# High prices in live recordings sold on CD?



## JSBach85 (Feb 18, 2017)

I want to know your opinion about it. I have purchased some operas recorded on live concerts and released on CD with a standard or even higher price than studio recordings. I do not enjoy listening to coughs and applause between the end of an aria and the beginning of a recitativo. If I am paying about 30/40 EUR, why noise such as applause and coughs are not removed in digital recordings?


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

JSBach85 said:


> I want to know your opinion about it. I have purchased some operas recorded on live concerts and released on CD with a standard or even higher price than studio recordings. I do not enjoy listening to coughs and applause between the end of an aria and the beginning of a recitativo. If I am paying about 30/40 EUR, why noise such as applause and coughs are not removed in digital recordings?


If you object to audience noise and applause, then you probably shouldn't buy live recordings. I find it objectionable when these things are removed.


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

I agree. Most of Furtwangler's wartime recordings are plagued with coughing, bumping noises etc (apart from the few recorded near the end of the war where there was no audience) but I think it would affect the live feel/authenticity if those noises were removed.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I've heard some recordings that sound like a flu outbreak has taken its toll on the audience. Some conductors are hardly quiet too. My favourite recording for terrible audience /orchestra noise is a Fedoseyev's Beethoven cycle. When the orchestra aren't shaking their scores or kicking their instruments across the floor (what it sounds like) the audience are fidgeting and coughing their guts up. I'm not usually put off by the odd cough but recordings like that are ruined. Saying that it's a boring cycle anyway. If they had tried to cut the coughing out it would have obliterated half the music.


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## shadowdancer (Mar 31, 2014)

This is an interesting discussion. 
A classical example is Richter's Sofia Recital (one of the top Mussorgsky's Pictures ever recorded). 
Audience's noise in this recording is really annoying. Unfortunately (or should I say fortunately) the performance is so outstanding that one could almost forget about all the coughing...


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

If you object to audience noise and applause, then you should stay away from live performances.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

shadowdancer said:


> This is an interesting discussion.
> A classical example is Richter's Sofia Recital (one of the top Mussorgsky's Pictures ever recorded).
> Audience's noise in this recording is really annoying. Unfortunately (or should I say fortunately) the performance is so outstanding that one could almost forget about all the coughing...


Transcendent performances always trump poor sound.


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## JSBach85 (Feb 18, 2017)

My apologies, the discussion was more focused on prices. While I can accept all those sounds to keep "the live feel/authenticity", I can't understand why usually a live recording has the same price as a studio recording. If someone knows about this, I would appreciate if you can explain me what justify that both have the same prices.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

JSBach85 said:


> My apologies, the discussion was more focused on prices. While I can accept all those sounds to keep "the live feel/authenticity", I can't understand why usually a live recording has the same price as a studio recording. If someone knows about this, I would appreciate if you can explain me what justify that both have the same prices.


Can you give us a few specifics? Record labels, Artists, downloads vs CDs vs Blu Rays, places of purchase?
If these are recordings issued by the individual Opera House where they were performed, they tend to be expensive for many reasons. Such Houses have to hire someone else to do all the recording, manufacture physical media, maintain a download site, etc. They do not expect high volume sales and so must charge more per unit to recoup costs.
You can also obtain software similar to that used by audio engineers and do your own digital editing to eliminate some of the offending noises


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## JSBach85 (Feb 18, 2017)

Triplets said:


> Can you give us a few specifics? Record labels, Artists, downloads vs CDs vs Blu Rays, places of purchase?
> If these are recordings issued by the individual Opera House where they were performed, they tend to be expensive for many reasons. Such Houses have to hire someone else to do all the recording, manufacture physical media, maintain a download site, etc. They do not expect high volume sales and so must charge more per unit to recoup costs.
> You can also obtain software similar to that used by audio engineers and do your own digital editing to eliminate some of the offending noises












Record Label: Archiv Produktion
Artists: Gardiner / The English Baroque Soloists

Live concert recording


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

JSBach85 said:


> I can't understand why usually a live recording has the same price as a studio recording. If someone knows about this, I would appreciate if you can explain me what justify that both have the same prices.


Classical music is already a niche market, so live classical is a very tiny niche market. A major studio recording might be able to keep selling for years and years, but live titles are very hard sells. Supply and demand.

As the market has shrunk labels have started to record live concerts to save studio production costs. A new recording is going to have more money to earn back to break even than one that has been selling for 30 years.


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