# How do you choose your CDs?



## Cyclops

Just wondering how you decide which is the best version of a certain work when you go to buy a CD? I can't afford to pick and choose plus I'd be lucky to find more than one version in our shops anyway. I used to be with Britannia music and had a better choice but even then I wouldn't know who's version of Beethovens Fifth to get etc. I suppose I should study BBCMUSIC Magazine but a lot of its content doesn't interest me every month.
So how do you all decide?


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## BuddhaBandit

The key is getting to know the conductors and orchestra (and, for opera, singers) that you really like. As a start, though, try checking out the reviews of recordings on sites like Amazon.com- they tend to be fairly dependable. Also, I'm sure if you post works that you're interested in on this forum, you'll get a flood of responses (more poetically, a "recommendation inundation" ).


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## Artemis

BuddhaBandit said:


> ... Also, I'm sure if you post works that you're interested in on this forum, you'll get a flood of responses (more poetically, a "recommendation inundation" ).


I agree. This can be confusing as many people naturally tend to recommend what they have, which may have been based on a quite arbitrary choice in the first place. I've seen some newbies get completely frightened off by this as they don't know what to do given all the conflicting recommendations. If you can name a particular piece we'll see if we can be helpful, but I know that I would tend to recommend something that has been examined by the BBC Radio 3 "Building a Library" series, which has been going for years, and which is a very good source of impartial advice on the best recordings.


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## opus67

Apart from forum threads, a few places I consult are amazon.com, Classics Today, Gramophone and classical.net.

But for the most part, I'll have to stick with what I can get at the local store.


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## Gustav

I read reviews, on Amazon, classcistoday and gramophone, but i don't take them that seriously, i read them merely to avoid grossly bad recordings (technical issues). Most times i don't even read reviews (because they aren't always available for Cds i want), i would go try to buy cds from certain conductors/orchestras/labels to ensure the best quality. Of course, depend upon which composer/music you talk about, you choice might vary.


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## Chi_townPhilly

I have three "big-book" guides: The _Penguin Guide_ (still my overall favorite), the _Gramophone Guide_, and _Classical Music_ edited by Alexander Morin. They're all resources, but none (not even my favorite) has scriptural authority.

Spend enough time on the forum, and you may encounter someone whose taste is sufficiently in accord with your own that you place a level of trust in his (OR HER) recommendations. Also, you'll meet some people whose knowledge of some composers is so comprehensive (e.g.: *Kurkikohtaus* in Sibelius) that they become a source of primary significance themselves.


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## Cyclops

Thanks for all your help guys! I feel I'll enjoy it here(sorry I didn't reply earlier,was having problems with the phone I use to browse with)


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## Cyclops

Here's an example. I have many CDs from the bi monthly Classical Collection,and among them is Tchaikovsky's Violin concerto,performed by god knows who with some east european orchestra(most in the set are) The sound quality is OK but I'm sure the performance would be far from benchmark. So I would set out to look for a decent version. Lo and behold I find an old copy of BBC Music from last march,and in the reviews is a new CD of this work performed by Julia Fischer. Anyone have this CD or any other of this soloists recordings? (Must admit its a glowing review!)


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## confuoco

Artemis said:


> I agree. This can be confusing as many people naturally tend to recommend what they have, which may have been based on a quite arbitrary choice in the first place. I've seen some newbies get completely frightened off by this as they don't know what to do given all the conflicting recommendations. If you can name a particular piece we'll see if we can be helpful, but I know that I would tend to recommend something that has been examined by the BBC Radio 3 "Building a Library" series, which has been going for years, and which is a very good source of impartial advice on the best recordings.


It is true, but in another point of view...I have found very good recommendations for recordings in this and other classical music forums. Of course, it is impossible to choice one "the very best" recording, because tastes of listeners are different...but at least there are some "tenet" recordings, that simply belong among the best of the certain work...and experienced listeners usually don't forget to mention it.


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## confuoco

I think that recommendations of experienced listeneners is still the best way...when you will read forums and sometimes any review, I think you will gain good orientation in the world of classical recordings, naturally and soon . I´m also now in this process.

But:


Cyclopus said:


> J plus I'd be lucky to find more than one version in our shops anyway.


Why dont you buy in eshops? It is easy, you have great choice and often it's cheaper than in the "normal" shops.


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## Cyclops

confuoco said:


> I think that recommendations of experienced listeneners is still the best way...when you will read forums and sometimes any review, I think you will gain good orientation in the world of classical recordings, naturally and soon . I´m also now in this process.
> 
> But:
> 
> Why dont you buy in eshops? It is easy, you have great choice and often it's cheaper than in the "normal" shops.


Yes well we do get CDs from CD WOW and Amazon,in fact the last lot of classical I bought was from Amazon or ebay,Mozart early symphonies and Beethoven symphonies(still looking for a good #5) but that was a while ago. The last disks we bought online were pop/rock and we can usually only afford one or two per month. Plus I'd much rather 'physically' buy them if you know what you mean. But all we have is HMV which isn't great and you come out deaf! Oh for an MVC up here!


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## opus67

Cyclopus said:


> Beethoven symphonies(still looking for a good #5)


A _few_ people regard this highly.


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## Mark Harwood

I've found that it pays to have several methods & criteria.
First, I am entranced by the sound of pigeons. I ask myself, is this disc likely to be better than that? There has to be a feeling that it might be.
The Naxos Guitar Laureate series has never let me down, and it's the reason that I've been exposed to music that I would not have chosen because of familiarity. So I buy them as they come out.
Good people on this forum have taken the trouble to recommend discs quite out of the blue. That has a two-out-of-two success rate so far.
If Julian Bream plays on it, there is no reason not to buy it.
Amazon recommendations are often helpful and stimulating, although had I taken them too seriously I would never have bought a fantastic 10 CD set of assorted Boccherini works for £10.
But mostly I go for preferred period and style, and favourable price, and never mind who's playing it. Unless it's Bream, I'll think about that later, when considering buying multiple versions of a piece. I wonder whether those of us who listen to symphonies a lot are more choosy about the specific performer and performance?
When it comes right down to it, remember the pigeons.


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## Cyclops

opus67 said:


> A _few_ people regard this highly.


Thanks for that,which orchestra/conductor is that one?(the details won't show on my phone)The cover looks an old photo but it says its from 1996.


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## opus67

Cyclopus said:


> Thanks for that,which orchestra/conductor is that one?(the details won't show on my phone)The cover looks an old photo but it says its from 1996.


Carlos Kleiber and Vienna PO, recorded in '75.( And, yeah, the cover is pretty weird; everything except Kleiber's face and hands are blacked-out.) There's also a Hybrid SACD version. Many say that it is _the_ (non-HIP, of course) interpretation to have.


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## confuoco

Cyclopus said:


> Thanks for that,which orchestra/conductor is that one?(the details won't show on my phone)The cover looks an old photo but it says its from 1996.


It is Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Carlos Kleiber. 1996 is the year, when CD was published. The recording is from 1975. Other "standard" interpretation is Berliner Philharmoniker with Herbert von Karajan. Personally I like Boston Symphony Orchestra with Rafael Kubelik. I find it something like "authentic", without forced drama.


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## Rondo

I go mainly by conductor/orchestra, as well. Mostly in general, than by who is "best" for what.


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## Cyclops

Thanks for that, now what is SACD exactly, what am I missing out on?


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## opus67

All I know is that it stands for Super Audio Compact Disc, it's supposed to give you better sound quality over a normal CD, and can only be played with certain players (SACD players). A hybrid SACD, however, contains a normal CD layer, so that it can also be played using the usual CD players at CD-quality.

I have the Hybrid SACD version of the Kleiber/5th and, while I did have some trouble initially trying to make the DVD player play the CD, it works well now.


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## Gustav

Cyclopus said:


> Thanks for that, now what is SACD exactly, what am I missing out on?


don't even think about SACDs at this point, to just to be able to listen to them, you have to invest hundreds if not thousands of dollars, which is totally unnecessary at your stage.


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## Cyclops

Gustav said:


> don't even think about SACDs at this point, to just to be able to listen to them, you have to invest hundreds if not thousands of dollars, which is totally unnecessary at your stage.


Not quite sure what 'my' stage is,I've been an avid listener of classical since I was in short trousers,but either way investing that much money to hear music is unnecesary at _any_ stage!


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## Gustav

Cyclopus said:


> Not quite sure what 'my' stage is,I've been an avid listener of classical since I was in short trousers,but either way investing that much money to hear music is unnecesary at _any_ stage!


are you an "audiophile"?


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## Cyclops

Gustav said:


> are you an "audiophile"?


Hmmm,audio=sound philos=like,enjoy,favour

err,yep! 
Unfortunately I don't have thousands to throw away on equipment otherwise that is the direction in which the majority of it would be err thrown!Oh and it would also be spent on cameras,electronic keyboards and a nice piano of course 
But I'm on low income with 2 young kids to feed so my audiophilia has to come second(we do have a nice MP3 player each tho!)


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## BuddhaBandit

Cyclopus, I'm a dedicated classical listener with a fairly extensive collection of music. I also listen to music anytime I can. In five years of serious listening, I have not yet felt the need to get an SACD player... so I think it's safe to say you don't really need one 

Also, "audiophile" technically refers to anybody who is dedicated to hearing very high-fidelity music. They tend to focus on the quality of the sound as much as the quality of the performance. A true audiophile, for example, wouldn't be likely to buy any of Furtwängler's Ring Cycle recordings, as, while his conducting was great, the sound quality is less than perfect.

I, clearly, am not an audiophile; in fact, much of my listening includes blues, folk, and gospel recordings from the 1920s and 30s, where I delight in hearing the scratchy, poor sound.


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## Cyclops

BuddhaBandit said:


> Cyclopus, I'm a dedicated classical listener with a fairly extensive collection of music. I also listen to music anytime I can. In five years of serious listening, I have not yet felt the need to get an SACD player... so I think it's safe to say you don't really need one
> 
> Also, "audiophile" technically refers to anybody who is dedicated to hearing very high-fidelity music. They tend to focus on the quality of the sound as much as the quality of the performance. A true audiophile, for example, wouldn't be likely to buy any of Furtwängler's Ring Cycle recordings, as, while his conducting was great, the sound quality is less than perfect.
> 
> I, clearly, am not an audiophile; in fact, much of my listening includes blues, folk, and gospel recordings from the 1920s and 30s, where I delight in hearing the scratchy, poor sound.


Well, I stick by my definition 
I'm not philistine but I believe there is some truth in the saying 'I know what I like'. Now ideally I'd be sitting with my feet up, cuppa steaming next to me,nose in a mag and music surrounding me from properly placed speakers, but, and its a big but, I am now a stay at home father cum house husband who also works part time, and so I dont have the opportunity to do the above,or at least not until the kids are in bed. 
In the meantime I have to put up with irritating kids TV, and young Matthew crying once again cos his food supply has run out and listening to music on the rubbish speakers on the PC while transferring music to my MP3 player! Then night time comes and i might get to listen to what I've transferred properly!


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## Rondo

Another example:

Some of Bruno Walter's Beethoven and Brahms cycles are among the very best performances, though anyone picky about recording quality may think otherwise.


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## Gustav

Rondo said:


> Another example:
> 
> Some of Bruno Walter's Beethoven and Brahms cycles are among the very best performances, though anyone picky about recording quality may think otherwise.


I don't like Walter's Beethoven at all, but his Brahms Cycle with CSO has good sound, and his Mozart cycle on Odyssey sounds MAGNIFICENT.


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## Erik Helm

In my opinion CD selection is all a wonderful journey of learning. Along the path of learning mistakes will be made and tastes will change. This is one of the best reasons to get together with another classical music nut and listen to multiple recordings of the same piece. What is one man's meat may be another man's poison. I have enjoyed the learning process more than anything. Reading books on composers, and studying orchestras and orchestral periods under different conductors as well as some of the excellent and poor reviews on Amazon taught me a lot. Another simple source I used was the Half Price books near me. I bought many used CDs there for $6.00 or less including some real doozies such as Mahler 2 with Bernstein and the way under appreciated Holsts Planets with Gardner. If I buy a stinker, so what? I analyze it and find out why. Then hopefully I learn something. If all of us only read the reviews in Gramaphone or Penguin we would all have the same recordings, and our exposure to the wonderful diversity out there would not take place. Box sets can also be a great starting point. Most of them are not the best recordings out there, but you will become familiar with the pieces you like and then can choose other recordings of those pieces. Imagine trying to get into the Bach Cantatas. You could spend $600.00 getting the CDs individually first only to find that you like only the cantatas that feature combined brass, vocal, and strings. The box set would allow you to select for further exploration those pieces that you like. For that reason the library is also a good resource, although you may have to clean the peanut butter and gum off the CDs first as to not goop up your transport.

Above all, HAVE FUN! Remember in the end enjoying all high art both audio or visual is about beauty and a transporting experience!


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## Cyclops

Now, is there really that much difference between one recording of a work and another? I'm thinking orchestral works here, not sonatas.


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## Erik Helm

A world of difference some times. Tempo, the orchestra, the conductor, etc. can and will make some passages in orchestral works as different as night and day. Since I have multiple copies of some works, I will play them back to back, and I was blown away to find the interpretations to be so radically different.
An excellent exercise you can do without spending any $$ is to read extensively the reviews at Amazon. Some are dead on, and quite a few perform comparative analysis.
EH


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## opus67

Difference in tempo is probably the easiest to notice. Pick your favourite Beethoven symphony, go to amazon.com and listen to some samples of a movement (preferably a fast one) - one with Herbert von Karajan conducting, and another with Karl Bohm.

And there are times when you notice the some conductors/soloists just "rush over" some notes, or take it "flat." You might not notice this throughout but at certain points. Examples here would be, Kleiber conducting Beethoven's 7th with Vienna PO (from the CD I mentioned earlier), and Heifetz (Reiner/Chicago SO) in Beethoven's violin concerto. And at the other extreme, there are those who take the time and let the music "breathe," but there's a limit to that.


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## World Violist

I usually get the people and pieces I like. They can be pretty inexpensive, but considering that I like a lot of recordings by people who are now dead (Menuhin, Gould, du Pre, etc.), that doesn't say a whole lot.

Also, I don't assume that a really, really good conductor will play everything right. Heifetz just botches some really good pieces, as do Toscanini and others equally famous. That's my take.


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## Gustav

Cyclops said:


> Now, is there really that much difference between one recording of a work and another? I'm thinking orchestral works here, not sonatas.


the difference could not be greater, that's why you see so many classical listeners buying so many copies of the same work. I have 7 different recordings of Bruckner's symphony No. 3.


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## Gustav

World Violist said:


> Also, I don't assume that a really, really good conductor will play everything right. Heifetz just botches some really good pieces, as do Toscanini and others equally famous. That's my take.


That's one of the most common mistakes that people will make, when they see "Karajan" and "Furtwangler" they automatically "assume" that they'll like it, or they are "good" than some of the lesser known recordings. Personally, i don't really have many Karajans in my collection, most of the conductors and orchestras i listen to are un-heard of, because i judge music on its contents rather than the cover.


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## Cyclops

Oh I couldn't have multiple recordings of one work,that's just insanity to me(lack of space/money dictates)
I had the Beethoven cycle and well I couldn't judge the conducting or tempo as a) they were the only versions I'd listened to at that point and b) the sound quality was so poor I rarely played them. They were a bargain basement boxed set my mother bought for me years ago,very cheap,not even any CD liners. So my mission was to seek out good recordings of these symphonies(apart from the 9,which I don't like) and would seek out the likes of Karajan,Ashkenazy etc. As it happens I got 2 CDs from Amazon,1&2 and 3,both under The Acadeny of Ancient Music conducted by Hogwood(1982 recordings). I'm now looking for the rest of the Symphonies,and I've already found a 5&7,as recommended on here.


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## Gustav

Cyclops said:


> Oh I couldn't have multiple recordings of one work,that's just insanity to me(lack of space/money dictates)


as you hear more music, and get deeper into Classical, your opionions on that will change, i promise



Cyclops said:


> I had the Beethoven cycle and well I couldn't judge the conducting or tempo as a) they were the only versions I'd listened to at that point and b) the sound quality was so poor I rarely played them. They were a bargain basement boxed set my mother bought for me years ago,very cheap,not even any CD liners. So my mission was to seek out good recordings of these symphonie*s(apart from the 9,which I don't like) *and would seek out the likes of Karajan,Ashkenazy etc. As it happens I got 2 CDs from Amazon,1&2 and 3,both under The Acadeny of Ancient Music conducted by Hogwood(1982 recordings). I'm now looking for the rest of the Symphonies,and I've already found a 5&7,as recommended on here.


You don't like the 9th, wow, that's a surprise, i always thought that the Nineth is one of the more "accessible" symphonies. While i really haven't heard any exceptional Beethoven cycles yet, my friends always recommend the one with Blomstedt and Staatskapelle Dresden:
http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Com...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1206835786&sr=8-1
I don't know really if it is THAT good, since i haven't listened to it, but I usually trust my friends' recommendations.


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## Cyclops

Gustav said:


> as you hear more music, and get deeper into Classical, your opionions on that will change, i promise
> 
> You don't like the 9th, wow, that's a surprise, i always thought that the Nineth is one of the more "accessible" symphonies. .


That's right. I don't like operatic singing,don't mind choral but can't stand solo singing.


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## BuddhaBandit

Gustav said:


> I have 7 different recordings of Bruckner's symphony No. 3.


Interesting... I have no recordings of the 3rd, but four of the 5th. Gustav, do you own a cycle? I've been looking to buy one for a while and would love a recommendation.


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## Gustav

BuddhaBandit said:


> Interesting... I have no recordings of the 3rd, but four of the 5th. Gustav, do you own a cycle? I've been looking to buy one for a while and would love a recommendation.


Of the 9 or 10 complete cycles that i have: Tintner, Skrowaczewski, Karajan, Chailly, Jochum (BRSO/BP), Jochum (SD), Asahina, Haitink, Wand (partial cycle), etc.... The consistently interesting ones are: Karajan, Jochum (BRSO/BP/SD). For individual performances, here is my recommendation:

1 Abbado/WP
2 Giulini/WS
3 Tennestedt/BRSO (surprise!!)
4 Walter/CSO, or also get one by Rudolf Kempe from the "greatest conductor of 20th century" there is a Bruckner 4th included, which was great, but you can't buy it from anywhere else.
5 Sinopoli/SD
6 Keilberth/BP or Klemperer
7 Schuricht/Hague Philharmonic (Only way to obtain this recording is to buy the entire set of Schuricht conducting various other works)
8 Wand/NDR LIVE from Luebeck (almost impossible to get), Sinopoli/SD (impossible to get), Giulini/WP (could be obtained under 20 dollars!)
9 Giulini/WP,


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## Cyclops

Gustav said:


> as you hear more music, and get deeper into Classical, your opionions on that will change, i promise


Well I've been listening to classical since I was quite young,must be more than 30 years now(god that makes me feel old!)


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## dukas

By intuition and by something mysterious that draws me to a new CD. It could be the composer or the performer. When you are an obsessive classical CD collector like I am, there are always too many delightful looking CDs to choose from.
If you read Gramophone, BBC Magazine, Fanfare and The American Record Guide, you will have losts of opinions to help you choose a recording. If you need further help, try the Gramophone Classical Music Guide or The Penguin Guide To Recorded Classical Music.
They are the best books on this subject available.


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## Gustav

Cyclops said:


> Well I've been listening to classical since I was quite young,must be more than 30 years now(god that makes me feel old!)


again, it's not how "long" you listened classical music, but how "well". Sure you can spend 30 years listening, but if you didn't listen well, and merely scratch the surface level, you probably won't gain much from it; but if you listened well, and read widely, improved yourself, then 10 years of listening far exceeds 30 years. It's "Quality" over "Quantity".


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## Cyclops

Gustav said:


> again, it's not how "long" you listened classical music, but how "well". Sure you can spend 30 years listening, but if you didn't listen well, and merely scratch the surface level, you probably won't gain much from it; but if you listened well, and read widely, improved yourself, then 10 years of listening far exceeds 30 years. It's "Quality" over "Quantity".


Well when I listen to a CD I always like to read the booket and at least once follow it like a guide(the CDs that come with BBC Music magazine are good for this,they include notes indicating a crescendo at 1'50 or the return of the main theme at 5'56 that kind of thing.)
And I find it helps me to understand the language of classical music too. (I do find your tone rather superior at times by the way!)


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## BuddhaBandit

Thanks, Gustav. I've been looking at the Jochum cycle for a while now, mostly due to its reasonable price, so I think that might be the one. Interesting choices on the individual symphonies, too. I've got to give the Walter/Chicago 4th a spin, as I've only heard the Bohm/Wiener (which is great) and the Rattle/Berlin (pretty good, a little slow at times) accounts.


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## Gustav

Cyclops said:


> Well when I listen to a CD I always like to read the booket and at least once follow it like a guide(the CDs that come with BBC Music magazine are good for this,they include notes indicating a crescendo at 1'50 or the return of the main theme at 5'56 that kind of thing.)


that's clearly not enough, that's what i meant by scratching the surface.



Cyclops said:


> And I find it helps me to understand the language of classical music too.


Of course they help, that why they were included, but that's not enough, is it?



Cyclops said:


> (I do find your tone rather superior at times by the way!)


well, maybe if you read more and knew more about classical music, you could teach me a thing or two, but, obviously it's not the case here, so i don't know why you are bothered by this.


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## Cyclops

Gustav said:


> well, maybe if you read more and knew more about classical music, you could teach me a thing or two, but, obviously it's not the case here, so i don't know why you are bothered by this.


Well the thing is I don't know your background but you sound like a musicologist or some other musical expert. You may well be,I don't know but please don't treat me as some wet behind the ears beginner who knows a few nice classical tunes! I have a deep love of music as well as the history and lives of the composers. I may be working class but I'm not stupid or ignorant!


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## Gustav

i am surprised that you make a big fuss out of this, i wasn't really trying to "offend" here, if i wanted to do that, you would've started calling me names by now.... but, that's how i talk, some people perceive it as "arrogant" or "condescending", frankly, i don't care, what matters is the content of my talks, not how i deliver them. Most of people who criticize me have nothing interesting to say anyways, so i just ignore them.

btw, i am not an "expert", whatever that may mean, I write music from time to time, some of them are inspired and decent. I too, have absolute fascination for music, and am deeply passionate about it. The difference between me and some people is clear, I read lots of scholarly-level books, essays, whatever my university has to offer, taking classes, etc.... to enrich my mind, unlike some people, who talks and talks, but without any substance.


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## Cyclops

Sorry Gustav, I was just not having a good day, please accept my apologies. Now what scholarly books are you reading at the moment?( I'm part way through a history of the simple microscpe myself,fascinating stuff,how a man named Leeuvenhoek practically invented the science of microbiology)


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## Cyclops

Well I just ordered the Beethoven 5& 7 as recommended on here. Will take a while as it is coming from the states!


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## Gustav

Cyclops said:


> Sorry Gustav, I was just not having a good day, please accept my apologies. Now what scholarly books are you reading at the moment?( I'm part way through a history of the simple microscpe myself,fascinating stuff,how a man named Leeuvenhoek practically invented the science of microbiology)


At the moment, "Bruno Walter : a world elsewhere" / Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky, a very thorough detailed biography on Bruno Walter's life, and more importantly his musical accomplishments. The book is about 500 pages, and is extremely detailed, perhaps some times too detailed. It goes through Walter's entire life, of course, more emphasis was placed on his musical engagements, but you also get a good amount of his personal life, which is fascinating to say the least.


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## Cyclops

Gustav said:


> At the moment, "Bruno Walter : a world elsewhere" / Erik Ryding and Rebecca Pechefsky, a very thorough detailed biography on Bruno Walter's life, and more importantly his musical accomplishments. The book is about 500 pages, and is extremely detailed, perhaps some times too detailed. It goes through Walter's entire life, of course, more emphasis was placed on his musical engagements, but you also get a good amount of his personal life, which is fascinating to say the least.


That sounds like the Tchaikovsky bio I used to have. A large book with too much detail,never finished it.


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## Gustav

Cyclops said:


> That sounds like the Tchaikovsky bio I used to have. A large book with too much detail,never finished it.


Too much infos, i think, too much "laundry-list" type of writing. But, i skip the boring parts, and go for the juicy bits, like his relationship with various famous composers/conductors, like Mahler.


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## Cyclops

Gustav said:


> Too much infos, i think, too much "laundry-list" type of writing. But, i skip the boring parts, and go for the juicy bits, like his relationship with various famous composers/conductors, like Mahler.


The Tchaikovsky bio seemed to concentrate too much on his sexuality but I just wanted to know about Tchaikovsky the composer. What made him tick.


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## Gustav

Cyclops said:


> The Tchaikovsky bio seemed to concentrate too much on his sexuality but I just wanted to know about Tchaikovsky the composer. What made him tick.


young men, apparently.


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## Chi_townPhilly

Cyclops said:


> ...please don't treat me as some wet behind the ears beginner who knows a few nice classical tunes!


If I dare speak for the vast majority of this board, I'd have to say that such treatment will be uncommon here.


Cyclops said:


> I may be working class but I'm not stupid or ignorant!


As a decades long "working-class" guy myself (have been fortunate enough to transcend such circumstances), _I salute you!_

Ultimately, I understand that, from time-to-time, the answer to the question as to whether or not some roses are worth the thorns one has to hack through in order to get at them is not necessarily an obvious one.


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## Cyclops

I'm at the stage where I am looking for better versions of the works that I have. You see a lot of my disks are cheap weekly part works disks(Classical Collection etc) which allowed me to amass a good collection quickly and cheaply. But now I find myself wanting better versions with known and respected players. For starters theres Tchaikovsky's piano conc. and Symphony 6(altho the latter isn't that bad actually) also his vn conc and serenade for strings-2 works I love but are part of the Classical Collection. So I look out for benchmark recordings then hunt them down on Amazon. Its a slow process tho as I can only usually get 1 CD a month.


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## Methodistgirl

I'm very limited on where I can buy cds. So I have to look the songs I want
on the net. I just love Magle's Toccata & Fugue.
judy tooley


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## anon2k2

I have been fortunate to hear many Orchestras and conductors live, and have heard many recordings. I find that I have a special affinity for a few conductors and use that to narrow down choices.

The library near me has a fairly good collection of CD's so I can listen to many titles prior to committing to purchase. Over the years (25 or so) that I've been buying music, my collection has grown pretty large, and I am finding that a recording really has to grab me in order for me to want to add it to my collection.


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## SamGuss

I do a few things:

1) YouTube - to get familiar with a composer and their works.

2) Read reviews at classicstoday

3) YouTube again and sometimes get lucky with that partiuclar recording or at least the composer/orchestra

4) Check out Arkiv for what I've found.

5) Read these forums for other works I am not familiar with and see what people are recommending. My rule of thumb is if 3 or more people are saying somehting good about a particular piece, I pay attention. If a couple certain somebody's here recommend something I tend to pay more attention - only because their recommendations have proved valid to me so far - whether others are in agreement or not (though usually they are lol).

6) Establish my budget I will/can spend on my collection this week and then decide if I want to order through Arkiv for specifics or go to Barnes and Noble and decide between several works.

The result so far is I believe I have the start of a very good collection and my future buys are incredible as well. Matter of fact can't wait for this weekend to get my next selections and in May B&N is having buy 2 get 1 free - I am so there every payday


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## Rmac58

Cyclops said:


> I'm at the stage where I am looking for better versions of the works that I have. You see a lot of my disks are cheap weekly part works disks(Classical Collection etc) which allowed me to amass a good collection quickly and cheaply. But now I find myself wanting better versions with known and respected players. For starters theres Tchaikovsky's piano conc. and Symphony 6(altho the latter isn't that bad actually) also his vn conc and serenade for strings-2 works I love but are part of the Classical Collection. So I look out for benchmark recordings then hunt them down on Amazon. Its a slow process tho as I can only usually get 1 CD a month.


I have Tschaikowsky, their spelling, DG, Karajan, Berliner Philharmoniker; Seranade for String Orchestra in C major, op. 48.
I also have Tchaikovsky Chesky, label, Earl Wild piano, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Piano Concerto No. 1 in b-flat minor, Op.23.
Not to mention Symphony #6, Pathetique, Op. 74, on Sony, Rostropovich conducting the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington. I like this, but haven't heard any other version.

When I was buying much classical music, I did so through a mail order company, no longer in business, they'ed have specials, I would take advantage of. In their catalog they would have a mark by any release that was "rated" from Grammophone, Penguin, and Stevenson. Not knowing any better, and certainly not being able to afford several copies of the same music, I went with the above recommendations, given a choice. I have still their last catalog, which did not define which award any cd received.
If interested, PM me, we'll work something out.


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## World Violist

Sometimes I'm just obsessed with a work... Example!: Mahler's 2nd. I now have 4 recordings and the score. I just like it a lot and want to hear it a bunch of different ways. Another!: Sibelius' 7th. 5 recordings! And will get more!

Sadly I can't buy any new recordings for some time now as my power-hungry mother is stealing away my frequently depleted hoard... which obviously is no longer a hoard...

More time to do research!!!


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## Elgarian

I think the choosing is all part of the fun. Just looking at the pile of books here by my side, there's the _Gramophone Guide_, the _Penguin Guide_, _The Rough Guide to Opera_, and an out of date but still useful 1998 _Gramophone Opera CD guide_. Then there are the reviews on Amazon (worth looking at but a mixed bag) and websites like MusicWeb and others that people have mentioned.

But I don't regard any of these as definitive,not even approximately. There have been too many times when a unanimously-declared classic recorded performance has left me staring into space and wondering 'why... why?' (The famous Schwarzkopf/Karajan _Der Rosenkavalier_ is one such example, and seems to me like a sterile technical exercise when compared with lesser-known, less 'perfect' (though I'm not really competent to judge), versions.) If I can, I try to get some idea of what _kind_ of performance each recording may offer. But sometimes, also, there are all sorts of intangibles affecting things - like a fondness for a particular performer or performers. Going back to _Rosenkavalier_, for instance, I bought the Lear/von Stade/Welting/de Waart version in the teeth of all the published recommendations to avoid it, purely because I wanted to hear von Stade and Welting singing it.

Also, there are certain pieces of music that I would simply buy automatically, no questions asked, if a new version appeared: Elgar's _The Spirit of England_ would be one such. And sometimes I find I just have to accept what's there, regardless of what I or anyone else might think about it. The only version of Massenet's _Sapho_ that I can find is a frankly rubbishy recording, which sounds as if it's been transferred to CD directly from an LP, with surface noise, woolly bass, and all - but it still had me blinking through tears of emotion, when I listened to it on headphones in the garden a few weeks ago.


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