Past Purchases (CLOSED)

[Henk]

I admire your resolve, but there's no such thing as a complete classical music collection.

About 10 years ago, I thought I had a complete collection of all of Handel's oratorios and operas.  Not having bought any more Handel vocal recordings over the past 10 years, I'm now embarassed to detail my Handel vocal recordings.  Good stuff just keeps coming, and I doubt you'll want to miss out.

Yes, I agree. I only think this is the my latest big investment, it will take much time to digest it and to digest all my earlier purchases. I just want to add recordings in small amounts now, keeping up with my listening pace.

[Coopmv]

I have to be selective. I have also interests in jazz and other arts, philosophy and the Ancient times. There is no real need for me to listen to all works of the great composers.

I hear you.  I love archaeology and biography and have a lot of books in those areas.  I just keep classical music in a separate and distinct category.  I also enjoy music while I am reading a good biography.  The last biography I read was the book: Karajan, A life in Music by Richard Osborne ...

[Cristofori]

Ahem, "Berkshire" actually. Named for the Berkshire Mountains, in which it is comfortably ensconced. In any case, Cristofori, FYI, they buy unsold stock from major stores and resell it at super prices. Don 't know if they ship to Europe, but in any case we expect you to be delighted for us that WE can buy there...

Wonderful! First I discover a good classical music magazine I didn't know about, and now another potentially good source for recordings I wasn't aware of either. Learning something every day!

The web design at BRO was pretty cheesy, and not having any photos of the items is rather lazy in this day of age. Also, nothing seemed to be in a sensible order to me, but I'll have to explore the site some more. It could prove to be very useful.

At least it's based in the U.S., which is where I am, and not Europe as your comments seem to indicate. But thanks for the compliment!

[jlaurson]

Wonderful! First I discover a good classical music magazine I didn't know about, and now another potentially good source for recordings I wasn't aware of either. Learning something every day!

The web design at BRO was pretty cheesy, and not having any photos of the items is rather lazy in this day of age, but it could prove to be useful.

At least it's based in the U.S., which is where I am, and not Europe as your comments seem to indicate. But thanks for the compliment!

BROinc is great, if you are in the US and order a lot at a time. Prices are anywhere between very fine and great... but you must be willing to potentially live with cutouts and it is always worth checking if they are not selling the original releases at a presumably great price when the new re-issue is already on the market for even less. (Which then becomes a matter of whether you care about the particular presentation, or not.)

[Coopmv]

Wonderful! First I discover a good classical music magazine I didn't know about, and now another potentially good source for recordings I wasn't aware of either. Learning something every day!

The web design at BRO was pretty cheesy, and not having any photos of the items is rather lazy in this day of age, but it could prove to be useful.

At least it's based in the U.S., which is where I am, and not Europe as your comments seem to indicate. But thanks for the compliment!

The good thing about BRO is if you buy in quantities such as 20 CD's for every order, the shipping becomes pretty inexpensive relative to just about all other e-tailers.  This only applies to US domestic order though.

[Cristofori]

BROinc is great, if you are in the US and order a lot at a time. Prices are anywhere between very fine and great... but you must be willing to potentially live with cutouts and it is always worth checking if they are not selling the original releases at a presumably great price when the new re-issue is already on the market for even less. (Which then becomes a matter of whether you care about the particular presentation, or not.)

I noticed that the "Complete Vox/Turnabout recordings by Alfred Brendel on Brilliant Classics was listed there. I thought that had just recently came out? I hope it isn't deleted already! I wanted to get that! 

Anyway, $52.00 (plus shipping) for that set from the likes of BRO didn't seem all that much of a bargain to me, but I'm not sure what the full retail price was.

[jlaurson]

I noticed that the "Complete Vox/Turnabout recordings by Alfred Brendel on Brilliant Classics was listed there. I thought that had just recently came out? I hope it isn't deleted already! I wanted to get that! 

Anyway, $52.00 (plus shipping) for that set from the likes of BRO didn't seem all that much of a bargain to me, but I'm not sure what the full retail price was.

It retailed at 120,- in the US... but was available for less (anywhere down to ~70,-) even when it was in print.
Brilliant licenses for 'runs'. Once they sell a run (whether to Amazon or BROINC or stores), that's it. Either they can renew the license, or not. Don't be surprised if some of their items find themselves in the "Overstock" and OOP sections only 14 months after initially hitting the market. Though in this case it could well be that BROINC got its ware from an different importer than BIS' official US distributor (Allegro)... In any case, $52,- may not be the bargain of the century, but it's a price not easily beaten by anyone else.

Thread Duty:

Listen what the cat dragged in:


R.Strauss
Eine Alpensinfonie
Bernard Haitink / LSO
LSO Live SACD

http://lso.co.uk/detailedrecordinginfo&showdetailstype=recording&detailID=207

Some really gutsy playing... trombones that go all out. Quite raunchy for a Haitink recording.

[Cristofori]

It retailed at 120,- in the US... but was available for less (anywhere down to ~70,-) even when it was in print.
Brilliant licenses for 'runs'. Once they sell a run (whether to Amazon or BROINC or stores), that's it. Either they can renew the license, or not. Don't be surprised if some of their items find themselves in the "Overstock" and OOP sections only 14 months after initially hitting the market. Though in this case it could well be that BROINC got its ware from an different importer than BIS' official US distributor (Allegro)... In any case, $52,- may not be the bargain of the century, but it's a price not easily beaten by anyone else.

Thread Duty:

Listen what the cat dragged in:


R.Strauss
Eine Alpensinfonie
Bernard Haitink / LSO
LSO Live SACD

http://lso.co.uk/detailedrecordinginfo&showdetailstype=recording&detailID=207

Some really gutsy playing... trombones that go all out. Quite raunchy for a Haitink recording.

Regardless, I'll have to scoop this one up while I still can!

[Henk]

I hear you.  I love archaeology and biography and have a lot of books in those areas.  I just keep classical music in a separate and distinct category.  I also enjoy music while I am reading a good biography.  The last biography I read was the book: Karajan, A life in Music by Richard Osborne ...

Since one can never have a complete collection, my collection is complete enough now, I only have to maintain it .

[The new erato]

The problem is that as one builds up a reasonably "complete" collection and slowly gets to know it, one also slowly realizes how much more there is to know, and "ooops" - what once seemed so reasonably complete suddenly seems obviously lacking. And then the screw gets another rotation. If one can have a selection of records to enjoy - fine. If one harbors any notions of reasonable completeness or representativeness - one looses because of this mechanism.

[Harry]

The problem is that as one builds up a reasonably "complete" collection and slowly gets to know it, one also slowly realizes how much more there is to know, and "ooops" - what once seemed so reasonably complete suddenly seems obviously lacking. And then the screw gets another rotation. If one can have a selection of records to enjoy - fine. If one harbors any notions of reasonable completeness or representativeness - one looses because of this mechanism.

Your absolutely right, I know, as so many, from personal experience.

[Brahmsian]

Yes, I agree. I only think this is the my latest big investment, it will take much time to digest it and to digest all my earlier purchases. I just want to add recordings in small amounts now, keeping up with my listening pace.

Nothing wrong with this.  And contrary to what some members will say, it is possible to be happy and satisfied with your collection as it stands.

We (including me) always want something else, something more.  I really think we (including me) need to start appreciating more what we already have, and let that be our focus.

We are extremely, extremely fortunate to have this wealth of music, and to be even able to purchase it for our permanent enjoyment.  There are many people all over the world who cannot indulge in this enjoyment.

[karlhenning]

Nothing wrong with this.  And contrary to what some members will say, it is possible to be happy and satisfied with your collection as it stands.

We (including me) always want something else, something more.  I really think we (including me) need to start appreciating more what we already have, and let that be our focus.

We are extremely, extremely fortunate to have this wealth of music, and to be even able to purchase it for our permanent enjoyment.  There are many people all over the world who cannot indulge in this enjoyment.

QFT

[Bogey]

These two lp's:

 

Thank you Miloš and Cristofori.

[Cristofori]

These two lp's:

 

Thank you Miloš and Cristofori.

Great!

I think I'm going to pick up that Bach/Accardo LP myself, if there are any still left by then. If you can, let me know how you like it!

That Dvorak/Munch RCA LP is excellent also. I used to have an original NM "shaded dog" and the performance and sound were stellar.

I regret letting it go! 

[Bogey]

Great!

I think I'm going to pick up that Bach/Accardo LP myself, if there are any still left by then. If you can, let me know how you like it!

That Dvorak/Munch RCA LP is excellent also. I used to have an original NM "shaded dog" and the performance and sound were stellar.

I regret letting it go! 

We'll do.  As for the shaded dog copy:

http://cgi.ebay.com/MONTEUX-DVORAK-SYMPHONY-No-2-LONDON-RCA-SHADED-DOG-A_W0QQitemZ380169617775QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMusic_on_Vinyl?hash=item5883e0016f

[Coopmv]

Great!

I think I'm going to pick up that Bach/Accardo LP myself, if there are any still left by then. If you can, let me know how you like it!

That Dvorak/Munch RCA LP is excellent also. I used to have an original NM "shaded dog" and the performance and sound were stellar.

I regret letting it go! 

Here is one CD by Accardo with a young Mutter that I have enjoyed a lot over the years ...

[Bogey]

Here is one CD by Accardo with a young Mutter that I have enjoyed a lot over the years ...

Did not make the connection as I have that one, Stuart.  Thanks!

[Coopmv]

Did not make the connection as I have that one, Stuart.  Thanks!

I still have a lot more Accardo's recordings on LP than on CD ...

[Cristofori]

Here is one CD by Accardo with a young Mutter that I have enjoyed a lot over the years ...

I didn't know that one existed! I'll have to keep a lookout for that one too!