# With so many choices, how do you decide what to buy next?



## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I can spend hours just shopping and my want-list bookmarks are like the telephone directory of a small town. As in the Devo song "Freedom of Choice," maybe I was better off with record shops when choices were limited. 

If your interest covers about 400 years and many of the pieces you find interesting have been interpreted and recorded sometimes dozens of times, how in the world can you reach a decision as to what to purchase next? Do you have a method, or is it more less random?


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I read a bimonthly serious classical music journal and sometimes their critics rave about something, so I buy it. It could be a 27th duplicate of something I really don't need (Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, etc; ) or something I've never heard before like the Persichetti piano sonatas.
Either way, I'm a sucker for CDs and fresh performances and my house is seriously getting smaller.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

I read several music 'zines monthly, and have for years. The ones I subscribe to offer music reviews of new recordings. FANFARE is good for keeping up with Classical music. STEREOPHILE offers info on equipment as well as recording reviews, and once a year has a "Records to Die For" article in which each of their writers offers maybe three records they really like, sort of like the ol' "desert island disc" feature. I find some of the ones intriguing by description alone; others are recommended by writers who I have come to trust over the years as having tastes similar to mine, so that what they recommend will generally interest me. Sometimes I read about something so unusual I just got to hear it.

In the old days (before YouTube and the download sites) it was often difficult to hear a recording in advance. You almost had to buy the thing to hear it. Which accounts for why I have so many recordings. I've never quite gotten used to YouTube, but I'm learning to use it for previewing things before I buy any more. Still, I often purchase one of the big box sets, like the RCA Living Stereo 60 CD collection and the DECCA Sound 50 CD set.

Believe me, after so many years of doing this -- reading reviews, buying records -- you get to know favorite performers (I ended up collecting nearly everything by Martha Argerich and Sviatislav Richter and Miles Davis, to name three favorite performers) and composers from whom you want to hear more (I heard a piece by Einojuhani Rautavaara, for instance, and wanted to hear more, so ended up purchasing nearly everything the Finnish composer has released).

If you are going to seriously pursue music collecting, your first priority is to get a job. You'll need money for this hobby. 'Cause it's not just the discs themselves. You'll start paying attention to the playback equipment and eyeing those megabucks amplifiers and speakers and ... well, the list goes on. And believe me, once you hear your favorite music on a high quality high-end system, there's no going back. And this, too, is unending, because there's always some new and better product coming down the line, and the $3000 speakers you bought last year just don't seem to do the trick anymore since the $5000 speaker was released and got great reviews....

But it becomes a hobby. Some people have a Harley, or a Corvette that they baby. Others want to golf at Myrtle Beach. Some just sit in the barroom and drink. It's a matter of priorities. But the pursuit of the world's great music is a well worthwhile way to spend a goodly portion of your life. It's an adventure, sort of like traveling to different countries. It's just travel in a different way. You can take a trip to Moscow and see the sites all over Russia, but you won't really know that land until you experience the music of Tchaikowsky, Borodin, Prokofiev, and Shostakovich (and the literature of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky). By listening to music and reading novels you can experience depths of the world that no traveler ever encounters.

I know some folks who are spending 10,000 bucks to go to Ireland. That's nice. But for that same dough you could outfit yourself with a pretty good stereo rig and a couple dozen Irish composers' music and some James Joyce novels. In two weeks their Irish trip will be over. They will have kissed the Blarney Stone and seen a pub or two. You will have a lifetime of music and poetry to keep you in touch with Ireland forever. Not such a bad deal, really.

If you look at record collecting as an adventure, you'll find that sometimes you strike out -- you'll buy a disc that you just don't care for. But sometimes you'll hit real gold and find a treasured friend for life. I bought the Joly Braga Santos Symphony No. 4 on a whim ('cause I generally like to hear new symphonies), and I can't tell you how many times I have since had that spinning in my SONY disc player. But there is excitement in the adventure, and I know I've picked up more treasures over the years than I have duds. 

So, go at it. Don't be afraid to try new things. Join the adventure. Explore. Enjoy.

But make sure you keep that job. You'll need it.


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

I used to read most of the review magazines and sites and use their collective recommendations for pointers. But by now I have pretty much all the major repertoire so that's eliminated a lot of possibilities (I'm not against having multiple performances of a work, but it's not a priority). And I found that actually there are so many factors that determine whether I want something, that a reviewer's opinion isn't often necessary (Fanfare readers: how many times have you gone ahead and bought something despite a scathing review from Lynn René Bayley?). So, not long ago I stopped reading reviews and just browsed new releases. I know my own tastes well enough now (and I'm a big fan of confirmation bias, too!) to not make too many mistakes. There's not a huge amount of new releases out each month that I want to get, so it's just a matter of asking myself, with a limited budget do I really want to spend money on this particular one; that can shorten the list quite a bit. And there's still a bit left over to cover old releases and gaps in the repertoire that I deal with purely by whim.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

SONNET CLV said:


> You can take a trip to Moscow and see the sites all over Russia, but you won't really know that land until you experience the music of Tchaikowsky, Borodin, Prokofiev, and Shostakovich (and the literature of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky). By listening to music and reading novels you can experience depths of the world that no traveler ever encounters.


Awesome post. Thanks. I'd like to memorize the above paragraph and use it for people who think I should get out more.


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## rspader (May 14, 2014)

I'm still fairly new to classical music and, for the most part, have not yet developed particular likes or dislikes for any period, composer, conductor, director, etc. For me the field is still wide open. I read reviews in magazines and see many recommendations here on TC. If something sounds like it might be interesting, I then try for a listen on Spotify or YouTube. Spotify will often have the actual "album" mentioned in the review. If I like it after a few listens, then on the wish list it goes. The wish list gets re-prioritized from time to time and the monthly music budget is also adjusted depending on what is spent on other "hobbies," eg. is the Lagavulin running low?


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## GGluek (Dec 11, 2011)

It's not a Mt. Everest that has to be climbed. Trying to listen to all of music is like trying to read all of literature. Listen to things that are like ones you already know you like, follow recommendations, go to concerts, keep the radio on. You'll discover things (and things that you decide to stay away from). And for goodness sake, relisten to things you find yourself liking. Even do it two or three times or more until you actually know the work. You'll develop likes and dislikes for particular performers and styles of interpretation -- that'll help narrow things. You'll know that in general the Vienna Philharmonic sounds beter than the Peoria Symphony, that Bernstein and Boulez are diametrically opposed interpretively, that Pollini in general plays better than 
Uncle Harry. And (apologies to Sonnet) don't feel a need to get sucked into audiophiledom. If the music itself is of paramount importance, there's a sound quality that's "good enough" for your purposes. It's not a task. It's an adventure. Treat it as such.

Cheers --


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

When I'm after a certain work and find that there are numerous albums available, it can sometimes take me quite a number of hours to make a decision. Yes, shopping is time-consuming and, as you noted, Weston, no longer as easy as in the days of record shops, when they stocked one or two recordings.

I am on a low budget (and I like to get a lot for the little money I have available, and not all of it is new albums, either), so price is definitely a consideration. I prefer to have new albums, but I will also consider used 'like new' and used 'very good' albums, so this typically significantly increases the number of different performances in my price range.

There are labels I prefer, such as the big ones, like DG, Decca, Philips (mostly reissued on the former two), EMI, Sony, Warner and others, but also some smaller labels, such as Wergo, Neos, Aeon, Chandos, Hyperion and a few others. I often stick to these 'you can't go wrong' labels, rather than going with an unknown, obscure, budget or other label, but not to the exclusion of other labels, either. If I can get a reissue or a duo or triple at a better price, then I will often select one of these.

I definitely consider the performers and the conductors: have I ever heard of them? do I want more by them? do I want to try something by them?

I am not much into reading reviews, but I do get a general idea by scanning the customer reviews on Amazon. Rarely, if the reviews seem serious and critical enough to shake the foundations of my own critical decision-making, I _might_ get a more professional opinion on Allmusic, or extremely rarely, even search for an opinion on Gramophone, but these are not always what I want to 'hear', either. I am usually just looking for confirmation of my choice, rather than having my mind changed 

I don't need to have the latest release, an exclusive label, SACD, music on DVD or other generally very costly options. I'm fine with a reissue of a great album... and if I must have another performance, I can get two albums :tiphat: I average, now that I have amassed a pretty good-sized collection, only a few albums a month; and with careful shopping and carefully considered wants, I manage to average around $10 per disc, shipped, so collecting isn't really that costly for me anymore.

Also... Alypius' next post reminded me that I make increasingly extensive use of You Tube and Naxos Music Library to try out works I am considering for purchase. It doesn't really matter to me that much, if I can hear the same performance, but I like to hear the full work before I buy it, unless it is by a trusted composer I am already very familiar with. I, too, am very methodical in my purchasing campaigns, in that I will 'attack' a certain composer's oeuvre until I feel I have enough, before moving to another one.


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## Alypius (Jan 23, 2013)

Weston, I appreciate that your question comes from long experience. It's the sort of question that I ask myself as well. Why am I collecting these works? Is there a better direction to go? Why do I choose what I choose? 

After years of doing this, I have developed various biases and habits: I tend to look for works not currently in my collection rather than duplicating a work I already have. I tend to prefer new releases (mainly out of a desire to be supportive of working artists). I do read an array of reviews (Gramophone, BBC Music Magazine, All Music Guide, Audiophile Audition, certain knowledgeable reviewers on Amazon); sometimes they influence me, sometimes not. I tend to prefer smaller labels (Hyperion, Harmonia mundi, Naive, BIS, Chandos), but that's partly because I listen more to chamber works or solo piano than orchestral ones and because their recordings do a better job of sound engineering when it comes to chamber works. In the last year or so, I have begun to preview the work on Spotify (if it is on there), since it allows me to listen to a work in its entirety rather than clips (though the sound quality is relatively poor). I used to use public libraries as a way to listen to works, to see whether I want to acquire a given work; most libraries don't have the performance I'm thinking about, but they often may have a performance of the work itself which gives me the opportunity to get a sense of the work itself. In almost all cases, what I find in a library is a temporary stopgap until I purchase the CD -- and the performance that interests me. 

Part of the fun is simply searching. I buy or order a CD about once a week. I find that if I purchase two or three or more in a short span, one or other doesn't get the proper listening time and is unnecessarily shortchanged.

But all that presumes that I have something in mind. And your point, as I understand it, is how, given the breadth of the classical tradition, does one choose? I go through phases -- as I presume everyone else does -- exploring a given composer or a given genre or a given period. (It gets expensive when I carry on multiple phases simultaneously). I have a file on my computer called "Future Music Purchases". I dump all manner of info there: recommendations from posts on TC and other sources; various gaps in my collection that I want to fill. Many of these might sit in this document for months. At the top of the document, I list a top ten priority list. I don't always follow it because the sudden discovery of a new release might alter things all of a sudden. But I try to avoid impulse buying, which is so easy nowadays with all the online venues. 

I also have at least one musicological text that I am reading at any given moment, whether it be centered on a composer or an era or a genre. That's one of the places where I discover that I am missing something important. (Such reading also alerts me to better appreciate works that I already have in my collection). 

I don't know if any of that is of any help. You haven't answered your own question. I would be curious to hear how you yourself answer it.


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## Vesteralen (Jul 14, 2011)

In preparation for a recent move, I opened up all my jewel cases, removed all the booklets and cover sheets along with the discs and filed everything into nine CD carrying cases. The whole thing effectively cured me of my habit of buying. I haven't bought a single disc since April, because I know if I do I'm going to have to open it up and find a place for it in my already overcrowded cases. 

So, in answer to the question "how do you decide?" I would answer that I just checked out altogether.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I keep a wish-list that I break down into these categories: solo, chamber, orchestral and vocal; also have a category for Bach, for Shostakovich and Mahler/Bruckner. When I feel like buying, I eventually select a few from the total and acquire.

As for price, I don't consider it. Generally, I don't acquire based on the performer; I go by the repertoire.


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## mtmailey (Oct 21, 2011)

This is a VERY GREAT question it is not easy though there is so much music out but not all that great.I mainly go by the ERA of the music such classical & romantic music.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

SONNET CLV said:


> You can take a trip to Moscow and see the sites all over Russia, but you won't really know that land until you experience the music of Tchaikowsky, Borodin, Prokofiev, and Shostakovich (and the literature of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky). By listening to music and reading novels you can experience depths of the world that no traveler ever encounters.





Weston said:


> Awesome post. Thanks. I'd like to memorize the above paragraph and use it for people who think I should get out more.


Some years ago an obnoxious relative on my wife's side made a visit to England and was gleefully boasting to me, the literary scholar, that he had gone to Stratford-on-Avon and seen Shakespeare's house. He knew I had never been there. I recall saying something like, "Well, that's nice. Have you ever read any of Shakespeare's plays?", at which point he looked at me with an expression of "Huh? Those boring things?"

I wonder if Shakespeare would appreciate more someone visiting his house or reading his plays? I know as an artist which of those I expect. (Please don't search me out in Paradise, Montana. I know of Message Board readers who have.)

Still, I'm not saying you shouldn't travel. It can do you good to get out. But when you do visit the tomb of Dante Alighieri in Ravenna, Tuscany, where it sits at the Via Alighieri near the Basilica of Saint Francis, a modest but awesome mound of ivy, do so only after having read the man's _Commedia_. Please.


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

I've been collecting a lot of violin concerti lately. And I have recently bought a few baroque CDs because my collection for that era was sparse. 

I try to buy CDs of a work I don't already own, I want something new. I rarely buy a duplicate piece with a different performer. 

I do often look at Gramophone magazine and BBC music magazine for recommendations. Strad magazine for string players has reviews also, but string music (that's where I got the information for the Grieg violin sonatas orchestrated for chamber orchestra). But as I peruse these magazines sometimes a CD looks interesting, no particular reason, it just appears like music I'd enjoy. This isn't a scientific analysis, just a gut feeling, that it's something I'd like.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Alypius said:


> I don't know if any of that is of any help. You haven't answered your own question. I would be curious to hear how you yourself answer it.


For a long time I collected whatever was at hand, often from second hand stores or whatever I thought I needed to fill out my collection plus impulse buying, but I think I've gotten some marginal recordings that way.

More recently I've started bookmarking discs on Amazon. I would just look up the biggest name orchestras and performers on ArkivMusic or AllMusic (avoiding the two or three I know don't appeal to me much) and then key that into Amazon's search. If a disc looks promising and I don't already have more than two satisfactory copies of the work, I'll bookmark it for purchase when my budget allows, usually one or two a week.

But even then I have trouble deciding. At the moment I'm needing Rachmaninov Symphony No. 2. There are just too many and they all sound a little different. Some of course stand out, but still . . .

I think magazine reviews are a good idea, but I'd prefer an on line blog of some sort. I like the idea of living musicians to help support them.


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## Antiquarian (Apr 29, 2014)

I have so many recordings now, that I rarely buy anything new. When I do, it's usually a consequence of a recomendation from a friend, or an eye-catching display of discs in the atrium of a concert hall during intermission or at the end where I am particularly impressed by the live performance, or very recently by recomendations by TC members. I really can't justify buying anything when I come home and survey the wall of jewel cases that confronts me. There are some recordings there that I've listened to perhaps once, and yet the work and performance really does merit more of my listening time.


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

The key to making a decision, I find, is to set Amazon to 1-click purchase mode and to have too many glasses of wine with dinner.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Blancrocher said:


> The key to making a decision, I find, is to set Amazon to 1-click purchase mode and to have too many glasses of wine with dinner.


I remember an Onion article about a virus that causes your computer to order stuff from Amazon in the late evening...


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## Alypius (Jan 23, 2013)

Weston said:


> For a long time I collected whatever was at hand, often from second hand stores or whatever I thought I needed to fill out my collection plus impulse buying, but I think I've gotten some marginal recordings that way.
> 
> More recently I've started bookmarking discs on Amazon. I would just look up the biggest name orchestras and performers on ArkivMusic or AllMusic (avoiding the two or three I know don't appeal to me much) and then key that into Amazon's search. If a disc looks promising and I don't already have more than two satisfactory copies of the work, I'll bookmark it for purchase when my budget allows, usually one or two a week.
> 
> ...


Weston, for online reviews, I've not found a single dependable source. I often check ArkivMusic ((http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/main.jsp); they regularly recommend one classic performance for each major work, but I rarely end up choosing the one they recommend (their choices are a bit dated). ArkivMusic also tends to post a complete review from a variety of sources (most often, _Fanfare_--which I find to be overly optimistic or overly critical; _Gramophone_ for some older recordings).

Prestoclassical (http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk) often has snippets of reviews from British magazines, often with their "star" ratings. That's sometimes helpful. For recent releases, I find Audiophile Audition (http://audaud.com) a pretty dependable, but they don't review a large number.

Keep an eye out for the old phone-book-size _Penguin Guide to Recorded Classical Music_ and _Gramophone Classical Music Guide_, which have stopped updating themselves since 2010. Both are biased a bit towards English performers, but still full of useful information. You'll find them at many used bookstores.

As for Rachmaninov's _Symphony #2_, the classic performance is the 1973 one by Andre Previn and the London Symphony. Also widely regarded is Mikhail Pletnev & the Russian National Orchestra (but I don't own it myself). Here's the Grammophon review of it on ArkivMusic:
http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=3557
If you go with Pletnev, consider buying the box set with all 3 symphonies (& the _Isle of the Dead_ and _Symphonic Dances_. It's a 4 CD set that costs just a little more than the single CD version with Symphony #2. For myself, I enjoy Vasily Petrenko & the Royal Liverpool's recent performance (EMI, 2012):

























Hope all that helps.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Well, I have a problem of buying too much sometimes. I just bought about 9 CDs in the past week, but 4 were from a garage sale and cheap. Way more music than I have time to listen to, but I keep on finding new works and buying other performances of works I already have. Ah, the joy of music!


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I have subscribed to a bimonthly classical music review journal for years. I know which reviewers are simpatico with my tastes and if one of them raves about something I may be interested in, I'll buy it.

I've also been burned enough to ignore some of those other critics who seemingly don't know their arses from their elbows when recommending recordings.


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## Maritta (Apr 18, 2014)

I agree. Now when I am in Vienna, I visit Haydn and Mozart Museums, because I know some of their music.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Maritta said:


> I agree. Now when I am in Vienna, I visit Haydn and Mozart Museums, because I know some of their music.


I envy you!!!


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## Tristan (Jan 5, 2013)

I keep a wish list of CDs that I intend to buy at some point. The list is formed by: 1) hearing a great recording on the radio or streaming service, 2) reading a good review of the recording (less common than the former), and 3) randomly thinking of a work I don't have a recording of (and then proceeding to sample it on iTunes or Spotify if possible).

The list isn't in any particular order and I put a bunch of asterisks next to something when I've officially decided to buy it. Choosing among the list just depends on what I want to hear at the moment. I was in the mood for violin recently, for example, so I crossed off a few CDs that contained violin concertos.

Here's a screenshot of part of the list:


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## Maritta (Apr 18, 2014)

I have made a list including the composers that I do not have yet. Anyway, when in a music shop I usually hesitate if I really need to have some of them or should I stick to the old masters that I have collected already. I would like to know more profundly the ones I have, so that is the reason why I avoid shopping some more yet.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Well I just bought another CD because I saw it listed in the back of the CD that arrived today and could not resist. Schubet Lieder with Gundula Janowitz and Erwin Gage.


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## tastas (Apr 21, 2014)

As a student with little money to spend, I scour second hand shops here where you can buy five vinyls for $1 AUD. I have no set composer, era, or composition that I am looking for and just buy whatever I can find. This allows me to explore different composers etc., and if there is something I am not interested in it's really no big loss.


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## mitchflorida (Apr 24, 2012)

Gosh, I don't even know what a CD is anymore. I subscribe to Spotify, which you can get for $5 if you look hard enough. And if you can't afford $5 a month, you can't call yourself a classical music fan.


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## Badinerie (May 3, 2008)

Sounds familiar. Money is a deciding factor. I cant really afford to buy any new CD's unless its something special. Vinyl on the other hand.....


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## Guest (Jul 2, 2014)

I'm about to visit an emporium specialising in second hand classical CDs and I too am wondering how to choose! If they're cheap enough I'm more likely to take a punt more readily.


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

SONNET CLV said:


> If you are going to seriously pursue music collecting, *your first priority is to get a job. You'll need money for this hobby. *
> But make sure you keep that job. You'll need it.


I LOL when I read this. Truth is such an integral part of humor.



Vesteralen said:


> In preparation for a recent move, I opened up all my jewel cases, removed all the booklets and cover sheets along with the discs and filed everything into nine CD carrying cases. The whole thing effectively cured me of my habit of buying. I haven't bought a single disc since April, because I know if I do I'm going to have to open it up and find a place for it in my already overcrowded cases.
> 
> So, in answer to the question "how do you decide?" I would answer that I just checked out altogether.


Then I recoiled in horror when I read this. If it works for you God bless, but I couldn't even BEGIN to imagine doing such a thing!



Blancrocher said:


> The key to making a decision, I find, is to set Amazon to 1-click purchase mode and to have too many glasses of wine with dinner.


Funny, I don't do the 1-click purchase thing, and yet, after too many glasses of wine (or scotch), It never seems to slow me down.



hpowders said:


> I have subscribed to a bimonthly classical music review journal for years. *I know which reviewers are simpatico with my tastes and if one of them raves about something I may be interested in, I'll buy it.
> *


This for me is KEY. Same thing goes for wine. I know the reviewers who's taste are in sync with mine.



gog said:


> I'm about to visit an emporium specialising in second hand classical CDs and I too am wondering how to choose! If they're cheap enough I'm more likely to take a punt more readily.


And just where is said "emporium?" It sounds like a wonderful place!

To go back to HPOWDERS point, go back and listen to performances you really enjoy, especially the ones you have multiple recordings of, pick out your favorites, then go to Amazon, Arkiv, some of the other journals and read what certain reviewers wrote about those performances.

Soon, you will get a good sense based on those critics who share your taste on what to buy next. Sometimes you'll disagree, most of the time you'll be very happy with your purchases. And if it's a piece you really love, then buy a bunch of different recordings. For me, it's one of the best aspects about classical music. I have no problem owning 15 recordings of the Goldberg variations and 8 recordings of the Brahms Piano Concertos (amongst many other duplicates).

Also, get to know which performers you enjoy and understand that most performers excel in a certain period or periods and that very few are good in everything. An example of that is Simon Rattle. IMO he is excellent at 20th Century composition, but I am not fond of his classical and romantic conducting.

But knowing which reviewers are simpatico to your taste is (IMO) very important and probably THE most important factor when treading into unknown territory.

V


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## Adagietto (Jun 11, 2012)

I'm at the point where I've searched extensively enough for the music I want most, that the only things left on my wish-list are CDs I would have to order from outside the country. I do search for new releases, and will pick up anything that fits my taste. For music I find outside of my must-haves, I rely on promotional giveaways, which come about frequently. I have lots of MP3 download codes right now, more than I'll actually be able to use before exhausting the selection available.


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## Serge (Mar 25, 2010)

Stop obsessing with that, Weston. You have enough music to listen to for the rest of your life already.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I have CDs piling up faster than I can listen to them. It doesn't help that I am stuck on the recently purchased La Cenerentola CD and have listened to it nine times since it arrived last Thursday, but now my Janowitz singing Schubert lieder came (2 CD) and I can hardly wait to spin it.


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Florestan said:


> I have CDs piling up faster than I can listen to them. It doesn't help that I am stuck on the recently purchased La Cenerentola CD and have listened to it nine times since it arrived last Thursday, but now my Janowitz singing Schubert lieder came (2 CD) and I can hardly wait to spin it.


I love _Cenerentola_. I love Schubert. I love Janowitz. . . Which glass slipper fits you though for the _Cenerentola_? I have the Larmore and the Bartoli, myself. Both of which I love, though for completely different reasons.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Marschallin Blair said:


> I love _Cenerentola_. I love Schubert. I love Janowitz. . . Which glass slipper fits you though for the _Cenerentola_? I have the Larmore and the Bartoli, myself. Both of which I love, though for completely different reasons.


Mine is the one without the glass slipper (a bracelet is used) and no magic, no fairy god mother, instead a buffon of a step-father. It is the one by Rossini. Just ordered the DVD with Fredrica von Stade as Cinderella. Both the DVD and CD are conducted by Abbado but different performances.


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## Declined (Apr 8, 2014)

So many choices, so limited time and money. I decide with much difficulty.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Fortunately, in part I have entirely surrendered my own judgement: http://www.talkclassical.com/30858-entirely-surrendering-my-own.html

... and that has actually worked out pretty darn well!

Besides that I try to get the most famous stuff first. Of course there's no objective "famous" rating, and there's a lot that I should've gotten a long time ago by this criterion, but....

Gimme time!


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Marschallin Blair said:


> I love _Cenerentola_. I love Schubert. I love Janowitz. . . Which glass slipper fits you though for the _Cenerentola_? I have the Larmore and the Bartoli, myself. Both of which I love, though for completely different reasons.


Janowitz took me by storm when I saw the 1978 Bernstein Fidelio on DVD. Her Abscheulicher aria in that production is absolutely amazing.

I am not familiar with either Larmore or Bartoli. My CD has Teresa Berganza. Reading the back of the Schubert Janowitz CD I saw that there is another Cinderella opera, Cendrillon byMassenet--his has the glass slipper.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Florestan said:


> Mine is the one without the glass slipper (a bracelet is used) and no magic, no fairy god mother, instead a buffon of a step-father. It is the one by Rossini. Just ordered the DVD with Fredrica von Stade as Cinderella. Both the DVD and CD are conducted by Abbado but different performances.


Von Stade is my ideal Cenerentola. I do wish she'd recorded it in the studio, as well as doing this Ponnelle film.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

A few points about how I purchase music...


Scores and sheet music are main forms of recorded music I buy online, less options to choose from.
CDs I would only buy online if I am recommended something which I can't find in any "real" shop
I prioritise buying LPs from second hand shops (less options again) and less often I would buy new CDs (not from online shops)

Usually means I spend less time choosing things which I might get bored of sooner. Also, I like to do extensive amounts of research on products (reading lots and lots of reviews) before I buy something that I planned on buying. When buying CDs and LPs I usually just stumble across things and buy what's there that looks intriguing.


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## Marschallin Blair (Jan 23, 2014)

Florestan said:


> Janowitz took me by storm when I saw the 1978 Bernstein Fidelio on DVD. Her Abscheulicher aria in that production is absolutely amazing.
> 
> I am not familiar with either Larmore or Bartoli. My CD has Teresa Berganza. Reading the back of the Schubert Janowitz CD I saw that there is another Cinderella opera, Cendrillon byMassenet--his has the glass slipper.


I'll look into the '78 Bernstein/Janowitz Fidelio DVD-- thanks. The glass-slipper reference I made earlier was just for extra-added sass.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Marschallin Blair said:


> I'll look into the '78 Bernstein/Janowitz Fidelio DVD-- thanks. The glass-slipper reference I made earlier was just for extra-added sass.
> 
> View attachment 45775


Added sass. Of course. Gotta slow down and read more carefully.

There were three or four clips from the '78 Bernstein production on You Tube. I am sure you will love it. It is a very traditional production and great staging. Here is a good clip that also features Lucia Popp.

With the Abbado La Cenerentola, the whole opera is on you tube. Check out Fredrica von Stade from 2:19 through 2:24--absolutely beautiful singing.


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## Guest (Jul 5, 2014)

@varick

Yarborough House, Bishop's Castle, Shropshire. Website, but no online sales. Yummy date slice too.


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## billeames (Jan 17, 2014)

Like Declined, I decide with MUCH difficulty. And I have way too many. Duplicate performances? Way too many and growing. First of all I have favorite works. Secondly, I listen to it if I can with samples from Deccaclassics.com, or prestoclassical, or amazon. Its still hard though as the samples sound a bit different on my system. I like Fricsay, so may buy the complete, Vol 1. But there are disappointments with him as anybody, do there will be duds in that box I am sure. I like rare recordings, for example Abbado's first attempt at Brahms symphonies on DG--much difficulty to obtain the CD. If I hear something and really liked it as a newcomer to classical music, for example, Brahms 1 Ozawa, I bought it from Japan 11 years ago when it was available. I also hear other peoples' comments but I have to take that with an ounce of salt, as their find may be less attractive to me. Music I am newly passionate about, I will buy several recordings of, and am usually happy. If many experts say a piece of music is important, even if I don't like it as first, I will give it continued occasional spins, and will see the light sometimes. But there is a lot of waste also. 

I use FANFARE as my most reliable guide. It is more critical than Gramophone. I also am a rare subscriber to International Record Review. Thanks. 

Bill


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## geralmar (Feb 15, 2013)

Price and quantity. Quality is secondary and sometimes irrelevant. So I wind up with a bunch of recordings by no-name Eastern European orchestras and obscure conductors. So what? Beethoven is Beethoven and Mozart is Mozart no matter who plays them. I have thousands of classical CDs and LPs, and get as much pleasure from Felix Prohaska conducting Beethoven's fifth as I do from hearing it conducted by Kleiber father and son-- all of which I own, among others. I read reviews extensively, going back to the early days of the LP, and have numerous buying guides and Schwann catalogues going back to the mid-1950s, so can't be accused of being ignorant of what is considered "must have" or "must avoid." Before making a purchase I research everything I can find about a recording. But whether I purchase or not is my decision and not dictated by the opinions of others. I believe that ultimately every recording has value-- whether more or less is determined by the listener alone. My advice to the novice collector would be to buy the cheapest recording with the prettiest cover-- it won't hurt him or her and may spur exploring alternative interpretations.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

OP, depends on how much money I have left after rent, food, electricity and betting on the World Cup.


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## Jeff W (Jan 20, 2014)

hpowders said:


> OP, depends on how much money I have left after rent, food, electricity and betting on the World Cup.


Pretty much this, except for the World Cup part.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Jeff W said:


> Pretty much this, except for the World Cup part.


We can fix that. Wanna bet?


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## Fugue Meister (Jul 5, 2014)

I will probably get a lot of guff for saying this but I don't buy anything anymore. 

I started buying cd's when I was 7 or 8 and amassed a collection of around 800 by my mid teens. However, when the option of file sharing opened up I never looked back. These days I don't even use torrents now I go to youtube and convert whatever video I want into an mp3 from one of many youtube to mp3 converters. 

I can just hear the audio purists crying out for my crucifixion but I don't mind a slight degrade in audio quality if I can find stuff they don't even sell at my local Barnes & Nobel. Another consideration is I'm basically a pauper so this is really my only option. Besides I'd rather have the music to listen to (whatever the quality) than to not.

And just to clarify I'm discerning I don't just get any amateur video with audience sounds and such I find the best sounding video I can. When I speak of the audio quality I mean the bit rate that audio gurus go on about flac files have better bit rates than mp3's, to be completely frank I can barely tell the difference sometimes not at all, sometimes I think what I'm listening to, is a version I purchased in my youth but when I see it playing I see it's a converted file so.. Bit rate doesn't bother me at this point in my life. 

Perhaps one day when my big money comes in I'll have a brilliant collection, complete with the state of the art stereo system, a stone hedge of speakers and all but for now, whatever works...


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

Here's what I do:

On pay day (every 2 weeks) I usually spend around $35 on CD's.

First thing I look at are New Releases/Deals from Conductors or Performers that I like. Sony/RCA has been putting out some great little boxes sets for really cheap, Warner/EMI has too. I've collected all the newer Otto Klemperer releases for instance. 

I'll also consider larger more expensive sets if they are on Sale. I watched Gunter Wand's Great Recordings set for a long time. It was usually $50-80. Finally I saw it dip down to $35 so I picked up a 28CD box set that features his classic Beethoven, Brahms, Bruckner & Schubert symphony cycles plus a few other things.

So, first I see what's new that I might be interested in and what might be on sale.

Second thing I look for is holes in my collection. I've been gradually exploring Prokofiev over the last couple months.

I have his complete Symphonies, his complete Piano Concertos & Piano Sonatas. 

So, what else might I like? 

I like the suites I have heard from Romeo & Juliet but I have no complete versions and I've never heard Cinderella. There is a nice Warner/EMI box set called Prokofiev Ballet & Film Music all done with Andre Previn (except Ivan The Terrible which featured Riccardo Muti) whom I really like for Ballet music. I love Previn's Tchaikovsky Ballet recordings. His Prokofiev has excellent reviews and for $10 I get 6 CD's of Prokofiev. So I filled in some gaps and at the same time will get to explore new music.

Thirdly I will explore composers I've never heard of. If I see enough recommendations for a particular composer and feel compelled enough to give him a try and there aren't any things on Sale or holes that I can see in my collection, then I'll explore.


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## jamesvr (Sep 5, 2011)

Maritta said:


> I agree. Now when I am in Vienna, I visit Haydn and Mozart Museums, because I know some of their music.


Next time you're there, check out: http://www.wro.at/vienna-classics/ if you have not already.


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