we got within striking distance of Black Friday. There are some bargains to be had on TVs though - Lidl have HD Toshibas for £199 and Tesco have 4k TVs - better for photographs (also Toshiba) for £269.

Otherwise there's not much that we've noticed, and certainly none in music or CDs yet.

[Dave2002]

I've played a few items from the Schubert selection already: some classic solo piano with Lili Kraus's robust renderings of Impromptus, some Sonatas and Wanderer Fantasy in very decent sound. Fine versions of the violin/piano Sonatinas from Alexander Schneider and Peter Serkin. A complete Rosamunde. A superb live song recital with Elly Ameling and Rudolf Jansen recorded at the Tanglewood Festival in 1987, which is still in the catalogue on Brilliant: Presto are selling the mp3 for £8.

I got the Schubert set too, and just downloaded it. What is interesting (and a pleasure) is that despite only being mp3 (not hi res) that it is clear that the flute player at the start of the 5th symphony has a lovely tone - Australian Chamber Orchestra, Mackerras.

[Beppe]

Only $40.25 at Presto on sale!

[LeMartinPecheur]

There are some BF bargains, but some "bargains" are sneaky.

Not just sneaky, ILLEGAL!

[Dave2002]

Not just sneaky, ILLEGAL!

Perhaps difficult to prove though - in some cases.

[gurnemanz]

I got the Schubert set too, and just downloaded it. What is interesting (and a pleasure) is that despite only being mp3 (not hi res) that it is clear that the flute player at the start of the 5th symphony has a lovely tone - Australian Chamber Orchestra, Mackerras.

Agreed. I am amazed how decent a sound can be achieved from these mp3s by playing them wifi through to my digital tuner, just by right-clicking the folder and selecting "Cast to device".

[Dave2002]

In response to #7499 I have just added the Shostakovich set to those already downloaded. Then, something in the Stravinsky set caught my eye, the Stokowski Soldier's Tale. There is no indication as to whether it is the English or French version (though I already have both on CD) but I will post again when I find out. Whichever, this was a fine recording, and there are other interesting historical items in the set, too. [Ah, unfortunately, it's the version in English. Still recommended, however.]

I've also gone back for this one.

Overall I have no complaints about these downloads at the price. However your warnings about gapless playback may apply in some cases, and not only for opera. Possible examples - some of the Sibelius symphonies, and Beethoven 5. Not sure about Beethoven 6, and maybe Beethoven 9. It's unlikely to be worthwhile trying to edit round this issue at this price for the sets.

[cloughie]

I've also gone back for this one.

Overall I have no complaints about these downloads at the price. However your warnings about gapless playback may apply in some cases, and not only for opera. Possible examples - some of the Sibelius symphonies, and Beethoven 5. Not sure about Beethoven 6, and maybe Beethoven 9. It's unlikely to be worthwhile trying to edit round this issue at this price for the sets.

Let’s be honest - even if they were half as good, these are not our top selections for many of these works, but what a lovely bonus at the price - Blum’s K334, Peter Serkin’s Brahms PCs, early Brendel, Kehr and Maag Mozart Symphonies, Klein’s Mozart Solo Piano stuff. Just grab ‘em while they are there! I’m CDRing many - that’s how I prefer them!

[Dave2002]

Let’s be honest - even if they were half as good, these are not our top selections for many of these works, but what a lovely bonus at the price - Blum’s K334, Peter Serkin’s Brahms PCs, early Brendel, Kehr and Maag Mozart Symphonies, Klein’s Mozart Solo Piano stuff. Just grab ‘em while they are there! I’m CDRing many - that’s how I prefer them!

I agree that these would not be top selections for many, though in some cases they may be a reasonable choice for some music which is not mainstream and which we might not otherwise know. Also, some of the performers and their performances are a delight. I had never heard of Paula Robison (flute), but as soon as I heard a few notes of her playing, I wondered why not. It seems she was once considered a significant soloist trying to break out from orchestral playing - rather like James Galway, but was perhaps better known in the USA than in Europe.

You shouldn't have mentioned the Brahms PCs - as that is probably one of the collections that I skipped over

Currently sampling Mravinsky in Shostakovich 5 - sound not great, and some of the playing seems a bit scrappy, and I'm not sure whether it was one of his better recordings/performances, but heck - he fairly gets this going. High quality sound and precision playing isn't everything. Mravinsky is a conductor whose work I really don't understand. If you watch videos of him conducting he is not at all demonstrative - and I would say not very dynamic to look at, but that doesn't seem to matter. Presumably he knew what he wanted to do, and he got results. It is also of historical interest. I like the very steady tempo at the end, though I do wish there was more dynamic contrast, and the recording doesn't allow the bass notes to come through well. Interesting anyway.

Following that in the sequence there's the 3rd quartet which sounds good enough to me, as I don't really know it well anyway.

[Dave2002]

Let’s be honest - even if they were half as good, these are not our top selections for many of these works, but what a lovely bonus at the price - Blum’s K334, Peter Serkin’s Brahms PCs, early Brendel, Kehr and Maag Mozart Symphonies, Klein’s Mozart Solo Piano stuff. Just grab ‘em while they are there! I’m CDRing many - that’s how I prefer them!

The Brahms 2nd PC with Peter Serkin and the Atlanta SO conducted by Robert Shaw is pretty good. The horn solo at the start is lovely and the recording doesn't sound too old. It also has a bit of "ambience" - which I quite like, though others might not. Did you find a version of the D minor concerto with Serkin anywhere? The Brahms box has a different pianist I think. *** Updated - I had to do a search on my computer to find the Brahms files again, and lo and behold there was Serkin with Robert Shaw and the Atlanta SO in the first concerto. That was in the Big Piano Concertos box. Impressive stuff.

It doesn't look as though the D minor concerto is in the Big Brahms box, though the violin concerto with Oistrakh and Kondrashin is. There are some perfectly respectable chamber music performances, including the violin sonatas and the piano quartets. There is also piano music played by Eugene List and Bruce Hungerford (whom I've not heard of before).

I heard the Atlanta SO once in their local venue - good orchestra. The conductor then was Robert Spano.

[Kamisama]

Ansermet - French Music (32CD): currently 31.99 Euros at Amazon Italy

https://www.amazon.it/French-Music-Ernest-Ansermet/dp/B00DT2322E

[Dave2002]

Really only for US and Canadian readers

I've revisited the site for Classic Select - a US based site - several times recently, and indulged myself in rather a lot of downloads.

https://www.classicselect.com/

However I also noticed some rather good collections of CDs - some of the boxed sets look really good value. I think these are not going to work for most of us in the UK, because of customs and transport costs (if even feasible), but some of our friends from the US and Canada might find this site works quite well for them.

Just a few examples - https://www.classicselect.com/produc...13381250089071

https://www.classicselect.com/products/clearance-box-2-10-cds?variant=13383955054703

https://www.classicselect.com/products/clearance-box-2-10-cds?variant=13383955054703

https://www.classicselect.com/produc...=8147815956586 Nashville SO box set

https://www.classicselect.com/produc...12249679233135 Salome DVD for $4.99

https://www.classicselect.com/produc...12249674121327 Ariadne auf Naxos DVD for $4.99

Most of the box set bargains have now sold out, though, but I noticed a few which looked good which were still available.

There were some rather good collections of usic on the Naxos label for about $20, but I can't find them again now.

Maybe this will help some people out there. Explore.

[Dave2002]

If anyone has an eMusic account, there's this Sorabji piece as a download for 84p.

https://www.emusic.com/album/1609963...bum_ref=Browse Symphonic Nocturne

However, I would warn against getting trapped in the eMusic subscription. There's some interesting stuff there. I keep meaning to cancel my subscription, but don't. The most annoying thing is that it is possible to have a "holiday" from monthly payments, say for 3 months, but then it's hard to remember when it becomes active again. Merely logging in to check reactivates the account and the payments - and I really dislike that.

It should be possible to check the account status without reactivating it.