Purchases Today

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I like the Stein Sibelius set. Some of those were my first encounters with Sibelius on LP.

Florestan,

Did you purchase that Haydn set as a download?  Coincidentally, I just downloaded a free sample of it from Classic Select's website (two options for this one:  mP3 and FLAC).  It's this week's free download from them and contains Nos. 6-8. 

Note:  They still have that free Vivaldi set on offer for the time being.

PD

p.s.  I found out (according to Wiki) that he recorded the first complete set of Haydn's symphonies (I hadn't heard of the conductor before, so googled his name.

[j winter]

Florestan,

Did you purchase that Haydn set as a download?  Coincidentally, I just downloaded a free sample of it from Classic Select's website (two options for this one:  mP3 and FLAC).  It's this week's free download from them and contains Nos. 6-8. 

Note:  They still have that free Vivaldi set on offer for the time being.

PD

p.s.  I found out (according to Wiki) that he recorded the first complete set of Haydn's symphonies (I hadn't heard of the conductor before, so googled his name.

Hi,

I picked up the Marzendorfer Haydn set on CD a while back.  I posted at the time that I thought it was better than Dorati... not sure that I'd stick with that assessment now that I've spent a little more time with it, but it's definitely a very solid set, good spirited performances.  FYI they lost the original tapes so the CD set at least (on Scribendum) is mastered from LPs.  It's still pretty good sound considering -- that said, I would jump at it if you can find a cheap download, you probably won't miss much (if anything) even with a 320 kps MP3.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Hi,

I picked up the Marzendorfer Haydn set on CD a while back.  I posted at the time that I thought it was better than Dorati... not sure that I'd stick with that assessment now that I've spent a little more time with it, but it's definitely a very solid set, good spirited performances.  FYI they lost the original tapes so the CD set at least (on Scribendum) is mastered from LPs.  It's still pretty good sound considering -- that said, I would jump at it if you can find a cheap download, you probably won't miss much (if anything) even with a 320 kps MP3.

Thank you for the info.  And, I realized also that the Vivaldi offered there is a special Christmas offering/recording... vs. the earlier free offering.  Well, I hadn't jumped on the earlier offering as I seldom listen to Vivaldi, but did download the Christmas one.

PD

[Florestan]

Florestan,

Did you purchase that Haydn set as a download? 

Yes. $8.49 on Qobuz Store.

[geralmar]

It was cheap.

[Mookalafalas]

I just ordered the Muti set as well... Merry Christmas to me!     Hard to resist at just over a buck per disc, and there are quite a few recordings that are new to me.  Also Philadelphia is my local major orchestra, so it's nice to have as a companion to all of the Ormandy on my shelves.

I've considered the Barbirolli box as well, but I've already got large chunks of it (Mahler, Brahms, Sibelius, Elgar...), so decided it wasn't worth it.  Great stuff, though...

  I'm playing through in order, but have been amazed at how beautiful it all is. All the early recordings are recorded in Kingshall (as are the first few Barbirolli disks, coincidentally). It seems to be a combination of conducting choices, recording style, and the venue. The hall is very resonant, which I usually disklike, but through my headphones, it is ravishing. Admittedly, it may partly due to comparison with the 1920s and 1930s Barbirolli early disks (I'm ping-ponging back and forth), but that is certainly not all of it. Hope you enjoy it as much as I am.

[Mookalafalas]

Hi,

I picked up the Marzendorfer Haydn set on CD a while back.  I posted at the time that I thought it was better than Dorati... not sure that I'd stick with that assessment now that I've spent a little more time with it, but it's definitely a very solid set, good spirited performances.  FYI they lost the original tapes so the CD set at least (on Scribendum) is mastered from LPs.  It's still pretty good sound considering -- that said, I would jump at it if you can find a cheap download, you probably won't miss much (if anything) even with a 320 kps MP3.

  Well put. It's probably not fair to compare it to Dorati--fish and fowl. But it absolutely has that "small-ensemble energy." We've been blessed with good Haydn choices lately.

[SonicMan46]

Hat tip to Traverso

Bought this for almost half of the price. To good to let go.

Harry - when you have the 'listening chance' would appreciate your thoughts on the Koopman vs. Suzuki productions - own the latter complete - don't want two sets but some prefer Koopman?  Dave

[Harry]

Harry - when you have the 'listening chance' would appreciate your thoughts on the Koopman vs. Suzuki productions - own the latter complete - don't want two sets but some prefer Koopman?  Dave

Both sets Dave are not comparable, Suzuki stands on the other side of the spectrum, and is still by far my favourite set. I bought Koopman just for this contrast, for his approach and choice of soloists is challenging for me. So if your preferment is for Suzuki, but you aim for the same challenge as I, and you can buy it relatively cheap, go for it.

[Que]

Picked up at Fnac in Nancy, France:



I have to say that being in a physical store again with piles and piles of books, DVDs, LPs and CDs and droves of people buying them, felt heartening and surreal at the same time..

[71 dB]

Suzuki stands on the other side of the spectrum, and is still by far my favourite set.

Except for volume 37, if I remember correctly?

I prefer Suzuki on the early "Buxtehude/Bruhns -type" cantatas and Rilling on the later "Kuhnau-type" cantatas.

[Wanderer]

Picked up at Fnac in Nancy, France:
I have to say that being in a physical store again with piles and piles of books, DVDs, LPs and CDs and droves of people buying them, felt heartening and surreal at the same time..

Are there really no physical CD stores left in the Netherlands?

[Wanderer]

[Harry]

Are there really no physical CD stores left in the Netherlands?

I live in the north of the Netherlands, and no there are no stores left of any significance. Its all on line.

[Irons]

I live in the north of the Netherlands, and no there are no stores left of any significance. Its all on line.

London is not much better.

[Que]

Are there really no physical CD stores left in the Netherlands?

Almost all gone.... 

Since internet coverage here is almost total,  streaming has taken over.
Most people I meet, are always very surprised to hear that I still listen to CDs...

There used a major classical CD store in my city, that went over 10 years ago.. .
The small outlet I often visited, specialized in Jazz and Classical, went just before the pandemic.
None of the major cities have a specialized Classical CD store anymore.
Amsterdam had several - all gone. What is left is a tiny Classical section of an independent store that caters for all genres. There are a few small independent Classical  shops left here and there, but they are rapidly dissappearing as well.

In other parts of Europe the situation is still different, I know.
I imagine that if you live in a small French village with no or very slow internet, you need your DVDs and CDs...

[vandermolen]

London is not much better.

That's quite right and very dispiriting - I used to love browsing through specialist LP/CD shops. Even the local town (Tunbridge Wells) once had two decent classical record shops. Now the remaining HMV store has an ever diminishing classical section featuring CDs like 'Beethoven's Greatest Hits' etc 

[Harry]

That's quite right and very dispiriting - I used to love browsing through specialist LP/CD shops. Even the local town (Tunbridge Wells) once had two decent classical record shops. Now the remaining HMV store has an ever diminishing classical section featuring CDs like 'Beethoven's Greatest Hits' etc 

Ouch!!

[Irons]

That's quite right and very dispiriting - I used to love browsing through specialist LP/CD shops. Even the local town (Tunbridge Wells) once had two decent classical record shops. Now the remaining HMV store has an ever diminishing classical section featuring CDs like 'Beethoven's Greatest Hits' etc 

Buying online has advantages but the surprise element is missing. I'm still thrilled by "hello what do we have here!" feeling. The closing of my favourite emporium was in some respects a blessing in disguise as I have far more LPs on my shelves then I possibly can listen to and CDs are heading in a similar direction. But boy do I miss the physical contact of buying music. The thrill has gone.   

[Harry]

Buying online has advantages but the surprise element is missing. I'm still thrilled by "hello what do we have here!" feeling. The closing of my favourite emporium was in some respects a blessing in disguise as I have far more LPs on my shelves then I possibly can listen to and CDs are heading in a similar direction. But boy do I miss the physical contact of buying music. The thrill has gone. 

Isn't it!!