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Post by Slinger on May 12, 2018 12:58:30 GMT
I mentioned Naxos in Martin's latest 'Classical Album Choice' thread, and it set me to thinking...which is no mean effort. Does anyone else remember when Naxos first launched? One was more likely to find their product in a carousel rather than in the shops' racks with the 'proper' releases? I first came across them by accident in a shop devoted to classical music, in The Strand, in a carousel. They were half the price of virtually everything else in the shop so, being a tight bastard careful with my pennies I purchased one. I can't even remember, for sure, what the disc was now, but it might well have been Beethoven's 5 th because it would definitely have been a piece I knew well, and I wasn't so well-versed in the arcane black art that is classical music appreciation in those days...which would probably have been the late eighties. I remember being impressed to the point of regularly detouring on my way home from work. Actually 'detouring' is too mild a word. I went in the opposite direction of home, which involved two extra short train rides. It was a great way of building the core of a decent collection for the least money. Amazon and eBay did not exist, and we had to walk...to real shops...and part with proper paper and metal money. I ended up buying a few clunkers, but generally, the standard was quite high. Naxos recorded a lot of Eastern European orchestras and solo artists for, one assumes, not a lot of money, and that was passed on to the purchaser, Fast forward, and last year I purchased their 30th Anniversary box set. Naxos' quality is generally better than ever, and although the price differential has crept up Naxos now furnishes the perfect excuse to take a chance on composers and artists that are not especially well-known. Combined with the internet, where you can often find examples of those previously unknown works via Spotify etc., or my personal favourite, YouTube, Naxos is still a great way to buy physical copies of some exciting new music. For anyone interested, I've found a link to the Naxos catalog for 2018 and for their associated labels , in PDF format. |
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Post by MartinT on May 12, 2018 13:24:05 GMT
I certainly remember buying Naxos CDs from the late 1980s. They've always had the reputation of finding orchestras and conductors you've never heard of. "Say, who?" has been a common refrain of mine. Mostly they are very successful and, as Paul says, they have been a great way of building a good collection inexpensively. I was just listening to my Naxos DVD-A of The Planets the other day and they still do it for me. A great label offering an alternative to the big labels.
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Post by zippy on May 12, 2018 15:33:02 GMT
... and if you use their web site regularly, they give you a free download every month.
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Post by Slinger on May 12, 2018 15:57:27 GMT
Thanks for the tip zippy.
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Post by jandl100 on May 13, 2018 16:25:26 GMT
As I recall it, delving back through the dim mists of memory, Naxos started out in the UK in Woolworths caroussels at £3.99 each. Bottom of the CD price tier at that time.
It was basically a low price way to access the standard classical warhorses in tbh usually mediocre sound and mediocre musicality. Mediocre, depressing artwork on the booklets as well, as I recall it.
Many bargain lines did it far better at that time - Hungaroton White Label being perhaps the foremost imo. Some superb performances on White Label that really put Naxos to shame!
There were exceptions to this mediocrity - Batiz' Respighi Roman Trilogy, early recordings with the pianist Jeno Jando (he was a really lucky find for Naxos!).
But times have changed, and how.
Financial reasons, I guess, the early Naxos range sold pretty much solely on price. But sell they did.
Maybe this enabled them to be bolder in their choice of repertoire.
It certainly seems to have enabled to buy themselves better recording equipment.
Naxos these days is one of the best classical labels, and regardless of price, too.
Often superlative sound combined with world class musical artistry, and I think they are one of the boldest and most innovative in their choice of music.
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Post by MartinT on May 13, 2018 20:48:25 GMT
Batiz' Respighi Roman Trilogy Oh yes, I knew there was another Batiz recording I liked. |
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Post by Slinger on May 25, 2018 19:38:48 GMT
I've just received my first newsletter free download from Naxos. It's from their Orfeo label; Franz Danzi: Septette & Potpourris - (Dieter Klöcker [clarinet] and Consortium Classicum) and it's rather nice so far. It's beautifully played and the sound is excellent on the 44.1/16 FLAC. The newsletter itself is quite interesting, despite being a glorified advert for Naxos.
As I'd never heard of Franz Danzi (1763 – 1826) I Googled him and it transpires that as well as a composer and conductor he was a cellist as well as being the son of a 'noted' cellist. Needless to say that although this is a 'Wind' album he also wrote string music, including a couple of cello concertos, and on the strength of this album I now want to hear those too.
I'm looking forward to next month's freebie already.
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Post by Slinger on Jun 24, 2018 13:29:33 GMT
I really must mention this set again. It was Naxos' celebration of their thirty years in the business last year, and here's the listing for this 30 CD box of goodies...
BACH, J.S.: Orchestral Suites Nos. 1-4, BWV 1066-1069 (Cologne Chamber Orchestra, Muller-Bruhl) 8.554609
BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonatas Nos. 8, 14 and 23 8.550045
BRAHMS, J.: Cello Sonatas Nos. 1 and 2 / 6 Lieder (arr. G. Schwabe and N. Rimmer for cello and piano) (G. Schwabe, Rimmer) 8.573489
BRUCKNER, A.: Symphony No. 5, WAB 105 (Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Tintner) 8.553452
CHOPIN, F.: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 (Biret, Slovak State Philharmonic, Stankovsky) 8.554540
COPLAND, A.: Rodeo / Dance Panels / El salon Mexico / Danzon cubano (Detroit Symphony, Slatkin) 8.559758
DAUGHERTY, M.: Metropolis Symphony / Deus ex Machina (T. Wilson, Nashville Symphony, Guerrero) 8.559635
DEBUSSY, C.: Orchestral Works, Vol. 8 (Markl) - Preludes, Books 1 and 2 (arr. P. Breiner for orchestra) 8.572584
DVOŘÁK, A.: Piano Trios, Vol. 1 (Tempest Trio) - Nos. 3 and 4, "Dumky" 8.573279
DVORAK, A.: Symphony No. 9, "From the New World" / Symphonic Variations (Baltimore Symphony, Alsop) 8.570714
DVOŘÁK, A.: Cello Concerto / ELGAR, E.: Cello Concerto (Kliegel, Royal Philharmonic, Halász) 8.550503
ELGAR: Marches 8.557273
GLIÈRE, R.: Symphony No. 3, "Il'ya Muromets" (Buffalo Philharmonic, Falletta) 8.573161
GÓRECKI, H.: Symphony No. 3 / 3 Olden Style Pieces (Kilanowicz, Polish National Radio Symphony, Wit) 8.550822
GRIEG, E.: Orchestral Music, Vol. 4 - Peer Gynt Suites / Orchestral Songs (Malmo Symphony, Engeset) 8.570236
HANDEL, G.F.: Water Music / Music for the Royal Fireworks (Aradia Ensemble, Mallon) 8.557764
HAYDN: String Quartets Op. 76, Nos. 4 - 6 8.550315
LISZT, F.: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Totentanz (Nebolsin, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, V. Petrenko) 8.570517
MOZART: Flute Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Concerto for Flute and Harp 8.557011
Violin Music - OLSEN, C.G.S. / ATTERBERG, K. / STENHAMMAR, W. / BULL, O.B. / HALVORSEN, J. / SIBELIUS, J. (Nordic Violin Favourites) (Kraggerud) 8.572827
RACHMANINOV, S.: Etudes-tableaux, Op. 39 / Moments Musicaux (Giltburg) 8.573469
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV, N.A.: Snow Maiden Suite (The) / Sadko, Musical Picture / Mlada Suite / The Golden Cockerel Suite (Seattle Symphony, Schwarz) 8.572787
RODRIGO / VILLA-LOBOS / CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO: Guitar Concertos 8.550729
ROSSINI, G.: Barbiere di Siviglia (Il) (The Barber of Seville) (Highlights) (Servile, Ganassi, Vargas, A. Romero, Humburg) 8.553436
SARASATE, P. de: Violin and Orchestra Music, Vol. 2 (Tianwa Yang, Navarre Symphony, Martinez-Izquierdo) 8.572216
SZYMANOWSKI, K.: Stabat Mater / Veni Creator / Litany to the Virgin Mary / Demeter / Penthesilea (Wit) 8.570724
TALLIS: Spem in alium / Missa Salve intemerata 8.557770
TCHAIKOVSKY, P.I.: Manfred Symphony / Voyevoda (Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Petrenko) 8.570568
TCHAIKOVSKY: Violin Concerto / Souvenir d'un lieu cher 8.557690
VIVALDI: 4 Seasons (The) / Concerto alla Rustica 8.550056
It's a bit light on complete symphonies, but there is enough of everything else to cover that lack, if indeed it is a lack. As you can see, most of the "usual suspects" are covered, with a few wild-cards tossed in for good measure. It comes in a nice, solid, cardboard box with the CDs themselves in those seemingly ubiquitous card sleeves plus a small booklet that gives a brief introduction to the piece, performer, or composer. It's currently £24.99 from Amazon, and Naxos shows the set as "Discontinued."
I can't think of a good reason not to own this box-set. Even if you already have the majority of the pieces included it's always good to listen to alternative renderings, and you just might find some hidden gems, like the version of Górecki's 3rd Symphony (Sorrowful Songs,) included here.
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Post by Slinger on Aug 17, 2018 22:51:05 GMT
This months free album from Naxos is...  |
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Post by MartinT on Aug 17, 2018 23:02:50 GMT
Naxos are distributing Proprius? Proprius are recording the Drottningholm? Like!
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Post by Slinger on Aug 18, 2018 11:35:03 GMT
Naxos are distributing Proprius? Proprius are recording the Drottningholm? Like! Try going to the Naxos site and putting Drottningholm into the search box, Martin. |
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Post by MartinT on Aug 18, 2018 11:38:03 GMT
Well, I never. Thanks!
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Post by Slinger on Aug 18, 2018 12:16:10 GMT
I thought you might be (pleasantly) surprised.
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Post by MartinT on Aug 18, 2018 22:02:22 GMT
Nice!
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Post by Slinger on Aug 24, 2018 14:00:58 GMT
Yet another free FLAC download, the second this month. It's definitely been worth signing up for their newsletter, so thanks again for telling me about it, zippy.  |
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Post by DaveC on Aug 24, 2018 14:10:37 GMT
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Post by Slinger on Aug 24, 2018 14:38:11 GMT
That would account for my buying their 30th anniversary box set last year then.  |
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Post by Slinger on Sept 18, 2018 13:40:46 GMT
A choice of one of three free albums this month...
ELGAR: Enigma Variations • Pomp and Circumstance Marches Nos. 1 and 4 • Salut d’amour • Serenade
HOLST: Music for Two Pianos – The Planets, Op. 32 • Ballet from The Perfect Fool, Op. 39
PARRY: Choral Masterpieces – Songs of Farewell • Psalm 122 • The Great Service • Jerusalem
I'm going for the Holst as I've never heard 'The Planets' arranged for two pianos before.
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Post by Slinger on Sept 22, 2018 11:57:32 GMT
Another newsletter, and the second freebie of the month. It really is worth signing up at Naxos.
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Post by julesd68 on Sept 22, 2018 13:28:35 GMT
Some of the most beautiful piano pieces there ...
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