My BBC Magazine cds come in a very, very easy to open plastic sleeve. Just pick it off the cover of the magazine, tear the glue off and it's done. Takes up very little shelf space. I wish more cds were packed that way.
Shrink wrap presents no problem for me: I use a a box cutter. The sharp blade easily demolishes the stuff and unwrapping is easy. What's no so easy is the stupid sticky label that too many American companies still put on the top of the disk. That's a mess! Rarely does it come off in one piece and you have a bunch of sticky bits all over. But things could be worse: I recall that in the early days of cds they were packaged in large, elongated industrial strength plastic containers that defied scissors for opening. A box cutter was even risky, as a slip could bring bodily harm.
I'm disappointed to read the review of the Mahler. I haven't received my copy yet. If it's forward momentum you want, try the new Jarvi on Chandos which is too fast, too impatient, too driven. It's ridiculous. Once again proving something about Jarvi I've known for a long time: he may be good at the Russian nationalists, but when it comes to the mainstream Austro/German repertoire he's out of his league. His earlier Mahler 6th and 8th are dreadful, his Brahms set is one of the worst, his Bruckner is weak...at least the sons are pretty good Beethoven conductors.
