# Best and worst labels in classical?



## deprofundis

Ockay i bash *naive* unfairly in the past two albums ain't significative out of hundred of release maybe more, there a average-good label, meaning some of what they put out is good and some of it is kinda bad.

But what about other labels i love *Harmonia Mundi *this label for me equal a garantie quality offering just like *BIS* love so mutch, out there record is 50/50 they either make incredible album are disapointement.*Decca* and* deutsch gramophone *there nothing to had there usually top label it's comment knowledge.

Than what about budget title label:* NAXOS *just like* briliant *is awesome since they have so many obscur composer and the fundamental godz at a low cost, i have been only rarely disapointed by naxos to be fair and i dont hear a big salary im not super rich so, than what about naxos rival well there is *music d'abord *and* alto*(formerly *hyperion* ho! i love hyperion god know this).
that pretty good nice artwork sleeve nice conductor good critics usually(i trust em like naxos). Than we have apex , ockay it's the label that sell the cheapest in the budget title but you dont get a decent cover in fact no cover at all but the name of composers, there choice of classical composer is restrictive to big name usually, the book lack in information no text ony the performer and the work and that it, not critic or story of the classical composer( so this label is kinda weak), but i love my vesper all night vigil by Rachmaninov and there Debussy/ ravel cd of there primental works prelude a l'apres midi d'un faune , la mer and Ravel on this cd is fairly good, so i bash* apex *but i admit rarely they put out decent recording but dont expect some fancy or a cover...

Than one label i like less than apex is* ica classic *i have one cd by em , they specialized in old recording
i have a Rachmaninov cd it was fairly expensive and the sound is so and i mean sooo weak one of the worst label. Than finally i would like to point out* ERATO *label on another subject has one of the utter best label all i have from em his top notch, great label..

So are my observation good enought, and people a label is not just a detail, some label provide good stuff people should know about the good and the bad label.

Could you name the label that impress you the most if not mention and what are the cheapest label, is there far worst than ica classic and apex...are there label you avoid and dont trust???

Perhaps some people think there is no sutch thing as a bad entirely bad label, that even if some are real cheap they provide the goodies whit a decent recording and that all that mather, if it's you point of view tell me so let debate, perhaps this post is Futile.

And what really mather is the conductor and the ensemble. Take Gerard swartz i love his work whit naxos and other fancy label, since he is that good, he make an ordinary classical composer like rimsky Korsakov come alive like none other just like zubin metha one of the best conductor out there, someone please tell him i said this.


----------



## techniquest

Naxos and Arte Nova have long been favourites of mine as they are inexpensive and often have unfamiliar music in their catalogues.


----------



## Art Rock

My favourite labels would be Naxos, Chandos, Hyperion, CPO, BIS, in addition to DG, Decca and Philips.


----------



## ArtMusic

Naxos is one of my favorites. There is nothing "budget" about their recording other than price. They record a lot of less performed music. Brilliant Classics is also another, they record a lot of early music too.


----------



## Iean

Favorites : Deutsche Grammophon, Decca, Erato, Philips, Harmonia Mundi, Naxos :angel:


----------



## joen_cph

Decidedly poor labels are very few in the CD business - mostly super-budget labels whose name I forget since I don´t buy or keep them - CDs, where the soloist names aren´t there, or changed into something else, for example. 

Some label specialize in a repertoire, soloists or HIP-style that doesn´t interest me ("Accent", for instance), but I´m sure it works well for them in their niche.

Admittedly, "Supraphon" has had a tendency to poor, compressed sound in a good deal of their releases, but I wouldn´t be without their recordings anyway. The "Arts" label have some poor soloists at times, but also fine ones (Martucci, Respighi chamber music, "XX" recital series, for example). The same applies to the local Danish labels of "Danacord" and "Classico/CD Klassisk".

Brilliant and Naxos are great labels among the budget ones, of course.


----------



## SimonNZ

Which Apex is the OP talking about? Because the one I know offer budget priced reissues from Warner-owned labels, including the Erato he praises, and warrant no bashing at all. Just as, btw, Musique d'Abord is Harmonia Mundi's budget reissue line. (also: the reissue line for Hyperion is Helios, not Alto, who licence from a wide variety of labels recordings going as far back as the 1920s)


----------



## elgar's ghost

Favourites - cpo (fantastic variety), Hyperion (mainly for Robert Simpson series plus its usual 'luxury class' documentation), Naxos (most improved after indifferent first few years). Other honorary mentions: Capriccio, not least for its impressive Kurt Weill catalogue and Decca for its enterprising 'Entertete Musik' edition (which should have continued).

Dodgy - Praga Digitals (suspect provenance/alleged 'doctoring' of recordings). The 'Vienna Masters Series' on the Pilz label looks rather suss (lack of recording info, unknown conductors etc.) but I'd be happy to be told otherwise in either case.


----------



## Pugg

The old CBS recordings are the worst , special on vinyl
No dynamic whatsoever.


----------



## jegreenwood

Many of the best sounding recordings in my collection are the SACDs from Channel Classics. Harmonia Mundi is also very good.

Not a fan of DG, although I certainly have my share of recordings from them. I prefer Philips.

For analog recordings, I have boxes from Decca and Mercury plus all but one of the RCA SACDs. Overall, I like the sound of the Decca box the best.


----------



## Morimur

Most labels are quite competent otherwise they'd have gone out of business long ago. A few favorites are: ECM, Hyperion, BIS, DG, Sony.


----------



## hpowders

I consider Naxos as the best company because they record music few other companies will and at a quite reasonable price.

Their American Classics series is indispensable for me.


----------



## Bulldog

My favorites are Naxos, Harmonia Mundi, Hyperion, BIS, Chandos, Channel Classics, ECM, Musica Omnia, CPO, Avie, Hanssler Classics, MDG, Ondine and a few others. I find the traditional labels such as DG, Decca, Philips, Sony and RCA increasingly disappointing.


----------



## Badinerie

all labels have all had their moments. DG whilst having impeccable performances on the whole, have put out a fair amount of blandly engineered product, not to mention some inexplicable cover art. 
Supraphon's main problem in the days of vinyl was perishability. With some of my favourite performances I have had to source replacement Vinyl up to three times,before they were issued on the old silver coaster!

Naxos are real stars! some fantastic cd's over their prodigious output all at great prices. Although some of their production values have been shockingly amateur. 

CBS have been the most consistently unreliable in most regards. Flat recordings, Dodgy quality control, short life spans and back in the seventies, lp's that were so thin you cant pick them up without them bending! Yet occasionally, but occasionally issued something that I cant live without. 

Cd production was little better initially. I have had more than a few Original DG cd's stop functioning. Even the mighty Decca suffered from pinholes and Digital transfers that had one ask...Why did they bother?


Decca and EMI are probs my fave labels.


----------



## StlukesguildOhio

I probably have more recordings on DG, Decca, EMI, cpo, Harmonia Mundi, Chandos, Coro, Chaconne, Zig Zag, ECM, Naxos, & RCA than on anything else. I have rarely been disappointed in any offering by these labels.


----------



## Guest

My favorite labels are KAIROS, NEOS, Col Legno, Mode, and ECM. These labels are obviously orders of magnitude smaller than DG, Decca, etc, but as a result, nothing but quality gets through. I cannot think of an album from these labels that would make a failed blind buy.

After those, of course, you get generally high consistency from your DG, Decca, EMI, Harmonia Mundi, Naxos, Chandos, Hyperion, BIS, CPO, etc... these are fairly safe bets.

I also enjoy exploring classical music of various countries extensively, so I frequent fairly nationalistic labels like Aeon, Dacapo, Verso, Stradivarius...


----------



## starthrower

Challenge Classics, Capriccio, NEOS, NMC, Hanssler, Nimbus are all fine labels.


----------



## fluteman

To me, the worst labels of the vinyl era far surpass anything digital in utter badness. Don Gabor's Remington label set a standard of low production quality in the early 1950s that few could meet thereafter. Later the budget reissue labels Sine Qua Non (shudder!) and Nonesuch were somehow able to recreate the sound of an AM radio at the bottom of an empty swimming pool. Nonesuch did improve dramatically in later years, producing its own outstanding releases with superb sound, many of which remain among the best available, especially for contemporary American composers of the 70s and 80s.


----------



## joen_cph

Yes, Remington LPs can be pretty awful - and have some peculiar covers, uidentifiable orchestras etc. too. However they did have some interesting soloists at times - like the pianist Kilenyi.


----------



## fluteman

Yes, Gabor recorded the unknown and the forgotten, sometimes with interesting results. But he had rock bottom production standards.


----------



## Antiquarian

DG and Decca, along with EMI have always had the reputation of being major, prestigious labels, and I have a boatload of their Cds, but I have found that I enjoy Naxos and others like cpo, Ondine, and BIS (yes, I am a fan of Sibelius). Are there bad labels? I have a few semi - produced " vanity" Cds that leave much to be desired in sonics and performance, but I don't consider them "bad", just "aspirational". The budget labels that are there to lure away newbies to the Classical scene by their low prices *are* bad. But this does not only include labels like Pilz or Page Music, but some labels like infinity digital, that Sony puts out.


----------



## SixFootScowl

Probably the cheesiest label that puts out classical music is LazerLight.


----------



## Gordontrek

DG is probably my favorite label. It has never disappointed me, and neither has EMI, Philips, Naxos or Sony. 
I have a number of recordings from Decca and CBS Masterworks that just seem to be too over-engineered. Especially when the Chicago Symphony is recorded on those labels, there seems to be a noticeable lack of orchestral "blend" and there is an imbalance between the sections. The CSO on DG blends beautifully and sounds far more natural than Decca or CBS. Decca usually is pretty good, but CBS seems rather low-budget.


----------



## Guest

I have numerous labels that I really like - HM, Bis, Naxos, Hyperion. But I don't know that I would label a label as "worst."

Maybe this label, because I don't think they could put out a good classical album if their life depended on it!


----------



## rspader

Florestan said:


> Probably the cheesiest label that puts out classical music is LazerLight.


I buy many of my CDs from the thrift store and I always see some on the LazerLight label. I leave them be.


----------



## Tristan

Florestan said:


> Probably the cheesiest label that puts out classical music is LazerLight.


LazerLight helped get me into classical music when I was 5-7 years old. But that's about it 

My favorite labels are DG & Decca--those are my go-to labels--always the best sound quality. EMI is in second, followed by Chandos & Naxos for more obscure music. The rest I don't pay too much attention to, but I do get them sometimes for lesser-known music (like Hyperion, CPO, and Ondine).


----------



## geralmar

Pilz, a once ubiquitous super-budget CD label, had a terrible reputation for performances and documentation (invented names for conductors and orchestras, substandard performances, designating old analog recordings as digital recordings). Of course I have more than 200 of them; closer to 300 if you count their licensing to other super-budget labels which in turn invented their own conductors and orchestras. A real problem was that some of their identified artists were quite real and legitimate talents, including conductor Anton Nanut and pianist Dubravka Tomsic.


----------



## Huilunsoittaja

Seems that you all have had hits with Naxos. I've had some _egregious _misses with them... For that reason I've lost trust in them, and need to preview them carefully before buying, if ever anymore. The sound engineering, sometimes the performances... >_<

Hyperion, Warner Classics and Chandos have acquired excellent performers and sound engineers for their projects. Melodiya for Russian performances!


----------



## geralmar

fluteman said:


> To me, the worst labels of the vinyl era far surpass anything digital in utter badness. Don Gabor's Remington label set a standard of low production quality in the early 1950s that few could meet thereafte.


True; but still an interesting label that now merits its own website:

http://www.soundfountain.org/rem/dongabor.html


----------



## Jos

Philips minigroove is favourite, but I might be biased given my location 
Old Deccas are great, as are most DGs.
CBS made some nice albums, but I mistook them for flexidiscs. 
Columbia six-eye are bought regardless of what is on them.

A propos; shouldn't this be in "recorded music" ?


----------



## Arsakes

My favorites (from the most to lesser): EMI, Naxos, Deutsche Grammophon, Decca, Philips, Bis


----------



## ArtMusic

I would like to add that CPO is also quite a good label.


----------



## Brahmsian Colors

London/Decca, followed by Philips, get my awards for the most consistently satisfying sound. I wish Deutsche Grammophon had done a better job in this category when it recorded Von Karajan and Bohm.


----------



## ST4

The term atonal is a very pathetic label that says nothing about the music. It's a good way to work against the composers themselves for music listeners to capitalise of the convience of avoiding it. "oh, it's "atonal". I'm not listening to that ****. I'm going to listen to real kvlt music."


----------



## Pugg

> I would like to add that CPO is also quite a good label.


For their outstanding catalogue .



> London/Decca, followed by Philips, get my awards for the most consistently satisfying sound


Nothing to add.


----------



## Richard8655

Alia Vox, Channel Classics, Amon Ra, and Saydisc are my favorites for their not your typical content and performances.


----------



## Pugg

Richard8655 said:


> Alia Vox, Channel Classics, Amon Ra, and Saydisc are my favorites for their not your typical content and performances.


Then you should also try; CPO.


----------



## Animal the Drummer

A bit surprised there's been no mention yet of Australian Eloquence, which has a thriving catalogue of wonderful reissues, many of which have been out of print for too long.


----------



## Mal

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Seems that you all have had hits with Naxos. I've had some _egregious _misses with them...


Hit and miss. Recently:

Wonderful hit: Mozart's Magic Flute, Elgar symphony 3
Egregious miss: Elgar symphony 1,2

But aren't they all hit and miss? Critics also hit & miss. Discretion and streaming always necessary.


----------



## Pugg

Animal the Drummer said:


> A bit surprised there's been no mention yet of Australian Eloquence, which has a thriving catalogue of wonderful reissues, many of which have been out of print for too long.


Technical, they are Decca/ D.G recordings.....so they do count.


----------



## Medtnaculus

I wish Hyperion was on Spotify, but as it isn't I'm not willing to go out my way to buy individual CDs. 

Timpani and toccattaclassics are both fantastic labels which I am consistently impressed with their selection of obscure composers and fantastic recordings.

Chandos is much like Timpani but for English composers.


----------



## Janspe

I'd say that I mostly listen to DG and Decca, mainly due to their really extensive catalogues and good availability in Spotify.

The two labels I'm currently most interested in exploring are *harmonia mundi* and especially *Ondine*, the former because it houses many artists I love and the latter because they have loads of Finnish music in their catalogue - I've become very interested in Finnish composers recently!

I have a difficult relationship with *Naxos*. On one hand, they have to be absolutely _praised_ for their gigantic catalogue - it's not seldom that a piece of music has been recorded only once and that recording can be found at Naxos. Then again, I have often been a bit disappointed with the sound quality of their recordings - but there are loads of stuff I still enjoy, like the _tremendously_ good Shostakovich symphony cycle by Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

What I'd hope in general from recording companies is a more adventurous spirit - it feels like we get a Beethoven symphony cycle or Tchaikovsky's violin concerto or Bach's Goldberg variations every now and then, and I'm a bit bored. I know well-known pieces sell well, and it's certainly interesting to hear new interpretations of great works, but still: do we _really_ need another CD that pairs Tchaikovsky's and Sibelius' violin concertos (just released on DG)? I'd much rather see well-known artists with prestigious recording contracts promoting lesser-known and especially completely _new_ works - they really have the power to lift pieces to a new popularity; Hilary Hahn, for example, brought Schoenberg's violin concerto to the attention of countless new listeners. But this is just my humble opinion!

One neat trick is to pair a well-known work with a lesser-known/new one.


----------



## CDs

I like *Linn Records* (check out Mackerras Mozart SACDs).
Not sure if I dislike any labels but there are some I avoid though.


----------



## Vaneyes

I've found Italian classical labels to be the worst, pirates and legitimate.


----------



## SONNET CLV

As a fan of contemporary music, the label NEOS proves inescapable. Lately I've been spending much time with recordings on that label. I wish I had more NEOS discs than I have. So much interesting stuff there to be had.


----------



## superhorn

It's impossible for me to choose a favorite label. All the major ones have so many terrific recordings . 
True, some of the fly-by-night budget labels are really annoying . I can't stand the ones which don't even identify the performers , and thee are several, though I can't recall the names of these dubious labels .
I can't stand the ones which feature recordings by non-exstent conductors such as "Henry Adolph ",
"Joseph Kreutzer ," and others, or even non-existent orchestras . Some of these feature recordings by such respected but not ready for primetime conductors as Hans Swarowsky , who was generally considered to have been a greater teacher of conducting than a conductor .
On one budget opera label , there is a recording of Prokofiev's opera "The Gambler " which claims to be a live recording from the Bolshoi opera in Moscow conducted by Alexander Lazarev , but which is actually a studio recording with Gennady Rozhdestvensky & the Moscow RSO which had previously been available on LP from Melodiya/ CBS !
Decca, EMI , Sony Classical, DG, Chandos, Naxos, Erato, Supraphon , and the unfortunately defunct Philips are a goldmine of terrific recordings . 
CPO of Germany is a terrific way to hear obscure repertoire of all kinds by lesser known composers .


----------



## hpowders

Best label: Classical music is music written for superior human beings with enormous brain power.

Worst label: Classical music is music written for superior human beings with enormous brain power.


----------



## Pugg

superhorn said:


> It's impossible for me to choose a favorite label. All the major ones have so many terrific recordings .
> True, some of the fly-by-night budget labels are really annoying . I can't stand the ones which don't even identify the performers , and thee are several, though I can't recall the names of these dubious labels .
> I can't stand the ones which feature recordings by non-exstent conductors such as "Henry Adolph ",
> "Joseph Kreutzer ," and others, or even non-existent orchestras . Some of these feature recordings by such respected but not ready for primetime conductors as Hans Swarowsky , who was generally considered to have been a greater teacher of conducting than a conductor .
> On one budget opera label , there is a recording of Prokofiev's opera "The Gambler " which claims to be a live recording from the Bolshoi opera in Moscow conducted by Alexander Lazarev , but which is actually a studio recording with Gennady Rozhdestvensky & the Moscow RSO which had previously been available on LP from Melodiya/ CBS !
> Decca, EMI , Sony Classical, DG, Chandos, Naxos, Erato, Supraphon , and the unfortunately defunct Philips are a goldmine of terrific recordings .
> CPO of Germany is a terrific way to hear obscure repertoire of all kinds by lesser known composers .


That's the kind of stuff one find in the supermarket nowadays, and I am not kidding.


----------



## Bruckner Anton

DG: stellar performances for best known music, low to outstanding sound and production qualities.
Philips: excellent versions for major works, generally very good and genuine sound quality.
Decca: good performances for some major works, very hi-fi sound but occasionally less genuine.
Mercury: few good versions, hi-fi early stereo sound that is less genuine.
Telarc: very few good performances, very hi-fi digital sound.
EMI: best historical recordings, less competitive post-1970, varied sound and production qualities.
Teldec: some good performances, quite good sound and production qualities.
Erato: a few good performances, average to good sound quality.
Sony: many excellent performances, quite good sound.
BMG/RCA: many excellent performances, generally good sound.
Naxos: unparelleled scope of compositions, generally less good performances, varied sound quality.
CPO: wide range of less known works, outstanding sound and production qualities.
Hyperion: wide range of less known works, quite good sound quality.
Chandos: a few good performances, large composition library, good sound quality.
Orfeo: some good historical live performances, generally very poor sound quality.
Testament: some outstanding live performances, generally poor sound.
Harmonia Mundi: some good new performances, large composition library, very good sound.
BIS: some good new performances, large composition library, very good sound.
MDG: average new performances, very high production quality.
Brilliant: average performances, very low price, generally low production quality.
Hanssler: a few good performances, varied sound quality.
Oehms: few good new performances, good sound.
Melodiya: some good performances, generally very poor sound and production.
ECM: a few good new performances, large modern composition library, very good sound.
Altus: some good live broadcasting performances, generally average to poor sound.
Berlin classics: some good performances, average to good sound.


----------



## joen_cph

^^^
Interesting suggested survey. I agree with some of it, but disagree with a lot too - just to illustrate the subjective aspect, especially as regards performances. 

For example, there are many excellent performances on Chandos and Melodiya, I think, and Brilliant has too wide a selection for those characterizations; Orfeo has good sound in their non-historical recordings; DG performance quality can be overrated, etc.


----------



## geralmar

Too much hate towards the super budget labels. I have hundreds of them, LP and CD; I collect and research them and they have their own archeology at least as interesting as that of the major labels. Most of the super budget CD labels trolled from the Pilz catalogue. The LP era is far more interesting, with many more sources involved. The whole issue is moot anyway. The LP labels are long gone and I know of no active super budget CD label-- the cost per disc in a boxed set from DG, Decca, Sony, WB/EMI, etc. is now a fraction of what a "drugstore" CD used to cost.


----------



## hpowders

There was a time when there were only a few labels that controlled the music recording world: RCA, Columbia, Angel/EMI and Phillips, principally.

Now there are so many labels and given digital recording technology, producing similar results, one label for me is as good as the next. Seems to be hundreds of labels at this time.


----------



## pcnog11

I like Decca and Philips too. I think DG is a bit overrated, it was good 20/30 years ago. EMI/Angel is a good one but not as popular. I think NAXOS contribute to popularize classical music to a certain extend because of the budget price.


----------



## pcnog11

No matter what label you talk about the value of the classical recordings are much high than pop music recordings. Think about how much musical training/education was there to build an orchestra to the level of sophistication and musicianship of recording with a conductor or a soloist. The amount that you paid for a particular recording will reflect the value you are buying. In pop music (most cases), the amount of musical training and education for an artist or band (no offence) cannot be compare to those in a full orchestra. In other words, the value you get is much less than classical music. 

I hope I did not offend anyone.


----------



## KRoad

pcnog11 said:


> ...The amount that you paid for a particular recording will reflect the value you are buying...
> 
> I hope I did not offend anyone.


No, not at all. As a recording musician with CDs available at the same source(s) as those that stream a broad catalogue of classical music, I quiet agree.

No offence taken.


----------



## Vaneyes

SONNET CLV said:


> As a fan of* Contemporary *music, the label NEOS proves inescapable. Lately I've been spending much time with recordings on that label.  I wish I had more NEOS discs than I have. So much interesting stuff there to be had.


This is now one of my two main areas of collecting interest, the other being French Baroque. My collection's core is mostly complete--probably 80% of which is comprised from the former majors and their sub-labels. Those labels had the luxury of corralling great artists, as well as producing great music in laboratory conditions. Some will continue to argue against the latter, but for the most part, today's orchestral recording on-the-run (such as orchestra labels) can't compare.

Recording engineering has improved in many ways, but care and feeling sometimes go astray. Thus another unmusical product is released. It's amazing how the core is still bombarded with releases. Sound improvement is not reason enough to buy.

Contemporary is the perfect climate to display all that's evolved technically. Hopefully, more labels will get involved, so that selection and pricing will improve. :tiphat:


----------



## Brahmsian Colors

pcnog11 said:


> The amount that you paid for a particular recording will reflect the value you are buying.


Of course, collectors often attach far greater value to certain recordings than others do. Not that long ago, an original EMI two vinyl record set of Carl Schuricht conducting the Vienna Philharmonic in Bruckner's Eighth Symphony sold for over $3000.00. Other lps have sold for even more.


----------



## Vronsky

Harmonia Mundi & Philips, both are superb in the sound, the repertoire and the performers.


----------



## pcnog11

pcnog11 said:


> I like Decca and Philips too. I think DG is a bit overrated, it was good 20/30 years ago. EMI/Angel is a good one but not as popular. I think NAXOS contribute to popularize classical music to a certain extend because of the budget price.


Archiv is another one I am very fond of. Although it is under the DG umbrella, I think their philosophy of recording is very different.


----------



## elgar's ghost

When it comes to customer service I owe the German label Wergo a heads-up.

Some time ago I bought a second-hand copy of the Henze opera _The English Cat_ from Amazon's marketplace. The item arrived minus the booklet - even though the opera was sung in English I felt I couldn't appreciate the work properly without the libretto so I e-mailed Wergo directly on the off-chance to see if they could help. They quickly sent a very courteous reply saying that they may have a spare booklet in their 'odds and ends drawer' and that they would mail it to me free of charge if they could find it. I thanked them and a few days later a package duly came through the letterbox. In it was not just the booklet but a completely new copy of the recording itself. I e-mailed them again offering to pay and they no, they were glad to help.

Now bearing in mind that I didn't buy the item new in the first place THAT was above and beyond the call!


----------



## Pugg

> When it comes to customer service I owe the German label Wergo a heads-up.


CPO is also very good, wide range of not so familiar works.


----------



## jegreenwood

Let me put in a good word for Channel Classics.


----------



## Pugg

jegreenwood said:


> Let me put in a good word for Channel Classics.


Also true, and also not just thinking inside the usual box of composers.


----------



## SixFootScowl

Is Virtuoso a cheap label? I have this set and tried to sell it at Dearborn Music and they rejected it specifically because it was Virtuoso label.








Larger Image Here


----------



## Pugg

Florestan said:


> Is Virtuoso a cheap label? I have this set and tried to sell it at Dearborn Music and they rejected it specifically because it was Virtuoso label.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Larger Image Here


It's one of those labels who "borrowed" lost of pirate recording( bootlegs) just like the Verona label.


----------



## Klassik

Florestan said:


> Is Virtuoso a cheap label? I have this set and tried to sell it at Dearborn Music and they rejected it specifically because it was Virtuoso label.


It seems like it's a small label perhaps under the umbrella of the Italian Metromusica label. Whether it's a bargain label or not, I can't really say. Perhaps Dearborn is confusing this Virtuoso for the current bargain line of CDs from Decca/DG (Universal) called Virtuoso.


----------



## KenOC

I have found that recordings from the _Compost _label are very difficult to unload. Even thrift stores reject them.


----------



## Klassik

KenOC said:


> I have found that recordings from the _Compost _label are very difficult to unload. Even thrift stores reject them.


Well, perhaps your albums will make for good fertilizer then!

Oddly enough, there is a club jazz label called Compost Records. I'd stay away from their albums. They stink.


----------



## Pugg

Klassik said:


> Well, perhaps your albums will make for good fertilizer then!
> 
> Oddly enough, there is a club jazz label called Compost Records. I'd stay away from their albums. They stink.


As in no good or pure new vinyl?


----------



## SixFootScowl

Pugg said:


> It's one of those labels who "borrowed" lost of pirate recording( bootlegs) just like the Verona label.


Hmmm. It seemed as though he had a sense of indignation, as if I were trying to pass something off on him.


----------



## Meyerbeer Smith

Nobody's mentioned Opera Rara (http://www.opera-rara.com/)?

The Palazzetto Bru Zane (www.bru-zane.com/?lang=en) is terrific for French Romantic music.


----------



## Pugg

SimonTemplar said:


> Nobody's mentioned Opera Rara (http://www.opera-rara.com/)?
> 
> The Palazzetto Bru Zane (www.bru-zane.com/?lang=en) is terrific for French Romantic music.


Speaks for it self, needless to say. :tiphat:


----------



## Merl

I like any label that has put out a recording I treasure, regardless of whether it's bargain bucket or top price. Its wrong to tar all recordings withh the same brush.


----------



## Klassik

Bruckner Anton said:


> DG: stellar performances for best known music, low to outstanding sound and production qualities.
> Philips: excellent versions for major works, generally very good and genuine sound quality.
> Decca: good performances for some major works, very hi-fi sound but occasionally less genuine.
> Mercury: few good versions, hi-fi early stereo sound that is less genuine.
> Telarc: very few good performances, very hi-fi digital sound.
> EMI: best historical recordings, less competitive post-1970, varied sound and production qualities.
> Teldec: some good performances, quite good sound and production qualities.
> Erato: a few good performances, average to good sound quality.
> Sony: many excellent performances, quite good sound.
> BMG/RCA: many excellent performances, generally good sound.
> Naxos: unparelleled scope of compositions, generally less good performances, varied sound quality.
> CPO: wide range of less known works, outstanding sound and production qualities.
> Hyperion: wide range of less known works, quite good sound quality.
> Chandos: a few good performances, large composition library, good sound quality.
> Orfeo: some good historical live performances, generally very poor sound quality.
> Testament: some outstanding live performances, generally poor sound.
> Harmonia Mundi: some good new performances, large composition library, very good sound.
> BIS: some good new performances, large composition library, very good sound.
> MDG: average new performances, very high production quality.
> Brilliant: average performances, very low price, generally low production quality.
> Hanssler: a few good performances, varied sound quality.
> Oehms: few good new performances, good sound.
> Melodiya: some good performances, generally very poor sound and production.
> ECM: a few good new performances, large modern composition library, very good sound.
> Altus: some good live broadcasting performances, generally average to poor sound.
> Berlin classics: some good performances, average to good sound.


Interesting observations. I agree with a lot of it, but I have some things to add for some of them:


DG: You're right on about the extremely varied sound quality. As for performance quality, well, it's more of a mixed bag here as well. A lot of the big DG conductors, Karajan and Abbado in particular, are not quite my taste. This, combined with the sound quality issues, means that I don't buy a whole lot of DG CDs even with their vast catalog.
Decca: DG's sister label, OTOH, is quite a different story. I like a lot of their conductors and their audio quality is more consistently good. This does not mean that it's always good, but it's usually good. A lot of old Philips and Mercury stuff is now labeled Decca, but it's mostly good too.
Sony/CBS/Columbia: Many excellent performances with several conductors I like. Sony's remastered sound is very good too, but some early CBS CDs were a little more iffy. CBS/Columbia's LPs were terrible for a while in the 1970s-80s so avoid those if possible.
RCA: Pretty much like CBS/Columbia above in terms of many fine performances and the remastered sound from Sony is the same good quality stuff as mentioned above. RCA's LP quality was better than CBS/Columbia's, but I'd avoid their Dynagroove records if possible.
Teldec: It seems like they are/were more prone to use live recordings. I generally don't like this, but they have many fine performers. It's certainly worth considering.
Warner Classics/Erato: This label encompasses a lot of material these days from Warner, EMI, Erato, Virgin Classics, Teldec, Finlandia, and perhaps even more than that. I like their bargain boxes and they have many fine performers. Sound quality varies due to the various labels under their umbrella, but it's usually at least decent.
Telarc: Agree about them not having very many great performers, but some of the performances are still very good even if they are with lesser known names. Not all of them though so do your research. Sound quality is generally excellent, though some may find it to be too closed miked or in your face.
Naxos: Where would we be without Naxos and their vast catalog? Some older Naxos CDs from the 1980s or early 1990s are a little iffy in terms of sound and performance quality, but I find their more recent stuff to be of at least decent quality in terms of sound and performance. Of course, they aren't as cheap as they used to be relevantly speaking given the bargain boxes from the major labels and Brilliant Classics.



Pugg said:


> As in no good or pure new vinyl?


It's a compost joke.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compost


----------



## Pugg

> It's a compost joke. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compost


Thanks for clearing that for me.


----------



## Vaneyes

'The Decline of the Yellow Label'

https://van-us.atavist.com/deutsche-grammophon


----------



## Klassik

Vaneyes said:


> 'The Decline of the Yellow Label'
> 
> https://van-us.atavist.com/deutsche-grammophon


Interesting article, thanks for the link. Judging from the article, I can see why DG is in trouble. I'm sure there's more to the story though which isn't even discussed there. Some people consider Dudamel's DG recordings to be a disappointment. People's opinions on the blogs and forums may not matter because there may be a lot of other people who want Dudamel's recordings, but perhaps the sales have been disappointing for DG. If so, perhaps they should focus more on quality than on pretty faces. Anyway, I've never been a huge DG fan even compared to their sister labels Decca and Philips (the latter is only a legacy name now) and the addition of Lang Lang and company probably won't encourage me to buy more yellow labels. If anything, Haenssler might be my favorite German yellow classical label these days.


----------



## mathisdermaler

I LOVE BIS

I have the Beethoven and Sibelius symphonies by Vanska


----------



## mtmailey

RCA,SONY,EMI & PHILLIPS are some great labels.RCA has a old series the best series


----------



## hpowders

There are so many labels now, how is it possible to answer the OP?

At one time, in the States we had Columbia, Angel, RCA and London. They covered most of the classical market.

Now there are hundreds of labels.


----------



## Pugg

mtmailey said:


> RCA,SONY,EMI & PHILLIPS are some great labels.RCA has a old series the best series


Those two are no longer amongst us .


----------



## 13hm13

I'm not impressed with the sonics (recording quality) of Deutsche Grammophon from early 1970s - mid 2000s (but there are some exceptions to this rule). And especially digital recordings. Some of the worst-sounding DGs in my collection are CDs from the 1980s and 1990, such as HvK (80s) and Boulez (90s). Specifically, the midrange has a hard "honky" tonality and there is little "top end". 
Archiv and Teldec digital recordings (which may have used same producers and sound engineers as DG) also suffer from some of the same sonic affliction. 

Deutsche Grammophon did attract top artists and excellent performances. Given their deep pockets and "political" power (especially after their merger with PolyGram in 1972), I'm not sure why they produced so many sub-par recordings. Again, I'm opining about sonics -- not artists or performances.


----------



## 13hm13

13hm13 said:


> I'm not impressed with the sonics (recording quality) of Deutsche Grammophon from early 1970s - mid 2000s (but there exceptions to this rule). And especially digital recordings. Some of the worst-sounding DGs in my collection are CDs from the 1980s and 1990, such as HvK (80s) and Boulez (90s). Specifically, the midrange has a hard "honky" tonality and there is little "top end". [...]
> Archiv and Teldec digital recordings (which may have used same producers and sound engineers as DG) also suffer from some of the same sonic affliction.
> .


A pertinent follow-up to this comment....
Sonically, I prefer DG/Teldec/Archiv _on viny_l (even vinyl ripped to computer) than CD (or CD ripped to computer or digital-source file, incl. digital-source streaming). And especially for digital recordings.

A degree of astonishment is, I suppose, is my emotional response when I came to realize my opinion on this matter: DG, Archiv and Teldec are largely German companies, where one expects renowned "German engineering" and Spitzenklasse. 
I should note, however, that smaller German audiophile labels (TACET, Speaker's Corners, Hänssler, etc.) are outstanding, and consistently so.


----------



## JB Henson

My personal bests... 

From a vinyl perspective: Old Nonesuch, Musical Herritage Society, Vanguard, Pre-1971 RCA, Decca/London, Phillips, Mercury.

From a digital perspective: Decca, Sony Classical, Phillips, Erato, EMI (before 1997-ish), Vox, Naxos.


----------



## Common Listener

My CD collection says my top 10 would be

Archiv
Chandos
Deutsche Grammophon
EMI
Erato
London
Nimbus
Philips
RCA
Sony

Not sure what my record collection says but I've got a lot of MHS (which are mostly from Erato).


----------



## Bulldog

My favorites:

ECM
Chandos
Hyperion
Dutton Labs
Alpha
CPO
BIS
Mirare
Archiv
Naxos 
Challenge
Harmonia Mundi


----------



## flamencosketches

it's a now defunct label, but any record produced by Philips is pretty much guaranteed to have immaculate sound as far as I'm concerned. Same goes for Decca. DG I'm somewhat iffy on, but we can't deny the massive library of great works on this label.


----------



## Marinera

Based on what cds I have and want to buy lots of Outhere labels: 

Alpha, Ramee, Arcana, Ricercar.

Other:

Glossa
Aparte
Harmonia Mundi
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi
ECM
Naïve
Allia Vox - Savall's label
Carpe Diem
Erato
Mirare
Ambronay
BIS


----------



## Kiki

flamencosketches said:


> it's a now defunct label, but any record produced by Philips is pretty much guaranteed to have immaculate sound as far as I'm concerned. Same goes for Decca. DG I'm somewhat iffy on, but we can't deny the massive library of great works on this label.


I share that sentiment. Philips was good. EMI was good. Decca used to be good. Their recent Chailly Beethoven and Brahms are loud and compressed. DG has always been average to below average. Acidic sound in the 60s, harsh sound in the 80s, and recently just listen to Andris Nelsons' Shostakovich and Bruckner, instruments are highlighted like the synthesized soundstage on a pop record.

In my experience, independent labels like Chandos, BIS and Naxos tend to produce a sound that sounds more natural, that makes a better illusion of a concert platform.


----------



## flamencosketches

The Naxos records I have all do feature surprisingly great sound. I didn't realize they were an indie label; they have become absolutely ubiquitous. The classical section at a record store near me is made up of probably at least 50% Naxos.


----------

