Assorted Afflatuses

Since EMI began peddling wonderful DRM-free, high-quality AAC files on the iTunes store in May, I have hoped against hope that Vivendi's Universal Music Group would do the same. Universal, as it happens, controls three of my favorite pseudo labels — Deutsche Grammophon, Decca and Verve — whose classic and jazz music sound sound far better with that extra 128kbps of audio data.

Of course, Universal, in its perpetual ineptitude, decided to put its snazzy new DRM-free, high-quality music everywhere but iTunes. Initially, I was angry. Yesterday, however, Amazon.com launched their "MP3 Downloads" store, which sells, among other music, the new Universal stuff. While I would compare the experience of browsing their store to wrenching a pair of jeans out from someone's grip on the first day of the Nordstrom anniversary sale compared to the serene minimalism of iTunes, I still managed to find a few songs worth purchasing, all of which sound terrific.

But my mild happiness turned to letdown when I discovered that Universal did not make its wonderful Global Concert Hall series of live digital recordings, released under the Decca and Deutsche Grammophon labels, available to Amazon.com. I really like the Global Concert Hall Series. It has featured the New York Philharmonic and the world-renowned Chamber Orchestra of Europe performing everything from Schumann to Chopin. The live recordings from iTunes teem with vivaciousness and energy, but the 128kbps bit-rate has always left me somewhat underwhelmed, especially compared with higher quality classical recordings in my library.

Take heed Universal! I want my Global Concert Hall and I want it at 256kbps!