Do you remember those really productive excursions to the record store when you were first starting to build a collection? I mean those trips where the number of CD's or cassettes or LP's increased by 10%, 20%, maybe even more?
I've been thinking about such a spree.
The first netted me a lot of music I have since outgrown: Carmina Burana, Stravinsky's three early ballets, the Planets. Of the pieces I acquired that day, the only one that I haven't lost any affection for is Also Sprach Zarathustra.
I came to think about this trip to the Berkshire Record Outlet when I recently ordered Leslie Howard playing Liszt's transcriptions of Beethoven's 9 symphonies on Hyperion. The BRO price of 29.95 puts Amazon.com's 87.98 and Tower's 70.99 to shame.
The outlet takes advantage of close outs and deletions to provide a very diverse catalogue at a very low price. In addition to the horses listed above, I've found some more interesting and unique selections there. I was able to find some Babbit, Pendercki, and Cage there, along with Dufay and Harmonia Mundi's recording of Biblical songs.
There are a couple of catches: because of the ephemeral nature of their catalogue, you never know what you'll find. That record you passed on last time you ordered may not be there this time. Also, the web site is pretty clunky, but sufficient.
The best way to experience the outlet, though, is in person. It is very close to Tanglewood, on Rte. 102 in Lee, Massachusetts. The bins are wonderfully disorganized, leading to wonderful surprises.
With the price of CD's rocketing so much, BRO is one of the places where you can still find a value. It's a great store, and well worth the patronage of any classical music fan.
2 comments:
As a major buyer in the 80s (as a student), I have always been awed by the selection. For the first time last year, after almost 20 years, I visited the place and was amazed by the huge warehouse I could see from the entrance hall where small amout cut-outs were left for visitors to browse. The experience was slightly spoiled by the fact that toilet facilty was avaiable for visitors. I was shocked. Luckily I did not have to walk to woods nearby but at least they could have the decency of allowing visitors to relieve themselves. Better continue to order by mail-order or web.
Aphichart A.
You said that the site was clunky? have you revisited it lately? It looks like they have redone everything from scratch, I really like it.
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