Classical music bargains

[Д.Д.]

EMI 20th Century Masterpieces (16 CDs) for £29 at amazon.co.uk

Here is the link to the EMI website with track listing: http://www.emiclassi...d=5099921750021

I got this one and gave a few CDs a spin, and can highly recommended it. Sure enough, most of the choices are trivial (and some, while obvious, don't qualify as masterpieces - Carmina Burana, really?), and the strictly chronological sequencing sometimes creates annoying juxtapositions on the same CD, but most of the works are great and the performances are excellent (Strauss' "Four Lieder", which I have never heard before sent shivers down my spine).

[Van Basten II]

Here's a blog that will be helpful to learn about deals, it 's in French but they are enough pictures for you to figure out what it's all about

http://bons-plans-classique.blogspot.com/

Edited June 16, 2011 by Van Basten II

[Д.Д.]

Here's a blog that will be helpful to learn about deals, it 's in French but they are enough pictures for you to figure out what it's all about

http://bons-plans-cl...e.blogspot.com/

Excellent! Thanks.

[B. Goren.]

Here's a blog that will be helpful to learn about deals, it 's in French but they are enough pictures for you to figure out what it's all about

http://bons-plans-classique.blogspot.com/

[B. Goren.]

Alfred Brendel: The Complete Vox, Turnabout and Vanguard Solo Recordings.

35 CDs for 75$.

[Leeway]

Mahler: The Complete Works - 150th Anniversary Box [box Set]: 16 CDs for $38.61.

Anyone have this? looks like a deal.

[Van Basten II]

Alfred Brendel: The Complete Vox, Turnabout and Vanguard Solo Recordings.

35 CDs for 75$.

I can do it better than you found it for 45 $ on a seller on Amazon Canada

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/offer-listing/B001CCHQSY/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1308540854&sr=8-1&condition=new

[B. Goren.]

I can do it better than you found it for 45 $ on a seller on Amazon Canada

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/offer-listing/B001CCHQSY/ref=sr_1_1_olp?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1308540854&sr=8-1&condition=new

Thanks.

[B. Goren.]

Mahler: The Complete Works - 150th Anniversary Box [box Set]: 16 CDs for $38.61.

Anyone have this? looks like a deal.

Definitely looks like a good deal.

Link.

[Van Basten II]

Here's one really cheap, don't know it's that good but at that price you can make a profit selling it to a used CD store.

Great Choral Favourites [box Set] [box set]

Stephen Roberts (Performer), Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), George Frederick Handel (Composer), John Stainer (Composer), David Willcocks (Conductor), Charles Mackerras (Conductor), Stanley Vann (Conductor), Jane Glover (Conductor), Diana Montague (Performer), Thames Chamber Orchestra (Orchestra), Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), London Mozart Players (Orchestra), Andrew Newberry (Performer), Felicity Lott (Performer), Judith Howarth (Performer), Neil Jenkins (Performer), Philip Langridge (Performer), James Griffett (Performer), Maldwyn Davies (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B00014EIOE/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&qid=1308664688&sr=8-1&condition=new

[Leeway]

Nice recommendations! I will respectfully disagree on the Barshai -- I think it's the best cycle out there, bar none!

Just ordered the Barshai. $38 from an Amazon Z-shop, new.

The Mahler box might be next

Edited June 22, 2011 by Leeway

[greggery peccary]

Here is another bargain to consider, The Complete Jacqueline DuPre on EMI. 17 CDS for $32 through resellers or $38 through amazon. Wow! I only have a little bit of her music...this looks absolutely worth the plunge so I took it!

DuPre on Amazon

[Chuck Nessa]

She always seemed "over the top" to me.

[Leeway]

She always seemed "over the top" to me.

That''s not a bad thing all the time. I think this is what makes DuPre's performances compelling.

[Edward]

I have found myself listening to more classial music lately in large part because it seems to be about the only genre of music that I can play while working from home and still be productive. That said, my taste in classical music may not be as refined as any of yours, but this 17-CD EMI set seemed to be a steal at $31.97 so I pulled the trigger:

David Oistrakh: The Complete EMI Recordings

[Д.Д.]

Just ordered the Brilliant Classics Russian Legends 100-CD box from amazon.fr market seller for EUR 54. I doubt I will ever go through the whole box, but for this price...

http://www.amazon.fr...0&condition=new

Edited June 28, 2011 by Д.Д.

[B. Goren.]

Just ordered the Brilliant Classics Russian Legends 100-CD box from amazon.fr market seller for EUR 54. I doubt I will ever go through the whole box, but for this price...

http://www.amazon.fr...0&condition=new

If you listen only to half of it and you'll enjoy it, the price still worth it.

Edited June 28, 2011 by B. Goren.

[B. Goren.]

Walter Gieseking, 10 CDs for $11.

Edwin Fischer, 10 CDs for $11.

Claudio Arrau, 10 CDs for $11.

Sviatoslav Richter, 10 CDs for $12.

Emil Gilels, 10 CDs for $11.

Isaac Stern, 3 CDs for $19.

I'm not familiar with any of these sets and I dont know this label. With the exception of Isaac Stern, all the other musicians can be found on EMI Icon series.

[Van Basten II]

Membran does also very very cheap jazz sets using European laws, you don't pay much you won't get much either in terms of presentation, don't expect great sound or much of a booklet.I'd stick to the EMI Icons although have yet to listen to their series.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Van Basten II

[B. Goren.]

Membran does also very very cheap jazz sets using European laws, you don't pay much you won't get much either in terms of presentation, don't expect great sound or much of a booklet.I'd stick to the EMI Icons although have yet to listen to their series.

In general you are right but sometimes there are surprises.

BTW: Also on some EMI Icon sets, the sound quality is disappointing (Alfred Cortot for example).

[T.D.]

I have found myself listening to more classial music lately in large part because it seems to be about the only genre of music that I can play while working from home and still be productive. That said, my taste in classical music may not be as refined as any of yours, but this 17-CD EMI set seemed to be a steal at $31.97 so I pulled the trigger:

David Oistrakh: The Complete EMI Recordings

It is a steal, and Oistrakh is one of the greats, so there's nothing unrefined about it! I think these EMI mega-sets are exceptional bargains, but the problem for me is that they include wide selections of repertoire. At my (lowbrow) level of classical erudition/listening, I fear this could result in CDs that I seldom/never listen to due to duplication.

[Д.Д.]

Membran does also very very cheap jazz sets using European laws, you don't pay much you won't get much either in terms of presentation, don't expect great sound or much of a booklet.I'd stick to the EMI Icons although have yet to listen to their series.

In general you are right but sometimes there are surprises.

BTW: Also on some EMI Icon sets, the sound quality is disappointing (Alfred Cortot for example).

But EMI and others sort of have the legal rights to the stuff, and possibly perhaps maybe who knows - the musicians (or their estates) might even be getting something from these reissues on majors. Or, I hope they paid the musicians at least once during the initial recording. Brilliant is legally licensing their stuff from majors (or commissioning new recordings). Membran and the likes are just leeches. I try to avoid such shit as long as there is an alternative (and normally there is).

Thinking about it, I am pretty sure that Soviet musicians (such as Oistrakh, Richter, Gilels and many others) recorded by Western majors got nothing for their recordings. At least, not directly.

[crisp]

I think these EMI mega-sets are exceptional bargains, but the problem for me is that they include wide selections of repertoire. At my (lowbrow) level of classical erudition/listening, I fear this could result in CDs that I seldom/never listen to due to duplication.

I'm at the relatively early stages of seriously following classical, but I tend to buy these mega-sets rather than individual CDs. The reasons: they are cheap, don't take up much space and along with the pieces I specifically want, there are others that I may come to enjoy. Duplication isn't a problem because I like to hear how different artists tackle the same piece. So I say: go for it!

[Edward]

I have found myself listening to more classial music lately in large part because it seems to be about the only genre of music that I can play while working from home and still be productive. That said, my taste in classical music may not be as refined as any of yours, but this 17-CD EMI set seemed to be a steal at $31.97 so I pulled the trigger:

David Oistrakh: The Complete EMI Recordings

It is a steal, and Oistrakh is one of the greats, so there's nothing unrefined about it! I think these EMI mega-sets are exceptional bargains, but the problem for me is that they include wide selections of repertoire. At my (lowbrow) level of classical erudition/listening, I fear this could result in CDs that I seldom/never listen to due to duplication.

The Oistrakh set arrived on Saturday and I have very much enjoyed listening to the first few discs over the holiday weekend.

As to my reference to "refined" tastes, it was a very poor choice of words; I in no way meant it as a slight to any of the classical music lovers who frequent this board. In terms of appreciating classical music, I consider myself just above the level of "novice" - I have far better knowledge of major classical works than of which particular performances of those works are held in high regard. Accordingly, I was a little hesitant to post here as I recalled a past thread in which several members of this board were highly critical of a specific performance that I loved.

At any rate, this set may prove of interest - I am not sure whether it has been previously mentioned - although Amazon does not currently have it in stock:

Gustav Mahler: Complete Edition (Deutsche Grammophon; 18 discs; $49.57)

Edited July 5, 2011 by Edward

[B. Goren.]

I was a little hesitant to post here as I recalled a past thread in which several members of this board were highly critical of a specific performance that I loved.

This should not prevent you from posting here.