Having just complained about the stupidity of a music company, I thought I ought to mention that not all recording companies are created equal.
I've just come from the iTunes Music Store where I was perusing the latest addition by the Emerson String Quartet, a complete recording of the Mendelssohn String Quartets.
There are several things about this release that stand out. First of all, at a cost of about 6 bucks, one can buy a listening guide to the quartets, where the members of the Emerson Quartet give an overview of the music.
Next, the total cost of downloading the music is substantially less than the price of the CD version, even if one buys the listening guide. The CD set is $46 from Amazon; the downloaded set is $35 from iTunes. More important, one doesn't have to purchase the entire set. Each individual work can be purchased separately, at a cost of 3.96 to 7.44, and many of the individual movements can be had for 99 cents each. Now that's the way it ought to be.
As a bonus, the set includes Mendelssohn's Octet in E Flat, which the Emerson recorded in two separate sessions that were then combined in the editing room. What's more there are a couple bonus tracks that contain the recordings of the Scherzo before they were mixed together.
Good job, Emerson!
P.S. Mendelssohn's Octet, BTW, is the chamber music piece for those who think they don't like chamber music.
Posted by jt at January 26, 2005 03:42 AM