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

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

A big thank you

Didn't see that offer. Sign up successful.

A big thank you, back at you, for the enormous amount of work that you do for this, and the Audiobooks thread especially. Glad to find something that could be of help to you for a change.

[GtrsRGr8]

Not digital enough. Deleted.

[GtrsRGr8]

The name of the composer of today's free classical piece from YourClassical is certainly well known. It is Johann Sebastian Bach. And the free piece is his Sheep May Safely Graze.

The particular rendition of that work that we can get free is a 5 minute, 39 second piece played by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, with Jose Serebrier as the conductor. The album from which it comes, Stowkowski Transcriptions, is published by Naxos.

Are you curious about the name of the album, and what it has to do with Bach and the pieces on this album? So was I. Well, Naxos has provided a webpage dedicated to the album, which helps to answer that question, and many more, about the album.

At this YourClassical webpage, you can either stream the piece or download it (in the MP3 format) or do both. To download it, click on the link that says, "Direct MP3 download link" and that action will automatically put the piece on your computer's default drive.

Enjoy this final free classical piece for the week from YourClassical!

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

The name of the composer of today's free classical piece from YourClassical is certainly well known. It is Johann Sebastian Bach. And the free piece is his Sheep May Safely Graze.

The particular rendition of that work that we can get free is a 5 minute, 39 second piece played by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, with Jose Serebrier as the conductor. The album from which it comes, Stowkowski Transcriptions, is published by Naxos.

Are you curious about the name of the album, and what it has to do with Bach and the pieces on this album? So was I. Well, Naxos has provided a webpage dedicated to the album, which helps to answer that question, and many more, about the album.

At this YourClassical webpage, you can either stream the piece or download it (in the MP3 format) or do both. To download it, click on the link that says, "Direct MP3 download link" and that action will automatically put the piece on your computer's default drive.

Enjoy this final free classical piece for the week from YourClassical!

I just found out why the freebie for today is by J.S. Bach. It's Bach Friday.

[GtrsRGr8]

Liking something, and liking something enough to pay real money for it, are two different things.

I know that at least some of you enjoy classical music, and enjoy the classical music freebies that get posted on this thread. But, do you like classical music enough to pay for it?

I got an email message several hours ago from a company called ClassicsOnline. It seems that they either are a classical music club/subscription service or that a music club/subscription service is a part of their business.

At any rate, they sent the email to let all of us on their mailing list know of a price change. But the price change is to lower rates. Starting December 1, their rate will drop to $4.99/month or $39.99/year. From trolling around on their website, it appears that the rate per month at the moment is $5.99. But I think that even the higher rate would have been a good value if you are really into classical music.

What makes them so great is the fact that you get access to more than 250,000 tracks and over 12,000 albums. As a member, these are available for both streaming and downloading. Furthermore, these are not "lossy" MP3's but will be either "high resolution" or "CD quality" recordings. Personally, my ears can't tell the difference, although those of you who are more into music would be able to tell the difference.

For those of you who think that you might be interested, but would like more information, there are links to several helpful webpages, including one with a FAQ link on it, located on this webpage. If you are especially interested in the different recording qualities that are available, the link to follow, oddly enough, is the "pricing" one located on this webpage. The information is directed more toward existing members than prospective ones, but I think that you can work your way through it just fine.

I'm sure that there are several ClassicsOnline webpages where you can sign up for a new membership, but this webpage is probably one of the better ones from which to do it.

[TrevorViking]

I guess this qualifies for this thread, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

Fans of Mystery Science Theater 3000 are probably already aware of Rifftrax, where a few of those guys have been riffing movies and shorts for years. They sell both physical media and digital downloads of their riffs at www.rifftrax.com , imagine that. They have regular sales, and two pretty good ones should coincide tonight.

The code FRIDAY gives 20% off everything in the store, and a new code, CYBER16, starts at 1930 pacific time tonight, adding another 16% off and a couple of free digital shorts, and a $5 gift card if your total is above $10 iirc.

[GtrsRGr8]

I've been looking forward to finding out the new free classical pieces that we can get from YourClassical this week!

YourClassical is offering us today a free download of the 7 minute, 17 second piece, Symphony No. 1: IV. Allegro Molto Vivo, composed by Alexander Borodin, from Naxos' album Borodin - Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, and 3.

To make sure that I give credit where credit is due, let me say that the album was performed by CSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava (Czech Republic)), which appears to be aka Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, or somehow connected with them. Stephen Gunzenhauser is the conductor. Quite a bit more information about the album is on this Naxos' webpage.

Perhaps this would be a good time to remind you that YourClassical does not make you set up an account before you can download their freebies (you will need to do that, however, if you wish to stream, at this webpage, any of the other pieces on the album).

I had never heard of Alexander Borodin before (sorry, Alex), so I didn't quite know what to expect. This is a good piece, very lively, that you're probably not going to doze off while listening to (yes, I know that that is poor grammar; it's late in the night now for me to care).

If and when you get ready to download the free piece, follow the link "Direct MP3 downlod link," which is located on this webpage.

[tubemonkey]

Last Day -- exp 28 Nov

SoundCloud Go

3 months for $1

It's deal season! Save over $28 and get offline listening, 135M tracks, and more.

Limited time offer ends Monday. $9.99/month after 3 months

[GtrsRGr8]

I'm still trying to learn the schedules for the free classical music sites (except for YourClassical--I've got it down. ha). I was thinking that Classical-music.com didn't release a new freebie until Tuesday. But here it is still Monday, and they've notified us that they've already got a new one for us (I'm not complaining. ha).

This week's free download is from Mitzi Meyerson plays Lessons for Harpsichord by composer John Jones. It is the Allegro from Lesson VIII for Harpsichord.
The blurb:
This week's free download is the Allegro from John Jones's Lesson VIII for Harpsichord. Though his name may not be so well recognised as 18th-century harpsichord composers with more exotic names, like George Frideric Handel, Jean-Philippe Rameau and Domenico Scarlatti, John Jones's music is irresistibly colourful and eclectic.

This recording, by Mitzi Meyerson, received a five-star review in the September issue of BBC Music Magazine. 'Meyerson brings improvisatory flair, expressive rhetorical gestures, and balletic grace and agility to this recording,' writes Kate Bolton-Porciatti, 'she varies timbre and texture to delightful effect.'

Classical-music.com's free downloads have always been MP3's, and this week's is no exception. I'm sorry, but I was unable to find the length of the piece.

Strange name for an album, huh? Well, Mitzi, I'm sorry, but I won't be taking harpsichord lessons from you anytime soon. Now, to MobileReaders: as I have mentioned several times before, at best I only can tolerate harpsichord music. It is definitely not one of my faves. But, I did listen to it (the sacrifices that I make for my fellow MobileReaders! ha). And if you don't have any objections to the musical instrument being played, I suppose that it will sound good to you.

To download the free piece, head to this webpage. If you see a bright red "Download Now" button, click on it. The piece will automatically download to your computer. If you don't see the "Download Now" button, but do have an account (it's free) with Classical-music.com, get an account, log in, and go back to the website. You should see the button then.

[GtrsRGr8]

Naxos has an album entitled Dvorak - Piano Quintets Opp. 5 and 81, of composer Antonin Dvorak's works. Today they are offering us, through free, through YourClassical, movement III. Scherzo of Op. 81 from that album.

You can find a modicum of additional information about the album from this Naxos webpage, including reviews (there's actually just one so far) of the album by following a link on that same webpage.

The whole album, including the free piece, is performed by Vlach Quartet Prague, featuring Ian Klansky on the piano. Their rendition of the piece runs 4 minutes, 8 seconds.

A music critic I am not. But I will say that this is a pleasant piece to listen to. What stands out to me about the piece is that it is a lively piece, with a good balance and mixture of various musical instruments.

You can stream the MP3 piece from this dedicated YourClassical webpage for the piece. You may download the piece by following a link on that page which says, "Direct MP3 download link."

[GtrsRGr8]

As usual, Alexander Street is offering free downloads this week. This week's freebie is Selections from "Autumn" of Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons) by composer Joseph Haydn.

This week's download features the final two movements of "Autumn" in Haydn's oratorio Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons). The first selection is a recitative with the characters Hanne (soprano), Simon (bass), and Lucas (tenor) as they remark on the beauty of vine-ripe hills, and the joyful sounds from below as the villagers happily prepare the grapes into wine. We hear the merry villagers in the following chorus "Juhhe, juhhe, der Wein ist da" ("Juhhe, juhhe, the wine is here!"). This recording is performed by Adele Stolte (soprano), Théo Adam (bass), Peter Schreier (tenor), the Leipzig Radio Chorus, and Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Herbert Kegel.

The two free movements are:
- Am Rebenstocke blinket jetzt
- Juhhe, juhhe, der Wein ist da

I think that you may directly access the webpage with the links by pointing your browser to this webpage. It's pretty obvious, but the links are in blue a light aqua blue box near the right corner of the page. If you can't directly access that webpage for some reason, you may have to start at this one. Once you're there, click on the blue "download" button that will be obvious.

I have not mentioned this before (that I remember), but Alexander Street offers their free downloads in conjunction with an organization called the Open Music Library. I believe that I am correct in saying that the OML is a non-profit organization. Whatever the case, it seems that offering these valuable downloads to Alexander Street patrons is an act of kindness on their part. It would be common courtesy to acknowledge and thank them, too. Thank you, OML.

[GtrsRGr8]

Today is the day that I'm going to start calling "Super Tuesday." It's the day (more or less) of the month when we get hit (when I say "hit" I don't want y'all to think that I consider it a bad thing, especially now that I've come to expect it!) with a bunch of offers to receive free classical music.

I am all but certain that the free album that I'm about to tell you about now is offered by invitation only--you must be on the Naxos newsletter's mailing list to receive an invitation (in a few days, they should be offering a choice of one of three albums to the general public). If you are on the mailing list, you should have received the email message with the newsletter today. If you like what I tell you below and want to download the album, click on the yellow-orangish "Free Album--Download Here" button. Then you'll be taken to the webpage from which you can download it.

Now, information about the album . . . . It is from a company called Ondine (I think that it is related to Naxos--maybe wholly owned by them, I dunno). It is called Tchaikovsky: Complete Violin and Piano Music. At this point, let me let Ondine comment:
Despite the impression of largesse associated with the term "complete", the whole of Tchaikovsky's oeuvre for violin and piano only amounts to about 50 minutes of music, all of which is of high quality and quite enjoyable. The most substantial of the seven items in this collection are the Méditation and the Sérénade Melancolique, both familiar from their usually heard orchestra arrangements (the Sérénade was the original slow movement for Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto), and the Valse-scherzo, a buoyant work full of brilliant and captivating violin twists and turns.

Well, I'm sorry, that is very modest of them to say so, but I beg to differ. This is largesse--a company is giving away an album that I assume that they regularly sell on an everyday basis! And one in the high-quality (lossless?) flac format!

Let me give you the pieces included on this album:
- Souvenir D'Un Lieu Cher, Op. 42: No. 1. Meditation
- Valse-Scherzo, Op. 34 (Arr. For Violin And Piano)
- Serenade Melancolique, Op. 26 (Arr. For Violin And Piano)
- No. 2. Scherzo
- No. 3. Melodie
- No. 2 Morceaux, Op. 10: No. 2. Humoresque (Arr. For Violin And Piano)
- String Quartet No. 3 In E-Flat Minor, Op. 30: Iii. Andante Funebre E Doloroso Ma Con Moto (Arr. For Violin And Piano)

Peeps, my weakness with math is probably well know to all of you all by now. I couldn't find an exact figure, but I estimate that the album is just short of 40 minutes long, though.

Because I was so slow writing this post, I will have finished listening to the entire album by the time that I finish the post. Here's my expert (ha) review: if you like fiddle music, you should like this album. ha

Well, I think that that is all of the Super Tuesday offerings. Not to worry, though: in about 3 hours YourClassical should be notifying us of another free piece from them! (I didn't say that I was going to stay up that late in order to post it as soon as they notified us, though. ha).

[GtrsRGr8]

Enjoy a Franz Joseph Haydn piece free, courtesy of YourClassical, Naxos, and perhaps other benefactors.

It's a 5 minute, 2 second piece, as performed, that comes from the Naxos album Haydn - Symphonies, Vol. 24 - Symphonies Nos. 43 "Mercury", 46 & 47. The free piece is his Symphony No. 47: IV. Finale.

The music on the album is performed by the Cologne Chamber Orchestra, with Helmut Muller-Bruhl as conductor. There's much more information about the album on this webpage.

There is a dedicated YourClassical webpage for the free piece here. Point your browser to that webpage if you would like to download the piece (click on the "Direct MP3 download link") or just to stream it.

In case you'd like to know, I think that the piece is a good one. I enjoyed listening to it.

The free download offer for today is good until about 2 a.m. Eastern Time tomorrow, at which time we should be getting an offer from YourClassical for another free classical piece! Can't wait to find out what it is!

[GtrsRGr8]

You can relax. I don't have another free classical music piece that I'm going to tell you about (however, if you wanted one, maybe I could dig one up . . . .). ha

I am actually asking you for something, however. It has to do with labelling the classical music files and keeping them organized (e.g., everything by Tchaikovsky in one folder, everything by Dvorak in another folder, etc.)

I only checked today's YourClassical download, but I'm sure that the following holds true for the rest of them. The name of the file tells you almost nothing. I checked "Properties" (to do it, on the Chrome browser and maybe others, you right click) and there was almost nothing there, either--the only things that I saw of value were the bit rate and length of the recording! Nice things to know, but not really bases for filing the little treasures away.

So, I have a warning and a question. The warning is, it seems that if you don't manually enter metadata(?) for the piece somewhere, yourself, you are not going to be able to identify who composed the piece, the performer(s), etc. if you want to in the future. That is, unless you have a photographic memory, or are such a superlative virtuoso of classical music that you can identify all of that stuff just upon hearing the recording (neither one of those apply to me).

The question (actually two of them): after downloading a file, do you add such information to the file name or somehow else associate the information with the file by entering it somewhere else? Or, maybe there's a database somewhere, where you can relatively simply pull the information from it?. Second, do you keep your classical music files organized; if so, what is your method?

If I don't start doing something, one of these days I'm going to have a virtual tall stack of classical music recordings without any idea of what's on them. Of course, I could create, endlessly, playlists by randomly selecting a bunch of the files, but I foresee a time when I'd like to chose a file with a particular composer, or orchestra, or whatever, and not be able to do it.

I'm thinking that maybe I should just stream the free pieces several times to see whether or not I enjoy them then and, if I do, just buy the bloomin' album. That's probably one reason why recording companies giveaway pieces (albums are a different matter)--they hope that that leads you to buy their complete product (the album).

[koland]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

I am actually asking you for something, however. It has to do with labelling the classical music files and keeping them organized (e.g., everything by Tchaikovsky in one folder, everything by Dvorak in another folder, etc.)

I only checked today's YourClassical download, but I'm sure that the following holds true for the rest of them. The name of the file tells you almost nothing. I checked "Properties" (to do it, on the Chrome browser and maybe others, you right click) and there was almost nothing there, either

I start by ALWAYS changing the name of the file - I use the artist or composer's name, a dash, then the piece name (album first if there is one). Then, I can at least look it up if I get interested in fixing the ID Tags. Which I sometimes do, but not on all the freebies, as some get deleted, eventually.

I then move music to one of two directories (one local, the other on my NAS) and every time I start Media Monkey it scans those directories (and iTunes, etc) to see if there is anything new. If there is, it gets added to its database. I then use Media Monkey to search for music, just as I use Calibre for books.