FREE/BARGAIN — Media Deals (non-eBook/non-audiobook)

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

The 128 MP3 version is only 64.3 MB

Yeah, I didn't change from what the dropdown menu had as the default, which was a very high quality lossless format of some kind. I went back and selected the lossy FLAC, I think that it was. I was overwhelmed with the choices, but Naxos' FLAC albums always sounded good (but they may be lossless).

My listening, like yours, is only going to be on a laptop computer or such like. And, I don't have the "ear" to tell the difference anyway.

[AnemicOak]

Don't get me wrong, 128 is generally fine for casual listening through basic earbuds or computer speakers, but if I'm going to download I want the best format I can get. I can always convert to a smaller size/lower rez file for use on mobile devices where space might be at a premium, but you can't upconvert something from a lower quality to higher.

[Froide]

GtrsRGr8 usually posts the weekly classical freebies. I guess he's busy.

At Classical-Music.com:

THIS WEEK'S FREE DOWNLOAD
Free Download: Opera Rara perform music from Bellini's first opera
Claim your FREE weekly download!

This week’s free download is the aria ‘Dopo l’oscuro nembo’ from Bellini’s first opera Adelson e Salvini, sung by Daniela Barcellona on a new recording by Opera Rara. Bellini wrote the opera in 1825 while he was still a student at the Naples Conservatory, and it proved so popular that the opera was performed at the Naples Conservatory every Sunday for a year. ‘Dopo l’oscuro nembo’ - would later be reused by Bellini in Giuletta’s aria ‘O quante volte’ in I Capuleti e I Montecchi.

Opera Rara’s recording of Bellini’s ‘Adelson e Salvini’ will be released on March 3.

To download the piece:

1. Login to your free account (or register for a new one)
2. Go to the Free Download page
3. Click (or right click, depending on your device) on the red "Download Now" banner that appears on the album cover
4. Enjoy!

DESCRIPTION:
Opera Rara releases Bellini’s first opera Adelson e Salvini, written in 1825 while the composer was still a student at the Naples Conservatory. Marking the company’s third complete opera recording by Bellini, following La straniera and Il Pirata, up and coming bel canto specialist Daniele Rustioni leads the BBC Symphony Orchestra in their fourth collaboration with Opera Rara. Daniela Barcellona sings the role of Nelly and is joined by Enea Scala as Salvini and Simone Alberghini as Lord Adelson. Inspired by Baculard d’Arnaud’s 1772 series of novellas, Les Épreuves du sentiment, Adelson e Salvini was so popular that the students of the Naples Conservatory performed it every Sunday for a year and its impact was such that the intendant of the Teatro di San Carlo immediately commissioned Bellini’s first professional opera. While the influence of the older composer Rossini is evident, Adelson e Salvini exhibits a young Bellini already in the midst of developing his very own original style. Several revisions were made to this student work in the years followings its first performances but it was not until 1985 when Adelson e Salvini was staged by the Teatro Metropolitan in the composer’s hometown of Catania that the work received its first professional performance. Opera Rara’s revival of Adelson e Salvini is based on a new critical edition using Bellini’s original score. The opera was recorded in the studio a week prior to a concert performance given at the Barbican last May. As The Observer commented, “Opera Rara, busy since the 1970s unearthing forgotten operas, chose Adelson e Salvini for a second, fruitful collaboration this season with the BBC Symphony Orchestra ... Energy exploded from [Daniele Rustioni’s] every limb, eliciting spry, lively playing from the BBCSO even in rumpty-tum longueurs...”

CAST:

Daniela Barcellona (Nelly), Simone Alberghini (Lord Adelson), Enea Scala (Salvini), Rodion Pogossov (Colonel Struley), David Soar (Geronio), Kathryn Rudge (Fanny), Leah-Marian Jones (Madama Rivers). Opera Rara Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Daniele Rustioni - conductor

SYNOPSIS:

The opera is set in Ireland at some point in the seventeenth century, at a castle belonging to Lord Adelson.

Act I -
The beautiful grounds of the castle estate, with two small temples visible, each bearing a motto: on the left, ‘To Love’, and on the right, ‘To Sorrow’. Fanny, a young servant in Adelson’s household, is sitting on the grass sketching an image of her painting teacher Salvini, an Italian artist befriended by Adelson in Rome and brought back with him to Ireland. She sings of her secret love for Salvini (Introduction, ‘Immagine gradita’), but is interrupted by the arrival of her aunt, the housekeeper Madam Rivers, and other servants, including the duplicitous Geronio, to celebrate the imminent return of Adelson from London. Geronio claims that Adelson’s uncle is trying to keep Adelson there, but Madam Rivers assures them that all he wants is to return to his beloved fiancee Nelly. On their departure, Colonel Struley emerges, dressed in hunting clothes. Exiled from Ireland for an unspecified prior crime, Struley has returned to kidnap Nelly, his niece, and to take her back to London, with the help of an apprehensive Geronio (Aria, ‘Tu provi un palpito per la dimora’). Struley dismisses Geronio’s qualms about his plans, and they go their separate ways. Salvini’s Neapolitan servant Bonifacio then appears, and is met by a messenger with a letter listing his multiple creditors (Cavatina, ‘Bonifacio Voccafrolla?’) He vows to appeal to Salvini’s goodwill to pay them off, or else to run away to Siberia. Salvini enters, preoccupied by his own unrevealed passion for Nelly (Duet, ‘Speranza seduttrice’). He laments that Adelson ever persuaded him to leave Italy, and reveals that for ten days he has held onto a love letter for Nelly from Adelson. Salvini departs as Fanny, Nelly and Madam Rivers arrive; Nelly recalls her previous attempt at marriage to Adelson three years before, in the same castle, which was thwarted by the arrival of Struley’s henchmen to kidnap her. Fearing that Adelson will not return, she sings of her fading hopes for happiness (Romance, ‘Dopo l’oscuro nembo’). Salvini finally gives Nelly Adelson’s letter, and she asks him to read it to her; it confirms that Adelson’s uncle wishes him to stay in London and to marry someone else, in order to receive his inheritance. Nelly faints (Finale, ‘Ah! L’oppresse il dolor’), and comes round to find Salvini embracing her. To her horror, he confesses his love for her, before Bonifacio enters to announce the return of Adelson, who has escaped London to return to Nelly. Salvini departs confused and distraught, while Madam Rivers, Fanny, Bonifacio and a chorus of servants sing of their delight at their lord’s return. Adelson reaffirms his love for Nelly, and asks only for Salvini to make his happiness complete.

Act II -
The setting remains the same, but the motto ‘To Sorrow’ on one of the temples is replaced with ‘To Hymen’, while a garland of flowers hung between two trees carries the message ‘They are Reunited Forever’, with Adelson and Nelly’s initials above it. Geronio informs Struley of Adelson’s return and of his imminent marriage to Nelly, due to take place the next day. Struley is delighted that his planned revenge can begin so soon (Duet, ‘Eh, Geronio!’), and gloats over the upcoming separation of the betrothed couple. Geronio tells Struley that he found Salvini in a distant corner of the park, where he was bewailing his love for Nelly; Struley sees an opportunity to use Salvini to help realise his plans. Bonifacio tells Madam Rivers of Adelson’s despair at Salvini’s continued absence, but then misdirects both her and Fanny in their search for the painter, to avoid their discovery of his unbalanced state of mind. Adelson enters with Nelly, and vows to continue looking for his friend. On his departure, Bonifacio tells Nelly that he knows of Salvini’s love for her, and that they must avoid a confrontation between him and Adelson. Adelson discovers Salvini about to kill himself, ridden with guilt for his impossible love. Adelson unknowingly appeals to their friendship, while Salvini remains horrified by the prospect of attending the upcoming marriage. (Duet, ‘Torna, o caro’). On Adelson’s departure, Struley promises Nelly to Salvini, claiming that Adelson has already married in London, and offering a faked letter as proof. In reading the letter, Salvini realises that he is talking to Nelly’s former abductor, but Struley persuades him that it is Adelson who is guilty of treachery, and that Salvini should therefore show Nelly the letter, and abduct her himself. Once Salvini has gone, Bonifacio spots Struley, and observes him suspiciously, thinking that he might be a debt collector. Struley assures him that he is a simple hunter, and escapes, only for Bonifacio to find Salvini, who insists unexpectedly that Adelson will soon bring him happiness; Bonifacio is left to puzzle things out alone (Aria, ‘Ora vi’, lo caso è bello!’). With everyone present, Adelson offers Fanny’s hand to Salvini (Finale, ‘Ecco alfin quel caro oggetto’). Fanny is delighted, but the bewilderment of Nelly and Salvini at this turn of events is interrupted by the announcement of a fire in the estate farmhouse that threatens the castle. Adelson entrusts Nelly to Salvini, who instantly tries to persuade her that she has been betrayed by Adelson; Nelly refuses to believe it, and is shocked to see Struley arrive. Nelly convinces Salvini of Struley’s evil designs, and Struley and Geronio threaten them both. Nelly faints in horror, and Struley carries her off; Salvini gives chase, and a gunshot is heard offstage. The others return to announce that the fire has been put out, but this good news is overshadowed by Salvini’s reappearance, believing that he has killed Nelly.

Act III -
The act opens inside a pavilion, lit by a single flickering lamp. Adelson sits deep in thought, contemplating revenge on Salvini, and then sends for Bonifacio. Adelson promises to pardon him for his part in Salvini’s actions, if he reveals the truth about whether Nelly was having an affair with Salvini. Bonifacio claims they were, but that Adelson himself was to blame for leaving the two of them along together so much (Duet, ‘Miette l’esca vicin’a lo ffuoco’). Adelson is stricken by his own complicity, and frees Bonifacio. He then brings in Salvini, who confesses his love for Nelly, and explains that it was Struley who had fired the shot, and that he had intended to kill Struley, only to kill Nelly by mistake with a knifeblow. Adelson announces that he will show Salvini the murdered Nelly by way of revenge; Salvini begs to be killed instead (Aria with chorus, ‘Si cadrò… ma estinto ancora’), only for Adelson to open the curtains to show Nelly alive, together with Fanny, Madame Rivers and a group of peasants crowning her with flowers. Nelly reveals that the blow from Salvini had caught in her cloak. In the aftermath, Adelson’s servants had captured Struley and Geronio in a nearby cave and taken them to prison. Adelson forgives the repentant Salvini, and to show his clemency sends him back to Italy with a generous allowance. Finally, Adelson and Nelly are able to marry (Chorus, ‘Ah Nelly, tributo umìle’).

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by Froide

GtrsRGr8 usually posts the weekly classical freebies. I guess he's busy.

At Classical-Music.com:



To download the piece:
<snip>

Was busy. In part because of a long Internet outage. Thanks for posting this. It seems like they are a hair early this time.

[GtrsRGr8]

Get a free MP3 of Antonin Dvorak's Cello Concerto: II. Adagio ma non troppo, performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Maria Kliegel, cello. This comes courtesy of YourClassical, among other organizations I'm sure. It's their free classical piece for Tuesday.

The piece is taken from the 2-CD set, The Very Best of Dvorak, published by Naxos. Find out much, much more about the set (can I call it an album????) from this dedicated Naxos webpage for the album.

The dedicated YourClassical webpage for the free piece is here. Among the valuable features on this webpage are a stream bar, to use if you wish to simply listen to the piece without downloading it, and also a "Direct MP3 download link" for you to click on should you wish to download the free piece.

This rendition of Dvorak's Cello Concerto: II. Adagio ma non troppo is 12 minutes, 32 seconds in length.

The piece is dominated by what sounds like a violin, but perhaps may be the cello. The free piece is called a Cello Concerto, after all. If it is the cello, it is played at a higher pitch most of the time than I usually expect from a cello performance. I did not really care for the piece--it contained mostly soft, becalming music, but suddenly would get loud a few times in the piece. So you can't really use it to get relaxed, because you never know when the music will suddenly become much louder. It's a quirk of mine. YMMV.

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Thanks to Dr. Drib and others who were of help with the Beethoven download.

It's a humongous file--1.2 GB. I chose the "tar folder" option. I wonder why they quit using zip--it's a standard. I had never heard of tar.

You're welcome.

[GtrsRGr8]

I was very late in the day posting yesterday's (Monday's) YourClassical free download of the day (Johannes Brahms - Serenade No. 2: V. Rondo), so some of you all who might have wanted it may not have gotten it.

There is at least one archive of recent YourClassical freebies. It is a little difficult to find, however. I thought that I had it bookmarked, but found out that I didn't, so it even took me a little bit of effort myself (not much, though ) to find it. I am giving you the URL for it now.

[GtrsRGr8]

When I checked a couple of times at eMusic's free download of the day webpage, I got the message that it is "temporarily down" due to "scheduled maintenance." (What? They do scheduled maintenance in the middle of the day??? Maybe they're based in some other country, but their freebies change at about midnight EST (east coast USA) every day, which makes me think otherwise).

Anyway, I may or may not check eMusic again today. So, I recommend that you check Koland's blog's webpage. She's already got a post up about today's free offering, and so if eMusic gets through with their "scheduled maintenance" later in the day, you can use Koland's link.

[GtrsRGr8]

Well, eMusic must have completed their "scheduled" midday "maintenance," because the free daily download appears on their website now.

Here's some of the relevant information:
Song: Paper Planes
Artist: Mason Ashley
Album: Paper Planes
Label: Red Tree Music Group / Digital Music Marketing
Genre: Rock/Pop
Styles: Singer-Songwriter

They put the song in the "rock/pop." genre--pop it probably is; rock it definitely is not. But it seems like a lot of tracks that are not the least bit rock & roll are getting thrown into that category nowadays. It seems to fit in the "Alternative/Pop" genre to me.

This is not really my type of music. But, the fact that I've posted the song indicates that I think that the quality is there. The singer does fine, and the song, accurately categorized, is not the least bit inferior, IMHO, to other ones like it that I've heard. Thumbs up.

[Froide]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Well, eMusic must have completed their &quot;scheduled&quot; midday &quot;maintenance,&quot; because the free daily download appears on their website now.

Here's some of the relevant information:
Song: Paper Planes
Artist: Mason Ashley
Album: Paper Planes
Label: Red Tree Music Group / Digital Music Marketing
Genre: Rock/Pop
Styles: Singer-Songwriter

They put the song in the &quot;rock/pop.&quot; genre--pop it probably is; rock it definitely is not. But it seems like a lot of tracks that are not the least bit rock & roll are getting thrown into that category nowadays. It seems to fit in the &quot;Alternative/Pop&quot; genre to me.

This is not really my type of music. But, the fact that I've posted the song indicates that I think that the quality is there. The singer does fine, and the song, accurately categorized, is not the least bit inferior, IMHO, to other ones like it that I've heard. Thumbs up.

I'm glad eMusic fixed the site in time for you to access this piece; I like it, and others might, too. Amazon* (which typically categorizes music more informatively/accurately than eMusic.com does) and I agree with your assessment - it's a pop song.

See https://www.amazon.com/Paper-Planes/...E?tag=mr060-20

[GtrsRGr8]

Naxos created a compilation album of Franck and Grieg songs called Franck - Grieg - Violin Sonatas - Grieg - Lyric Pieces. YourClassical has managed to get one of the Cesar Franck pieces from that album--Violin Sonata: IV. Allegretto Poco Mosso--and offer it as their free piece of the day.

Apparently all of the violin parts of the album are performed by Takako Nishizaki; all of the piano pieces are performed by Jeno Jando. If you wish to research the album further, YourClassical has provided us a link to a dedicated Naxos webpage for the entire album.

The free piece uses the talents of both Nishzaki on the violin and Jando on the piano. This piece from the album, at least, is formatted in MP3. It is 5 minutes, 59 seconds long. Wanna stream it to see what you think of it? There is a stream bar located at this webpage for you to do that. If, at any point, you wish to download the freebie, point your web browser to the same webpage as I gave just above and click on the "Direct MP3 download link." The download should begin immediately.

I know that all of you wait with bated breath every day of the week (M-F) to find out my opinion of that day's free piece. I don't want to sound like a curmudgeon (even if I am. ha), but this piece combines two things that I have a distaste for in a classical piece--what I call a screeching violin and a banging on the piano keyboard. Despite that, it was tolerable. I'll certainly keep it on my hard drive.

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by Froide

I'm glad eMusic fixed the site in time for you to access this piece; I like it, and others might, too. Amazon* (which typically better categorizes music more informatively/accurately than eMusic.com does) and I agree with your assessment - it's a pop song.

See https://www.amazon.com/Paper-Planes/...E?tag=mr060-20

Thanks for the confirmation. I don't have much self-confidence when it comes to categorizing music nowadays.

Thanks for mentioning Amazon's superior categorization. I think that I will start checking Amazon each day that I think that an eMusic free piece is worth posting (BTW, today's isn't, IMHO).

[GtrsRGr8]

EMENDATION: I'm sorry! Froide kindly already posted this freebie, and did a fine job of it. I didn't download the freebie for myself at the time of his post, so it didn't "sink in" that this one had already been posted. Maybe there's something that I posted below, that he didn't, that will be of value. G


Classical-music.com's weekly free download is now available.

Actually, I lost track of things, and forgot to check in a timely manner--the download actually was posted the day before yesterday. So, you have approximately 5 days from now to grab it on a free basis.

I love it when I can cut-and-paste my way through some of these music posts!:
This week’s free download is the aria ‘Dopo l’oscuro nembo’ from Bellini’s first opera Adelson e Salvini, sung by Daniela Barcellona on a new recording by Opera Rara. Bellini wrote the opera in 1825 while he was still a student at the Naples Conservatory, and it proved so popular that the opera was performed at the Naples Conservatory every Sunday for a year. ‘Dopo l’oscuro nembo’ - would later be reused by Bellini in Giuletta’s aria ‘O quante volte’ in I Capuleti e I Montecchi.

Unfortunately, the stuff that I can cut-and-paste is limited. I need to share with you, personally, some other important information. One is that you must be signed up with Classical-music.com to get the freebie. Second is that you must be logged in. If you have not signed up and/or not logged in, there are links in the upper righthand corner on this webpage that will direct you to places to do that.

Now, navigate to the webpage that I referenced above. If you are logged in, you should see a bright red "Download Now" button partially obscuring the thumbnail image of the album, located at the webpage that I just referenced above. If that is the case, click on the button and your free download an MP3) should automatically download to the device that you use to listen to MP3's.

The worst part of making music posts is giving my opinion of them. For one thing, I am not qualified to do it. Anyway, here's my take on this one. First of all, I dislike operas and this piece (Opera Rara perform music from Bellini's first opera), as you can read, is an opera. I love the instrumental part of this piece, however. If there was an instrumental-only version of the song, I know that I would love it.

Oh yeah, I always try to state the length of the free pieces. (Mercifully), this one is only 6 minutes and 52 seconds or so.

[GtrsRGr8]

Naxos first free album of the month has just become available.

Check your email, if you are a subscriber to their newsletter. You must be a subscriber to get this one. A few days from now, they will make an offer for anyone to get a choice of one of three free FLAC albums from them, without need of being a subscriber, registered, or anything else like that.

Near the bottom of the email message from Naxos that you should have gotten is an orange-colored button located just to the right of a thumbnail of the image of the cover of the album that you will receive. It says, "Free Album--Download Here." If you click on it, you will get a webpage that tells about the free album, The Pupils of Tartini, including the names and lengths of each track on that free album. And there's also the all-important dark blue button, prominently shown underneath the thumbnail image of the album cover for the free (FLAC!) album, that says "Download." Click on it and follow the prompts. The album will download as a zip file and, even at that, it is a large one.

Enjoy.

[GtrsRGr8]

It is from the Naxos series of albums called American Symphony Orchestras, and from the particular album in the series called Tchaikovsky Symphony No.4 - Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture, that today's free piece from YourClassical, called Symphony No. 4: II. Andantino, is drawn.

True to the name of the series of albums, today's free piece is performed by Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Marin Alsop is the conductor. Check out this webpage if you would like to know more about the entire album or specific parts of it.

The free piece is formatted in MP3, and runs approximately 10 minutes, 22 seconds. Stream it and/or download it from this dedicated YourClassical webpage for the free piece. It is pretty obvious, once you look over the webpage, how to go about streaming the piece. To download it, look for the blue link which says "Direct MP3 download link," and click on it.

I don't know what you might like or dislike in a classical piece, but this one does not have the extreme highs and lows, screeching violin, and extreme changes in tempo over and over that I dislike. I think that it is a nice piece--one that I could certainly see myself adding to a playlist, along with other classical pieces to enjoy listening to at my leisure.