Brilliant Classics
Posted by: throbnorth on 21 December 2002
Recordings released under this label have popped in and out on the forum - astonishing value, often difficult to find etc.
On a visit to a friend in Groningen, earlier this year, a knowledgeable friend filled me in a little on their background [this is his version, - I wouldn't claim it's necessarily accurate, & Dutch memebers may enlighten me further]. It seems the whole enterprise is the philanthropic work of the owner of a chain of discount chemists in the Netherlands [it says Kruidvat on some of my price stickers, but maybe that's not the chain merely the Dutch for 'price' - who knows], with a desire to make available excellent recordings at minimal cost to his customers, thus increasing the sum of human happiness etc] . To this end, he either commissions original recordings, or licences others from small, often British, independent labels and whacks them out at extraordinarily low prices. As a CD costs 10p to press, you can see that even at Brilliant's prices there is space for a profit, even given the philanthropy. The way it operates is that a certain number of each recording are pressed up and distributed to stores. When these are gone, then that's it. No reissues, nothing.
In the Netherlands, it seems the music press & critics were initially sceptical, but after a quick listen they very soon came round and began to haunt their local branch with the fervour of a pensioner on the tack of Saturday afternoon supermarket markdowns. And who can blame them?
On My trip to Groningen, I picked up a 10-CD set of 'Famous Dutch Organs' for about £8, which is beautifully recorded and has excellent performances from Ton Koopman downwards [doesn't maybe sound that exciting, but there is a particularly fascinating group of organs in the north of the Netherlands all built around the same period, which if you are an organ fan are hot stuff] - so you can see we're not talking just mainstream classical pops here.
On the same trip I got Vol 2 of a COMPLETE Scarlatti set for £2 [double CD, which although arranged chronologically rather than as a programme, which is a shame] by someone called Pieter-Jan Belder. It's excellent. These are examples of the specially commissioned stuff, but Nimbus, Hyperion et al. loom large in their releases as well.
Imagine my delight on finding out that this same Dutch chemist is the parent company of UK's Superdrug, and that some stuff finds its way to UK outlets at the same ludicrous prices. Not the range available over there [no complete Mozart edition, for example], but last week on a Christmas shopping binge I chanced into Superdrug and got a double Purcell [Sacred Music, Music for the funeral of Queen Mary, Songs, Music from Diocletian, Music from Timon of Athens - featuring Michael Chance, Maggie Cole, Crispian Steele-Perkins, Miscellany, Baroque Brass of London etc etc ] for ..... wait for it... £2.50. Also a beautiful double of Chopin & Field Nocturnes, on fortepiano & early pianoforte by [unknown to me] Bart van Oort. The Field is beautiful, the Chopin OK, but fortepiano isn't really me [and I've tried].
Also spotted - an eight disc set of Vivaldi [not Four Seasons] by Iona Brown / Academy of St Martins In the Fields, which must be orginally Argo, I imagine] for £6, and a few others which I can't remember.
The point of this thread is to ask for any interesting sightings to be reported. I don't visit Superdrug that regularly, but would get in the car and zoom to Putney immediately if I knew that real bargains were to be had.
And BTW, can anybody give me a source for the Shostakovitch?
throb
Posted on: 21 December 2002 by herm
Kruidvat is the name of a Dutch discount chemist indeed. Apart from personal passion, I suspect the idea is to entice more upscale customers to come and look for these cd collections - and then you notice the Kruidvat has your kind of toothpaste much cheaper.
The problem is these magnificent collections are like the Monster of Loch Ness. Huge invisiblity. I hear of a complete Haydn symphonies (licensed from Nimbus) but they never show up in the store. (Of course I'm not going to check every other day. It's not a very classy place, you know.) Never seen the legendary Barshai Shostakovich either.
Herman
Posted on: 21 December 2002 by Wolf
I happen to like hearing things in teh orchestra like pages turning, adjusting chairs, taps on instruments etc. It makes it more real and of course live recordings are great fun if a bit annoying with coughing. Just bought Allison Krause + Union station CD, Horowitz in Moscow LP and the live recording is incredible, just like being there.
Posted on: 21 December 2002 by herm
I agree with you Wolf. I love every page that gets turned within my hearing: it means the recording is live, and it means you've got pretty good kit.
I have the Adams Naive & Sentimental by the way!
Herman
The Liszt Sonnet and the Scriabin are pretty great on the Horowitz record, aren't they?
Posted on: 21 December 2002 by Wolf
Isn't Naive and Sentamental amazing? Went to hear it live about two months ago conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen and LA Phil, Adams was there conducting another composers work. It really gets you to the edge of your seat. This time no one left like they did at the premier here in LA, Obviously they were Adamsphiles. Been a month now since it's been on the CDP, I'll have to get it out and have another go at it.
Posted on: 30 December 2002 by David Stewart
and hasn't yet found it. The Brilliant Classics label appears to be part of a group rejoicing in the name 'Joan Records' which has a website
here This also includes several other labels with Classical, Jazz and World Music repertoire. There is also an on-line
shopBoth sites are a bit 'clunky' (and don't appear to work with Netscape 6) but the content is helpful if you want to know what is currently available on the Brilliant Label.
David
Posted on: 30 December 2002 by herm
As posted earlier, I have the big Haydn box by now. The performance is quite allright; and it's especially good to have those middle symphonies (40 - 70) complete.
I would be interested in a comparison (which I can't perform) of the pressing quality between the original releases and these Brilliant productions.
After all, it's a bit silly to spend quite a fistful of dollars on your hifi, and then buy crappy cds...
Herman
Posted on: 30 December 2002 by throbnorth
Tom - the Field/ Chopin was still at my branch of Superdrug when I went in on Saturday, and still at £2.50. Don't know when it came out - doesn't appear on the Joan Records site [found that after deciding to be a bit more proactive, rather than letting forum members do all the work - I agree ... lovely name].
Seeing that a load were available on Amazon [although cheap, not quite at the prices that Kruidvat/Superdrug charge] ... just search for Brilliant, BTW ... I plumped for the Shostakovich, two more volumes of the Scarlatti [1&3] and a couple of boxes of Bach cantatas. These last look particularly interesting - they seem [according to customer reviews] to be quite scholarly, & use trebles. When the delivery email arrived however, Vol 1 of the Scarlatti was 'possibly never available' and the rest 'within 4 weeks'. Hmmm - just have to see, I suppose.
Herman, what's wrong with Kruidvat? Apart from being a bizarre place to find a recording of Lucio Silla, the only complaint I had was that their machine wouldn't recognise my credit cards and I had to hand over hard Euros. I can sympathise with your interest in comparisons with Nimbus originals - there is somehow a feeling of too good to be true about the whole thing. But then if they don't sound crappy to you, then I suppose they aren't ??
Meanwhile, sightings of anything interesting spotted in Superdrug by British members would always be welcome. They're very reasonable online, but doubles at £2.50, and 10 box sets at £8 just appeal to the cheapskate in me.
cut price throb
Posted on: 30 December 2002 by herm
quote:
Originally posted by throbnorth:
Herman, what's wrong with Kruidvat?
Not much throb, but you have to have a soft spot for women carrying jumbo bags of diapers, and I mean endless lines of them. Perhaps I don't have that soft spot.
Herman
Posted on: 15 January 2003 by Simon Jenkins
Just thought I would update this thread for any other Netherlands residents. Kruidvat currently have a 25% discount on all their classical CD's (except for the Mozart). I think it runs until mid february, but not sure of the exact date.
Just picked up today a 25 disc set of Piano Concertos (Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Grieg, Mendelssohn, Schumann,Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Listz, Brahms, Ravel, Saint-Saens and Gershwin) for 20 euros.
Simon
Posted on: 15 January 2003 by --duncan--
Bach Cantatas
Has anyone heard these yet? HMV have these in at the moment and I'm tempted to give them a try.
duncan
Posted on: 29 January 2003 by CK
I have just see the Shostakovich symphonies (11 cds) for £9.99 in my local (Exeter) Superdrug store. Stock clearance after Christmas I was told, when they were selling for £12.99.
Posted on: 29 January 2003 by throbnorth
Oh god, & I'd ordered it from Amazon ..... will try Putney tomorrow. This is just what I wanted to know
throb
Posted on: 31 January 2003 by Dobbin
Superdrug Southampton
Have loads of stuff in Shostakovich 9.99, Handel (Watermusic/Royal Fireworks/Concerti grossi) 3.99 and Purcell (Queen Anne Funeral etc), Handel (Messiah), Dvorak (Concertos), Chopin (Nocturnes) all at 1.99. Quite a bit more too but I limited myself to 22 quid, after all I need some time to listen to 22 cds.
Looking forward to the Chopin tonight.
Posted on: 31 January 2003 by throbnorth
Scuttled into Putney and grabbed the Shostakovich at £9.99 [£19.99 Amazon order for this now cancelled, but still no sign of the rest of my splurge - I think it's Vol 1 of the Scarlatti holding it up]
Also grabbed an interesting double of complete Dvorak concertos - Saint Louis S.O. / Susskind / Firkusny / Ricci / Nelsova which appears to be a licenced Vox Box. Nothing about dates, but a web rummage revealed that they're probably 70's quadraphonic and seem to be held in some esteem. £1.99, in case you fancy it. The Field/Chopin is still there also the Handel ASMF 5 disc set for a fiver. When items are run through the till, they come up as 'Female Gift' and are a couple of pounds cheaper than the price on the shelf.
throb
Dobbin, what did you reckon to the Chopin?
Posted on: 03 February 2003 by Dobbin
Chopin
Very enjoyable, seems well recorded and as a performance certainly worth the investment. Haven't listened right through yet - sort of jumped around my Superdrug purchases. As I've got over 20 hours of music to listen to it could be some time before all have been given adequate listening time.
Oh and the Purcell managed to calm our 9 week old son for some 30 mins. No mean feat I assure you!
Posted on: 03 February 2003 by Mekon
So you've broken your vow to Hyperion?
Posted on: 03 February 2003 by Dobbin
So the strange men loitering in Superdrug aren't eyeing up the ladies in the perfume aisle but are really bargain hunting Naimies?!
Or maybe CD's at £1.99 a pop is just the excuse we need....
Posted on: 03 February 2003 by throbnorth
Tom, - Where the CD's are located seems to be a whim of the moment for the store manager - in Putney, they've been by gents shaving requisites one week, spongebags another and now the tiny fixture is hanging round the shampoos. I thought that as the Tun. Wells store is much bigger than Putney they must be in there somewhere, just a question of finding it. Glad you finally struck paydirt!
Dobbin, - I thought the Chopin so-so (but OK) though am enjoying the Field enormously. Isn't the Purcell an excellent selection? If your baby can be lulled to slumber by Queen Mary's funeral music, then you have an Infant of Taste. I've found young children respond to a much more interesting selection of music than adults usually give them credit for, baroque particularly for some reason (strong rhythms & not too loud?).
Only listened to No 5 of the Shostakovich (the one I know best) and was struck by how vibrant and well recrorded it is. Knocked the spots off my Decca RPO/Ashkenazy, which is rather bland. Bodes well for the rest.
throb
Posted on: 05 February 2003 by Dobbin
Tom - maybe you are right about Superdrug ladies - of perchance I'm beginning to develop an affinity for saggy american tan stockings!
I'm well chuffed with my purchases (the Field is so good) and am today visiting a client in Southampton again - I think I'll be looking furtive in those aisles again!
Posted on: 06 February 2003 by Todd A
Posted on: 07 February 2003 by Dobbin
Still available in S'ton!
Posted on: 07 February 2003 by throbnorth
The Shostkovich continues to astonish [tried 4 & 6 now, as well as 5 [anybody else had their perception of this altered by Morrisey's sampling? - it's a good track, but I'd like my Shostakovich back now, thank you]. It's the vitality that's so great - anyone have any links about the circumstances of the recording?
A couple of days ago I got my long awaited parcel of Brilliant boxes from Amazon - not at Superdrug prices mind, but even so. Two vols of the complete Bach cantatas [each vol - 5CD's @£9.35] Initial impressions are of another astonishing bargain. Original instruments, academically incisive performances, and trebles [Young boys' voices give inimitable results in repertoire of this kind, and I say this in a completely non-Michael Jackson kind of way. Mixed choirs just don't compete IMHO.] Not sure if I've got the stamina for the complete shebang, but we'll see. It's only another twenty quid, I suppose.
Also vols 1&3 of the Scarlatti complete edition. [£6.80 for a triple]. Here I really wish it wasn't a chronological [as far as you can be] survey. Not in pairs either, which makes listening straight through less of an experience than it could be. Another original performance, perfectly recorded and altogether delightful. I aspire to the Scott Ross/Erato set, but realistically this will do fine. I find Scarlatti to have the abstract and unfathomable perfection that others find in Bach's keyboard works, and am glad to be able to drink deep so cheaply.
throb
If this interests you, just go to Amazon, and search on Brilliant.
Posted on: 07 February 2003 by Todd A
quote:
Originally posted by throbnorth:
The Shostkovich continues to astonish[.]
I aspire to the Scott Ross/Erato set, but realistically this will do fine.
The entire Shostakovich set astonsihes. It is one triumph after another.
The Scott Ross set is a truly magnificent, monumental achievement. It is worth the money. (Of course, I got it for only about $140, so it was a steal for me.)
Posted on: 08 February 2003 by --duncan--
More Superdrug sightings:
Oxford Street (London) Branch had the Shostakovich symphonies (plenty in stock early this morning), the Field/Chopin Nocturns, the Purcell and the Handel collections. The whole lot came to 16 GBP!
Anyone spotted the Bach Cantatas?
duncan
Email: djcritchley at hotmail.com
Posted on: 09 February 2003 by throbnorth
Tom, - sorry, not Harnoncourt [we wish] but instead Netherlands Bach Collegium / Pieter Jan Leusink with the Holland Boys Choir & soloists: Ruth Holton / Marjon Strijk / Sytse Buwalda / Nico van der Meel / Knut Schloch / Bas Ramselaar. No, I've never heard of them either. Amazon gives generally positive reviews, and at Musicweb:
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2001/Dec01/BrilliantBach.htman even-handed review gives an overview of the project, and some interesting insights on Brilliant. The commie pinko part of me really rejoices in the fact that the Cantatas have apparently become bestsellers beyond the dreams of major labels due to their proximity to toothpaste. This is how it should be, I think.
Musicweb, incidentally seems to be a really good source of sensible reviews for super budget recordings [Naxos etc., as well as full price stuff. I've bookmarked it, anyway.] They always compare to catalogue staples, and seem to be the work of generally sensible people. Check out the reviews of the Shostakovich box [just search on Brilliant] - there are three, look at the bottom of the article for the next - One in particular gives an interesting survey of Shostakovich's symphonic output, and which I'm sure I'll refer to many times as I plough through the set.
I would say that the cantata recordings, although not definitive, are certainly workable, and not in any way cheapo dogs. The problem is that I like Bach Cantatas, but just how much? If money were no object, then it would be Harnoncourt all the way. I just don't have the money however, and this is the most likely way I'll get to hear most of the oeuvre. If I was to encounter the live performance of any of the stuff I've heard so far, I think I would be well satisfied.
Anyway, test a box and see. Fortunately, they're not chronologically arranged, so any box will provide an interesting selection. Later boxes, obviously will be more into the way of things [for this reason, I bought III & IV, so that the gang would have had a run up].
Talking of which, Pieter Jan Belder, now we're into stuff I've heard before on Vol III of the Scarlatti is a corker [to be completed by 2007, apparently]. Review at Musicweb of Vol I can be found at :
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2002/Feb02/Scarlatti_Brilliant.htmOn familiar repertoire [e.g. K99, K124] Trevor Pinnock is a fair way ahead, lightness of touch mainly - pity he hasn't attempted the lot, but generally Pieter-Jan Belder is more than equal to my other recordings. Well up to Christophe Rousset, Maggie Cole and maybe even Igor Kipnis, though the Pletnev on Virgin is pretty special - I didn't think I liked piano Scarlatti until I heard this one! In any event, I will undoubtedly follow the series until it's done. I suppose one of the great things about these bargain boxes is that they enable you to get a grasp of a composer's range, and then you can zoom in on things you particularly like in more expensive recordings.
On the strength of Musicweb reviews, I've just ordered The Haydn symphonies, Chopin piano works & Rimsky Orchestral sets from Amazon, and will let you know how I get on in due course. Looking around, I notice that a set of the Mahler Denon / Inbal recordings is out next month. Given Mahler's popularity, I would imagine that it'll find its way to Superdrug.
throb
