The Super-Duper Cheap Bargains Thread

Started by Mark, November 13, 2007, 02:26:18 PM

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Scarpia

#980
February 09, 2011, 12:50:06 PM
Quote from: Mensch on February 09, 2011, 12:48:16 PM
Absolutely. An extremely worthwhile acquisition by any means even for multiples of that price. I own these in their individual incarnations. The Bach and Beethoven are absolutely superlative. Hahn is the queen of doublestops, and her Bach, recorded at age 16, is still a marvel of pure natural musicianship. Bach's polyphony just comes alive and hovers in the room. The Beethoven is just gorgeous, with possibly the most dance inducing finale on record. Benefits from Zinman's thoughtful accompaniment. Bernstein and Meyer lack any serious competition anyway. The Mendelssohn is a brisk, fleet, controlled sort of Sturm-und-Drang take on the familiar warhorse. The Shosty may be too controlled and analytical for some, but I think the work benefits from having the ideological and cultural baggage essentially thrown out the window. At least it's a valid alternative interpretation. The Brahms is gorgeous if not quite as magesterial as Milstein/Fistoulari, Ferras/Schuricht or Oistrakh/Klemp. The Stravinsky is wonderfully incisive and precise on Hahn's part, but Marriner/ASMIF aren't perhaps the ideal accompanists.

Marriner is a deal killer for me.  But the other discs sound interesting.

MishaK

#981
February 09, 2011, 01:06:03 PM
Quote from: Scarpia on February 09, 2011, 12:50:06 PM
Marriner is a deal killer for me.  But the other discs sound interesting.

I know what you mean. But I happened to have heard Hahn live with Marriner/ASMIF in the Stravinsky in Cologne around the time the disc came out. The orchestra sounded completely different when she was onstage. It was as if you had completely replaced the entire personnel. I have never seen such a schizophrenic performance in my life. The Stravinsky was so alive, vivacious, incisive and just a joy to listen to. Then ASMIF and Marriner phoned in a completely superfluous performance of Beethoven 2 in the second half. Go figure. Really, you should think of this disc as Hahn leading the ASMIF with Marriner in a purely decorative function for most of the time.

DavidRoss

#982
February 09, 2011, 01:12:03 PM
I'll second Mensch--a killer deal. It's all good, effortlessly gorgeous, and the only knock on the Bach is that it's not complete (partitas #2 & 3, sonata #3).
"Maybe the problem most of you have ... is that you're not listening to Barbirolli." ~Sarge

"The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people's money." ~Margaret Thatcher

Scarpia

#983
February 09, 2011, 04:49:13 PM Last Edit: February 09, 2011, 04:51:53 PM by Scarpia
Quote from: DavidRoss on February 09, 2011, 01:12:03 PM
I'll second Mensch--a killer deal. It's all good, effortlessly gorgeous, and the only knock on the Bach is that it's not complete (partitas #2 & 3, sonata #3).

Well, not a killer deal in the US, in any case, jpc shipping on a single item ain't cheap.

Just got my shipping notice on this baby.

http://www.abeillemusique.com/

$209, including shipping to the US, for 99 CDs.  That's borderline super-bargain.  The price has been inching down on amazon.com, but still well above that.  I'm curious if I'll get hit with some mysterious import duty when it arrives.

Brian

#984
February 10, 2011, 03:34:07 AM
Quote from: Scarpia on February 09, 2011, 04:49:13 PMI'm curious if I'll get hit with some mysterious import duty when it arrives.

Well, last year when I lived in Texas and ordered the complete works of Brahms, Rachmaninov, and the 100 CD set of "Russian Legends" from Abeille, I didn't get hit with any duties...

Orpheus

#985
February 10, 2011, 11:05:19 AM
Just landed!!! 8)



Orpheus felix  :P

Lethevich

#986
February 10, 2011, 11:11:34 AM
Congratulations, Orpheus - and thank you for all your tips in this thread, I've taken advantage of one or two :)
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

Coopmv

#987
February 10, 2011, 05:16:34 PM
Quote from: Brian on February 10, 2011, 03:34:07 AM
Well, last year when I lived in Texas and ordered the complete works of Brahms, Rachmaninov, and the 100 CD set of "Russian Legends" from Abeille, I didn't get hit with any duties...

I wonder if $400 is the limit ...

Scarpia

#989
February 11, 2011, 09:34:49 AM
Quote from: Orpheus on February 11, 2011, 08:29:56 AM
Drop down!



http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B004G7FFF8/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new

Orpheus  ;)

Damn!  FabulousCD is the Amazon Marketplace alias of www.abeillemusique.com, the same place I ordered my set.  Would have saved about $25 if I had anticipated this one, but in the long run I've just as often missed a bargain as found one by holding out.

stingo

#990
February 12, 2011, 12:17:03 PM
On looking at the Liszt set, I found this for $53.99 from the same vendor:

[asin]B000T2ONOI[/asin]

Scarpia

#991
February 12, 2011, 12:26:40 PM
Quote from: stingo on February 12, 2011, 12:17:03 PM
On looking at the Liszt set, I found this for $53.99 from the same vendor:

Yes, looking at the FabulousCD "storefront" you will find some other impressive deals, as well as a bunch of things listed at prices that are not a deal at all.

Coopmv

#992
February 12, 2011, 12:29:22 PM
Quote from: stingo on February 12, 2011, 12:17:03 PM
On looking at the Liszt set, I found this for $53.99 from the same vendor:

[asin]B000T2ONOI[/asin]

50 cents a CD.  This is a helluva bargain ...

Brian

#993
February 12, 2011, 12:37:01 PM
I bought that Russian Legends box for 30 euros and I have to say, no matter the price, it's the best CD purchase I made last year. A really astonishing trove of greatness: Richter's Beethoven and Schubert, something like 13 CDs of Gilels, Rostropovich's mesmerizing Weinberg concerto, my favorite Tchaikovsky violin concerto reading ever (Kogan), and untold riches I haven't even begun to listen to yet. It's a gold mine.

stingo

#994
February 12, 2011, 01:24:48 PM
Quote from: Brian on February 12, 2011, 12:37:01 PM
I bought that Russian Legends box for 30 euros and I have to say, no matter the price, it's the best CD purchase I made last year. A really astonishing trove of greatness: Richter's Beethoven and Schubert, something like 13 CDs of Gilels, Rostropovich's mesmerizing Weinberg concerto, my favorite Tchaikovsky violin concerto reading ever (Kogan), and untold riches I haven't even begun to listen to yet. It's a gold mine.

I have the Rostropovich set and love it, so I figured the rest of the series would be worth owning. Glad to know I wasn't mistaken.

stingo

#995
February 16, 2011, 07:34:50 AM
My order for the Brilliant set was cancelled as the items weren't in stock. Strange they don't handle them like Amazon, keeping orders until new stock arrives.

Opus106

#996
February 16, 2011, 07:43:20 AM
Quote from: stingo on February 16, 2011, 07:34:50 AM
My order for the Brilliant set was cancelled as the items weren't in stock. Strange they don't handle them like Amazon, keeping orders until new stock arrives.

The super-duper cheap sale at Abeille usually comes with the fine print that the offer is available only until stocks last.
Regards,
Navneeth

stingo

#997
February 16, 2011, 09:16:46 AM
Fair enough. I'll keep on the lookout for the set as a super duper bargain and until then delve into the Rostropovich set.

Purely out of curiosity, why isn't this thread in the Great Recordings subforum?

PaulSC

#998
February 16, 2011, 09:24:15 AM
Quote from: stingo on February 16, 2011, 09:16:46 AM
Purely out of curiosity, why isn't this thread in the Great Recordings subforum?
Speculation: Because it's less about the intrinsic merit of individual recordings and more about reporting/discussing opportunities to buy a disc, or the offerings of a particular label, or the stock of a particular retailer, at a bargain price (?)
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