CPO at bargain prices

[John H White]

I've just found out from their newsletter that Europadisc are offering a discount on all CPO CDs up until the end of March. This can work out even better for us UK based Forum members if we buy several discs at once, since UK postage is free for orders over £30----now where's that piggy bank of mine?

[Peter1953]

I've compared the current prices of 5 cpo CD (-sets) from my want-list:
1 = europadisc.co.uk, 2 = jpc.de

Van Gilse, Symphonies 1 & 2
1 £9.95 (= €11.48)
2 €7.99

Ries, Complete Symphonies
1 £27.95 (= €32.25)
2 €29.99

Röntgen, Symphony 3
1 £9.95 (= €11.48)
2 €17.99

Schumann-Wieck, Complete Piano Works
1 £20.99 (= €24.22)
2 €14.99

Zarebski, Piano Works
1 £8.50 (= €9.81)
2 €7.99

This is all excluding shipment costs (jpc, 4 CDs to the Netherlands €2.99)

[Marcus]

Re CPO special. Presto (GB),recently concluded a very good special on CPO. It pays to check such sites, as there are bargains to be had.
Here in Australia, classical CD retailers are very thin on the ground. When I was a child in the 50's, most small country towns had a "record shop" where you could buy classical music 78's & LPs. (and radiograms - remember those ?) A special order might take up to 6 months, and there was not alot to in the catalogue.
Today, only a few stores in the capital cities carry  a satisfactory range, with prices mostly too high, and as a result, I have been buying from overseas for years. It is unfortunate to have to buy from overseas, but cost is the determining factor for me. The ABC label is an exception.
I buy mostly from Presto (UK), MDT (UK), Archiv (USA), Records International (USA), & Qualiton (USA). Prices are comparatively cheaper, even with freight, and there are specials from time to time from Presto,MDT & Qualiton.
For instance, for anyone just starting out, there is a special offer, at present, from MDT for a 100cd collection of Symphonies,(all the popular ones ), on the Brilliant Classics Label for 87.50 EP (74.47 EP ex VAT)
At present, MDT have discounts  on Dux, Profil, Pentatone, Sony/BMG. Presto have specials on EMI, Delos,Dux & Music & Arts. I have found Presto cheaper than anyone else for the Dutton label .
If there are other competitive retailers out there, I would appreciate hearing about them.
Marcus.

[albion]

A fairly recent convert to the CPO cause, as mentioned in other threads, I'm keen to take advantage of the latest Presto CPO offer and have recently ordered:

Atterberg symphonies, Klughardt 3rd symphony, Pfitzner orchestral songs, Goetz (3 disc set) - hopefully to arrive in the next week. 

However, lined up for possible ordering are:

Enna 2nd symphony, Rontgen 3rd symphony, Marx symphonic works and Boehe orchestral works (2 discs)



Bearing in mind that whether they would be classed as 'masterpieces' or not is frankly immaterial - I simply like large, colourful orchestral canvasses and healthy doses of (late) romantic lyricism - are these good bets, or would others fulfil the criteria better, eg. Nathanael Berg? 

P.S. I already have the Draeseke (3 discs), Pfitzner (5 discs) and Herzogenberg Odysseus 

[Alan Howe]

It's all good stuff. Buy 'em all - go on, you know you want to...

[albion]

Thanks, Alan!

Would it be prudent (artistically rather than financially of course) to also consider von Hausegger's Natursymphonie?



Perhaps downloading the catalogue wasn't such a great idea after all - I can see myself foundering on the Lorelei rock otherwise known as CPO! 

[JimL]

I get my CDs from CD Universe an Presto, mainly.  Those bargains must have been transmitted to the US, because I got my Davidoff (Davydov?) CC 3 & 4 for only $12.99 from CD Universe, which is a huge discount from what cpos normally go for (about $19.00, IIRC).

[albion]

Oh, sweet Lord, what a pair of beauties!



Having checked, I see that these have garnered some highly appreciative comments elsewhere on the forum so .....

..... better add these as well (just to be on the safe side).   

[Mark Thomas]

If you like Richard Strauss' symphonic poems and late-romantic orchestral overkill in general, then you'll love von Hausseger's Natursinfonie. Hopefully cpo will bring out the other two big Hausseger scores: Wieland der Schmied and Barbarossa. The latter in particular is a tremendous work, if you like that sort of thing, and both pieces were recorded by the same forces as are on the Natursinfonie disc..

[albion]

Brilliant! Thanks for this endorsement, Mark - late-romantic orchestral overkill is bread and butter (or should that be kebab and chips) to me! 

[TerraEpon]

Man, there's so much on CPO that has potential to be something I want. I often avoid seeking such things out too much to avoid having to spend even more money

Incidently, there's a new Ries disc coming out of concert overtures, that's gotten a good review. I've...."previewed'...it and it's on my to buy list.

Never heard of Hausegger (or many of the others you guys often go on about), but "late romantic overkill" is ALWAYS good potential. Hmmm....

[albion]

Luckily, I'm not really interested in chamber or solo instrumental music, otherwise there would be so much more out of the CPO catalogue that would call seductively "buy me, buy me, buy me ..."  (this bald, slightly raddled emoticon will have to stand-in for the alluring Siren - oh well, use you're imagination)

[TerraEpon]

I looked through the score of the Hauseggar and indeed it looks like something -- even a couple nice bass clarinet solos (insprising a topic from me here...)
And yeah, there's just so much that I wonder if I'm missing out on.

[Greg K]

I have found Presto cheaper than anyone else for the Dutton label .
If there are other competitive retailers out there, I would appreciate hearing about them.
Marcus.

In regards to Dutton Epoch, the best price I've found is from Crotchet (UK).  Just checking again a minute ago at Presto, they show
a price of 10.75 English pounds, - vs. Crotchet's 9.19.  For export to the US (where I am) they then deduct VAT from that amount.
Unbeatable in my experience..

[Pengelli]

HMV are cheapest for Dutton,at £7.99 post free, for 1 cd. Boughton's 'The Queen of Cornwall' is £10.99 for a 2cd set,again post free,as they say.