# Of these 15 labels, which is your favorite?



## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

Which label, of these 15 do you think most highly of?

For any reason. Might be the biggest library, might be the best sound quality to your ears, might be the best prices....


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## Taplow (Aug 13, 2017)

Did you forget the list? I wait with anticip ....


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## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

Taplow said:


> Did you forget the list? I wait with anticip ....


Nope.

Seems the site posts the thread before you can enter the poll choices. 

Strange but not the first site I have run into that on.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I voted Naxos, for a combination of adventurous repertoire choice, decent (and often far more than decent) performances, and amazing price.

Chandos and Hyperion would be my runners up on this list. Off the list, CPO and BIS.


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## Taplow (Aug 13, 2017)

Ah! Thought it might be something like that.

Well ... you've missed one of my favourite labels: BIS

BIS is a Swedish label that have been producing some outstanding quality recordings in recent years. They do a lot of Scandinavian composers (Grieg, Sibelius, Nielsen) and artists (Dan Laurin, Bergen Philharmonic etc.), but they've also signed artists such as the Bach Collegium Japan and Hidemi and Masaaki Suzuki. Some phenomenal stuff, both technically and in terms of musicianship.

Nonetheless, I voted Harmonia Mundi.


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## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

Art Rock said:


> I voted Naxos, for a combination of adventurous repertoire choice, decent (and often far more than decent) performances, and amazing price.
> 
> Chandos and Hyperion would be my runners up on this list. Off the list, CPO and BIS.


I had Bis on the list but just I had to cut a few labels. 15 is the maximum choices allowed.


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## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

Taplow said:


> Ah! Thought it might be something like that.
> 
> Well ... you've missed one of my favourite labels: BIS
> 
> ...


See post above..... sorry,


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I selected Harmonia Mundi for its superb repertoire, sound quality, top-rate performers, cover art and some emphasis on baroque and pre-baroque music. Next up would be Naxos and Hyperion. Thumbs down to the traditional titans of the industry such as Rca and Sony.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Taplow said:


> Well ... you've missed one of my favourite labels: BIS.


Bis is truly an excellent label, except when their engineers run wild with the dynamic range. They really need to pass around some Prozac now and then...


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

eljr said:


> I had Bis on the list but just I had to cut a few labels. 15 is the maximum choices allowed.


Yes, the numbers game always is a consideration.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

KenOC said:


> Bis is truly an excellent label, except when their engineers run wild with the dynamic range. They really need to pass around some Prozac now and then...


The way I'm feeling, I hope they pass some my way - shipping costs could be high.


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## Taplow (Aug 13, 2017)

Bulldog said:


> Thumbs down to the traditional titans of the industry such as Rca and Sony.


They're all in bed together these days anyway. *eljr* could have listed most of them on the same line and left some room for BIS 

(I'm just pulling your leg, eljr)


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

I chose Decca/EMI/Angel but RCA would be a close second.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

bigshot said:


> I chose Decca/EMI/Angel but RCA would be a close second.


Angel? You must be a senior citizen like me.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Decca , followed by DG, Philips, CPO and many others.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Outside of the 'big four' I would choose Naxos, cpo and Hyperion.


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## Kjetil Heggelund (Jan 4, 2016)

I also voted Harmonia Mundi since there wasn't BIS as alternative. Haven't heard of the first 2 options...


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

I voted Sony because they own all the old RCA & Columbia recordings, etc...which means Bernstein, Munch, Reiner, Ormandy, Szell, Toscanini, Wand, Walter, Serkin, Perahia, Heifetz, Rubinstein, Gould, Ma, Stern, etc. I could probably survive on a desert island with all those recordings quite happily for the remainder of my life.


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## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

Kjetil Heggelund said:


> I also voted Harmonia Mundi since there wasn't BIS as alternative. Haven't heard of the first 2 options...


I really misgauged Bis' popularity....


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## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

Kjetil Heggelund said:


> I also voted Harmonia Mundi since there wasn't BIS as alternative. Haven't heard of the first 2 options...


Interesting as those 2, Alia Vox and Challenge Records are near the top of my personal favorites.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

DG was my choice. They seem to be putting great musicians on great repertoire consistently.


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## Taplow (Aug 13, 2017)

elgars ghost said:


> Outside of the 'big four' I would choose Naxos, cpo and Hyperion.


Hyperion is definitely a contender. Some very nice stuff.


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## Taplow (Aug 13, 2017)

Kjetil Heggelund said:


> I also voted Harmonia Mundi since there wasn't BIS as alternative. Haven't heard of the first 2 options...


Alia Vox is Jordi Savall's label, so lots of excellent early baroque. Challenge, from the Netherlands, are the other end of the spectrum, focusing mainly on 20th and 21st century composers as far as I can tell. I have some excellent Britten and Shostakovich quartets performed by the Brodskys on Challenge.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

Bulldog said:


> Angel? You must be a senior citizen like me.


I could have thrown in HMV and been both ancient and British.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

I wish Melodiya is listed. But with that said, I went with Chandos.


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

My choices based on vinyl lp: Harmonia Mundi for consistency in sound. Philips, Decca, RCA and EMI (the latter not mentioned in the poll) have produced a very good number of fine sounding records. All my choices also recorded most of my favorite artists, as did Columbia/Epic, which appears on the list as Sony.


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## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

Orfeo said:


> I wish Melodiya is listed. But with that said, I went with Chandos.


I just explored the label a little and found this new release box which I would love to have.

But at $500, I am not gonna pull the trigger.


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## proffrink (Dec 2, 2016)

Being the cheapskate that I am, I was gonna say Brilliant Classics: great recordings at a super price! But as it is, I went with Naxos, for their budget price, wide repertoire, and consistently high quality.


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

eljr said:


> I just explored the label a little and found this new release box which I would love to have.
> 
> But at $500, I am not gonna pull the trigger.


I see what you mean.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

I chose Hyperion but would have gone with BIS if it had been included. Though really my favourite label at the moment is Cantaloupe - being a new-music label, it doesn't release repertoire I already have, so I buy the majority of its new releases.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I'm really enjoying a lot of the new releases on Pentatone. Recording quality is nearly always excellent and there are some essential Pentatone symphony recordings out there (Janowski's Bruckner and Brahms sets, for example).


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## eljr (Aug 8, 2015)

Merl said:


> I'm really enjoying a lot of the new releases on Pentatone. Recording quality is nearly always excellent and there are some essential Pentatone symphony recordings out there (Janowski's Bruckner and Brahms sets, for example).


*Indeed.

My vote went to Alia Fox but Pentatone was right there. 
My choice was decided by the lavish presentation from Alia Fox and it's devotion to early music.


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## Joe B (Aug 10, 2017)

I voted for Chandos, but so many labels have so many good offerings, it's really tough to just pick one. Delos, not on the list, is one of my favorites. The small label Newport Classic had made incredible recordings when they were active. Most are out of print now, but some still remain to be had at their web site. Their recordings have some of the best stereo imagining going.

I'm ordering some Pentatone CD's this weekend. They come highly recommended.:tiphat:
Looking forward to a new label to experience and explore.


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