In prasie of Naxos

Posted by: stephenjohn on 13 June 2009

There are many wonderful aspects to enjoying recorded music and I think the Naxos record label is one of them.
I have dozens of very enjoyable CDs from them at such a low cost that the inferior ones don't matter. The latest gem cost fifty pee, s/h from Amazon, and is wonderful. Barry Wordsworth conducting an Eastern European orchestra in Mozart's 40th, the sound is great. I think the performance is good too, but I'm not really qualified to tell.

Stephen
Posted on: 15 June 2009 by stephenjohn
Full stop? Smile
Posted on: 15 June 2009 by fama
Posted on: 16 June 2009 by mudwolf
Yes they do have some good things with little known talent. One reason they can keep their cost low is they don't pay residuals. They pay a set price to the performers no matter how well it sells and many of them are trying to get better known. It's great exposure for them.
Posted on: 16 June 2009 by Mick Roberts
Some Naxos recordings are excellent. I would highlight the many British quartets by the Maggini Quartet, and the Mendelssohn by NZSQ. Others are very uninspiring and sit on my shelf without being played, eg the Eder Quartet playing Shostakovich which doesn't compete with the Shostakovich Quartet on Regis at the same price.

My most treasured Naxos CD is the Beethoven Archduke by Thibaud, Casals and Cortot, recorded in the 1920s in a fish and chip shop. The performance is outstanding, as you would expect!
Posted on: 10 August 2009 by MBJodet
Agreed. Naxos is spectacular. Their classical guitar series is wonderful.
Posted on: 10 August 2009 by u5227470736789439
quote:
My most treasured Naxos CD is the Beethoven Archduke by Thibaud, Casals and Cortot, recorded in the 1920s in a fish and chip shop. The performance is outstanding, as you would expect!


The EMI transfer of this is almost silent surface being taken from new vinyl copies taken direct from the original [perfectly conseverved] metal master pressing parts.

Naxos is splendid most of the time, but reissues of out of copyright recordings still benefit from the expertise of the companies that made the original recordings and retain the master parts.

ATb from George



About 11 GBP on Amazon and worth every penny.
Posted on: 11 August 2009 by aht
George,

I'm not a well-educated classical listener, spending most of time in the jazz section. But I have one CD of Alfred Cortot, and find his playing mesmerizing. Do you have any additional recommendations?
Posted on: 13 August 2009 by tonym
quote:
Originally posted by GFFJ:

The EMI transfer of this is almost silent surface being taken from new vinyl copies taken direct from the original [perfectly conseverved] metal master pressing parts.

Naxos is splendid most of the time, but reissues of out of copyright recordings still benefit from the expertise of the companies that made the original recordings and retain the master parts.

ATb from George



About 11 GBP on Amazon and worth every penny.


Dear George,

Thank you for the recommendation. £6.30p on Amazon actually, and superb performances.

The sound quality is amazing for a 1928 recording!
Posted on: 13 August 2009 by FlyMe
Just to add my contribution I think Naxos are amazing! There are so many things they have introduced me to for such an amazing low price - listening to MacMillan's Seven Last Words fom the Cross currently.
Posted on: 13 August 2009 by patrik0631
You should listen to the Beethoven Symhonies edited by Naxos with John E. Gardiner. Ancient instruments from the epoch of Beethoven.
Posted on: 13 August 2009 by FlyMe
quote:
Originally posted by patrik0631:
You should listen to the Beethoven Symhonies edited by Naxos with John E. Gardiner. Ancient instruments from the epoch of Beethoven.


Thanks for that - at the Naxos price it is worth a spin!