GMG Classical Music Forum

The Music Room => Classical Music for Beginners => Topic started by: MN Dave on April 23, 2008, 05:41:30 AM

Title: Super Budget Labels
Post by: MN Dave on April 23, 2008, 05:41:30 AM
What are some other super budget labels like EMI Seraphim with a general price range of $6 or less? It's not that I don't know them; it's just that I can't remember them.  :P  I thought I'd try the GMG hive-brain.

Thanks.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Opus106 on April 23, 2008, 06:13:50 AM
Virgin Veritas X2 (2CD sets averaging about $5/CD)

In fact, I have their catalogue open in another tab as I type.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: MN Dave on April 23, 2008, 11:32:09 AM
Quote from: opus67 on April 23, 2008, 06:13:50 AM
Virgin Veritas X2 (2CD sets averaging about $5/CD)

In fact, I have their catalogue open in another tab as I type.

That's a good one. Thanks.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Que on April 23, 2008, 11:36:35 AM
Warner Apex (http://www.warnerclassicsandjazz.com/apex.php)

Sony Essential Classics (http://www.essentialclassics.com/)

Q
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: MN Dave on April 23, 2008, 11:42:40 AM
Quote from: Que on April 23, 2008, 11:36:35 AM
Warner Apex (http://www.warnerclassicsandjazz.com/apex.php)

Sony Essential Classics (http://www.essentialclassics.com/)

Q

Yow! Thanks, Que!
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: MN Dave on April 23, 2008, 12:23:47 PM
Berlin Classics looks like one.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Gurn Blanston on April 23, 2008, 12:27:29 PM
Quote from: MN Dave on April 23, 2008, 12:23:47 PM
Berlin Classics looks like one.

In my experience, they are, at best, mid-priced ($10-12/disk). Unless they've recently changed. :)

8)
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: MN Dave on April 23, 2008, 12:30:33 PM
Quote from: Gurn Blanston on April 23, 2008, 12:27:29 PM
In my experience, they are, at best, mid-priced ($10-12/disk). Unless they've recently changed. :)

8)

Some of their discs are cheap. Maybe not a super budget label per se. Scratch that one I guess.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Novi on April 23, 2008, 12:45:32 PM
Arte Nova

Musique d'Abord
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: The new erato on April 23, 2008, 12:50:24 PM
Nobody mentions Brilliant, the super budget label par excellence?
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: MN Dave on April 23, 2008, 04:13:43 PM
The list so far:

Arte Nova
Brilliant
EMI Seraphim
Harmonia Mundi Musique d'Abord
Sony Essential Classics
Virgin Veritas
Warner Apex

Thank you.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Lethevich on April 23, 2008, 04:22:40 PM
Musique d'Aboard is Harmonia Mundi. I also love the Virgin x2 and Black Box budget discs, so many good performances, and so much early music (it's often hard to get that stuff at cheap prices).
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: MN Dave on April 23, 2008, 04:28:30 PM
Quote from: Lethe on April 23, 2008, 04:22:40 PM
Musique d'Aboard is Harmonia Mundi. I also love the Virgin x2 and Black Box budget discs, so many good performances, and so much early music (it's often hard to get that stuff at cheap prices).

Musique d'Aboard is getting into budget territory (not "super" budget), but that's cool.

Black Box doesn't look so cheap.  ???
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Lethevich on April 23, 2008, 05:02:38 PM
Quote from: MN Dave on April 23, 2008, 04:28:30 PM
Black Box doesn't look so cheap.  ???

Oops, BB is indeed a premium label, I'm referring to Virgin's multi disc repagagings like Norrington's Beehoven cycle and Kuijken's Haydn.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: eyeresist on April 23, 2008, 06:22:23 PM
I've noticed a lot of Virgin Veritas x2 on Amazon are listed with the wrong label, "EMI classics" I think.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: George on April 23, 2008, 06:57:19 PM
Quote from: MN Dave on April 23, 2008, 04:13:43 PM
The list so far:

Arte Nova
Brilliant
EMI Seraphim
Harmonia Mundi Musique d'Abord
Sony Essential Classics
Virgin Veritas
Warner Apex

Thank you.

I'd add Naxos, Eloquence and DG Musikfest.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Kullervo on April 23, 2008, 07:22:55 PM
I wonder if those of us in the States will be able to add Chandos to that list now that they are being distributed by Naxos of America.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: MN Dave on April 23, 2008, 07:26:23 PM
Quote from: George on April 23, 2008, 06:57:19 PM
I'd add Naxos, Eloquence and DG Musikfest.

DG Musikfest seems to fit the "super" budget category. The other two are higher buck from what I can tell. Still budget though.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Brian on April 23, 2008, 07:57:57 PM
Quote from: George on April 23, 2008, 06:57:19 PM
I'd add Naxos, Eloquence and DG Musikfest.
Naxos usually runs for $8-$10. They do, however, have a super-budget label named Amadis that sells for $3. Most of the Amadis CDs are pieces of crap, but some are salvageable and a few - like the complete Mendelssohn Midsummer Night's Dream, Theodore Kuchar's Shostakovich, or Julia Brown's organ discs - are actually good.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: George on April 24, 2008, 02:31:09 AM
Quote from: Brian on April 23, 2008, 07:57:57 PM
Naxos usually runs for $8-$10. They do, however, have a super-budget label named Amadis that sells for $3. Most of the Amadis CDs are pieces of crap, but some are salvageable and a few - like the complete Mendelssohn Midsummer Night's Dream, Theodore Kuchar's Shostakovich, or Julia Brown's organ discs - are actually good.

You can get most Naxos here for $6.99. They do take online orders, I believe.

http://www.jr.com/JRSectionView.process?N=13327+4291924943&Ne=500#Label
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Grazioso on April 24, 2008, 03:54:46 AM
Quote from: Corey on April 23, 2008, 07:22:55 PM
I wonder if those of us in the States will be able to add Chandos to that list now that they are being distributed by Naxos of America.

Actually, the price of the budget Chandos Classics discs has recently risen at Amazon :(
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: ChamberNut on April 24, 2008, 04:04:28 AM
George,

Thanks for mentioning Naxos and Eloquence.

There is also Madacy.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: MN Dave on April 24, 2008, 04:33:48 AM
Super-budget (and budget) List

Amadis (may be a piece of crap though :) )
Arte Nova
Brilliant
DG Musikfest
Eloquence (budget)
EMI Seraphim
Harmonia Mundi Musique d'Abord (budget)
Madacy
Naxos (budget)
Sony Essential Classics
Virgin Veritas
Warner Apex
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: 71 dB on April 24, 2008, 07:37:52 AM
Quote from: MN Dave on April 23, 2008, 04:28:30 PM
Black Box doesn't look so cheap.  ???

Yeah, looks more like a black sheep...
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Brian on April 24, 2008, 11:07:11 AM
Thanks for that link George!
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: George on April 24, 2008, 11:16:25 AM
Quote from: Brian on April 24, 2008, 11:07:11 AM
Thanks for that link George!

:)
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Novi on April 24, 2008, 03:00:18 PM
Dave, there is also the new(?) EMI Triples Series (http://www.emiclassics.co.uk/releases_cat.php?id=39).

I had a quick look - the 3CD sets are under US$19 at us amazon.

In fact, the Brahms box is only $13.97 (http://www.amazon.com/Brahms-Concerto-Album-Pierre-Fournier/dp/B00127ISF4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1209077787&sr=8-2) at the moment, which I would get, except that I already have the Arrau/Giulini PCs (their D minor is one of my favourites).
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Don on April 24, 2008, 03:05:54 PM
Quote from: MN Brahms on April 24, 2008, 04:33:48 AM
Super-budget (and budget) List

Amadis (may be a piece of crap though :) )

Depends what you're looking for.  FWIW, the Naxos Music Library has the full Amadis catalog.
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: MN Dave on April 24, 2008, 03:11:14 PM
Quote from: Novitiate on April 24, 2008, 03:00:18 PM
Dave, there is also the new(?) EMI Triples Series (http://www.emiclassics.co.uk/releases_cat.php?id=39).

I had a quick look - the 3CD sets are under US$19 at us amazon.

In fact, the Brahms box is only $13.97 (http://www.amazon.com/Brahms-Concerto-Album-Pierre-Fournier/dp/B00127ISF4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1209077787&sr=8-2) at the moment, which I would get, except that I already have the Arrau/Giulini PCs (their D minor is one of my favourites).

Thanks, Novitiate!

Super-budget (and budget) List

Amadis
Arte Nova
Brilliant
DG Musikfest
Eloquence (budget)
EMI Seraphim
EMI Triples
Harmonia Mundi Musique d'Abord (budget)
Madacy
Naxos (budget)
Sony Essential Classics
Virgin Veritas
Warner Apex
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: MN Dave on April 24, 2008, 03:11:46 PM
Quote from: Don on April 24, 2008, 03:05:54 PM
Depends what you're looking for.  FWIW, the Naxos Music Library has the full Amadis catalog.

Hey, that's what Brian said.  ;D
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: techniquest on April 25, 2008, 11:07:42 AM
A few more:
Regis
Forum
HMV Classics
Alto
Hallmark Classics
Stradivari
Laserlight Classics

Have fun :)
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: david johnson on April 25, 2008, 12:19:09 PM
laserlight has a great 'suppe overtures' & 'bruckner #3'.

dj
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Tsaraslondon on April 26, 2008, 01:49:02 AM
I'm never quite sure what the dividing line between budget and super budget is. Naxos have usually been classed in the latter category here in the UK, where CDs are consistently more expensive than in the US anyway. LSO Live also retail at about the same price, so they too are in this category. $27.98 for a wholly recommendable complete Les Troyens strikes me as something of a bargain, whichever way you look at it.

Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: Opus106 on April 26, 2008, 03:16:22 AM
EMI Gemini. I suppose that these are similar(same?) to the Double Forte series.

I got this (http://www.amazon.com/Brahms-Concertos-Variations-Overture-Academic/dp/B000B668WW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1209208226&sr=1-2) (offline) for less than the price of a single CD
Title: Re: Super Budget Labels
Post by: George on April 26, 2008, 04:51:28 AM
Quote from: opus67 on April 26, 2008, 03:16:22 AM
EMI Gemini. I suppose that these are similar(same?) to the Double Forte series.

I got this (http://www.amazon.com/Brahms-Concertos-Variations-Overture-Academic/dp/B000B668WW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1209208226&sr=1-2) (offline) for less than the price of a single CD


That's a lovely CD.  :)