I’ve also noticed the price has jumped up even more on almost every other label as well (although not as exponentially as Naxos) – most up to around $21-$22 now in the U.S. (Amazon, ArkivMusic, etc.) and over $17 at Presto – plus shipping. And – unbelievably – just this past week, during the time I’ve been writing this commentary, these prices have gone up even more! Presto just upped their list price for Chandos to $19 (with a “sale price” of $17.10), and BIS titles to $18 – while Amazon now lists them for a whopping $25! What the hell is going on? Even for “premium” labels that’s way too much – absurdly so when the CD market has shrunk so much it’s practically obsolete. So to charge the few of us who still buy CDs (and even fewer buying SACDs) such exorbitant prices is unconscionable.
I’m even seeing similar price increases from small independent labels too. For instance, the defunct Delos label is under new ownership now and purportedly making a comeback. They’re listing their new releases at $24 on Amazon. And a new Alpha Classics title I’m watching for is coming out at $21 next week. And I have to ask – do they really think people are going to buy their product at these prices? Legitimate question.
I’m not. And I’m not lured by reduced pricing on download or streaming versions either. I don’t do that – for several reasons. I have tailored (and continually upgraded) my stereo system over the past 30 years to be the ultimate in CD reproduction, and streaming (or MP3) just doesn’t live up. Plus I like holding the physical product in my hand and actually reading the booklet. And most important of all, I like the simplicity of a CD. Load it in the player, press play and instantly hear music. No futzing around dealing with internet connections and websites and subscriptions and download speeds and all that endless bullshit. I’m old-fashioned that way (or perhaps more accurately, simply getting old) and I admit I’m set in my ways. But I’ve assembled a collection of over 10,000 CDs over the past 40 years and I’m not about to change how I listen to music now – so long as they’re still making CD players if mine ever fails.
So I still buy all my music on CD, and almost all new CDs from Presto Classical in the U.K. They consistently offer considerably reduced prices compared to the U.S., along with fairly reasonable shipping rates (at least they used to be – more below), and very quick delivery (considering it’s coming from Europe), usually getting here in about 10 days. And they have excellent customer service too – with real people who are knowledgeable and actually care, and actually respond to inquiries about an order or the availability of a title. (Try getting that from Amazon!) Plus their website is excellent – including user-friendly search features, substantial sound-samples (the initial 60 seconds of each track) of most titles, and cherry-picked, flattering, single-sentence snippets from British reviews (which admittedly are fairly useless, as I usually disagree with them – Ha!). But lately I’ve been seeing their shipping rates creeping up quite dramatically for no explainable reason. And their sale prices are becoming less substantial, less comprehensive, and more selectively applied. So I know they’re feeling the heat even there in Europe, where Classical music is still considered important (compared to the U.S. market). And I’m becoming even more concerned than ever.
For those relatively few new titles I feel I absolutely must have, I’ll either watch for a good sale price or patiently wait for a used copy to be offered from a reliable Amazon Marketplace seller. (I actually buy a lot of used CDs.) And I will pass on most of the others that I previously might have taken a serious look at, but which now don’t seem as enticing or necessary at the current asking prices. Sadly, I’ll take fewer chances on something more adventurous – whether it be repertoire or unknown artists. And inevitably, this outlook will negatively impact smaller independent labels the most, with their typically less well-known composers, artists and orchestras trying to make a name for themselves. I will instead focus on the most desirable titles which offer the most reasonable expectation of being excellent with regard to recorded sound, musical content and the potential for rewarding performances.
And ultimately, that is a real shame. And terribly dispiriting. A gratifying and essential part in the passion of collecting Classical music recordings (it’s more than a mere “hobby”) is taking chances and discovering something (or someone) new. But it’s not as fun with such a cost involved, only to be disappointed when it isn’t everything you hoped it would be. But reality is reality. I’ve got to be prudent in my spending now more than ever, while keeping a certain amount in the budget for good wine too!
