# Frustrated with the classical music CD market



## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Ok, I have a beef with the market of classical music CDs and I'm wondering if anyone else feels the same way. I have been introduced to so many new, great and obscure composers in the couple months I've been on this forum but there are lot's of times where I find out about an interesting composer, I go on amazon and look for their CDs and there is so much music of theirs that is out of stock  and the heartbreaking thing for me is they probably wont get recorded again for a long time. Meanwhile, the market is still getting flooded with Beethoven, Mahler and Shostakovich symphonies. Now, I'm not trying to bash on or speak badly of Mahler or Beethoven in any way! They are two of my favorite composers of all time. But regardless, does the world really need yet another recording of these pieces?? I don't know, I just wished performers and record companies would focus a lot more on relatively obscure composers than they do so I don't have to worry about Egon Wellesz or Malipero going out of stock just as much as I don't have to worry about Bach or Beethoven going out of stock. What do you guys think? Is this too much to ask?


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## beethovenian (May 2, 2011)

Instead of Amazon, how aboout purchasing from MDT or Prestoclassical? Both are specialized independent stores that ship internationally and sell cheaply. I buy all my cds exclusively from them.
http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/pages/home/default.asp
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/

Prestoclassical has a huge catalogue, i can easily spend an hour browsing through it. 
If you like obscure composers, you can try the CPO label.


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## jaimsilva (Jun 1, 2011)

Crotchet has an important catalogue and like Prestoclassical they ship internationally and sell cheaply. I usually compare the prices in both catalogues - they have very slight differences.
JPC has also a good catalogue.
Try both of them.

http://www.crotchet.co.uk/index.html?id=GR7MRmBA

http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/home


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## altiste (Jun 11, 2008)

*blumlein records*

blumlein records is based in Hamburg, Germany and has some interesting things in its catalogue. I have a work on a CD that is available from them: http://muse.blumlein.net/021_gb.html


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## Argus (Oct 16, 2009)

Capitalism

Bach and Beethoven sell, Duckworth and Dusapin, not so much.

Another thing, not only are obscure artists more likely to be out of stock but they are also more likely to be more expensive. I've got albums by Harrison, Satoh, Palestine, Lentz, Stone, Marshall, Bailey, Sharrock, Behrman, on my wish list, all over £20 for single disc albums.

I'm not complaining because, frankly, it's nice that record labels put this stuff out there when they have no massive financial reward for doing so.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

arkivmusic.com is the answer to your problem. They have everything and anything you could ever want, and more, as well as the best stock of hard-to-find CDs .
They are very convenient to use,and you can look up any classical CD pr DVD by composer or performer. There is a whole separate section for operas. Go to their website
post haste !


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## haydnfan (Apr 13, 2011)

All classical music recordings go in and out of print. You won't really feel this unless you either collect specific performers or esoteric composers. Digital downloads offer a future where the economy of mass producing cds will no longer factor into it. In fact, as of now, there are plenty of out of print cds that are still available on amazon mp3 or itunes. I still prefer collecting cds though, but we are moving towards a future where this scarcity will no longer exist, accept of course if created artificially.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Yeah, and all those recordings that are important because they are only recordings of particular works but yet they are out of print and impossible to buy.

At the other hand it increases the pleasure and satisfaction after reaching them, you become kind of classical Indiana Jones in search of CDs-treasures - I like the feeling when I finally get such a rare CD into hand. 

Also, the performers are guilty as much as business people. Most of them prefer to record Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto or Chopin's E minor despite the fact that they have nothing new to offer in these works instead of taking risk of handling and promoting something less known. 

So it was and probably will be - getting rare music by more obscure composers will always come along with frustration.


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Really, it's all a matter of demand...I got the Original Jacket Gould Recordings for under 200 bucks and just the other day I saw them listed for over 800...most of my Arrau stuff is now worth a fortune and can't be found at a record store which is where I bought them to begin with...just the way it goes


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## mmsbls (Mar 6, 2011)

I am grateful that Naxos makes so many relatively obscure recordings. I don't know what percentage of recordings they make money on, but I have to imagine that many in their catalog do not sell enough to produce a profit. I'd love to know that I'm mistaken, but I seriously doubt it. Of course this does not help the problem of recordings being out of stock or worse no longer "in print".


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