# Classical = Expensive?



## Stargazer (Nov 9, 2011)

Why do classical CDs and DVDs seem to be so much more expensive than other things out there?

Many classical CDs or DVDs that I run across are super-expensive...in the $30-70 range.
A typical 90min pop CD seems to run around $5-10
A typical 2hr DVD of a recently-released blockbuster movie seems to run around $15

So why is classical so much pricier? I mean, for those prices I can go and see a pretty good live performance.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Recorded classical music is, generally, cheaper in real terms than it has ever been before, in good performances and good sound. There is seldom a reason to pop for $15 or more for a CD when good performances, maybe better ones, are available far more cheaply.

Name one of the expensive CDs here, and people will certainly suggest cheaper recordings that they think are superior.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Stargazer said:


> Why do classical CDs and DVDs seem to be so much more expensive than other things out there?
> 
> Many classical CDs or DVDs that I run across are super-expensive...in the $30-70 range.
> A typical 90min pop CD seems to run around $5-10
> ...


Sometimes new releases are cheaper, but you have to act fast. After that, it's a waiting game. Usually, prices will eventually drop.

Try Amazon Marketplace (used), and Berkshire Record Outlet (close-outs). :tiphat:


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## Stargazer (Nov 9, 2011)

KenOC said:


> Name one of the expensive CDs here, and people will certainly suggest cheaper recordings that they think are superior.


http://www.amazon.com/Handel-Arioda...107245&sr=1-3-spell&keywords=handel+ariadonte


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## scratchgolf (Nov 15, 2013)

My recent experience is quite the opposite. Although much of my music purchasing is done digitally, I always opt for the CD option on Amazon when, inexplicably, the CD+Digital Download is cheaper than the download itself. I've only bought 3 non-classical albums in the last year and all 3 were $9.99 USD, which is usually equal to or greater than most classical purchases I make (with the classical albums being considerably longer in duration). As for DVDs (another thing I rarely purchase), most new releases seem to run around $20-$25 and BluRay around $25-$35. I only know this because I scoff at the prices as I walk by.


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## Simon Moon (Oct 10, 2013)

It's possible that some of the expensive recordings you are seeing are on audiophile labels, recorded with the best equipment.

I have a few CD's on the Reference Recordings, Chesky, and a few other labels that, for the most part, have better sound quality than the more mainstream labels. And they are more expensive.

I still shop at brick and mortar stores, and for the most part, the price of CD's seems to be falling.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Stargazer said:


> http://www.amazon.com/Handel-Arioda...107245&sr=1-3-spell&keywords=handel+ariadonte


Not a CD. That's two DVDs, looks like about $19 each and each at 90 minutes. I had suggested that you specify a CD.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Stargazer said:


> Why do classical CDs and DVDs seem to be so much more expensive than other things out there?
> 
> *Many classical CDs or DVDs that I run across are super-expensive...in the $30-70 range.*
> A typical 90min pop CD seems to run around $5-10
> ...


30-70 dollars for a classical CD is not the norm, by any means. Perhaps for a DVD, but not a CD. I purchase many CDs from a number of merchants. For me, $20 is expensive for a single CD, and I seldom pay that price.

The Handel _Ariodante_ listed at Amazon for $37.98 is not excessively priced. Not quite $40, hardly near $70. But I did check the prices on a couple of "rock/pop" DVDs -- one by Bruce Springsteen and one by Britney Spears. Both were cheaper, in the under $20 range. Still, consider that the forces needed to produce the Handel are most likely vaster than those needed to produce a pop/rock DVD. An opera has a large cast, a chorus, an orchestra, a conductor, plus all the technicians involved. Too, you might consider the timing of an opera DVD v. a rock/pop issue. And, maybe more significantly, a classical opera DVD will likely have a (much) smaller audience for sales than will DVD concert releases by major rock/pop figures. So to recoup expenses, the opera DVD will likely have to sell at a higher price to the smaller number of consumers. I'm sure Britney and Bruce will do well from their DVDs and the masses will be pleased. Of course, I won't be buying them. But the Handel looks inviting.


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## mtmailey (Oct 21, 2011)

Yes there are some costly cdS like the ones that are very rare like a cd that costs over $100 i saw on AMAZON.COM.You know how they do when something is rare they will try to make you buy it at a high price.


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## Blake (Nov 6, 2013)

I usually go digital, and it's always relatively inexpensive. I was just looking at a complete set of Chopin by some very reputable artist compiled by DG and the mp3 is going for $50. This is 18 hours worth of great music for $50. I think that's a damn deal. I'm not worried about collecting booklets or cd cases, as they would take up half my living space with the amount I have digitally. I just want to hear some music, man.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Stargazer said:


> Why do classical CDs and DVDs seem to be so much more expensive than other things out there?
> 
> Many classical CDs or DVDs that I run across are super-expensive...in the $30-70 range.
> A typical 90min pop CD seems to run around $5-10
> ...


The easy, tongue in cheek answer to this is simply, you get what you pay for


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

BTW, an easy answer to the question -- as a generalization. There's a fixed cost, perhaps large, in initially producing a physical CD or DVD. If it's music of a popular group, or a widely-watched movie, the initial cost can be spread across a lot of discs. But how many people are going to buy DVDs of a Handel opera?

So all other things being equal, the CD or DVD has to cost more for the producer to hope to break even or, hopefully, do better than that.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

I don't know where you are buying your CDs. I rarely pay more than $15 US for a single CD... and these tend to be new recordings on Import labels like Hyperion or BIS. I just picked up two opera recordings recently both priced at a bit over $11.00 US. Janacek's _Cunning Vixen_ is a 2-disc set, and Mozart's Marriage of Figaro is a 3-CD/1 CD-ROM set. Both are among the finest recordings available.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Classical music is definitely not for the poor, especially if you want to hear a wide range of stuff, or even just the stuff that you're "supposed" to know.... 

In a sense we're judging each other on some combination of: 

a) leisure time
b) dedication to classical music 
c) money to pay for music / willingness to steal music


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

KenOC has provided the most obvious answer. In addition, whereas there will usually be one recording of popular music e.g Justin Bieber CD's will only be those recorded by him on his label; there won't be a whole load of alternative performances of Justin Biebers music, so if you want to hear Justin Bieber, you have to buy that one recording hence a HUGE number of sales (assuming people want to hear Justin Bieber) of one recording on one label. With classical music, generally there are many recordings of a particular classical piece - especially if it's one of the more well-known pieces. Therefore given the total audience for one piece (let's say Beethovens 9th), there will be a whole host of different recordings covering that one piece - that total audience will be fragmented down depending on which recording they opt for. If it's a big-name orchestra, conductor, soloists and label, then the price is likely to be high in comparison to Justin Bieber's disc because although the cost of production may be similar, the number of sales will be FAR lower. 
We are fortunate however, that there are so many recordings of Beethoven's 9th as we can opt for a cheaper issue (or a re-issue) without necessarily losing the quality of performance and recording. Think about it - how does anyone know if Justin Biebers' is the best recording or performance of his music if there is no other recording to compare it to? Or does anyone really care?  :lol:


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

techniquest said:


> KenOC has provided the most obvious answer. In addition, whereas there will usually be one recording of popular music e.g Justin Bieber CD's will only be those recorded by him on his label; there won't be a whole load of alternative performances of Justin Biebers music, so if you want to hear Justin Bieber, you have to buy that one recording hence a HUGE number of sales (assuming people want to hear Justin Bieber) of one recording on one label. With classical music, generally there are many recordings of a particular classical piece - especially if it's one of the more well-known pieces. Therefore given the total audience for one piece (let's say Beethovens 9th), there will be a whole host of different recordings covering that one piece - that total audience will be fragmented down depending on which recording they opt for. If it's a big-name orchestra, conductor, soloists and label, then the price is likely to be high in comparison to Justin Bieber's disc because although the cost of production may be similar, the number of sales will be FAR lower.
> We are fortunate however, that there are so many recordings of Beethoven's 9th as we can opt for a cheaper issue (or a re-issue) without necessarily losing the quality of performance and recording. Think about it - how does anyone know if Justin Biebers' is the best recording or performance of his music if there is no other recording to compare it to? Or does anyone really care?  :lol:


It appears that we classical folk are the exception - humanity as a whole seems to see music as performer-centric rather than composer-centric.

But pop musicians "cover" each other's stuff all the time. Of course they approach their material with more freedom than we ordinarily allow classical musicians to take, but there is some similarity there to our habit of comparing performances.


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## HaydnBearstheClock (Jul 6, 2013)

I think classical music is definitely not expensive - you can buy classical CDs for 5 Euros, whereas new pop releases sell for 15-17 Euros (at least here in Germany).


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## mikey (Nov 26, 2013)

Where exactly are you buying your music from? That does seem awfully expensive!
Also, I don't recall ever having even seen/heard a 90 minute pop CD!

Look for budget labels if that's the case. Naxos is the obvious one but there are plenty that offer top rank performers at budget price. I think it may just be in Australia but Eloquence issues plenty of world class performances for a 10er or less.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Really, this is the golden age of cheap CDs. Look at all those fabulously mastered and packaged Sony/Columbia box sets...


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## Guest (Jun 7, 2014)

I buy downloads almost exclusively, and always try to get 256 to 320 kbps. In the four years or so that I have been collecting, I have noticed that download prices have been rising.

Four years ago the typical album might have gone for $8. Now the typical is $10 and some record labels are asking $12.

What's worse, there are far fewer price discrepancies and mis-pricings available than there were a few years ago. Some sites were charging a buck per track even for tracks that were 30+ minutes long. Other sites were charging single-disc prices for multi-disc sets. Such mispricings are mostly gone now.

There are still a few consistent bargains out there -- e.g. Classical Archives still charges $6 for Naxos albums. Also many Amazon downloads are still bargains, if you don't mind the lower sampling rate. But they are fading fast. 

I still check multiple sites before I buy, but I rarely find large price differentials these days. Good thing I'm not buying as much any more!


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## Blake (Nov 6, 2013)

It's not so complicated. The population has been steadily increasing. More demand for limited resources.... which entails that the prices for this demand will go up... no matter what it is.


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

Not all are expensive, I have bought albums before containing over 12 hours of high quality performances for under £4!


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