Classical CD collectors?

Motzart

(Revisted Subject from a year ago)

Been a while since I've been round these parts.
Too many hobbies...not enough time.....I bounce tween CD Collecting and Photography.

Anyway.....is there a lot of Classical musiphiles round here?
IMHO it's the only TRUE Music anymore.....why do I think that?
Well it's Music that has been around for over 100 years.....takes YEARS of practice to play it.....that practice hasta be joined with many other people to perform perfectly.
It's not 3-4 people working together it's 10+ in many instances.
It's not something that can be made up with electronics like a lot of todays music.

I know many of you younger folks are like....Classical......ewwwww old **** music!
Well I thought the same till I hit my 20's....I was all Rock-N-Roll and that was that.....Heavy Rock no less. Tastes change with age I guess.
I've been collection Cd's just about as long as they have been around.
I think I started in 1986....when they started replacing tapes more and more.
I still have a lot of the Cd's I bought then....still in mint condition.

I have around 130 Classical......100 New Age/Synth and about 30 Progressive Jazz/Big Band.

I've started keeping track of my Collection on my Puter using this program.
few reasons for this.....I try to get the best of the best....award winning Cd's reviewed by some of the best critics and some of my Cd's are valuable RARE/HTF OOP originals. I think my most valuable is a Harmonia Mundi copy of Bachs St Mathews Passion....Used price is around $75....IF you can find it new....$100+.
Reviewers I trust are..... Penguin Guide To Classical Compact Discs.....Gramaphone and BBC Music Magazine

http://www.collectorz.com/music/

Actual Screen shot of my setup of the program and some of my Classical Collection.



Besides Ebay and Amazon I was refered to this site below by another Fellow CD Collector here at Club Polk quite awhile ago.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/

Shipping to me here in Upstate NY is only $2.95 all the way from Presto in Great Britian!
I have gotten some fabulious deals and music from Presto over the years!
They also are a valuable source as to what the award winning Cd's are.

Was just interested in others input and what they have to share on the subject of CD Collecting.

.

Motzart

WOW I kinda thought Classical was a lil more popular these days?

Ern Dog

Well, I'm new to classical music, but a big fan. As a teen I listened to Metallica and Slayer, now I'm 40 and mostly enjoy classical. I have about 25 classical cd's and about 10 SACD's.

I like that Prestoclassical link.

Right now my favorite composer is Rachmaninoff. I find his Piano concertos to be very emotional and often brings tears to my eyes because it's so powerfully moving. So far I've got #2 and #3 and like #2 the best.

ESavinon

These three are by far my favorite from Rachmaninoff:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/14640/Van_Cliburn-Tchaikovsky_Piano_Concerto_No_1_Rachmaninoff_Piano_Concerto_No_2-Hybrid_Multichannel_SACD

http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CD2


http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SONCD48971


In that order.

Pycroft

Bluefox -

There is only 'very little singing' because you are listening to a different genre of classical. Being a singer I listen to a lot of song cycles (Schubert, Schumann, etc.), and prefer the big symphonic orchestral works.

Nice post Motzart (you STILL spell your name wrong )

James

Motzart

You SACD Guys......make sure to keep an eye out for the old remastered "Living Stereo" that were originally only available from RCA on Vinyl.
I remember these being a very popular series on vinyl/record when I was a kid in the 1970's.
Almost all the ones that are top rated were conducted by Fritz Reiner.
They come as CD or SACD and ya hafta watch the reviews.....some are remastered in mono. YUKK
Some were remastered from less than perfect archives.
The ones that were remastered from optimal old recordings are spectacular!!
Those are usually the ones that have awards.
The one with Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition on it even tho it didn't get a award is just super!
The "Living Stereo" Series is very in-expensive also! Definitely worth your while.

*HINT*
Either watch Presto Classical for the award winners or look at customer reviews on amazon for the better ones.

Here are a few I have that are SUPER!!



Link below to all that are available from Presto...5 pages of em.
I also got some good 2nd hand like new deals from Amazon Used or Ebay.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/search.php?searchString=living+stereo&page=1

.

Motzart

Pycroft wrote: »

Nice post Motzart (you STILL spell your name wrong )

James

I know........
I wanted to fix it but was told I'm stuck with it. :mad:
Thats what I get for singing up here at 4am! :rolleyes:

Ern Dog

ESavinon wrote: »

These three are by far my favorite from Rachmaninoff:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/14640/Van_Cliburn-Tchaikovsky_Piano_Concerto_No_1_Rachmaninoff_Piano_Concerto_No_2-Hybrid_Multichannel_SACD

http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=CD2


http://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SONCD48971


In that order.

Thanks for the recommendations. I'm putting the 1st and 3rd link on my short list of cd's to buy.

Danny Tse

Motzart wrote: »

Was just interested in others input and what they have to share on the subject of CD Collecting.

I am into CD collecting, but I'm mostly into collecting early CD pressings (1982 to 1987 or so). Unfortunately, classical music is not exactly my forte, although I am starting to purchase more and more classical titles, such as early Japan CD pressing of Telerc titles like the one below....

Motzart

Kewl Danny!!

What are those worth these days?
How do you tell they are from Japan?
Harder to find no doubt?

Danny Tse

Motzart wrote: »

Kewl Danny!!

What are those worth these days?
How do you tell they are from Japan?
Harder to find no doubt?

The above Telarc CD was purchased from the Oakland, CA Salvation Army store for $1.00 :eek:

On the right side of the CD, it says that it was made in Japan by Matsushita, aka Pansonic. Even more rare would be those that says "Made in Japan by Technics". Telarc eventually had its CDs made in the US by DADC, aka Sony. Those are just as good as the Japan or West German CD pressings and are very underrated/undervalued in the 2nd hand CD market.

Nowadays, people are dumping their CD collections, so early pressings of CDs are actually easier to find. However, luck is still a big part of the equation.

mshan242700

Any good websites where I can learn how collector's grade the condition of a particular cd?

I have a couple of rare Wilson Audio cds (S'Wonderful Jazz and Ragtime Razzmatazz) and a Classic Compact Disk of "Witches Brew" that I think are actually quite valuable and am trying to figure out how to accurately describe their condition.

Danny Tse

mshan242700 wrote: »

Any good websites where I can learn how collector's grade the condition of a particular cd?

I'd suggest looking at the Classified Section of the stevehoffman.tv website. Just look through the "For Sale" items and I think you will get a good sense on how to describe your own CDs.

Also describe the condition of the booklet and the jewel case. For CD collecting geeks, like me, what type of jewel case the CD is in and its condition is also important.

mshan242700

Looks like I have to sign up to access those forums.

Is that forum active and are there a lot of knowledgeable members there?

Danny Tse

mshan242700 wrote: »

Is that forum active and are there a lot of knowledgeable members there?

Yes, to the first part of the question. Those members are beyond knowledgeable.

mshan242700

Thanks.

I signed up for that forum.

Motzart

I signed up also Danny (Graphyfotoz)
I figured I'd give it a test drive.

I have a few Telarc CD's in my mix but nothing as rare as yours.
Sound tracks for Sci-Fi movies and programs mostly.

Time Warp and Star Tracks.

Anyone got a copy of Monteverdi Vespers Of 1610 to part with?
I have a used library copy and it's not the best of shape.
Not a big dollar CD set but I like it!

Martin Pearlman Boston Baroque performed on period instriments
Telarc 20-Bit Digital ©1987 UPC 089408045325

fatchowmein

Motzart wrote: »

takes YEARS of practice to play it...

Takes years of practice to learn how to listen to it, to discover what you like, and to find it. Some material are wonderful and it's almost impossible to screw up a performance. Other stuff requires the right conductor, players, and/or recording.

But it's a fun, at times frustrating, journey.