Naxos Music Library

[TheGSMoeller]

Linn Records has joined!

How is NML compared to Spotify? Price and available music for listening?

[Brian]

How is NML compared to Spotify? Price and available music for listening?

I don't know the price for Spotify, but NML is I believe $225/yr (about $19/mo) for the complete catalogues of Naxos, BIS, Chandos, Marco Polo, Ondine, and about 100 other smaller labels, plus most EMI releases and re-releases from the CD era, a lot of Warner, Teldec, and Finlandia, and about half of CPO. Nothing from the Universal or Sony families. Many new or newish releases have booklet PDFs available. No ads ever, of course. Powerful searches by label, composer, artist, work title, and even work length if you have, say, six minutes to spare.

It's expensive, so I recommend checking if your local library or school has access. Luckily my employer has an institutional account so I'm first-listening Berlioz' complete Romeo et Juliette right now with Colin Davis on LSO Live!

[Brian]

This screenshot captures about 25% of the NML label list.

[TheGSMoeller]

This screenshot captures about 25% of the NML label list.

That wouldn't happen to be on your institutional computer? 

Thanks for the info, Brian.

Helped to hide your identity.

[Brian]

That wouldn't happen to be on your DCCCD computer? 

Thanks for the info, Brian.

Hey, like I said, they have an institutional NML account I can dip into 

[Mirror Image]

I only use Naxos' 15 minute preview to sample a recording I'm looking at purchasing. Other than that, they're too expensive and I've got access to enough music as it is. If it was say $8 a month, I could see the value in it, but $19 is too steep of a price especially for what you're getting in return. I can buy two recordings or even a budget priced box set with $19.

[Sammy]

I only use Naxos' 15 minute preview to sample a recording I'm looking at purchasing. Other than that, they're too expensive and I've got access to enough music as it is. If it was say $8 a month, I could see the value in it, but $19 is too steep of a price especially for what you're getting in return. I can buy two recordings or even a budget priced box set with $19.

That $19 per month cost must be for a lower quality sound.  The monthly price for their best sound is $30.  I've had this service for about 3 years and am very pleased with the sound quality and content.  From what I've read on this board, other services often have missing tracks or other built-in deficiencies; nothing like that from Naxos. 

[Brian]

That $19 per month cost must be for a lower quality sound.  The monthly price for their best sound is $30.  I've had this service for about 3 years and am very pleased with the sound quality and content.  From what I've read on this board, other services often have missing tracks or other built-in deficiencies; nothing like that from Naxos.

Do you have a problem where some recent BIS releases are in inexplicably terrible sound? For example, try "The Trio Sonata in 18th-Century Italy" or Barber's Cello Concerto w Poltera. I believe my institution's account is "medium" sound quality - 192 kbps? - but these recent BIS discs sound shockingly garbled and bad.

[Sammy]

Do you have a problem where some recent BIS releases are in inexplicably terrible sound? For example, try "The Trio Sonata in 18th-Century Italy" or Barber's Cello Concerto w Poltera. I believe my institution's account is "medium" sound quality - 192 kbps? - but these recent BIS discs sound shockingly garbled and bad.

They sound fine to me, especially the Trio Sonata disc.

[Brian]

Has something changed (for the worse) or is there some glitch with my browser(s)?  I no longer have the "+" next to the title of the work which would open and display the performers, nor do I see the credits in the left side pane of the composers, and other names associated with the recording.

Not having this problem. I did just have a glitch where pages loaded blank, but it resolved pretty quickly.

Aside: Michael Gielen's Daphnis et Chloe is one of the great ones, for sure.

[Brian]

"We can't tell you a whole lot just yet, but in the next month or two we will be breaking some very exciting news that will make NML even more awesome than it already is.  Seriously, we feel like parents on Christmas Eve itching to see the kids open up their presents the next morning.  So stay tuned!"

The last time they released a statement like that, the announcement was that they were adding EMI.

http://naxosmusiclibrary.blogspot.com/2013/08/new-changes-to-nml-jazz.html

[Brian]

Sony Classics has joined Naxos Music Library

As with EMI, it will probably take months to upload even half the humongous Sony catalogue, but they've gotten started. But today they started with a big batch of Gould, Levine, Ma, and Giulini recordings.

[Brian]

Harmonia Mundi has joined Naxos Music Library

Just weeks after the arrival of Sony!

[Sammy]

That's great news about Harmonia Mundi, and the first group of entries today is very impressive.  Sony wasn't a bad new member, but HM is leagues above Sony, RCA and those other warhorse labels.  Maybe Hyperion will be next.

[Brian]

Now added:

Editions Hortus
SOMM
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi

[Brian]

RCA has joined NML! So far about 100 RCA discs have been uploaded.

[Brahmsian]

RCA has joined NML! So far about 100 RCA discs have been uploaded.

Wow....pretty soon Naxos is going to have a monopoly, at this rate! 

[Wakefield]

At this point I am torn between renewing my subscription at the premium level (what I have had) - it is expensive, $30/month, and living with my main complaint, i.e. the licensing denials for a significant number of recordings, especially historical; or renewing at the standard level - or letting it lapse.  Reasons to stay: NML has so many recordings (and booklets) and they are adding labels each month, that cancelling the service seems like a penny-wise-pound-foolish decision. 

Looks like I've about convinced myself to go for another year.  Oh well, I have until April to decide.  Between NML and MOG I am spending $420 a year on streaming music ($360/NML + $60/MOG).   It still seems like a much better deal than what that amount would buy of CDs (and because of these services my CD purchasing has dropped off precipitously).

Currently, I also pay two different streaming services: NML and Deezer.

For variety and boutique labels, NML doesn't have rivals.

But lately I have begun to find its sound quality quite poor  and flat (I clearly recall I said something different in the past  ). 

I noticed this from the acquisition of my new Mac all-in-one, which has a superb sound card and excellent speakers. In fact, Deezer sounds fantastic, but NML remarkably flat and dry. 

[Brian]

At this point I am torn between renewing my subscription at the premium level (what I have had) - it is expensive, $30/month, and living with my main complaint, i.e. the licensing denials for a significant number of recordings, especially historical; or renewing at the standard level - or letting it lapse.  Reasons to stay: NML has so many recordings (and booklets) and they are adding labels each month, that cancelling the service seems like a penny-wise-pound-foolish decision. 

Looks like I've about convinced myself to go for another year.  Oh well, I have until April to decide.  Between NML and MOG I am spending $420 a year on streaming music ($360/NML + $60/MOG).   It still seems like a much better deal than what that amount would buy of CDs (and because of these services my CD purchasing has dropped off precipitously).

Were I not a fool who goes and buys things like the Complete Murray Perahia a month after his recordings get uploaded to NML - were I not such a fool, I'd pony up for premium NML and limit CD purchases to labels it doesn't carry (Channel, Supraphon, DG, Decca, Mirare, Alia Vox, pretty much). But I am such a fool, and also I am currently exploiting a loophole by using a non-USA login to stream those licensing-prohibited recordings despite being very much inside the USA.

[Sammy]

At this point I am torn between renewing my subscription at the premium level (what I have had) - it is expensive, $30/month, and living with my main complaint, i.e. the licensing denials for a significant number of recordings, especially historical; or renewing at the standard level - or letting it lapse.  Reasons to stay: NML has so many recordings (and booklets) and they are adding labels each month, that cancelling the service seems like a penny-wise-pound-foolish decision. 

Looks like I've about convinced myself to go for another year.  Oh well, I have until April to decide.  Between NML and MOG I am spending $420 a year on streaming music ($360/NML + $60/MOG).   It still seems like a much better deal than what that amount would buy of CDs (and because of these services my CD purchasing has dropped off precipitously).

I was also considering giving up my NML subscription.  For me, many of the labels are useless, and the releases from the "warhorse" labels are filled with old recordings that I was familiar with 20 years ago.

Ultimately, I decided to keep going with the $30 premium monthly payment (the sound at the lower subscription rate sucks).  Adding Harmonia Mundi was a big positive.  Also, as long as I listen to at least 1 disc per day, I feel I'm getting sufficient return for my money.