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Amazing Bargain Buys

17K views 75 replies 27 participants last post by  Boothvoice 
#1 ·
Something I've been aware of recently is that from time to time I come across a terrific bargain (usually short-term), and want to publicise it so that others can benefit. For example, some really astounding bargains came up recently of great Ring recordings (eg Bohm/Bayreuth for $6) from one particular seller on Amazon Marketplace. Those offers existed only for hours, and the question then is how to get the information out where it can do most good. Over at GMG they have a Superduper Bargains thread which is really useful, so I thought I'd create one here to see if it helped solve the problem.

The purpose of the thread is not to publicise small reductions - they happen here and there all the time, and would flood the thread. I'm thinking of price reductions that you might have to wait years for before their like is seen again: reductions that are so big, and the consequent value so high, that there's a good chance it might tip the balance for some folks into a purchase they'd otherwise not make.

For example:



I suspect that the Bohm Ring will probably never be as cheap as this again. This is one of the finest sets of the Ring, currently available for £30 at Amazon UK, or $38 at Amazon US.

Another fine bargain at the moment - just the thing for someone on a very limited budget, on the lookout for a good set of Mozart Piano concertos, is this:



This is on offer at jpc for 14.99 euros; and while it may be true that eventually one might look for 'better' performances, these recordings could keep one happy for a long time for very little outlay. They're not period performances, but Masur handles the orchestra with vigour, and Schmidt finds momentary nuances in some of these concertos that I find quite fascinating. (For further comments see here, #30.)This set was offered at this very low price at jpc two years ago (which was when I bought my set). They sold out quite rapidly back then, but now the offer has reappeared.
 
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#35 ·
My wife dumped me in an outlet media store whilst she went to look for clothes in other outlet shops. I went through the few classical music CD's without much hope, but then I came across this:



Four CD set of a stellar cast in a hostorical recording (1952) for 2 euro.
 
#40 · (Edited)
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/originals.php

I nearly had an accident when I saw this. 40 percent off Deutchse Grammophon and Decca & Phillipps Legendary Recordings, with artists like Emil Gilels on the list.

Edit: And consequently was severely disappointed by the pitiful amount of cds on the legendary recordings brand. But hey, Kleiber Beethoven 5 and 7 if you haven't already bought and listened to that 9204923049 times.
 
#41 ·
If you don't mind MP3 downloads, Amazon has an amazing deal on Osmo Vanska and the Lahti Symphony's Sibelius cycle.

Sure, there are the seven symphonies. But wait! Besides the seven symphonies, there's also Finlandia, Tapiola, the Lemminkainen Suite, Snofrid, and the Overture in E Flat.
Not enough? Then they'll throw in the original version of the 5th symphony absolutely free!
Still not convinced? Okay, how about the violin concerto as well?
All for $8! As Frank Zappa said, Wowie Zowie!

 
#43 ·
Well, those of you who don't mind mp3's and are just starting out...I just found a black Friday deal on amazon and if you are just starting out and want to have hundreds of works for under fifty bucks, you've gotta check this out. I'm even considering getting the Grieg set as I don't know as much of his works as I'd like to...the Beethoven one is super impressive as it has the complete piano concertos and symphonies...and a couple of good performers, too! I can't believe you can get so much music for so cheap.

http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Sup...s-Masters/dp/B005W26W12/ref=pd_sim_dmusic_a_1
 
#44 ·
I'm making my way through the newly released Decca Sound box set and it's a real treasure. No filler- all killer. Unlike other collections that focus on predictable core repetoire (Living Stereo) and include a few less than exemplary performances (DGG 111) to fill out the box, this one focuses on just top rate performances in spectacular sound. I haven't been disappointed with a single disk I've listened to yet, and I've discovered many treasures that I wasn't aware of before. At about two bucks a disk, it's a total steal. The packaging is great. The book is clearly laid out and readable without a magnifying glass. The music is spectacular.

 
#45 ·
Amazon is having an MP3 sale. Does anyone have any thoughts on these:

I'm most interested in Glazunov:
Glazunov, the complete symphonies: by Fedoseyev ($5), another by Otaka ($6.99).

There's also:
Tchaikovsky, the complete symphonies, by Jaarvi ($7.99)
Rachmaninov, the complete symphonies, by Hughes ($5.99)
Brahms, German Requiem, by Klemper ($3.68)
Takemitsu, orchestral works ($2.99)
Rzewski: The People United Will Never Be Defeated ($1.78)
 
#48 ·
I just saw this today and picked it up.

Bruno Walter Conducts Mahler
View attachment 3770
$24.99 on Amazon.
Disc 1: Symphony 1 & Symphony 2 (1st Movement)
Disc 2: Symphony 2, Lieder Einses Fahrenden Gesellen
Disc 3: Symphony 4 & Symphony 9 (1st Movement)
Disc 4: Symphony 9
Disc 5: Symphony 5
Disc 6: Das Lied Von Der Erde
Disc 7: Symphony 1 (Mono New York Philharmonic from the early 50's)

I think it's a pretty darn good deal for $25. The new set is also 24bit. The older 20bit releases from Sony would cost around $100 just to piece this collection together, and you don't get the original mono recording of Symphony 1. The only thing missing is the Interviews that were on the older 20bit 9th Symphony release.

I also saw/picked this up along with it.

Otto Klemperer: Mahler Symphonies 2,4,7,9,Lieder
View attachment 3771

$31.39 on Amazon
.
Disc 1: Symphony 2
Disc 2: Symphony 4
Disc 3: Symphony 7
Disc 4: Symphony 7 (Final Movement), Symphony 9 (1st & 2nd Movements)
Disc 5: Symphony 9 (Remaining Movements), 2 Lieder from Wunderhorn, 3 from Ruckert Lieder
Disc 6: Das Lied Von Der Erde

Another darn good deal. Symphony 7 has been out of print for a long time and copies usually sell for $70! I wasn't aware of either of these sets being out there till today when I just stumbled across them. Can't wait to try them, but figured I would post for anyone who's interested in these historic recordings.
 
#59 ·
On Itunes I just bought for 4 euros a complete Parsifal.

Strong performances from all the cast, and a delicious performance by the orchestra. In terms of interpretation its eccentric; very fast, but slows down in the important bits. Very unwagnerian but quite musical.

Herbert Kegel, Leipzig gewandhaus
 
#60 · (Edited)
There is a very good computer program Audials that allows you to record several radio streams at the same time, whether or not it is playing on your speakers.

Audials One also allows you to record anything from any streaming source such as Pandora and spotifiy, mog, rdio, basically anything except for Netflix.

I record a good classical radio station and play it back the next day . . skipping over commercials or selections I don't like.
 
#63 ·
In the current market for classical CDs, the prices are falling and the good recordings are being collected into cheap box sets... Bernstein symphonies, Munch and Reiner on the Living Stereo label, Dorati on Mercury... It doesn't get much better than that... And at a little over a dollar a disk. The old truisms about box sets don't necessarily hold true any more.
 
#64 ·
Sorry Bigshot whilst appreciate what you are proposing I must disagree. As an example, to suggest that either of Bernstein's Mahler cycles represent the best Mahler available is simply wide of the mark. This applies to all box set's of complete cycles. It would of course to produce a box set of the best of Bernstein or whomever but they would not be of one composer. I still maintain what I said in post 64 that researching the reviews and finding the best possible recording, it saves shelf space and its fun.
 
#66 · (Edited)
As an example, to suggest that either of Bernstein's Mahler cycles represent the best Mahler available is simply wide of the mark.
There is no such thing as "best Mahler", only bad, mediocre and great Mahler. Bernstein's Mahler is well worth listening to and owning. Many people, myself included, consider it great.

Reading reviews will never find you the best recordings. It will only find you what that reviewer thinks is best. All a review can do is point you to great recordings. Among them, you may find what you consider best, but more likely you'll find that there are several great recordings with different positive aspects- no best.

If I limited myself to one "best" Ring cycle or Eroica symphony or Mozart Piano Concerto recording, I'd be cheating myself out of most of my musical enjoyment.
 
#65 ·
Certainly it is Polyphemus, but why limit yourself if you can expand your listening at such low cost. Certainly there are multiple worthwhile interpretations of the masterpieces, some rather odd - but all revealing a new aspect of the piece. You'd be foolish not to explore another side to Beethoven's 5th symphony if it only cost you £1.50 for example,
 
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#67 ·
Hi emiellucifuge and bigshot, we seem to be approaching the question from different aspects. My initial point was that to buy a disc because it was cheap was not an approach I would consider. I never suggested that ones collection should consist of only one version of any particular work, if that were the case then my shelves would be reduced by a vast amount. I would also point out that I made no criticism of Bernstein's Mahler and I agree that some of it is indeed great and some not so great. That was one of my intended points, no one conductor gives a definitive reading of a cycle. My reliance on reviewers opinions are part of my purchasing and I agree that they have loved discs which I bought which were not to my taste so they are seldom if ever payed. Its like everything in life you pays your money and you takes your chances. I do however regard The Gramophone magazine as my music bible and in general they are seldom seriously wrong. Bigshot sums it up well in the second paragraph of post 66 above they are merely guides which help us mere mortals and I for one am happy to accept their opinion, always accepting that I don't have to agree with them. My most notable disagreement was Simon Rattle's Birmingham recording of the Mahler 2 which arrived in a blaze of praise and accolades, I bought it and I still find it far from being anywhere near the honours that were heaped on it. However it sold in large quantities and is always there or thereabouts when the definitive Mahler 2 is being discussed.
So at the end of the day it is the opinion of the listener that counts.
In conclusion I offered an opinion that buying with price as the guiding parameter was perhaps not the best way to go about things. I did not expect everyone to agree with me but simply put forward the proposition that quality would achieve a better collection than price.
Enjoy the music.
 
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