The best music shop in the country?
Mon, Oct 15 2012, 11:42AM
I was in Manchester at the weekend to attend the Stirling Prize architecture awards. Spent the morning in a beautiful music shop which I remembered was there in my youth, a long time ago - Forsyths on Deansgate http://www.forsyths.co.uk
I could have happily spent all day there. I rate it the best music shop in the UK, the kind of place which makes you fall in love with real - as opposed to online - browsing again. I didn't buy a piano but I did buy the Halle's Die Walkure, plus CDs by the Bill Evans trio, an old Kurt Weil and Abbado's 1970 recording of Debussy and Ravel with the BSO.
Mon, Oct 15 2012, 1:59PM
#2
RE: The best music shop in the country?
Well, I didn't ask for advice but I was served by real and friendly people. There were a couple of customers who came in and asked for various CDs while I was there, and they seemed happy with their answers. Regards price, two CDs were actually cheaper than Amazon:
Weill, Mack the Knife £5.95 vs £6.50 on Amazon
Evans trio, Sunday at the Vanguard £5.50 vs £5.53 on Amazon
The Halle Walkure £30 vs £22.93 on Amazon
Mon, Oct 15 2012, 3:56PM
#3
RE: The best music shop in the country?
I'm convinced, you have found the best music shop in the country. Cheap prices and you don't get the shop assistant endlessly nagging you 'Of course it doesn't compare to the Toscanini in terms of performance but if you play it on a NC3X5 with U67Xi speakers etc etc etc. Do they have a web site!
Mon, Oct 15 2012, 4:24PM
#4
RE: The best music shop in the country?
The CD section in Forsyth's is pretty small though isn't it? Most of the shop is sheet music and instruments. Overall it's very similar to other shops that still exist like Banks in York or Les Aldrich in Muswell Hill, and probably some others.
Ted
Mon, Oct 15 2012, 5:04PM
#5
RE: The best music shop in the country?
The best music shop in the UK is Bookcase in Carlisle, Cumbria. Thousands of both new and second hand classical CD's as well as hundreds of thousands of books. I would say it has by far the best choice of CD's in the country.
Oliver, I'll visit that Manchester shop the next time I'm there.
Cheers
Graham
Mon, Oct 15 2012, 5:40PM
#6
RE: The best music shop in the country?
Agreed about Bookcase - it has more 2nd hand stock (especially lps) than any of the shops in London. I'm always slightly amazed that it has stayed in business, given the size of the premises.
Ted
Mon, Oct 15 2012, 6:14PM
#7
RE: The best music shop in the country?
Bookcase is a treasure trove for book and music lovers and I can spend hours in there. I still come across rooms that I didn't know existed! There is a basement full of LP's and there are some real finds in the second hand CD area.
I know there are great deals on-line but you can't beat looking around a good music shop with music-loving staff.
Mon, Oct 15 2012, 8:58PM
#8
RE: The best music shop in the country?
Bookcase is a treasure trove for book and music lovers and I can spend hours in there. I still come across rooms that I didn't know existed!
Arhh Alzheimers, it can make life seem quite strange.
Tue, Oct 16 2012, 9:54AM
#9
RE: The best music shop in the country?
Great contribution to the discussion Sid. You are wasted here, someone of your incisive wit should be doing stand-up.
Sun, Oct 21 2012, 12:41PM
#10
RE: The best music shop in the country?
Both in London:
New CDs - Harold Moore's
Used CDs - CD Exchange, Notting Hill Gate.
How did their prices compare to 'unreal' on-line browsing? Which is of course why most people shop on-line. Did you get 'real' advice from the retailer as opposed to 'un-real' reviews printed on-line here on the gramophone web-site.