# What's your favorite classical music label?



## Itullian

Dgg, emi, hyperion?.............
?


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## Schumann

Brilliant Classics & Hyperion


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## Vesteralen

That's a tough one.

I think I'd have to pick Chandos.

But, I love cpo, Albany, Hyperion/Helios, EMI, so many more.

Back in the LP days, it was Columbia, Philips, DG, London


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## kv466

For me it is Chandos although I own recordings from just about everyone else.


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## brotagonist

Deutsche Grammophon, of course, for their sheer immensity and quality recordings. I also like EMI, Decca/Philips, Chandos, Brilliant Classics, cpo, Hyperion and others.

Oops. Sony, too, of course!


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## apricissimus

Naxos, for the variety of their repertoire.


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## Ukko

Old - Columbia
Major - DG
Non-major - Hyperion, bis


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## JCarmel

Long before the internet allowed us to quickly send a message...I actually wrote a letter addressed to the Sales Director of the Philips label & posted it off, expressing my pleasure and admiration for the recent releases that had been issued in that specific year...because I had been persuaded to buy so many of them! So I could choose that label for that reason....but I think overall, it would have to be DG.


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## Art Rock

Chandos, Naxos, Hyperion, Bis, CPO.


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## kv466

Can't forget Ivory Classics!


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## Bix

At one stage in my life the only classical label I had heard of was DG, then when I found others at about 11 I really liked Decca.

Now I would say my favourite is Naxos - for their range, lesser heard composers and consistency in price.


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## StlukesguildOhio

*Older*- DG, EMI & Decca. I suspect I have more recordings on DG than on any other label... although EMI and Decca were especially known for opera. RCA's "Living Stereo" and Mercury's "Living Presence" were also brilliant... and we can't forget the great Dutton label.

*Newer-* Undoubtedly I have a good many discs on Sony, Phillips, and Columbia... but I rarely think of them as labels I love. Among those labels whose new releases I always look forward to I would include: Harmonia Mundi, Hyperion, Chandos, cpo, EMC, Alia Vox, and Naxos.


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## Vesteralen

I agree that both Naxos and Brilliant have done a tremendous service by providing decently recorded performances at a very affordable price, at the same time covering repertoire or offering packages that are often unique.

I still love Chandos, pricey at it is in comparison.


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## Guest

Hyperion, BIS, Harmonia Mundi, and Supraphon


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## ptr

I don't have a favourite label, most labels I buy music from have enough new releases (or back catalogue) for it to be interesting for me. But to be honest, the majority of my new acquisitions come from small(isch) speciality labels like Neos and Kairos or Priory, driven by individuals that shares my narrow track musical interests... 

/ptr


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## PetrB

Whichever one has the repertoire and performances on it I'm interested in, of course.


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## neoshredder

DG/Archiv
Decca/Philips
Harmonia Mundi
Chandos
Naxos


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## quack

Naïve, Chandos, Glossa has consistently fascinating things.


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## maestro57

Deutsche Grammophon and Decca/Philips


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## Cosmos

Deutsche Grammophon, Naxos, Hyperion, Decca, and EMI are some of my faves.


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## AClockworkOrange

Deutsch Grammophone stand out immediately considering the range of talent they have or have had. Not to mention the presence on my shelves, particularly thanks to Abbado with the Berlin Philharmoniker and Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Furtwangler, Wand and Karajan also contribute to the counts too.

Hyperion, Decca and EMI also stand out for me.

I would like to say Naxos but I don't know. The biggest issue I have is their mixing mastering on Petrenko's Shostakovich. Far too much of a volume range to the point where it is no longer enjoyable. They have a good range, good prices and do some great rereleases but at times they lack consistency. Still it is good that other orchestras have a chance to play on a recording than the usual suspects.


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## Nereffid

I can't say I have a favourite label per se, because there are so many that consistently produce high-quality and/or interesting releases.
In no particular order: Hyperion, Chandos, BIS, Harmonia Mundi, Linn, Channel, Challenge, Oehms, Alpha, Fuga Libera, Ricercar, CPO, ATMA, Ondine, Mirare, Glossa, Dacapo...

I'm impressed by the major labels' ability to churn out reissue after reissue, but in terms of new releases they generally don't excite me. Though, interestingly, I noticed the other day that of the 4 new major-label releases on my "to get" list, all were from Sony-BMG.

Also let me put in a good word for my "local" label, RTÉ Lyric FM, which promotes Irish artists and composers.


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## Conor71

EMI for their excellent re-issues and the depth of their catalogue.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I just love the sound of the recordings on Mercury. Best sounds I've ever heard in my life! I haven't heard many recordings on that label, but the ones I have heard are spectacular.


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## elgar's ghost

cpo, Capriccio and Berlin Classics for a bevy of hidden 20th c. treasures.

Hyperion for their Pullman Class presentation and advocacy of Robert Simpson.

Naxos for most improved.

Of the biggies, Decca deserve a special mention for their Entartete series - a pity there weren't more.


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## Xaltotun

Quite often when I find something that I really like, it's from Hänssler Classic. I like their cover art, as well.


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## realdealblues

I have recordings from lots of different labels and most of the time I don't buy stuff based on label, but lately I've buying a lot of recordings on the Supraphon label.


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## arpeggio

*Favorite labels*

I can not pick just one. Ok.

Albany
Naxos
Chandos
Telarc
CPO
New World
Klavier
Cedille


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## jtbell

My top ten labels according to number of CDs or equivalents:

603 Naxos
522 BIS
389 Sony
367 dacapo
311 Deutsche Grammophon
282 Finlandia (now defunct AFAIK)
251 London
241 Ondine
238 Brilliant Classics (1/3 of which is the complete Beethoven edition)
238 EMI


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## AndyS

My collection isn't much past the majors - in order DGG, Decca, EMI, Sony

My only non-major at the moment is the Petrenko Shostakovich cycle I've been collecting


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## Chi_townPhilly

Blast from the past- half-a-decade-ago.


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## Pantheon

As I am living in France, Harmonia Mundi is truly great for me (I am 20 minutes away by bus from a Harmonia Mundi shop ).
But I also enjoy Naxos for their revival of traditional Hungarian music, EMI and Deutsche Grammophon.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Harmonia Mundi, Archiv, Mercury, Wergo, KAIROS, BIS, Naxos, EMI, Sony.


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## Turangalîla

I'm partial to Decca, Sony, and Gramophone at the moment.


But I greatly admire Naxos for their hidden gems—in both repertoire and performers—and their affordability.


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## maestro267

Naxos, by a long way. Excellent quality performances of lesser-known repertoire, at a very reasonable price.


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## presto

Schumann said:


> Brilliant Classics & Hyperion


The same, with Brilliant Classics you get remarkable value and quality, I think they have overtaken Naxos!


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## Itullian

I really enjoy the sound of BIS and CPO.
And the class of Hyperion.


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## bigshot

Edison Diamond Disks


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## Mahlerian

presto said:


> The same, with Brilliant Classics you get remarkable value and quality, I think they have overtaken Naxos!


They don't produce anything themselves. They just distribute other labels' dropped releases. Naxos is far ahead on that front.


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## Vaneyes

presto said:


> The same, with Brilliant Classics you get remarkable value and quality, I think they have overtaken Naxos!


I wouldn't say by themselves they've overtaken Naxos. It's probably a collection of various budget labels and also the change in retail to largely online sales.

Amazon dealers selling used full-price and premium labels for the same or less than Naxos' price, has got to be a significant CD market-share alteration. It's likely why Naxos sought other endeavors, such as distributing.


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## Vaneyes

Mahlerian said:


> They don't produce anything themselves. They just distribute other labels' dropped releases. Naxos is far ahead on that front.


Correct, BC licenses the material for sale, for a specified duration.

Edit: I must sit corrected by joen_cph's mention of original BC productions.


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## joen_cph

I believe there are a few original Brilliant Classics recordings too, albeit not very many - for instance the fine ones with the Nepomuk Pianoforte Quintett (Onslow, Hummel, Dussek, Ries, Limmer), Rachmaninov´s "5th Piano Concerto", and the one with orchestral music inspired by the Bosphorus Strait (too lazy to check).


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## Vaneyes

My judgment of "favorite labels" is based on who provides or has provided the most to my collection. That honor would have to go to "the former majors", such as EMI, Decca, Philips, DG, Warner.

Though I'm always looking and listening for some "newer dog's" recording for possible unseating of an "older dog" recording, so far it just hasn't happened enough for one of the newer labels to completely unseat one of the former majors, with possible exceptions of Warner and Philips (the latter's defunct and absorbed by Decca). Newer or indies have obviously devoured a lot of market-share.

Story short, I love 'em all. :lol:


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## bassClef

BIS, Chandos, Mercury (Living Presence series), DG, Naxos


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## Bas

Naïve, Chandos, Harmonia Mundi, Archiv, BIS


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## Wandering

I generally wait for reviews, other people usually do the dirty work. The recording label is irrelevant, though the bigger companies have sway.

As a teen I collected DG and Archiv, for no other reason then it looked so orderly alphabetized by composer. It was almost always the same, roughly an inch from top of disc case, last name of composer/conductor/performer/orchestra. It was truly **** and o.c.d. Eventually the slightest unleveledness of Numerique digital and budget stereo reissues made me realize that this worry was entirely irrational, and having the Germanic 'w' instead of 'v' in Stravinsky even more so, I'd gone too far.


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## Bulldog

I'd have to go with Harmonia Mundi. Their releases are very much in sync with my musical preferences. I must admit that this label is pretty skimpy on symphonies, but that's okay with me.


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