# Does Naxos really suck?



## myaskovsky2002

This is a group of complaints about Naxos!!!!!!

:devil:

I have the complete songs by Tchaikovsky...5 suckable CDS!!!!!!!! I'm buying other versions separetaly.

I have the Korngold opera Die Tote Stadt (the dead city)...I bought a much better version afterwards...The same with Schreker (the far sound) and many others... Naxos is cheap...Buy cheap, buy twice!!!!!!!


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## Aramis

Naxos doesn't suck, it just has two kind of releases:

1) Average recordings of works often recorded by most famous performers

2) Very good recordings of more obscure works which are less represented and were not recorded by musicians with huge names 

Naxos is label you should rather avoid when you want to buy some Beethoven but which you can trust if you're looking for works of XIX-th century Hungarian author of string quartets that noone heard about.


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## HarpsichordConcerto

Aramis said:


> Naxos doesn't suck, it just has two kind of releases:
> 
> 1) Average recordings of works often recorded by most famous performers
> 
> 2) Very good recordings of more obscure works which are less represented and were not recorded by musicians with huge names
> 
> Naxos is label you should rather avoid when you want to buy some Beethoven but which you can trust if you're looking for works of XIX-th century Hungarian author of string quartets that noone heard about.


 Aramis, you are making sense to me today! It must be something in the water I drank this morning! I agree!

Marco Polo (which is Naxos wearing a different colour suit) applies too. An excellent example is their project to record the complete string quartets and quintets of Louis Spohr, which I have been collecting. Naxos' recordings of early and Baroque music are commendable too. I've been collecting the harpsichord sonatas of Antonio Soler (1729 - 1783), lute sonatas of Leopold Weiss (1687 - 1750) etc. and you could easily name many, many more. Their strength, as Aramis has put it, is to record works that major labels won't do because of the higher economic returns required on every project with big name artists. I think the recorded music choice available to us consumers have been enormously enlarged.


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## myaskovsky2002

*just Beethoven?*

Schreker, Korngold, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Schumann...were my worst experiences with Naxos...Now I am afraid....They have Tristan, the best version but probably they didn't pay rights (Furtwangler, 1953).

Martin


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## Rondo

I have purchased fewer CDs to my dissatisfaction on the Naxos label than I have on some other slightly more expensive labels. (And, yes, _per every item purchased under the label_, I might add.) A particular Beethoven symphonies box set in EMI/Virgin Classics comes immediately to mind...


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## Ravellian

I have access to the Naxos music library online through my university. Naxos is pretty good for getting to know works you haven't heard before, or for finding more obscure works. It generally doesn't have the best recordings available for the most well-known works, and us U.S. customers do not get access to the 'historical' reordings (which is very annoying). It works less well for operas, since it has to load between every track (frequently interrupting the singing...) 

And they actually don't have the best Tristan available (Bohm/Nilsson/Windgassen).


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## Rangstrom

My only complaint with Naxos/Marco Polo/da capo is that some projects seem to get put on hold for a long time. The Spohr quartets and the Brian symphonies are two painful examples. But I have 100s of very good to excellent cds from these companies, mostly works that can not be found elsewhere.


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## starthrower

Naxos has good and mediocre releases like every other label. I find some of their chamber music releases to be rather lifeless and generic. I've had better luck with orchestral music.

I like their Lutoslawski, and William Schuman Symphonies.


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## elgar's ghost

Naxos have served me pretty well over the years, especially with British and American composers. Also I'm more than happy with their recordings of film music of DSCH, the Britten operas The Turn of the Screw and Albert Herring (although I'm aware that opera isn't usually one of their strengths), the Bachianas Brasileiras of Villa-Lobos, orchestral works of Penderecki, various chamber works of Bartok, Schumann and others, Tintner's Bruckner, certain Haydn quartets, various Chopin piano works played by Ilda Biret and quite a few choral recordings (especially those of Hummel and Cherubuni). Martin is quite entitled to point out the recordings that have disappointed him but I would say that most of their dodgier recordings were in the formative years of the label. Since then they have shifted the emphasis away from a lot of core repertoire and are in rude health as a result. Naxos may have 'sucked' to a degree in the past but they certainly do not now - those who are familiar with the label know almost instinctively what to buy and what to avoid. Pity about the Tchaikovsky songs - I was thinking of buying one of those. Perhaps Martin could elaborate as to why they have displeased him so much?


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## Weston

Listening to Jeno Jando is a good way to get to know the music without the performer getting in the way. In other words he is a good transparent performer, and along with Idil Biret, must live in a studio run by Naxos somewhere.


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## myaskovsky2002

Jeno Jando...not bad...But you have much better Bartok works than Jeno Jando

Naxos is the best for underdeveloped countries or for limited budgets or for people without taste...Less you are demanding better is Naxos.

Martin


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## HarpsichordConcerto

myaskovsky2002 said:


> Naxos is the best for underdeveloped countries or for limited budgets or for people without taste...Less you are demanding better is Naxos.


 written by someone who is supposedly a mature adult (according to his profile), if to be believed.


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## jhar26

I agree with Aramis here. I love things like their cycle of Lutoslawki's orchestral works and the Malcolm Arnold symphonies. They have interesting projects that covers stuff you'll find nowhere else (American Classics, Chinese Classics, Japanese Classics, etc..) and the're so cheap that you can afford to take a risk every now and then without having to fear that you'll spend fortune on something you may not like. For Bach, Mozart and Beethoven you better look somewhere else, but for music that isn't part of the mainstream - especially when it comes to the 20th century they are very good. To me they are for the modern era what CPO is for the romantic era (sorta).


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## Head_case

Some of the best contemporary recordings are available on Naxos!

Some of my favourites: 

1. The Vlach Quartet Prague - Dvorak Complete String Quartets
2. Sofia Gubaidulina - In Croce
3. Bela Bartok's 44 Duos for Violin - Gyorgy Pauk 
4. Henryk Gorecki - 3rd Symphony
5. Wojiech Kilar - Angelus
6. Lassus - Missae
7. Fred Sherry Quartet - Arnold Schoenberg string quartets (not complete)


I haven't found better versions/recordings of the above work - in any price bracket. Comparable alternatives exist - yes. Granted, that the Naxos label is very large and there is much to sift through, however with the Good Penguin Guide or a similar guide, you can find your selection from Naxos.


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## Sebastien Melmoth

Naxos has greatly improved over the years. It is quite respectable now.
A few years ago its 'luxury line' was Marco Polo which somtimes carried some rather rare stuff.

*¡Viva Naxos!*


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## Rondo

And, don't forget the Naxos Film Music classics series. I *dare* anyone to find most of those (yes) wonderful works on another label on CD...for any price!


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## Air

myaskovsky2002 said:


> They have Tristan, the best version but probably they didn't pay rights (Furtwangler, 1953).


I think it is necessary to distinguish between *Naxos* and *Naxos Historical* here. Naxos Historical, unlike Naxos, is devoted to the greatest performances of the past. Their series on pianists such as Alfred Cortot and Benno Moiseiwitsch, for example, are incredible. So is their work with conductors like Furtwangler, whose _Tristan_ you mentioned.

None of the recordings on Naxos Historical are as cheap as the low-budget Naxos stuff, but it's generally far more affordable than other historical recordings, like the ancient piano stuff on _Pearl_. I've also grown fond of Naxos Historical transfers and remastering. Ward Marston especially does a fantastic job.


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## Air

Head_case said:


> 4. Henryk Gorecki - 3rd Symphony


I'm not sure I would favor the Wit recording of the 3rd Symphony to Zinman's very good one, but they're certainly comparable. I do agree, however, that Naxos is one of the best places to turn to as far as contemporary music is concerned. Their Penderecki and Carter stuff is unsurpassed, and I've also gotten some very impressive Varese from Naxos too. Their work with the more obscure American and British names, too, is very highly regarded.

To be honest, the only contemporary composer that Naxos would not be my first choice for is Ligeti, who has a wider variety of high-quality recordings available on Sony, Teldec, Wergo, etc.


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## Huilunsoittaja

Yes, Naxos sucks. Their Glazunov Symphonic Cycle is so dead.  No wonder people often say "his music is so dull." It's being _performed_ dull! Go for Serebrier!!


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## Sebastien Melmoth

Actually I rather like the issue with *Glazunow's Second & Seventh*: enjoy it very well indeed--sounds good to me. In fact, I prefer it to the Orfeo issue with Jarvï.

http://www.amazon.com/Glazunov-Symphonies-Nos-2-7/dp/B0000014F8/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top


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## Aramis

Wit's cycles are definitely one of most attractive part of Naxos, at least for me - I'm planning to get his Mahler and Strauss (on Naxos, of course) to see how will he impress me in repertoire in which there is much more competition.

There is also a lot of Szymanowski on Naxos that is canonical - in many aspects it beats Simon Rattle's Szymanowski on no other label than out beloved EMI Classics:


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## Head_case

Air said:


> I'm not sure I would favor the Wit recording of the 3rd Symphony to Zinman's very good one, but they're certainly comparable. I do agree, however, that Naxos is one of the best places to turn to as far as contemporary music is concerned. Their Penderecki and Carter stuff is unsurpassed, and I've also gotten some very impressive Varese from Naxos too. Their work with the more obscure American and British names, too, is very highly regarded.
> 
> To be honest, the only contemporary composer that Naxos would not be my first choice for is Ligeti, who has a wider variety of high-quality recordings available on Sony, Teldec, Wergo, etc.


At the price...there's little to choose between the Wit and the Zinman..particularly if you're keen to avoid the awful Dawn Upshaw recordings on other labels!

Ligeti's string quartets by the Parker Quartet are first rate. This is a young string quartet and they play impeccable music.

As for the 'British Light music' and American series .... hmmmm. I'm don't quite get these. Then again, some of the best British music (like Smith & Jones - Forever!) is sung by Americans like Silver Jews


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## Sid James

Short answer is that no, Naxos does not suck, it's a good label...


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## StlukesguildOhio

Naxos is the best... for limited budgets or for people without taste...

Absolute nonsense. As someone who has been listening to classical music seriously for 20+ years and in the process amassed a sizable collection of CDs I can say that the number of Naxos discs I own number just below those by DG, EMI and perhaps Sony. As a budget label, Naxos would not be my first choice for Beethoven's sonatas, Bach's cello suites, or Schubert's lieder for the simple reason that they do not have access to the best and most expensive soloists and orchestras. Their recordings of Haydn's string quartets with the Kodaly Quartet are top notch and the same can be said of the Robert Craft edition of Stravinsky. The label is also quite good with early music (medieval/Renaissance) as well as less-well-known composers from the classical era (Gerald Finzi, John Ireland, Bernhard Henrik Crusell, Franz Krommer, Carl Stamitz, Louis Spohr, etc...) The label is most valuable and at their best, however, as a result of their dedication to recording Modern and Contemporary composers: Penderecki (the Wit recordings are unrivaled), Szymanowski, John Tavener, James MacMillan, Arvo Part, Roy Harris, Howard hanson, Alan Hovhaness, Walter Piston, Elliott Carter, George Crumb, William Bolcolm, John Corrigliano, David Diamond, Ned Rorem, John Harbison, Eric Whitacre, Joseph Schwantner, Kenneth Fuchs, Paul Moravec, Lee Hoiby, Roberto Sienna, Lorenzo Paloma, Augustin barrios, Daniel Catan, Leonardo Balada, Boris Tchaikovsky, Karol Szymanowski, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Einojuhani Rautavaara, and more.

I quite often research composers and recordings before buying. I can and do buy the best recordings available. In spite of this I still have a great many discs by Naxos on my personal "wish list" for the simple reason that Naxos most certainly does not suck.


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## World Violist

Why does this thread even exist? It's just as valid as any major record label! I mean, they have their highs and lows, surely just as many as does Deutsche Grammophon, for goodness' sake. Their Sibelius orchestral recordings (particularly the most recent ones under Pietari Inkinen) are very good at least, the Inkinen series on the way to being just plain great. Its recordings of Arvo Part's music, while not generally as good as the ECM or HM recordings, are still very good. The Szymanowski recordings are very widely acclaimed, as are those of Penderecki, and their series focusing on different cultures (Japan, America, etc) are unparalleled, in scope, vision, and execution.

I just seriously think people unfairly look down on Naxos because it's the "budget label" archetype, wherein you have cheap recordings that sound like it. There are plenty of far worse recordings on several more prominent labels.


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## myaskovsky2002

King Roger? Mahler? Are you sick? you *gonna* get Queer Roger and Malehratus Nosferatus.

OMG a sacrilege...Au secours!

About the videos some are good AND *as expensive as others*!!!!!!!


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## Sid James

myaskovsky2002 said:


> ...About the videos some are good AND *as expensive as others*!!!!!!!


Now you're changing tack(?). Before you were saying Naxos sucks because it's cheap & now you're saying they suck because they're not cheap...


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## Art Rock

World Violist said:


> Why does this thread even exist? It's just as valid as any major record label!


Stupid thread, excellent comment.

I have hundreds of Naxos Cd's that I am perfectly happy with. And not just the obscure composers (and what a treat that at least some label is putting them on CD), but also some excellent big names. Their Haydn string quartet CD's (Kodaly Quartet) are brilliant.

Of course, as with all other labels, it pays to read reviews by established magazines before buying.


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## elgar's ghost

myaskovsky2002;127688 said:


> This is a group of complaints about Naxos!!!!!! :devil:
> 
> I have the complete songs by Tchaikovsky...5 suckable CDS!!!!!!!! I'm buying other versions separetaly.
> 
> Come on, Martin - I'm waiting to hear from you as to why you don't like the Tchaikovsky songs recordings. I was thinking of buying one of them so your critique would be welcome as I can't simply dismiss them because you say they suck.
> 
> Thanks.


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## Delicious Manager

I have a copy of the Korngold _Die tote Stadt_ and have found it perfectly satisfactory - and I'm very fussy. I also have and enjoy the Naxos recording od Debussy's _Pelléas et Mélisande_, which beats many more expensive versions into the proverbially cocked hat.

One has to be discerning in one's purchases and not blindly buy what is cheapest. EVERY label at every price range has its turkeys. Naxos started life over 20 years ago as a label offering cut-price recordings (seldom less than serviceable in my experience) for those on a limited budget. This was in the time before there were as many budget labels as there are now (obviously forced upon other companies by Naxos). One of its first projects was the Dvořák symphonies with Libor Pešek conducting the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. Not available for very long, these inaugural Naxos releases are now highly sought after. For a label with a catalogue as vast as Naxos's, it's unlikely all will be to everyone's taste.

I am a serious collector. I am also a professional in the music business. There is no room on my shelves for sub-standard recordings. I have a great many Naxos CDs, so 'do the math' as some might say. Some of the Naxos recordings which take pride of place on my shelves include:

Barber - Complete orchestral works
Bax - Symphonies
Bliss - _Checkmate_; Colour Symphony (separate CDs)
Buxtehude - Trio Sonatas
Caldara - Christmas Cantata: _Vaticini di pace_
David Diamond - Symphonies (Delos re-releases)
Elgar - Symphonies (including Elgar-Payne 3rd)
Glazunov - _The King of the Jews_
Gubaidulina - _In croce_/_Seven Last Words_ (I agree with head_case)
Haydn - Complete string quartets (Kodály Quartet)
Kraus - Symphonies
Lutosławski - Complete orchestral works
Rawsthorne - Symphonies and other orchestral/chamber music
William Schuman - Symphonies and Violin Concerto
Shostakovich - Symphonies 5 & 9 (this series conducted by Petrenko will become benchmark recordings, mark my words)
Vaughan Williams - Symphony No 4; _Job_ (Separate CDs)

On nearly all Naxos CD from recent years, you will see the same artists recorded by the same engineers and producers in the same venues as other much more expensive CDs, so how can they be inferior? Be careful not to let misguided snobbery enter into your 'judgement'!

I will always be the staunchest advocate for Naxos - long may they prosper!


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## Aramis

> Modern and Contemporary composers: Penderecki (the Wit recordings are unrivaled), *Szymanowski*, John Tavener, James MacMillan, Arvo Part, Roy Harris, Howard hanson, Alan Hovhaness, Walter Piston, Elliott Carter, George Crumb, William Bolcolm, John Corrigliano, David Diamond, Ned Rorem, John Harbison, Eric Whitacre, Joseph Schwantner, Kenneth Fuchs, Paul Moravec, Lee Hoiby, Roberto Sienna, Lorenzo Paloma, Augustin barrios, Daniel Catan, Leonardo Balada, Boris Tchaikovsky, *Karol Szymanowski*, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Einojuhani Rautavaara, and more.


You're cheating.


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## Aramis

> King Roger? Mahler? Are you sick? you gonna get Queer Roger and Malehratus Nosferatus.


Sorry man, but that Roger is best of all avaiable on the market and this recording alone makes Naxos important label.


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## Delicious Manager

I detect here the grinding of an axe FAR larger than the subject of this thread!


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## myaskovsky2002

I'm sorry...This is because I had bad experiences and I wouldn't like these kind people to make the same mistakes. Noxos is not bad when you don't know a composer at all..You can have an idea but as somebody said...you have to buy it again afterwards. Exception: Penderecki's symphonies are well done and in the other hand they are not so great...so...Usually the "use" unknown" musicians and the results are there...But when you don't want to spend too much it is an interesting alternative. Of course the other alternative is: you don't have enough money now? Wait!


Martin PItchon


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## jhar26

myaskovsky2002 said:


> I'm sorry...This is because I had bad experiences and I wouldn't like these kind people to make the same mistakes. Noxos is not bad when you don't know a composer at all..You can have an idea but as somebody said...you have to buy it again afterwards. Exception: Penderecki's symphonies are well done and in the other hand they are not so great...so...Usually the "use" unknown" musicians and the results are there...But when you don't want to spend too much it is an interesting alternative. Of course the other alternative is: you don't have enough money now? Wait!
> 
> Martin PItchon


I've also had bad experiences with Naxos (most of them 20 years ago), but I've had bad experiences with other labels as well - including the expensive ones. I'm sure Naxos STILL puts out some terrible recordings, but they release a lot of excellent stuff as well. You just need to judge each release on it's own merits, just like you would with any other label.


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## myaskovsky2002

Ok. I think this is becoming a bit...heavy. I don't like this thread any more...and I think that I have started it!!!! I'm sorry. I quit.


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## graaf

How is it even possible that so many people responded to such a stupid thread in less than 24 hours? Whoever is behind username myaskovsky2002 (profile wants us to think it's a middle aged men), is lately posting dozens of posts _per day_ (check the profile), most of which are sentence or two of immature remarks, and is generally behaving worse than a teenager (there are a few around here, behaving decently and all). I might be checking forum profiles more than others, but apparently that sometimes serves as an advantage.


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## Guest

I buy recordings based on the quality, not the record label. That being said, certain labels are more highly represented because they tend to have a better track record than others.

Naxos has some very good recordings that take first place in my collection. The Kodaly/Auer Quartets' recording of Mendelssohn's Octet is wonderful, as are the Kodaly Quartet's recordings of Haydn's string quartets. Marin Alsop's recordings of Brahms' symphonies, particularly the 3rd, have gotten good reviews. The same goes for Tintner's Bruckner cycle. I also have two EXCELLENT Haydn recordings on Naxos - Spering's recording of The Creation and Burdick's recording of the Missa Cellensis (although, to be fair, this is a re-release of a Haenssler recording). And finally, Slatkin's recent recording of Rachmaninoff's 2nd Symphony on this label is also very nicely done.

Granted, I have not bought as many Naxos recordings as others (I think HM might be the leader in my collection), but I have had much more disappointing experiences with larger labels like DG and EMI than with Naxos.


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## Edward Elgar

Naxos = Cheap and cheerful

Plus anyone with a university account can access the online library which effectively gives access to every work yet recorded by Naxos.

However, they only seem to use one pianist, Jeno Jando or something. Plus they don't seem to go for the best orchestras.


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## Delicious Manager

Edward Elgar said:


> Naxos = Cheap and cheerful
> 
> Plus anyone with a university account can access the online library which effectively gives access to every work yet recorded by Naxos.
> 
> However, they only seem to use one pianist, Jeno Jando or something. Plus they don't seem to go for the best orchestras.


Some of the Naxos pianists:

Idil Biret
Tatyana Franova
Jenő Jandó
Eldar Nabolsin
Konstantin Scherbakov
Ashley Wass
Oxana Yablonskaya

Some of the orchestras:

From the UK:
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Northern Chamber Orchestra
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

From the USA:
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Seattle Symphony Orchestra
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

From France:
Orchestre national de Lille

From Germany:
SWF Symphony Orchestra
Staatskapelle Weimar

From Hungary:
Hungarian State Opera Orchestra

From Poland:
Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra

From Australia:
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Don't be put-off by some of the less-than-household names - these are FINE orchestras!


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## Chris

graaf said:


> How is it even possible that so many people responded to such a stupid thread in less than 24 hours?


Responding to stupid threads is part of the fun of TalkClassical


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## Guest

Edward Elgar said:


> Naxos = Cheap and cheerful
> 
> Plus anyone with a university account can access the online library which effectively gives access to every work yet recorded by Naxos.
> 
> However, they only seem to use one pianist, Jeno Jando or something. Plus they don't seem to go for the best orchestras.


I haven't listened to much solo piano works on Naxos, so I can't comment on the breadth there, but as for the orchestras, it would probably be more apt to say they don't seem to record orchestras from Vienna, Berlin, New York, or London. They do seem to record a lot of eastern European orchestras, but geography need not define quality in an orchestra. Sure, we might well be suspect of, say, the Botswanan Philharmonic, or the Afghanistan Symphony Orchestra, but the aforementioned cities no longer hold a monopoly on fine orchestras. The BIS label is another that does not typically record these "best" orchestras, and yet is still managing to produce well-regarded recordings - the Vanska/Minnesota recordings of the Beethoven Symphony cycle immediately come to mind.

If it is a matter of having to have only the "best" performers and the "best" orchestras, rather than simply the best recordings, then I suppose the label would matter a great deal. I doubt we will see Pollini, or Rattle, or the Berlin Philharmonic (except for historic recordings), or any other of the "big" contemporary names on Naxos. And I admit I like a lot of these big names. But what interests me more is the quality of the performance and of the recording.

By not using the "best" whatevers, Naxos doesn't have as large of costs. And they have also provided a huge service in offering the online access to universities that both increases their exposure and allows students easy access to a broad range of classical music. In a lot of ways, it isn't unlike the huge shift in the auto industry in the late 70's and early 80's. The big Detroit automakers thought they could continue on with their sheer mass and momentum, and "American-made" nostalgia and they would remain at the top of the heap. Why innovate and create those cheaper, more fuel-efficient cars? Then in comes those upstart Japanese companies offering smaller cars with better fuel economy. They were "second-rate," but because they were second, they tried harder. And now what are the preferred cars? Most Americans know that buying a Toyota or a Honda will mean buying a quality car that will retain its value longer than a Ford or Chevy. And again, when the next step in fuel economy was wanted, Honda and Toyota got hybrid cars on the market much quicker than Detroit. The same can be said for Hyundai. Used to be the "cheap" Asian import, now it is quickly becoming one of the preferred car brands in the U.S. Pedigree in a company, whether it be a car company, or a recording company, means nothing going forward. The true value in a car is not the hood ornament, but what is under the hood. The true value of a classical music recording is not in the record label or the name of the performers, but in the quality of the music.


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## myaskovsky2002

Jeno Jando...the only guy who accepts a low salary and works 90 hours a week for them (it is a joke), quantity instead of quality...

LOL

Martin


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## Head_case

Well I think you're probably onto something about the general (very general public that is) mixed bag experience of Naxos. 

I remember the AWFUL Borodin String Quartets which I got from Naxos. This was my first Naxos CD, after hearing the actual Borodin String Quartet versions on EMI (subsequently re-released). The Naxos versions were truly awful. Awful playing; awful dynamics; misjudged tempos; poor echoey sound engineering and just truly AWFUL. I wouldn't even play this kind of music to deter teenagers from loitering around street corners. 

If you happened to be in HMV and were just browsing the Naxos range and picked a CD without research ... I guess you might end up with more misses than hits. As it is, these days, classical music and the internet go hand in hand. Researching a CD is generally easy prior to buying. 

It is true though, that for instance - some labels (like Timpani; Auvidis Astree; and indie labels like Aulos) have a consistently high integrity when it comes to producing CDs of recordings. Naxos is very very big - there's going to be some lemons! Anything involving that horrible echoey Budapest venue they used to rely on, should be avoided until proven otherwise....!


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## elgar's ghost

myaskovsky2002 said:


> Jeno Jando...the only guy who accepts a low salary and works 90 hours a week for them (it is a joke), quantity instead of quality...
> 
> LOLMartin


Martin! Three times I've asked you to kindly point out what's wrong with the Naxos discs of Tchaikovsky's songs which you complained about on your first post. Three times I've now been denied (now where have I heard that before?). Can you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE answer my bloody question!

Thank you!


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## myaskovsky2002

yes I can.

http://www.amazon.com/Tchaikovsky-C...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1292365450&sr=1-1

Kazarnovskaya is really bad and just known by her kins.

Bartok's Jeno...J sucks horribly...The Allegro Barbaro seems a waltz.

Opera Die tote Stadt (Korngold) sounds awful
http://www.amazon.com/Korngold-tote...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1292365617&sr=1-1

I had to buy another version

Opera Der ferne Klang...I didn't like it when I bought Naxos version...http://www.amazon.com/Franz-Schreke...=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1292365684&sr=1-4

I bought another version and it is much better.

a big etc...

Buy cheap buy twice.

I hope this answers your question...I am mad because I don't like buying twice...I bought some Grieg because it was inexpensive and I don't mind...Glazunov is quite correct. Marco Polo is much better but...as you may know...more expensive.

Be realistic...when you are paying less you are paying a different kind of artist...You get for what you pay...here and in China!

Martin


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## Sid James

Just because you don't like Jeno Jando or the recording of the Korngold opera doesn't mean that they are below a certain standard. It just means that you don't like them, that's it. In other threads, you didn't come across as such a bitter person...


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## myaskovsky2002

I'm sorry...in the record industry you have what we call the reference version and after buying Naxos I finally bought the reference version (example: Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen reference are 3:
Furtwangler (1953)
Solti (1960)
Karl Böhm (?)

other can be good but we always compare to one of these...

And when the version you have is very different we agree to say that is not a good version.

I think that I made a mistake creating this site...People here are too stubborn...I think I will quit.
You are right, I am wrong

Naxos is the very best, you are stupid if you pay more...They should close Deutsche Grammophon, their prices are too high for nothing...I don't understand why Pavarotti never sung for Naxos or why the best conductors (ex.: Mutti) never conducted for Naxos...But anyhow Naxos is Gooood when you cannot appreciate music why paying more! Cheap is wonderful!
People who like Naxos like another quality of music than me. 

That's excellent!

Naxos can survive because they are people like you...That's fantastic...
I know people buying almost everything in the dollar-store! Why not!

Martin, tired of fighting


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## StlukesguildOhio

I'm sorry...in the record industry you have what we call the reference version and after buying Naxos I finally bought the reference version (example: Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen reference are 3:
Furtwangler (1953)
Solti (1960)
Karl Böhm (?)

other can be good but we always compare to one of these...

Sometimes this is true. Sometimes there is a single recording of a work (ie. Kleiber's Beethoven 5th) against which all others are compared. In other instances there are numerous quality recordings of a work, each bringing a unique vision of the piece. For example, what is the "reference" version of Bach's Well Tempered Clavier? I have 6 or 7 versions and 3 or 4 more that I have still to get. I can't say that anyone of them is the "reference version". Neither will I underestimate the fact that personal tastes vary. You assume your is infallible, yet looking at your collection of endless recordings of Bartok and Mayakovsky and a comparatively scant collection of Bach, I might question your taste.

People here are too stubborn...I think I will quit.

Or perhaps people here have their own opinions based upon their own experiences.... with Naxos and with other labels.

Naxos is the very best, you are stupid if you pay more...They should close Deutsche Grammophon, their prices are too high for nothing...I don't understand why Pavarotti never sung for Naxos or why the best conductors (ex.: Mutti) never conducted for Naxos...But anyhow Naxos is Gooood when you cannot appreciate music why paying more! Cheap is wonderful!

Again, you ignore what others have been saying. I have a wealth of DG, EMI, Hyperion, Harmonia Mundi, Sony, Decca, Hannsler, Archiv, Zig-Zag Territories, Glossa, etc... and I still purchase a good many discs on Naxos when I believe they offer the best version of a given work, or something quite good and unique that I cannot get elsewhere.

People who like Naxos like another quality of music than me. That's excellent!

Talk about a superiority complex! Have you listened to all the various Naxos recordings others have recommended? At least 3 or 4 people mentioned the Kodaly Quartet recordings of Haydn's quartets... which are the best I have come upon... and yes I have heard the far more expensive versions by the Takacs Quartet, the Emersons, and the Lindsays (I even own a few). The Kodaly recordings are considered by a great many to be THE reference standard. The same might be said of Wit's recordings of Lutoslawski and Penderecki or the Robert Kraft edition of Stravinsky's ballets. Handel's 1751 version of the _Messiah_ with the Academy of Ancient Music is quite good (and yes I have several far more expensive versions) and offers a unique take upon a well-known piece that has been acclaimed by a great many aficionados of HIP performances of Baroque music. The Naxos recording of Canteloube's Chants d'Avergne performed by the exquisite Véronique Gens with L'Orchestre National de Lille is a worthy alternative to the versions by Kiri Te Kanawa and Frederica von Stade.

Naxos can survive because they are people like you...That's fantastic... I know people buying almost everything in the dollar-store! Why not!


Yes... it will. While the labels cranking out overpriced recordings of every last second-rate minor piece by second-tier composers like Arensky, Balakirev, Glazounov, Wellesz, Rubinstein, etc... will do all the better thanks to the likes of yourself, no doubt.


----------



## Guest

myaskovsky2002 said:


> I'm sorry...in the record industry you have what we call the reference version and after buying Naxos I finally bought the reference version (example: Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen reference are 3:
> Furtwangler (1953)
> Solti (1960)
> Karl Böhm (?)
> 
> other can be good but we always compare to one of these...
> 
> And when the version you have is very different we agree to say that is not a good version.
> 
> I think that I made a mistake creating this site...People here are too stubborn...I think I will quit.
> You are right, I am wrong
> 
> Naxos is the very best, you are stupid if you pay more...They should close Deutsche Grammophon, their prices are too high for nothing...I don't understand why Pavarotti never sung for Naxos or why the best conductors (ex.: Mutti) never conducted for Naxos...But anyhow Naxos is Gooood when you cannot appreciate music why paying more! Cheap is wonderful!
> People who like Naxos like another quality of music than me.
> 
> That's excellent!
> 
> Naxos can survive because they are people like you...That's fantastic...
> I know people buying almost everything in the dollar-store! Why not!
> 
> Martin, tired of fighting


You are creating a false dichotomy here. Nobody has said that Naxos is THE superior label, that it far exceeds any of the other older, more established labels with bigger names. We are answering your question - no, Naxos doesn't really suck. Yes, there are some poor recordings on the Naxos label - maybe even more than on other labels. But there are also very good recordings on the Naxos label. Those of us speaking up in defense of Naxos do not own exclusively recordings from Naxos. I have many, many different labels in my collection. Naxos is a small minority. But those that I do have are really quite good. It isn't an either or - either Naxos sucks or it is the best out there. Only you have made such a statement. The only thing we are arguing is to not denigrate the entire output of a label based on poor experiences with some recordings - give credit where credit is due. When they put out a crappy recording, declare so. When they put out a fine, even a reference, recording, do likewise.

Is it really so horrible to you and a sign that we are all stubborn that we don't agree with your original assertion that Naxos sucks? You say it sucks, many of us have countered saying that, no, it doesn't suck, and there are actually multiple very good recordings from Naxos.


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## Chris

One more vote here for the Kodaly Quartet's Haydn series. One of Naxos' supreme bargains.

For a budget label I doubt anyone will sniff at try Hyperion Helios. Only a limited number of titles available but I'm delighted with every one I've bought.


----------



## myaskovsky2002

Martin died....today...he won't speak anymore...you won.

LOL


----------



## myaskovsky2002

http://s359.photobucket.com/upload/albums/myaskovsky2002/


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## Romantic Geek

Alright, Jeno Jando isn't the greatest pianist ever...however, most of his recordings are decent. Palatable. I wouldn't _not_ listen to Jeno Jando. Definitely not my first choice.

However, anyone who slams on Naxos as a whole does not realize their incredible library of American works and how, at least in my opinion, their label offers the most superior version to those composers. It's tough to find better recordings of Ives' Complete Songs, or MacDowell's Piano Works, or Ned Rorem pieces, or John Adams "folk operas" or whatever. The American Classics subsection of Naxos is an *INCREDIBLE* collection of works and they cannot be overlooked.

And it's hard to argue against that when the price is right too!


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## myaskovsky2002

> Ives' Complete Songs, or MacDowell's Piano Works, or Ned Rorem pieces, or John Adams "folk operas" or whatever. The American Classics subsection of Naxos is an INCREDIBLE collection of works and they cannot be overlooked.


I'm sorry I'm not interested in these wonderful composers!

Myasko


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## Almaviva

Ravellian said:


> I have access to the Naxos music library online through my university. Naxos is pretty good for getting to know works you haven't heard before, or for finding more obscure works. It generally doesn't have the best recordings available for the most well-known works, and us U.S. customers do not get access to the 'historical' reordings (which is very annoying). It works less well for operas, since it has to load between every track (frequently interrupting the singing...)
> 
> And they actually don't have the best Tristan available (Bohm/Nilsson/Windgassen).


I have it as well. They also have more than 500 opera DVDs, and these load well and play most of the time with no freezes. It is true that they don't have the best performances, but they do have some decent ones that I've enjoyed (especially because it's for free).


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## Romantic Geek

myaskovsky2002 said:


> I'm sorry I'm not interested in these wonderful composers!
> 
> Myasko


You're missing out on a hell of a lot of good music.

And if you're making your opinion on Naxos without including these recordings, then you're clearly not able to judge Naxos for what it brings to the table.


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## Ralfy

They have a catalog (in PDF) in their website which includes _Penguin Guide_ ratings and awards for various works. One can probably choose based on such.


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## superhorn

Naxos doesn't suck any more than any other classical record label. I have yet to hear a genuinely bad release by them and many that were quite good,even excellent. 
It started out in the late 80s as a small beer classical budget label which recorded less than world famous orchestras such as the Slovak Radio orchestra,the Polish National Radio orchestra and the Slovak Philharmonic under not particularly well-known but good conductors as Antoni Wit,Stephen Ginzenhausen, Michael Halasz ,Ondrej Lenard etc, and eventually became so solidly established that it was able to get prominent names such as leonard Slatkin,Gerard Schwarz and Marin Alsop, and the London symphony and London Philharmonic.
Naxos has also recorded some instrumentalists who are not as famous as Perlman,Mutter, 
Yo Yo Ma, Lang Lang, and Alfred brendel, but are still excellent,such as Hungarian pianist Jeno Jando,Turkish pianist Idil Biret, violinist Ilya Kaler,cellist Maria Kliegel and others. 
It also has an amazingly wide variety of repertoire,ranging from Medieval and Renaissance music to contemporary works, and an enormous number of interesting obscure works by just about any lesser-known composer you could think of.
Classical CD collectors who are budget-conscious could do far worse than Naxos,and many of their releases would be worth getting even at full price.


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## myaskovsky2002

*My bad!*

Being a bit broke, I bought 4 Naxos CDs. I was surprised how they have improved.

My bad!

Martin, happy


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## HarpsichordConcerto

myaskovsky2002 said:


> Being a bit broke, I bought 4 Naxos CDs. I was surprised how they have improved.
> 
> My bad!
> 
> Martin, happy


Which Naxos CDs did you buy?


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## myaskovsky2002

*ok*

Leo Ornstein (1892-2002) see the thread the oldes composer...: Piano sonatas 4 and 7
Taneyev: Overtures from Oresteia, Adagio, Cantata Pushkin
Lyapunov: Violin concert - symphony # 1
Franz Schmidt: Symphony # 1 - Variations on a Hussang's song

3 CDs for 20 Can$ 1 US$ = 1.0015 $Canadian
The Leo Ornstein I've got it via Internet: 6$ CAN including shipping

Martin


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## myaskovsky2002

no! Schmidt symphonhy no. 4....I'm sorry

Martin


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## RBrittain

On a whole, Naxos does not suck, no. Some great CDs I've bought from Naxos:

*Wagner: The Ring (Orchestral Highlights)* (Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra)

*Sibelius: Finlandia, Karelia Suite and Lemminkainen Suite* (Iceland Symphony Orchestra)

*J.S. Bach: The Great Organ Works* (Wolfgang Ruebsam)

*Orff: Carmina Burana* (Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra)

_*The Best of Baroque Music*_ (Various)

They are all great CDs which I have listened to numerous times and enjoyed more than some CDs which were 5 times the price. I also have a few rather average Naxos CDs, but on a whole I would say that they are actually quite skilled at picking the right orchestra for certain performances.


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## Aramis

I can think of experiment that will reveal to us if naxos sucks or not. I will perform it now.

Wait a second.

<takes naxos cd back out of his pants>

No, it didn't suck.


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## RBrittain

Aramis said:


> Naxos doesn't suck, it just has two kind of releases:
> 
> 1) Average recordings of works often recorded by most famous performers
> 
> 2) Very good recordings of more obscure works which are less represented and were not recorded by musicians with huge names
> 
> Naxos is label you should rather avoid when you want to buy some Beethoven but which you can trust if you're looking for works of XIX-th century Hungarian author of string quartets that noone heard about.


Also, this (though they also have very good recordings of big works, recorded by obscurer orchestras).

I trust Naxos more than I trust the big companies. I think they really know their stuff. The artwork on their CD covers also tends to be excellent, and it all suggests to me that they are company of artistic people who love great music.


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## myaskovsky2002

*Extremes*



PHP:


I trust Naxos more than I trust the big companies. I think they really know their stuff. The artwork on their CD covers also tends to be excellent, and it all suggests to me that they are company of artistic people who love great music.

You are going too too far. What about Deutsche Grammophon?

Often they don't know their Stuff. Many recordings are awful.

Die tote stat (Korngold) is a clear example
Die Ferne Klang (Schreker) is another one.

Martin


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## Barking Spiderz

I use the Gramaphone and Penguin guides a lot and have gone with quite a few of their Naxos recommendations and I have no complaints
Wit's Alpine Symphony and Ma Vlast are first rate as are Sakari's Sibelius tone poems. There are those who dont rate his Sibelius symphonies as good. I'm not a fan of Sib's symphonies and that's after hearing both the Vanska and Ashkenazy cycles so I cant comment.
Schmidt's symphonies by the Malmo SO and Schonwandt's Nielsen cycle are also excellent


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## myaskovsky2002

My Alpine symphony is conducted by Herbert von Karajan....No other conducted this better than him, the guy loves R. Strauss and probably they share some _political conviction_...No more comments. Deutsche Grammophon BTW.

Martin


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## superhorn

But DG CDs are a lot more expensive than Naxos,as least the full-priced ones.
DG has very high standards.I can't remember a single release of theirs which "sucked".
Maybe some of their complete opera recordings didn't have perfect casting,
but sucking is not a DG characteristic at all.


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## myaskovsky2002

*what is DG?*

What is DG?

Is not Marco Polo, is it?

Martin


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## HarpsichordConcerto

myaskovsky2002 said:


> What is DG?
> 
> Is not Marco Polo, is it?
> 
> Martin


Deutsche Grammaphon (including DG Archiv Produktion, their early music label).


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## myaskovsky2002

*stupid Martin*



> Deutsche Grammaphon (including DG Archiv Produktion, their early music label).


Stupid question!

Martin


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## Romantic Geek

DG is definitely a great label. If anything, buying used CDs can net you some great recordings. I bought used copies of DG Tchaik 6 symphonies and Beethoven's complete symphonies. What excellent recordings.

I do think that Naxos gets a lot right though. Just have to pick and choose the CDs carefully. Nice thing is that I can give them a test run on their website before I purchase it!


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## myaskovsky2002

*Naxos is nice!*

When you're adventurous! and sometimes when you are not very demanding...Sometimes you get lucky!!!!! Bingo! (When Naxos could convince an excellent musician to play free for them...Not often)....or when they go to countries with some difficulties (ofteh Russia, Alas). 100 Rubles for a concerto! Accepted!

Martin


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## Barking Spiderz

Like what they've done with the Maerkl/Lyon SO recordings of Debusssy's orchestral works. CDs 1-3 cover familiar ground and are probably not essential but 4 and particularly 5 contain his more obscure works. Recommended for any Debussy fan.


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## Ralfy

You can also visit the Naxos website which has a catalog in PDF linked in the right sidebar. They've included various awards and ratings (from _Penguin Guide_) for each work.


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## Romantic Geek

It's seemingly easy to forget that Naxos as a label has recently won Grammy awards and been nominated for a few. 3 years ago now, Corigliano won for his Bob Dylan Songs for best contemporary composition.

And for this year's Grammys - Daugherty's Metropolis Symphony won which is Naxos for best contemporary composition AND best orchestral performance. Naxos also got wins in Best Instrumental Performance for Soloist (without orchestra) [Messiaen: Livre Du Saint-Sacrement - Paul Jacobs] and Best Chamber Performance [Ligeti: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2 - Parker Quartet]

Not a bad year for the Naxos label. And the Grammy classical section is usually spot on, because most of the people who vote for the classical stuff only know the classical stuff. My composition teacher was describing me the process (I believe he has a vote) that you're only allowed to vote for 2 (or some really small number) categories - thus almost eliminating any possible tainting by voters who actually don't care about classical.

Anyway - does Naxos suck - probably not


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## Delicious Manager

What DOES suck is the Naxos website. No matter what browser I use, pages can take up to 30 seconds to load. I have written to the webmasters twice now and not even an acknowledgment has been received back. It actually discourages me from using the site at all. Do other people have this problem?

The excellent Naxos Direct site for buying Naxos and Naxos-distributed CDs (keep an eye out for their special offers) was fine until about a week or so ago, when it too fell foul of the loading problem. Strewth!


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## elgar's ghost

Delicious Manager;143142 said:


> What DOES suck is the Naxos website. No matter what browser I use, pages can take up to 30 seconds to load. I have written to the webmasters twice now and not even an acknowledgment has been received back. It actually discourages me from using the site at all. Do other people have this problem?
> 
> The excellent Naxos Direct site for buying Naxos and Naxos-distributed CDs (keep an eye out for their special offers) was fine until about a week or so ago, when it too fell foul of the loading problem. Strewth!


Yes - the pages I'm interested in take ages to load and more often than not I get timed out or am greeted with a blank page. I've had particular hassle with their texts/translations facility.


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## Ralfy

It loads very quickly for me (I use Maxthon 3). You can probably ask your ISP for advice. Solutions might range for updates to browsers or various software (such as flash and java) to better browsers to tweaks in proxy and DNS servers.


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## Delicious Manager

I'm on a Mac and, as far as I know, Maxthon only supports Windows.

I have tried Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Opera and Omniweb. They all behave exactly the same - the Naxos homepage loads OK, but then any further pages take an age to load or just time out.

I found the same on my old PC on a variety of browsers, so I can't blame Apple for this.

It's SO frustrating!


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## Ralfy

Do you use the same ISP, or the same router, modem, etc., with the Mac and PC? If one of the machines is a notebook, have you tried using it in, say, an establishment with wi-fi to visit the Naxos site?


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## Delicious Manager

Yes the router (BT Homehub if that means anything) and ISP (btinternet) are the same. I haven't tried with a remote wi-fi source (a good idea!). I am not a fan of BT (the opposite, in fact) but don't have much choice in the area where I live. Strange to report, however, that I don't have such problems with any other sites. AND many other people have problems with the Naxos site.


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## Chris

I am sure the fault is with the Naxos site and not anybody's equipment. I have just been in the site now and it has taken 2 to 3 minutes just to reload a page via the back button.


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## Romantic Geek

Chris said:


> I am sure the fault is with the Naxos site and not anybody's equipment. I have just been in the site now and it has taken 2 to 3 minutes just to reload a page via the back button.


I think it depends on the time of day. I was having a real hard time navigating it around 12-1AM EST - but during the normal part of the day 9AM-4PM EST, pages load in a few seconds.


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## jdavid

*Off subject question on comment in Does Naxos Suck topic.*

Off subject question about a comment you made on DOES NAXOS SUCK? topic.

Do you care for the Leinsdorf, Kollo, Nesblett 'Die Tote Stadt'?


----------



## Sid James

^^*I agree with you guys above re the long time pages on the Naxos site take to load*. It's horrible. Sometimes it never happens, I can't access what I want. It must surely be a vast site - I think they're the biggest classical label in terms of the number of releases - maybe their database was designed for when they were smaller & they've grown since then but not changed their db system? That's what it kind of looks like to me, anyway...


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## hespdelk

Naxos is a mixed bag, but its the nature of a budget label. When they first began their goal was to put out low cost alternatives for standard repertory - this effort was for the most part less successful as the competition was pretty steep.

They have since branched out and fill some important niches.

For example...
The Penderecki symphony series is valuable and well done.
Some of the early music recordings by specialist groups are wonderful.
Recent series of symphonies by Casella and Martucci by the Orchestra sinfonica di Roma have been a great addition.

Closer to standard rep, Georg Tintner's Bruckner series is very interesting, though his orchestras have trouble competing with the sheer sonic splendour we might be used to from the likes of the VPO, BPO or Concertegebouw in these works.

For rarities sometimes there is no alternative. Take the Malipiero symphony series first done for Marco Polo now reissued on Naxos - the performances are not very polished for the most part... but its the only option out there, and unlikely that anyone else will record these works for quite some time.

I certainly wouldn't bother much with the old Naxos traversals of Beethoven aand Brahms though..  :lol:


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## presto

Sebastien Melmoth said:


> Naxos has greatly improved over the years. It is quite respectable now.
> A few years ago its 'luxury line' was Marco Polo which somtimes carried some rather rare stuff.
> 
> *¡Viva Naxos!*


Naxos just gets better and better!
When it was first launched I didn't take it seriously and treated it as just another cheap and cheerful budget label……I don't any more! 
I now have hundreds of their CD's and many of them are right at the top of my favourite list.


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## TresPicos

Pretty much all my Naxos CDs do not suck.


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## Vesteralen

Naxos CDs I return to over and over include:

Alwyn Symphonies and Concerti
Arnold Symphonies
Barber Orchestral Music (Alsop)

For other English music, Chandos is often my label of choice, though they can be expensive. Examples - Bax, Elgar.

But, I also like Naxos for those rarities, like Meredith Willson's Symphonies.

I wish the Hanson symphony set hadn't come to a halt. I needed an alternative to the Seattle Symphony set, and Naxos' Symphony No 1 was clearly superior.


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## Polednice

They have _the_ very best recording of Tchaikovsky's _Manfred_ Symphony with Vasily Petrenko. I may have said this many times before.


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## Tapkaara

Naxos is my favorite label.


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## Chrythes

What do you think about Naxos Beethoven's SQ recordings?
They are the only ones i heard, and i really enjoyed them. But now i am wondering if it might be due my lack of experience with other recordings.


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## Guest

If you like them, who cares?

I just picked up a new recording on Naxos of Mozart's Divertimento, K. 562, I believe. Wonderful. Naxos is a great company.


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## Tapkaara

I find that people who talk crap about Naxos usually fall into two catagories;

1. Those who bought some of their early recordings in the late 1980s or early 1990s and were turned off by what they heard and never bought another disc.

2. Those who never really ever heard many of their recordings and simply dismissed them because they are a "budget" label and base their feelings on the opinions they have heard of people who fall into the first catagory.

The truth is: those who automatically and decisively dismiss Naxos don't know what the hell they are talking about.

Were their early forays into the major repertoire truly competitive with other recordings on the market? No. In terms of performance and sound, I don not think there was ever the intention to be a serious competitor against, say, DG, but the purpose was to get music out there to people who wanted to explore but did not want to spend a lot to do it.

The business model seemed to work as their discs did sell and the adventuresome CEO of Naxos, Klaus Heymann, decided to use some of this captial to record really obscure reportoire. Keeping the budget price in place, music lovers could spend limited amounts of cash to hear rarely recorded music, and this business model seemed to work, too. Nowadays, in terms of sales, Naxos is, I believe, the world's biggest label. And with the amounts of money they make, they have been able to recruit bigger and bigger name talent to their label and really compete. Talk about "slow and steady winning the race!"

But to echo some other comments in here, all labels, Naxos included, produce duds. To judge an entire catalogue of recordings based on only a few recordings is not fair, and, in the case of Naxos, really reveals a lack of knowledge about the label. 

And with the amounts of awards Naxos wins every year, including Grammys, one has to wonder what hole some of the Naxos-bashers have their heads up.


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## myaskovsky2002

Tapkaara said:


> Naxos is my favorite label.


I wouldn't say that, but when I started this thread (before being banned twice...LOL) the quality wasn't the same, I agree they have improved a lot, a lot.

Martin, reasonable


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## Polednice

myaskovsky2002 said:


> I wouldn't say that, but when I started this thread (before being banned twice...LOL) the quality wasn't the same, I agree they have improved a lot, a lot.
> 
> Martin, reasonable


I think they've been top notch for a while longer than December 2010...


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## myaskovsky2002

Polednice said:


> I think they've been top notch for a while longer than December 2010...


I had some bad experiences...and I wasn't happy...I think this is normal. I had to buy again 3 Schreker's operas...Like my son says, buy cheap, buy twice.

Martin


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## Sid James

Another great series by Naxos is their *guitar laureate series *which I'm just getting into, having found a passion for this instrument. They also have some excellent recordings of guitar music in general, a lot of it not run of the mill stuff. I just got a great disc of Australian guitar music played by one of our own young guitarists, and the label is Naxos, not an Aussie one! It's great, talk about bringing coals to Newcastle!...


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## myaskovsky2002

Sid James said:


> Another great series by Naxos is their *guitar laureate series *which I'm just getting into, having found a passion for this instrument. They also have some excellent recordings of guitar music in general, a lot of it not run of the mill stuff. I just got a great disc of Australian guitar music played by one of our own young guitarists, and the label is Naxos, not an Aussie one! It's great, talk about bringing coals to Newcastle!...


Martin, WAB PhD in music (WAB= wanna be. LOL)


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## Vaneyes

There's something for everybody! heh heh 

There was a comment about Naxos bashers. Over the years, I think most of us have experienced the intensities of label defenders. In my experience, none were more vocal than the Naxoi or Naxonians (as I vaguely recall some referring to themselves as).

I used to enjoy teasing them and their product, and the personal attacks I received in return were unrelenting. Fair game, but they were serious, I wasn't.

I think the label has advanced admirably in most aspects. I don't have many (25, mostly in the modern end of my collection), but what I do have, I value.

Someone mentioned Naxos awards. IIRC the first serious one was a Gramophone, for Ralph Vaughan Williams Phantasy Quintet, SQs 1 & 2, Maggini Qt. (Published 2001).


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## kv466

Come on, now...the only thing that really sucks about Naxos is the cover art!! 


And, well, yeah...at least half of their recordings. JJ's not bad at all! Every bit as good as Dubravka Tomsic!


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## myaskovsky2002

kv466 said:


> Come on, now...the only thing that really sucks about Naxos is the cover art!!
> 
> And, well, yeah...at least half of their recordings JJ's okay, though, like Luke said.


Polovtsian dances? C'mon! This is the kind of music for people that cannot stand opera. The real and whole opera is Prince Igor. This music became one of the light classics...They should open a thread for Light classics. Here, in Montreal we have a radio for that...It's just the more known works in the world...The best sellers I can compare to the damn Danielle Steel...Literature for analphabets, music for analphamusic people.

Martin


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## presto

I think Naxos is at it’s best away from the standard repertory, it’s great you can afford to take a risk.
I purchased one of their Kraus symphonies CD’s out of curiosity, It was so good I ended up getting the complete cycle!


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## ChamberNut

I think today Naxos *is* really great. I think the days are long gone of Naxos' reputation as a cheap/low budget label, with mediocre recordings at best.

I think that might have been the case 10 or 15 years ago, but it hasn't been the case for quite some time, IMHO.

Just some of the many examples of excellent recordings I find that are on Naxos:

*Petrenko/RLPO's recordings (still on going) of Shostakovich's symphonies cycle. All top notch (except for the 5th).

*Antoni Wit/Warsaw Philharmonic recordings of Penderecki's music

*Shostakovich's string quartets - Eder Quartet

*Haydn's string quartets - Kodaly Quartet

*Basically any English composer chamber music recorded by the Maggini Quartet

*Fine Arts Quartet's recordings of Schumann's string quartets

*Carpe Diem String Quartet (ongoing) recordings of Taneyev's string quartets

*Sanderling/Novosibirsk Academic Symphony Orchestra's recordings of Taneyev's orchestral music.


----------



## Tapkaara

kv466 said:


> Come on, now...the only thing that really sucks about Naxos is the cover art!!
> 
> And, well, yeah...at least half of their recordings. JJ's not bad at all! Every bit as good as Dubravka Tomsic!


The Naxos cover art started out as very plain and utilitarian with a random classic painting on the cover. For the most part, it's the same today, though I feel they do seek art that has some stylistic or thematic connection to the music. It's one of those things, I think, that became so much a part of the product that it's actually gone on to be somewhat iconic in and of itself. I am actually very fond of Naxos's packaging and I applaud te company for stiking to it. May not be everyone's favorite, but again, it's so much a part of what Naxos is, I'd hate to see it replaced with something along the lines of a DG cover.


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## chalkpie

The Ives recordings on Naxos are generally good-to-stellar. The Turangalila/Wit is also outstanding, and so is the Mahler 8/Wit. The Lutoslawski editions seem great to these ears as well.


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## myaskovsky2002

The New R-K DVD I bough is by Naxos! Naxos is making incredible things.










Martin


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## HarpsichordConcerto

myaskovsky2002 said:


> The New R-K DVD I bough is by Naxos! Naxos is making incredible things.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Martin


Yes, Martin. I noticed that too. I will definitely get it at some stage.


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## myaskovsky2002

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> Yes, Martin. I noticed that too. I will definitely get it at some stage.


Don't buy this sh....!!!!! There is a big problem with synchronisation...The images don't follow the voices not the mouths!

Martin


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## bigshot

I've never found any record label to be uniformly good or uniformly bad. You have to pick a piece and find the best recording on a case by case basis. I have quite a few Naxos recordings of fairly common pieces and they're excellent.


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## presto

An Naxos Issue I cherish is Elgar’s reconstructed third Symphony. (Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Paul Daniel)
It’s in every way it’s a top quality product.


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## myaskovsky2002

I'm wondering if anybody has read my comment. The R-K DVD: The invisible city of Kitezh works so badly (the image and the voices go in different directions!) that I had to ask for a refund....The company (CD Universe) is going to send me another copy (this makes no sense). Naxos...again...Naxos again....

Martin, disappointed


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## Klavierspieler

Martin, you're back! Yay!  :clap:


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## HarpsichordConcerto

myaskovsky2002 said:


> Don't buy this sh....!!!!! There is a big problem with synchronisation...The images don't follow the voices not the mouths!
> 
> Martin


Thanks. Probably a product recall. I would avoid it for another year.

Did you get a refund? Write to Naxos. I'm sure they would refund you, and maybe compensate you further for being a loyal fan that you are!


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## Guest

I do appreciate that they are willing to record obscure pieces/composers that major labels won't. And, as a guitarist, I greatly appreciate their guitar series.


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## Juan

Naxos is a good label. In standard repertoire, you can probably find better versions on DG, of EMI. But if you look for non standard repertoire, Naxos is probably the only way to go. This huge effort made by Naxos to record almost anything should be greatly valorated, in my opinion.


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## Crudblud

Statement: Antoni Wit.

Conclusion: Naxos cannot possibly suck.


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## myaskovsky2002

Crudblud said:


> Statement: Antoni Wit.
> 
> Conclusion: Naxos cannot possibly suck.


?????

Martin, puzzled


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## Vaneyes

I was thinking Pacifica Quartet might be signed to an exclusive Naxos contract.:lol:


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## tgtr0660

Naxos doesn't suck. With time, one learns which conductors, orchestras and pairings of these with composers work, and which don't. Even famous, often-recorded works can get fantastic versions (Shostakovich - Petrenko; Bruckner - Tintner; Rimsky-Korsakov - Schwarz) but also sometimes they just seem to record every composer that ever lived and of course there are a lot of borefests in their catalogue... Just research and buy with confidence. Naxos is a great alternative to the mostly-decadent major labels in many occasions, just like other great labels, still active or deceased, are or were (Telarc, Chandos, Helios, etc). EMI, Decca, DG, Philips, Sony, they are complacent with releasing the same works over and over again and, even worse so, they emphasize their artists instead of the composers. That's not much to my liking. They were great and still release some great music but the distance with other labels has been reduced, if not turned upside down.


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## myaskovsky2002

tgtr0660 said:


> Naxos doesn't suck. With time, one learns which conductors, orchestras and pairings of these with composers work, and which don't. Even famous, often-recorded works can get fantastic versions (Shostakovich - Petrenko; Bruckner - Tintner; Rimsky-Korsakov - Schwarz) but also sometimes they just seem to record every composer that ever lived and of course there are a lot of borefests in their catalogue... Just research and buy with confidence. Naxos is a great alternative to the mostly-decadent major labels in many occasions, just like other great labels, still active or deceased, are or were (Telarc, Chandos, Helios, etc). EMI, Decca, DG, Philips, Sony, they are complacent with releasing the same works over and over again and, even worse so, they emphasize their artists instead of the composers. That's not much to my liking. They were great and still release some great music but the distance with other labels has been reduced, if not turned upside down.


I am not sure. I don't agree. Period.

Martin, skeptical


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## Manok

Hmm, Most cds I have purchased via naxos are adequate and some are the only recorded versions I can find of said music. That doesn't mean there aren't failures, I just haven't run across any.


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## moody

Naxos is really only important because of its historical list, these are all reissues from the big labels and a great bargain.
But on their normal lists I see no point in going to them for mainstream composers . You have one or two wonders like Idil Biret , but when you compare price and excellence with the below where you can buy famous label artists---why bother ?

Australian Eloquence £6.75. Brilliant Classics £4.99. Classics For Pleasure £5.75. EMI Encore £5.50. Decca Virtuoso £5.99. Naxos £5.75. etc.etc.


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## myaskovsky2002

About Schreker...I can say that their versions weren't great, I had to buy better version when I realised I liked very much those operas.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...ywords=ferne+klang&sprefix=ferne+,popular,216

Even Marco Polo is often weak:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...zeichneten&rh=n:5174,k:die+gezeichneten&ajr=0

and as you may know, Marco Polo's prices are like any other label

Martin


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## tgtr0660

The thread is too long to read it all now but really, Naxos sucks just as much as any other label can suck: if the orchestra sucks and the conductor sucks, or if the recording sucks. Naxos is an excellent label and not everything that comes out of EMI's, Decca's and DG's long-bastardized womb is good.... Who can deny Petrenko's Shostakovich cycle or Tintner's Bruckner one on Naxos? Pre-judging a recording based on a label can lead to one missing outstanding musical discoveries... Not every good record has to have the Berlin Philharmonic or the London Symphony on it, really.


----------



## moody

tgtr0660 said:


> The thread is too long to read it all now but really, Naxos sucks just as much as any other label can suck: if the orchestra sucks and the conductor sucks, or if the recording sucks. Naxos is an excellent label and not everything that comes out of EMI's, Decca's and DG's long-bastardized womb is good.... Who can deny Petrenko's Shostakovich cycle or Tintner's Bruckner one on Naxos? Pre-judging a recording based on a label can lead to one missing outstanding musical discoveries... Not every good record has to have the Berlin Philharmonic or the London Symphony on it, really.


No, but it's best usually--and if you do read through the thread you will see a long list of complaints, except in certain cases and unusual repertoire. But you hit the nail on the head by mentioning discoveries, supposing Tintner had been lousy ? But if I was looking for Bruckner--unlikely--I would go for Jochum probably and not Tintner, I can't afford unsuccessful experiments with well known composers.Bruckner, I would have thought needs a very good orchestra, but as long as you are happy then all is well--isn't it??


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## myaskovsky2002

I definetly think Jochum is a very good choice indeed.




Martin


----------



## Moira

New here, but roughly half of my CD collection is Naxos. I'm building a wide, rather than deep, collection. The Naxos CDs are readily available at an affordable price.


----------



## Badinerie

I have about a dozen Naxos cd's and so far No real duffers. In fact I thing the Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjues (8.550220) is the best I have heard on all counts. Szokolay's Scarlatti piano sonatas are excellent too. Haydn 6th 7th and 8th, Dvorak 4th and 8th, Ysaye's violin sonatas. all great.

So yeah, sometimes their selection of works for their compilation discs can leave you scratching your head and sometimes the production values let them down on the cover designs dept but, hey! DG have produced some really questionable LP covers in their time but we are charged three times the price for 'em.

oh yes! I just bought their Historic series re issue of the 1955 Die Fledermaus (Schwarzkopf, Gedda, Karajan). Great job of transferring it from original LP's ( I have the original to compare!) 

Ok they are no CFP but definitely, they sucketh not!


----------



## Moscow-Mahler

*No, I think it is EMI who really sucks. *

*They still have so-so sound quality for a major label.* Deutsche Grammophone, Decca, and Polyhymnia (which makes recording for RCA Red Seal and RCO Live!) at least have better tonmeisters.

Compare e.g. recent Vivaldi recordings by DG Archiv and EMI - and you see the difference in sound quality.

But Naxos has some vey good recordings of e.g. Bernstein and Copland with New Zealand orchestra, Petrenko with RLPO, etc. Some great quartet ensembles are also on Naxos. So despite being not a very rich label at first, it has some interesting issues in their catalogue, though I never buy something just for the cheap price.

From Tintner's set with RSNO I've heard only the Third - but it's an excellent perfomance.

Bournemouth orchestra is also very fine, isn't it? So, in fact they have some good orchestras.

At least, good British orchestras have an oppurtunity to record themselves. The situation in the USA (except of San Francisco, Minneapolis and Chicago) is much worser, I suppose.

***
I think that TELARC made much more errors. They recorded Pittsburgh and Cleveland orchestras in 1980, but in 1990 they lost them. And Atlanta, while a good orchestra, is not on the same class, I suppose (and I was very much dissapointed with their Shostakovich Eighth - it seems to me that they were playing it for the first time). Though in more delicate Mahler 4th there were pretty good.


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## myaskovsky2002

Maybe I should apologize publicly, "somebody" said that I shouldn't speak badly about Naxos. Somebody who likes me "very much".

I am sorry then, Naxos is the very best. Of course I will keep my own opinion.

Martin


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## samurai

@ Martin, Don't you dare! Just say what your opinions and feelings are; they are as valid as everyone else's on this forum!


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## Kevin Pearson

I have found a lot of first rate recordings on Naxos and a lot of very fine re-issues for less than offered by the original labels. Their use of lesser known orchestras helps them be able to afford to release many obscure works for which I am thankful for the role they play. Sure there are some bad recordings but is it the general rule for Naxos? I would say a resounding NO!

Kevin


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## myaskovsky2002

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I second that thought.


I hope you are not looking for a LIKE from me

M.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Naxos has some pretty bad recordings and some pretty good recordings. It just seems that the bad ones are more well known.


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## myaskovsky2002

Well... I know American and British composers are well represented, about Russians (my very loved ones, I am afraid I can't say the same thing)... Would you buy Mahler or *Ligeti* or Wagner by Naxos? Just a question. When you compare version and you know the KEY conductors for each composer, Naxos is not an option. Maybe I am wrong... Who's not once in a while.

Martin


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

myaskovsky2002 said:


> Well... I know American and British composers are well represented, about Russians (my very loved ones, I am afraid I can't say the same thing)... Would you buy Mahler or *Ligeti* or Wagner by Naxos? Just a question. When you compare version and you know the KEY conductors for each composer, Naxos is not an option. Maybe I am wrong... Who's not once in a while.
> 
> Martin


*Ligeti* by Naxos yeah I might buy, just as long as it isn't the dreadful recording of the Études.


----------



## myaskovsky2002

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> *Ligeti* by Naxos yeah I might buy, just as long as it isn't the dreadful recording of the Études.


I haven't seen any... But, I were you i would be VERY careful. Ligeti is difficult to play, a bad interpretation could be a catastrophe

Pay cheap, pay twice.

Martin's son saying.


----------



## Kevin Pearson

myaskovsky2002 said:


> Well... I know American and British composers are well represented, about Russians (my very loved ones, I am afraid I can't say the same thing)... Would you buy Mahler or *Ligeti* or Wagner by Naxos? Just a question. When you compare version and you know the KEY conductors for each composer, Naxos is not an option. Maybe I am wrong... Who's not once in a while.
> 
> Martin


Now when you say that Russian composers are not well represented have you actually done a search by composer Martin? I know that they don't list Russian music in the set/series area but they do have a section of Russian symphonies:

http://www.naxos.com/feature/Russian_Symphony.asp

And if you search by individual composers you can get a lot of hits as well. It would be helpful if their database allowed searches by nationality as well but it doesn't and thus it takes more work. However, with your extensive collection you probably have a recording of every significant Russian composition already and so I doubt that anything Naxos would produce would even be of any interest to you. Right now if you listened to three albums a night in your collection you would be lucky to get through your collection in 16 years. Do you really need another recording? And please don't take that as an insult because I think you have amassed a great collection but how much of your collection has gone unlistened to over the years? Surly you have many recordings that have probably been listened to once and maybe even some that have never been heard.

Anyway, I can't say by comparison that there are way more American composers on Naxos than Russian but your beloved Myaskovsky is represented with 17 recordings.

When I peruse their collection by composer in alphabetical order I see lots of Russian composers listed. Could you be wrong?

Kevin


----------



## myaskovsky2002

Kevin Pearson said:


> Now when you say that Russian composers are not well represented have you actually done a search by composer Martin? I know that they don't list Russian music in the set/series area but they do have a section of Russian symphonies:
> 
> http://www.naxos.com/feature/Russian_Symphony.asp
> 
> And if you search by individual composers you can get a lot of hits as well. It would be helpful if their database allowed searches by nationality as well but it doesn't and thus it takes more work. However, with your extensive collection you probably have a recording of every significant Russian composition already and so I doubt that anything Naxos would produce would even be of any interest to you. Right now if you listened to three albums a night in your collection you would be lucky to get through your collection in 16 years. Do you really need another recording? And please don't take that as an insult because I think you have amassed a great collection but how much of your collection has gone unlistened to over the years? Surly you have many recordings that have probably been listened to once and maybe even some that have never been heard.
> 
> Anyway, I can't say by comparison that there are way more American composers on Naxos than Russian but your beloved Myaskovsky is represented with 17 recordings.
> 
> When I peruse their collection by composer in alphabetical order I see lots of Russian composers listed. Could you be wrong?
> 
> Kevin


Nice list. Marco Polo is a more expensive series by Naxos; they have very good recordings but the prices are much higher... As far as I noticed, many Marco Polos are after about two years transferred to Naxos. Even if Marco Polo is more expensive, they do not have or had (I am not aware any more) the best conductors, the key conductors for Russian works. Maybe now it changed. Actually, I have too many prejudices to consider Naxos seriously... I bought some non significant CDs for me as Kalinnikov in order to replace my Long plays. About more significant composers for me I avoid buying conductors I don't know. For example, I have 4 versions of Tchaikovsky's symphonies. Having read many reviews, I bought the last version one year ago. Antal Dorati being average... Myaskovsky by Svetlanov I think is the best. You can see my list again if you want.

Martin


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## myaskovsky2002

Kevin Pearson said:


> Now when you say that Russian composers are not well represented have you actually done a search by composer Martin? I know that they don't list Russian music in the set/series area but they do have a section of Russian symphonies:
> 
> http://www.naxos.com/feature/Russian_Symphony.asp
> 
> And if you search by individual composers you can get a lot of hits as well. It would be helpful if their database allowed searches by nationality as well but it doesn't and thus it takes more work. However, with your extensive collection you probably have a recording of every significant Russian composition already and so I doubt that anything Naxos would produce would even be of any interest to you. Right now if you listened to three albums a night in your collection you would be lucky to get through your collection in 16 years. Do you really need another recording? And please don't take that as an insult because I think you have amassed a great collection but how much of your collection has gone unlistened to over the years? Surly you have many recordings that have probably been listened to once and maybe even some that have never been heard.
> 
> Anyway, I can't say by comparison that there are way more American composers on Naxos than Russian but your beloved Myaskovsky is represented with 17 recordings.
> 
> When I peruse their collection by composer in alphabetical order I see lots of Russian composers listed. Could you be wrong?
> 
> Kevin


I accessed randomly to a Marco Polo recording. This Czech orchestra is not recommended, I don't know this conductor either. Robert Stankovsky conducted many Naxos and Marco Polo's productions. I don't know his name other than in these 2 labels. I bought one of his versions before when I couldn't find anything better. I replaced everything as soon as I could afterwards.

http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.223297

Martin

Nota: i could notice that Naxos philosophy about Eastern composers hasn't changed lately

I.e. Naxos really s...


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## myaskovsky2002

Again...

http://www.naxos.com/SharedFiles/pdf/rear/8.553218r.pdf#

What is this?

Czeck again


----------



## Kevin Pearson

What difference does it make that the orchestra is Czech? Does it matter to me that some of my favorite recordings of American music is by Russian orchestras? No. 

I think you are missing the whole point here Martin. Naxos is a "budget" label and meant to help people (and maybe introduce people) on limited budgets hear and collect music they might not be able to afford. Are there better recordings of many of their offerings? Of course! But also many of the recordings they offer are also nowhere else available. By using unknown or little known orchestras and conductors they can afford to have low prices. Many of the Naxos CDs in my collection I bought for only $2.99. 

Your attitude is that a person should not have a composition in their collection at all unless they can afford the best version. Apparently you have the money and resources to afford that luxury but many do not. 

I am not at all saying that Naxos has the best recordings on the market but many of their recordings are acceptable for what they are and I personally appreciate that they spend a lot of their resources printing little known works and little known composers when the profit from doing so would be marginal at best and probably a loss on some.

Kevin


----------



## Andreas

Sometimes you can find real treasures. Like the Fauré Requiem (conducted by Jeremy Summerly). It's special because it's the 1888 version, no woodwind and brass, with the Offertoire and Libera me rearranged to match the reduced ensemble. I have a couple of other recordings of the Requiem, and I find that the 1888 version is unmatched.

Also, I like Marin Alsop's Naxos recordings of Barber, Glass and Brahms.


----------



## Huilunsoittaja

I really like Bernard Glemser's recordings of Prokofiev's Piano Music, particularly the Sonatas, on Naxos, because it's not about the label, but the fact I feel he interpreted the works excellently. Quality is perhaps more controlled on an individual basis.


----------



## myaskovsky2002

Kevin Pearson said:


> What difference does it make that the orchestra is Czech? Does it matter to me that some of my favorite recordings of American music is by Russian orchestras? No.
> 
> I think you are missing the whole point here Martin. Naxos is a "budget" label and meant to help people (and maybe introduce people) on limited budgets hear and collect music they might not be able to afford. Are there better recordings of many of their offerings? Of course! But also many of the recordings they offer are also nowhere else available. By using unknown or little known orchestras and conductors they can afford to have low prices. Many of the Naxos CDs in my collection I bought for only $2.99.
> 
> Your attitude is that a person should not have a composition in their collection at all unless they can afford the best version. Apparently you have the money and resources to afford that luxury byut many do not.
> 
> I am not at all saying that Naxos has the best recordings on the market but many of their recordings are acceptable for what they are and I personally appreciate that they spend a lot of their resources printing little known works and little known composers when the profit from doing so would be marginal at best and probably a loss on some.
> 
> Kevin


2.99 15 years ago?

Logically, you get depending on what you pay, i got some Bruckner by Naxos because I don't care so much, when it is a ccomposer I really like, I become more picky. I have nothing against Czech for Janacek or Smetana, yes for Russians, they do not understand Russians the way Russians do. Of course it just the opinion of a dilettante amateur. I spent fortunes in music, my car is 4 years old. I started this thread because I was bitterly disapointed of some of my purchases. When you don't know the piece nor the composer very much it is easy to make mistakes. When you do and you buy Naxos it is maybe because you don't care that much as me with Bruckner. I was surprised when I saw that Prokofiev, Shostakovich and Myaskovsky were played by who-knows-who-he-is... Just their parents know them...and still.

Martin says as Napoleon: I am write, You are rrong


----------



## Kevin Pearson

myaskovsky2002 said:


> 2.99 15 years ago?
> 
> Logically, you get depending on what you pay, i got some Bruckner by Naxos because I don't care so much, when it is a ccomposer I really like, I become more picky. I have nothing against Czech for Janacek or Smetana, yes for Russians, they do not understand Russians the way Russians do. Of course it just the opinion of a dilettante amateur. I spent fortunes in music, my car is 4 years old. I started this thread because I was bitterly disapointed of some of my purchases. When you don't know the piece nor the composer very much it is easy to make mistakes. When you do and you buy Naxos it is maybe because you don't care that much as me with Bruckner. I was surprised when I saw that Prokofiev, Shostakovich and Myaskovsky were played by who-knows-who-he-is... Just their parents know them...and still.
> 
> Martin says as Napoleon: I am write, You are rrong


Well, personally Martin, I don't use Naxos for standard repertoire. I only have used them for more rare and obscure titles and I have found them more than acceptable. Your specialty is Russian music, and I appreciate that, and you want the best recordings you can acquire by Russian composers, and I appreciate that. However, most of the Russian composers are better served elsewhere by other labels/conductors and you prefer those. I would not by Bruckner on Naxos unless it was a re-release of a very famous recording. I also do not usually duplicate works I own in my library unless I discover a version far better than what I have. I own Solti and the Chicago Symphony's recording of the complete Bruckner cycle and am completely satisfied with it.

One thing that could save you some trouble might be to use Amazon as a review resource. I have found that reading reviews about certain recordings by other enthusiasts (not necessarily critics) to be helpful in my purchases.

And no it was not 15 years ago but only 2 years ago. If you keep an eye out Naxos periodically has $2.99 sales on some of their titles for clearance. Many of their American Classics series I picked up that way and I have enjoyed them. Again I would not buy Copland on Naxos but something like Meredith Wilson's two symphonies? No problem!

Kevin


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## myaskovsky2002

I apologized before. Naxos is very good.

We should close this thread, nothing else to say, at least nothing interesting.

Martin


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## myaskovsky2002

Huilunsoittaja said:


> I really like Bernard Glemser's recordings of Prokofiev's Piano Music, particularly the Sonatas, on Naxos, because it's not about the label, but the fact I feel he interpreted the works excellently. Quality is perhaps more controlled on an individual basis.


What you don't see you don't miss

http://www.amazon.com/Prokofiev-Piano-Sonatas-Nos-Sergey/dp/B0000028XH/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1342385562&sr=1-4&keywords=Prokofiev++piano+sonatas

Listen to and compare... Just compare objectively

Trying to replace my Bartok's vinyl, I bought Allegro Barbaro on Naxos, the Allegro was sleepy.. I decided to transfer my vinyl to CD and afterwards I bout the complete by Hungaroton. This Allegro just sucked. IMHO.

M.


----------



## Kevin Pearson

myaskovsky2002 said:


> I apologized before. Naxos is very good.
> 
> We should close this thread, nothing else to say, at least nothing interesting.
> 
> Martin


Perhaps that would be good. I'm sorry that you're so close minded that you can't admit that Naxos might serve a purpose of value. Do they have some bad recordings? That's obvious. Do they have some good recordings? That's obvious too!

I have been listening to music and reading reviews long enough (over 40 years) to know that the above is true of every label out there. Naxos serves a particular niche and need in the classical music recording industry and blanket statements like the title of this thread serve no useful purpose. I'm sorry you purchased some CDs by Naxos that were not up to the standards you had hoped but it's not like a huge investment was made and lots of money lost. If you don't like Naxos that's fine as far as I'm concerned but what's bothersome is the perceived snobbery about it which is deplorable.

Kevin


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## myaskovsky2002

Kevin Pearson said:


> Perhaps that would be good. I'm sorry that you're so close minded that you can't admit that Naxos might serve a purpose of value. Do they have some bad recordings? That's obvious. Do they have some good recordings? That's obvious too!
> 
> I have been listening to music and reading reviews long enough (over 40 years) to know that the above is true of every label out there. Naxos serves a particular niche and need in the classical music recording industry and blanket statements like the title of this thread serve no useful purpose. I'm sorry you purchased some CDs by Naxos that were not up to the standards you had hoped but it's not like a huge investment was made and lots of money lost. If you don't like Naxos that's fine as far as I'm concerned but what's bothersome is the perceived snobbery about it which is deplorable.
> 
> Kevin


Kevin... Apply just logic, please. If you pay less Naxos recordings is because Naxos pay less its orchestras, otherwise they will be losing money. In this business world, nobody without any exceptions wants to lose money. Then, you are getting cheaper interpretations. This is kind of a Syllogism.

As simple as if a = b and b = c then a = c

Once I paid 100$ to replace my vinyl Tristan und Isolde with Kirsten Flagstad. I saw a Naxos version (the same one) for not even half of the price I paid, I was jealous until I listened to the sound, it was poorly remasterised, mine was/is perfect, furthermore, I have the libretto.

But for me this topic is over, you are happy, I am happy, everybody is happy, then what is the problem? Just keep what we have! niet probliem!

Martin, simplistic


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## StlukesguildOhio

Kevin... Apply just logic, please. If you pay less Naxos recordings is because Naxos pay less its orchestras, otherwise they will be losing money. In this business world, nobody without any exceptions wants to lose money. Then, you are getting cheaper interpretations.

Martin you may be applying "logic"... but it is a faulty logic... based upon a faulty assumption: "more expensive equals better". By your logic this CD...










... at $27 US through Amazon Marketplace dealers... would inherently be better than this one... at $17 US through the same sources.










And this recording/performance...










... at $53 US through Amazon.com must surely be nearly twice as good as this recording for $30.










Do you really believe that most experienced classical music listeners would agree?

Prices of CDs are effected by many factors. Supply and Demand first and foremost. If there is a high demand for a given composer or performer and the supply is limited (ie. an exclusive contract) the price increases. Yet many older performances... that in many cases are among the finest... often better than those of a current "star"... are available for less. There is also the issue of overhead. Overhead includes the cost of recording the big name star performers, soloists, and orchestras... but do you actually believe that the New York Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, etc... are always better than the Cleveland Orchestra or the Seattle Symphony... or any number of other fine professional ensembles? Overhead also deals with packaging. Naxos clearly doesn't spend much with regard to graphics or packaging in general, PR, advertising, etc...

As I stated some 15+ pages ago, "Naxos would not be my first choice for Beethoven's sonatas, Bach's cello suites, or Schubert's lieder... etc..." One the other hand, their recordings of Haydn's and Beethoven's string quartets with the Kodaly Quartet are top notch. I cannot think of better recordings of either. The Robert Craft edition of Stravinsky is excellent... and justifiably highly regarded. Many of Antoni Wit's recordings... especially of Polish repertoire (Penderecki, Szymanowski, Gorecki, etc...) are unrivaled.

Then you should recognize that Naxos strength is is offering quality recordings of repertoire often ignored by the larger labels and larger orchestras. The label is also quite good with early music (medieval/Renaissance) as well as less-well-known composers from the classical era (Gerald Finzi, John Ireland, Bernhard Henrik Crusell, Franz Krommer, Carl Stamitz, Louis Spohr, etc...) The label is most valuable as a result of their dedication to recording Modern and Contemporary composers: Penderecki (the Wit recordings are unrivaled), Szymanowski, John Tavener, James MacMillan, Arvo Part, Roy Harris, Howard hanson, Alan Hovhaness, Walter Piston, Elliott Carter, George Crumb, William Bolcolm, John Corrigliano, David Diamond, Ned Rorem, John Harbison, Eric Whitacre, Joseph Schwantner, Kenneth Fuchs, Paul Moravec, Lee Hoiby, Roberto Sienna, Lorenzo Paloma, Augustin barrios, Daniel Catan, Leonardo Balada, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Einojuhani Rautavaara, and more.

Quite honestly if you were foolish enough to rush out and purchase The Magic Flute, or Schreker's operas, etc... without having done some prior research as to the quality of what you were getting and the alternatives available, you have only yourself to blame. James Levine's recording of Wagner's _Ring_ is more expensive than Clemens Krauss', Karl Boehm's, or Marek Janowski's. Is this because it is "better"? I doubt many would agree with that suggestion. But then again George Solti's and Joseph Keilberth's sets are far more expensive... and yet worth the money. Whether I am buying from Deutsche Grammophon, Chandos, Alia Vox at the high end of the price scale... or Naxos or Brilliant at the low/budget end, I tend to do a bit of homework to see what I am getting into. Chandos offers a full-price collection of Faure's songs which cannot begin to come near the quality of the performances of Gerard Souzay and Elly Ameling on Brilliant... 4 discs for the price of one on Chandos.










You seem fixated on the notion that anything inexpensive equals "cheap" and less than the finest (A false assumption). Rather than this assumption that the highest price equals the highest quality, I prefer to shop around for the best recordings available... regardless of price... and quite Naxos or Brilliant or other budget offerings are among the best available. Yes, I have discs that I have paid an arm and a leg for because they were out of print... and yet I absolutely wanted them. I also have a great many from all the major labels that I have paid full price for. At the same time, I also have a great many discs that were a real bargain... Naxos and otherwise. I didn't buy these simply because they were cheap... I bought them because they were the "best buy"... among the highest quality available for the least amount of money. I like a bargain as much as anyone, but I'm not about to buy Mahler's 8th by the Singapore Youth Orchestra simply because it is cheap.


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## Rapide

All labels have successful and "failure" recordings. Naxos might well pay many of its artists lower than big record labels but that does not mean those lowered paid artists are not talented in performance to produce great Naxos recordings.


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## maestro267

In answer to thread title: No, it doesn't.


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## Chrythes

I actually really like their Beethoven SQ's recordings played by the Kodaly Quartet. I even prefer it to the Takacs and Berg.
Also, they have the Pizzetti quartets and a very fine recording of the Ravel and Debussy Piano Trios' by the Joachim Trio.


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## myaskovsky2002

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Kevin... Apply just logic, please. If you pay less Naxos recordings is because Naxos pay less its orchestras, otherwise they will be losing money. In this business world, nobody wYithout any exceptions wants to lose money. Then, you are getting cheaper interpretations.
> 
> Martin you may be applying "logic"... but it is a faulty logic... based upon a faulty assumption:
> 
> ... at $27 US through Amazon Marketplace dealers... would inherently be better than this one... at $17 US through the same sources.
> 
> [
> 
> And this recording/performance...
> 
> ... at $53 US through Amazon.com must surely be nearly twice as good as this recording for $30.
> 
> Do you really believe that most experienced classical music listeners would agree?
> 
> Prices of CDs are effected by many factors. Supply and Demand first and foremost. If there is a high demand for a given composer or performer and the supply is limited (ie. an exclusive contract) the price increases. Yet many older performances... that in many cases are among the finest... often better than those of a current "star"... are available for less. There is also the issue of overhead. Overhead includes the cost of recording the big name star performers, soloists, and orchestras... but do you actually believe that the New York Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, etc... are always better than the Cleveland Orchestra or the Seattle Symphony... or any number of other fine professional ensembles? Overhead also deals with packaging. Naxos clearly doesn't spend much with regard to graphics or packaging in general, PR, advertising, etc...
> 
> As I stated some 15+ pages ago, "Naxos would not be my first choice for Beethoven's sonatas, Bach's cello suites, or Schubert's lieder... etc..." One the other hand, their recordings of Haydn's and Beethoven's string quartets with the Kodaly Quartet are top notch. I cannot think of better recordings of either. The Robert Craft edition of Stravinsky is excellent... and justifiably highly regarded. Many of Antoni Wit's recordings... especially of Polish repertoire (Penderecki, Szymanowski, Gorecki, etc...) are unrivaled.
> 
> Then you should recognize that Naxos strength is is offering quality recordings of repertoire often ignored by the larger labels and larger orchestras. The label is also quite good with early music (medieval/Renaissance) as well as less-well-known composers from the classical era (Gerald Finzi, John Ireland, Bernhard Henrik Crusell, Franz Krommer, Carl Stamitz, Louis Spohr, etc...) The label is most valuable as a result of their dedication to recording Modern and Contemporary composers: Penderecki (the Wit recordings are unrivaled), Szymanowski, John Tavener, James MacMillan, Arvo Part, Roy Harris, Howard hanson, Alan Hovhaness, Walter Piston, Elliott Carter, George Crumb, William Bolcolm, John Corrigliano, David Diamond, Ned Rorem, John Harbison, Eric Whitacre, Joseph Schwantner, Kenneth Fuchs, Paul Moravec, Lee Hoiby, Roberto Sienna, Lorenzo Paloma, Augustin barrios, Daniel Catan, Leonardo Balada, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Einojuhani Rautavaara, and more.
> 
> Quite honestly if you were foolish enough to rush out and purchase The Magic Flute, or Schreker's operas, etc... without having done some prior research as to the quality of what you were getting and the alternatives available, you have only yourself to blame. James Levine's recording of Wagner's _Ring_ is more expensive than Clemens Krauss', Karl Boehm's, or Marek Janowski's. Is this because it is "better"? I doubt many would agree with that suggestion. But then again George Solti's and Joseph Keilberth's sets are far more expensive... and yet worth the money. Whether I am buying from Deutsche Grammophon, Chandos, Alia Vox at the high end of the price scale... or Naxos or Brilliant at the low/budget end, I tend to do a bit of homework to see what I am getting into. Chandos offers a full-price collection of Faure's songs which cannot begin to come near the quality of the performances of Gerard Souzay and Elly Ameling on Brilliant... 4 discs for the price of one on Chandos.
> 
> You seem fixated on the notion that anything inexpensive equals "cheap" and less than the finest (A false assumption). Rather than this assumption that the highest price equals the highest quality, I prefer to shop around for the best recordings available... regardless of price... and quite Naxos or Brilliant or other budget offerings are among the best available. Yes, I have discs that I have paid an arm and a leg for because they were out of print... and yet I absolutely wanted them. I also have a great many from all the major labels that I have paid full price for. At the same time, I also have a great many discs that were a real bargain... Naxos and otherwise. I didn't buy these simply because they were cheap... I bought them because they were the "best buy"... among the highest quality available for the least amount of money. I like a bargain as much as anyone, but I'm not about to buy Mahler's 8th by the Singapore Youth Orchestra simply because it is cheap.


your reasoning seems *perfect* to me. Mozart's flute was 10 years ago, I had no money, good excuse to buy Naxos even without any other reference.

As far as I know, (A) old recordings don't have copyrights any more after 50 years, then they are much cheaper. 
On the other hand, (B) the remastering is quite expensive when *it is well done*.

*No A, more expensive,* the record is about 2 or 3 years, a good orchestra, good everything ===>. More expensive (Sony, Detsche 
Grammophon)

*A + B more expensive* because of the mastering

*A + not good B, cheape*r, Naxos Tristan and Isolda with K. Flagstad

*No A, B not needed but the orchestra and the singers are almost unknown,* very often Naxos

I making here JUST suppositions, maybe I am mistaken.

More demand is not random. More demand for more know orchestras and singers, less demand for less known. More demande, more expensive.

Inexpensive not equal cheap... But most of time I would say YES. I have many examples...of course, expensive doesn't mean good either

But often this is rather true. I bought a Le Pan tablet 3 months ago, it is OK but limited, I paid 200$ for it. Now, I've just bought an Ipad, 4 times the price. A big, big difference in quality, features, etc. Then, generally better things are more expensive...just the quality control for appliances make a big difference. Compare a Sony TV with the UKKJJHHGG brand. You are paying for the brand, but you are also paying for the quality they are promissing you amd the warranty.

Ok. That's it. I have talked too much.

Marti


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## Moscow-Mahler

My collection of NAXOS disks is narrow, but some of them are good.
Among them is a recording of *Ligeti* quartets by Parker Quartet.
Though, I never buy recordings because of their cheap price, I read reviews, etc, etc. Sometimes I buy a recording after a month of researching.


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## myaskovsky2002

Moscow-Mahler said:


> My collection of NAXOS disks is narrow, but some of them are good.
> Among them is a recording of *Ligeti* quartets by Parker Quartet.
> Though, I never buy recordings because of their cheap price, I read reviews, etc, etc. Sometimes I buy a recording after a month of researching.


My average is 5 per month.

Martin


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## Ralfy

As I pointed out before, the PDF version of their catalog is available in their website, and it contains not only a list of albums for sale but awards and ratings for several.


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## SimonNZ

I've found the Naxos Early Music / Alte Musik series so rewarding that I've seriously considered collecting it in its entirety. And those made by Jeremy Summerly with the Oxford Camerata are, for me, desert island discs.

The Presto Classical site currently lists forty Naxos cds as winners of Rosettes in the Penguin Guide. The list starts here:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/rosettes.php?search=yes&&label=naxos&page=1


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## Moscow-Mahler

They also have an excellent recording of Webern by Ulster Orchestra.


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## Ralfy

Page 2 of the Naxos catalog contains a list of awards identified, which includes not just Penguin ratings but also Repertoire, Gramophone, Le Monde de la Musique, and more.


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## SAKO

I'm very, very close to ordering 3 CD's; C.P.E.Bach's Cello Concertos, Hamburg Sinfonias and Keyboard Sonatas from Amazon, all on the Naxos label.

I'm hoping they fall under the previously mentioned tag of 'lesser works by lesser performers' and are therefore good.

Does anybody already own these recordings who would care to comment? Thanks.


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## Ralfy

The first and third have either rewards or are recognized as key recordings. See the catalog for details (available in their website in PDF).


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## Arsakes

Ignoring the few mistakes, Naxos is better than all other combined (DDD, Decca, EMI, D-Gramophone etc.) in quality and quantity. 

Now give me some money Naxos! :lol:


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## Art Rock

SAKO said:


> I'm very, very close to ordering 3 CD's; C.P.E.Bach's Cello Concertos, Hamburg Sinfonias and Keyboard Sonatas from Amazon, all on the Naxos label.
> 
> I'm hoping they fall under the previously mentioned tag of 'lesser works by lesser performers' and are therefore good.
> 
> Does anybody already own these recordings who would care to comment? Thanks.
> 
> View attachment 6567
> View attachment 6568
> View attachment 6569


I have a download of the second one which I quite like. Mind you, I'm not an expert.


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## opus55

I own this one:









I listened to it more than few times - meaning, it was a good performance to enjoy. Naxos is not a "luxury" label like Harmonia Mundi or Hyperion but some of their recordings are very very good. BTW, my favorite Naxos record is probably this:


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## Huilunsoittaja

Some Great Naxos!






Could be more "glitzy" I guess though.

Aren't there such lovely flute solos though?


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## Vaneyes

Thread: Does Naxos really suck?

Most of their performances probably "suck" in comparison with so many other labels performances, but we can also say that about those others.

Gather what thee may from all, and be thankful for.

View attachment 6663
View attachment 6664
View attachment 6665


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## Bulldog

Thought I'd add my two-cents worth. Naxos is a very fine and gigantic label with good stuff for one and all. Sure, there are some duds like Jeno Jando's Goldberg Variations, but all labels put out duds from time to time.

Naxos recordings I love:

Rubsam's Bach (piano and organ).
Medtner's Violin Sonatas
Maggini Quartet's British chamber music
Vartolo's Art of Fugue
Biret's Chopin
Dvorak String Quartets
Early Music Organ Series - Weckmann, Scheidemann, etc.
Miaskovsky/Weinberg Violin Concertos

I'm sure there's more; this is just off the top of my head.


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## Garlic

I love Naxos. Affordable music from obscure composers. Usually good to great performances. I have nothing to complain about.


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## hpowders

Naxos is terrific!! I found very nice performances of Bach's WTC and Ives' Third Symphony for very low prices.

Also, without Naxos, I would have had trouble collecting the William Schuman Symphonies!


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## Pugg

Their opera catalogue is outstanding.


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## Phil loves classical

hpowders said:


> Naxos is terrific!! I found very nice performances of Bach's WTC and Ives' Third Symphony for very low prices.
> 
> Also, without Naxos, I would have had trouble collecting the William Schuman Symphonies!


Naxos have been instrumental in getting some early music and modern classical in good performances and affordable prices, where there are considerably less recordings available. Some of them are really great performances. My #1 Naxos CD is Schnittke's Piano Quintet. One of, if not the best performances. Plus really great sound. Their historical series is also great. I got Bach's Edwin Fischer WTC, Pablo Casals Cello Suites, and maybe my favourite historical recording I have: William Kapell's Rachmaninov. Forgot, I even got Furtwangler's Tristan and Isolde for a bargain price. That's gotta count for something.


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## AClockworkOrange

Naxos is an excellent label with some outstanding recordings, in my experience from Symphonic to Chamber.

They champion repertoire off the beaten track as well as more recognisable names, something the bigger labels really ought to do more of. They are also an outlet for a number of quality ensembles and performers to record and be heard but may be overlooked by larger labels.

I have more than a few recordings to say the least, their recordings of Malcolm Arnold, Charles Stanford, Arthur Bliss, Arnold Bax immediately leap to mind along with the excellent Chamber Recordings of the Maggini and Fine Art Quartet ensembles to name just two. 

Petrenko's recent Shostakovich Symphony Cycle has proven extremely popular too.

There are many areas where I would say you get what you pay for but this isn't the case with Naxos. Of course some recordings are better than others but that can be said of any label. Don't let the price put you off, there are many superb recordings on Naxos.


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## Klassik

I quite like Naxos recordings. They are the only source for a number of American composers. Well, Delos had some too, but their catalog seems to have merged with the Naxos catalog. I'm not sure what exactly happened with Delos. Vox had some good American composer CDs, but again I'm not sure if Vox is still publishing new CDs. Anyway, I liked the Naxos CDs I got of Grofe's suites from their American collection. Also, they are often the best source for living composers of moderate fame like Roberto Sierra.

Although some early Naxos CDs were a bit sketchy in terms of performance and sound quality (I think they used a few fake performances early on), most of their stuff from the last 20-25 years is pretty solid or better. Having said that, I don't consider Naxos to be a bargain label anymore. It's possible to get CDs from the big 3 labels for less than Naxos CDs (this is especially true with box sets). They're not expensive, but they aren't one of the cheapest labels around either these days.


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## Marc

Bulldog said:


> Thought I'd add my two-cents worth. Naxos is a very fine and gigantic label with good stuff for one and all. Sure, there are some duds like Jeno Jando's Goldberg Variations, but all labels put out duds from time to time.
> 
> Naxos recordings I love:
> 
> Rubsam's Bach (piano and organ).
> Medtner's Violin Sonatas
> Maggini Quartet's British chamber music
> Vartolo's Art of Fugue
> Biret's Chopin
> Dvorak String Quartets
> Early Music Organ Series - Weckmann, Scheidemann, etc.
> Miaskovsky/Weinberg Violin Concertos
> 
> I'm sure there's more; this is just off the top of my head.


I.c. the early music organ series (including Rübsam's Bach): the issues I've heard are all good to very good. The complete Buxtehude organ series is most certainly recommendable, as are many harpsichord and baroque chamber music discs.


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## eugeneonagain

I haven't read every post in the thread so I don't know if it was mentioned, but the complete piano music of Erik Satie (Klara Körmendi) were the first Naxos CDs I bought when they first came out in 1989. I have no complaints about them. 

Previously I had (still have) an LP of Satie played by Pete Lawson, which I bought for the two nocturnes on it. There weren't full recordings of Satie's music in 1980 when that LP was released. I liked that Naxos embarked on full recordings rather than just selections.

I'm not going to spend sack-loads of money searching for the holy grail of recordings anyway. It actually gets on my nerves all that snobbery of "no, this is the best recording...". it's true some are better than others, but it's not awash with really terrible recordings.
I was buying Naxos at the time because I was young and didn't have much cash to spend, but I found gems and still find them. There are decent recordings of Mozart and Hayden quartets. I have the C.P.E. Bach sonatas CD someone posted earlier; Scarlatti sonatas (though on piano); Boccerini cello concertos. 

Naxos ended up knocking down the prices of some of the established brands like Deutsche Grammophon and Philips. So I could afford these too later.


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## Krummhorn

If one is a paid subscriber to IMSLP you can listen to Naxos recordings as part of a membership plan. I find this resource very valuable . . . as well as the IMSLP library itself.


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## KenOC

Krummhorn said:


> If one is a paid subscriber to IMSLP you can listen to Naxos recordings as part of a membership plan. I find this resource very valuable . . . as well as the IMSLP library itself.


A couple of listeners elsewhere are reporting problems accessing the NML through their IMSLP memberships. It looks like IMSLP is only allowed a certain number of simultaneous connections to NML, and it may have sold too many subscriptions. Have you experienced this?


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## eugeneonagain

KenOC said:


> A couple of listeners elsewhere are reporting problems accessing the NML through their IMSLP memberships. It looks like IMSLP is only allowed a certain number of simultaneous connections to NML, and it may have sold too many subscriptions. Have you experienced this?


I have had it. Sometimes the music stops mid-way and doesn't even start when the page/connection is refreshed. Other times it hasn't been able to connect at all. It's not a very expensive subscription for a year, but I haven't even tried to access the NML for some months as a result. At least it means I can still get instant sheet music downloads rather than waiting...


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## Simon Moon

I only own 2 CD's on Naxos, both Joan Tower. 

One is Sequoia; Island Prelude; Silver Ladders; Music for Cello & Orchestra. And the other is Concerto for Orchestra.

Both are quite good to excellent. 

Energetic and emotional performances of some great pieces. 

Recording quality is mostly quite good. Better than some better known labels who use too many mics for my taste.


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## millionrainbows

I've noticed that they rarely release studio recordings; almost all of them are location or live recordings. Money, or fees?

Also, they have licensed a lot of KOCH releases, like the Robert Craft/Schoenberg, also recorded live.

I like those, but prefer to have the original KOCH issues, with better cover art. Probably more valuable on the market, too.

I like the American Composers Series, with some Ives stuff (Emerson Concerto) that I've not seen.


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## Marinera

I've got only Gershwin on naxos, just 1cd, so can't comment. Completely happy with recording though, doesn't seem inferior.


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## Bulldog

I have hundreds of Naxos CD's and am generally very happy with them. We arrived some years ago at the point where only classical music snobs would turn their nose up at hearing about Naxos.


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## hpowders

Marinera said:


> I've got only Gershwin on naxos, just 1cd, so can't comment. Completely happy with recording though, doesn't seem inferior.


It would be seriously ob-Naxos if you weren't happy.


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## Pugg

eugeneonagain said:


> I have had it. Sometimes the music stops mid-way and doesn't even start when the page/connection is refreshed. Other times it hasn't been able to connect at all. It's not a very expensive subscription for a year, but I haven't even tried to access the NML for some months as a result. At least it means I can still get instant sheet music downloads rather than waiting...


This was my experience also.


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## Pugg

Bulldog said:


> I have hundreds of Naxos CD's and am generally very happy with them. We arrived some years ago at the point where only classical music snobs would turn their nose up at hearing about Naxos.


Listing to shop owners that's was the same problem with Brilliant classics.


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## Krummhorn

KenOC said:


> A couple of listeners elsewhere are reporting problems accessing the NML through their IMSLP memberships. It looks like IMSLP is only allowed a certain number of simultaneous connections to NML, and it may have sold too many subscriptions. Have you experienced this?


Interesting to learn about, but no, I've never had any problems; always steady as a rock in my region.


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## Pugg

> Naxos 30th Anniversary Celebration
> 2017 marks the 30th anniversary of Naxos, the world's leading classical music label in terms of number of new releases and breadth of catalogue. Its strategy of recording exciting new repertoire with exceptional talent has been recognised with 30 Grammy® awards, more than 800 Penguin Guide 3-star recommendations, 175 Gramophone Editor's Choice Awards, and numerous other honours. Naxos is a truly international label that produces over 200 new recordings each year in more than 30 countries.


Quote from their newsletter.


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## Tallisman

''My CD of Telemann's complete late triangle sonatas sucks, so Naxos sucks''


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## Tristan

I've been disappointed with the sound quality of some of their recordings before (whereas I can usually guarantee DG and Decca will be good). But Naxos is often the only way to get recordings of obscure music, so I'm grateful they exist.


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## hpowders

If Naxos sucks, then American music sucks, since Naxos is the principal source thereof. And as a proud member of the USA, them fightin' words.


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## mtmailey

Naxos is a great label because they release super rare music.


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## Pugg

mtmailey said:


> Naxos is a great label because they release super rare music.


And they make very rare religious and opera works available to all.


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## Woodduck

Naxos ne sucs pas.


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