What is ReDiscovery?

ReDiscovery is an educational project of several long-time music collectors and record enthusiasts frustrated by the unavailability of many great performances from the 1950s and 1960s. Today's music-making leaves students of the art with an incomplete understanding of the role of the interpreter. ReDiscovery not only serves this important instructional function, but we also preserve for archival purposes recordings that might otherwise be lost forever.

Where Does ReDiscovery Get Its Masters From?

Everywhere and anywhere. We are always on the lookout for open-reel tapes, as these can provide sound quality closer to that of the studio masters denied to us.

Is ReDiscovery a Bootleg or Pirate Label?

The sources ReDiscovery uses for its releases are public domain recordings. Surprisingly, many classical recordings issued before 1972 are not protected by copyright. Law in this area is extremely convoluted, because, before 1972, the first "fixation" of sound (the original master tapes) was eligible for protection, but the records and tapes made from them were not. Thus it can be argued that an LP or tape issued for public sale before 1972 is public domain--as long as the music contained therein is also public domain.

Do Your Releases Include the Original Cover Art and Notes?

Cover art and notes are sometimes copyrighted and to include them would violate the law. Our releases do offer cover art of a sort and short program notes.

Are ReDiscovery Releases CDs or CDRs?

Our records are CDRs (recordable CDs) made on a one-on-one basis using the highest quality blanks. Discs are identified by the release number which is hand written on the inner clear plastic hub, never on the recording area.

What Is the Sound Quality of ReDiscovery CDs?

Many of our releases are mastered from open-reel tapes. This means unattenuated dynamics, with no vinyl noise,  inner groove distortion, or clicks and pops. Tapes are played on Sony or Pioneer decks, LPs on an AR ETL-1 turntable with MMT arm and Shure V-15 cartridge. Mastering is performed on an iMac, using Waves Renaissance and Restoration tools. We take pride in the quality of our restorations, and your satisfaction is guaranteed.

Are Your mp3 Downloads Any Good?

We think so. For a fraction of the price of a CD you get the music instantly, encoded at the highest possible bitrate (VBR 320kbps or equivalent) for sound that is virtually indistinguishable from the original source. Each download includes the cover art and notes from the CD edition.
Do Your Downloads Split Continuous Music?
We know the music so we don't make mistakes like that. We provide individual tracks, properly tagged and annotated, but if the music doesn't pause, we don't break it into separate tracks. So you won't get any glitches in the last three movements of the Pastorale.

What are Paperback Classics? Why Don't You Release More Contemporary Music?

It is not enough for a recording to be in the public domain; the music must also be free of any copyright restrictions. In general, if a work was not first published before 1924, it is almost certainly protected by copyright. Licensing fees, based on the total time of the performance, are not insubstantial. Licensing is even more expensive for mp3 downloads, so a few of our releases will never be offered in that format.

Can You Release a Recording That Has Been on CD But Is Now Out-Of-Print?

We could, but if a CD has been issued, it is difficult to better that sound quality working with an LP or a tape. So we don't offer an item when a superior CD edition has been issued from the master tapes. This holds true for compact discs issued in Europe or Japan. We are reluctant to market inferior transfers of such items, as the foreign releases can be obtained online.

How Often Will New Releases Be Issued?

We aim for a monthly schedule, but this depends on the availability of material that meets our goals and purposes. If you wish to be notified as new releases are made available, just email us and we'll put you on our notification list.

What Are Those Funny Symbols?

What Are the Shipping Costs?

All prices include US shipping.

I’d Rather Not Use Paypal. Are There Other Payment Options?

You can pay by check or money order. Email us for further information.

Are ReDiscovery Releases Available Outside the USA?

Because of the vagaries of international copyright laws, we only ship to addresses in the US. If you do not live in the US, please email us for additional options.