# Advice for starting a good collection



## gHeadphone (Mar 30, 2015)

Hi all.

Im pretty new to Classical music and am trying to build up a good starter collection which will cover most of the main areas.

I started with the top 10 guide from http://www.classicalcdguide.com/

I am now purchasing cds from the BBC Music Magazines top 50 greatest recordings of all time (http://soon.cocoplastic.com/page/Top-50-Greatest-Recordings-of-All-Time-(BBC-Music-Magazine).aspx) and cross referencing with the Gramaphone top 100 greatest classical recordings (http://soon.cocoplastic.com/page/Gramophone-TOP-100-Greatest-Classical-Recording.aspx).

Is this a good way to start or a bad idea generally?

One of the recordings i bought this week (Mozart: Horn Concertos No.1-4 - Brain / Karajan / Philharmonia Orchestra / EMI 1953) is very old and doesnt sound so great to my ears, im hoping that i need to get more familiar with the sound of early 50s recodings.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks


----------



## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

www.spotify.com!!!!

There is a definite bias towards old recordings in those "greatest lists" so be warned. That Brain Mozart recording was great at the time but is wildly overrated now


----------



## csacks (Dec 5, 2013)

It is hard to say. Some people will do a carefully planned schedule to get their collection. Some others, like me, will be moved by impulses. One day I want to listen to Schubert, next day I want to listen to Tchaikovsky and then to Mozart. 
Old records are very well considered by some people. I can not tolerate bad sound, and if it is bad, I do not care about the performance. But that one is my criteria. Some people likes discs, others will go for digital sources
I would suggest you to explore, Spotify and YouTube are endless sources of music, Tray and explore. What you like today is not what you will like tomorrow, and it will come back later. Enjoy what you want, not what the experts say. Welcome to TC


----------



## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

Can't say it sounds like a bad idea for a beginner - you are certainly very methodological and serious about it, which is great!
Broad listening will educate you and show you a path to your favourites, that may, however, change as the years go by and your experience grows. 
Take also note of conductors and orchestras, there is a great variance to be found there - look for favourite sounds and approaches. Check out all the genres and styles, from renaissance to modern, solo piano to masses - there may be some that are not for you, but you'll only know from experience.
I wish you all the best for your journey ahead, love to see a methodological, serious and open-minded beginner.


----------



## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

gHeadphone said:


> Hi all.
> 
> Im pretty new to Classical music and am trying to build up a good starter collection which will cover most of the main areas.
> 
> ...


 There is a fantastic new recording released a few months ago of the Mozart Horn Concertos. The soloist ifs Pip Eastop and he plays a natural horn, and it is on the Hyperion Label..
It sounds as though pre stereo technology is putting you off. There is nothing wrong with that, as it is a bit of an acquired taste to get used to mono sound. So you know to avoid those for now, and hopefully you will change your mind on that matter, so you can enjoy some of the great Musicians that didn't make it into the Stereo era.


----------



## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I just glanced at the choices on the lists that you cited. I agree with some of the choices but would have opted for others. I have to get back to work now but will submit a "top 10" list later. Perhaps others could as well, along with a brief explanation of each work.


----------



## Metronome (Mar 29, 2015)

Hi! My advice is to not follow any guide at all but start listening, on youtube or spotify, the composer you like, if there's one, if not, then take one great composer for each musical era, so you can choose what "style" you prefer; then you pick 2/3 recordings and compare each with the other and choose the one you like and you have your first cd. Then you can choose to move in "horizontal" way or in "vertical" way. If you choose the "horizontal" way, you take another composer (same musical era or new one) and repeat what you just did with the first one. If you choose the "vertical" way, you stay on the same composer and you pick other 2/3 records and so on...
Imho there's no pre made good starter collection, by the way in the one you posted taken by classicalguide there's no Beethoven Symphony N. 9 and I think it's a musical "crime"^^ I like very much the one directed by Furtwangler in Lucerne in 1954 and for me it's necessary to have this one in a starter collection, so, as you see, there's very much subjectivity in these choices. What really matters is just your personal taste and there's no other way to develop it by listening a lot of music and spotify or youtube are a gold mine to find you path in this wonderful jungle.
Good luck


----------



## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

I actually think that Spotify and Youtube etc. are only good after you get your basics straightened out. If you're a real novice then they are just a gigantic and confusing sea of music without anything to grab hold of. That's why forums, expert lists etc. are helpful.

I also think that if one only listens "what one likes" from the very beginning, one does not get very far. Me: I couldn't comprehend Brahms 1st symphony! I couldn't comprehend _Eroica!_ I had to force myself to listen to stuff until it started to click.


----------



## GGluek (Dec 11, 2011)

Coupla rules:

1) Remember that in general no two classical music people can agree on anything. There are a bunch of recordings that maybe 90% of CM people will hold in high regard -- but they are individual recordings, not sets, and there will still be people who won't respond to them.

2) Listen widely and start collecting works or composers that appeal to you. Your tastes will change over time, broaden in some places, narrow in others. Adjust your collecting to match as appropriate. But to purchase integral sets of this or that just for the sake of having them is only good for looking good on your shelf.

3) A lot of new (to you) music will sound much better and much more involving in live concert. Your listening to a recorded performance later will call to mind your live reactions and the two will reflect off each other in ways that enhance your pleasure and appreciation. Go to concerts.

Ever forward . . .


----------



## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I would definitely get a complete symphony cycle of Beethoven. Wand and Szell are both very good ones. You can get a great Beethoven symphony cycle (Leibowitz) online at Amazon for $2.69 digital download cents along with all the piano concertos and several other works. Here is the link.


----------



## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

gHeadphone said:


> I am now purchasing cds from the BBC Music Magazines top 50 greatest recordings of all time (http://soon.cocoplastic.com/page/Top-50-Greatest-Recordings-of-All-Time-(BBC-Music-Magazine).aspx) and cross referencing with the Gramaphone top 100 greatest classical recordings (http://soon.cocoplastic.com/page/Gramophone-TOP-100-Greatest-Classical-Recording.aspx).
> 
> Is this a good way to start or a bad idea generally


I'm going to say it's a bad idea. How do you know what you like? If it were pop/rock, would you look up what albums to buy for your "collection"? Classical isn't any different.

Also, these sorts of recommendations of specific recordings are always debatable and quickly dated.


----------



## echmain (Jan 18, 2013)

GGluek said:


> 1) Remember that in general no two classical music people can agree on anything.


I disagree.
..............


----------



## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

gHeadphone said:


> Hi all.
> 
> Im pretty new to Classical music and am trying to build up a good starter collection which will cover most of the main areas.
> 
> ...


There is no good or bad way to start - just do it YOUR way as you already have done. With every listen and/or acquisition you'll gain insight as to how proceed next.


----------



## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Suggested Pieces To Investigate:
1) Bach- Brandenburg Concertos, Goldberg Variations
2) Handel- Water Music, Fireworks Music
3) Vivaldi--4 Seasons
4) Haydn--The "Sutrm and Drang" Symhnies
5) Mozart-PCs 21/24; Clarinet Quintet
6)Beethoven-Symphonies 3,6,7 and 9; PCs 3-5; Razumovsky String Quartets
7) Schubert--Trout Quintet, Unfinished Symphony
8) Mendelssohn--Italian Symphony, Overture from Midsummer Nights Dream
9 Schumann-Piano Concerto and Piano Quintet
10)) Brahms--PC/2, 4th Symphony
11) Tchaikovsky--Nutcracker, Serenade For Strings
12) Sibelius--Symphonies 4 and 5
13) Ravel/Debussy--String Quartets
14) Bartok--Music For Strings, Percussion and Orchestra, Miraculous Mandarin Ballet
15) Shostakovich--5th Symphony, 8th String Quartet, Piano Trio #2
16) Bizet-Suites to carmen and l'Arlesiane


There are tons more but that would be my personal introduction Happy Listening!


----------



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

gHeadphone said:


> Hi all.
> 
> Im pretty new to Classical music and am trying to build up a good starter collection which will cover most of the main areas.
> 
> ...


I find those lists quite biased. They also contain rather old recordings that have since been surpassed by other at least as good recordings. Things like Karajan Beethoven cycle, Gould Goldberg variations are beginning to be old recordings, even though good and respectable but many other newer recordings are just as good.


----------



## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Triplets has the right idea, and his list is good enough. Find those works on YouTube, or Spotify, and listen when you can relax to do so. Better yet if you have a mediocre or better sound system, pick up used CDs at amazon; it's easier to kick back in your livingroom.


----------



## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

Go to Amazon and search for the downloads for Rise of the Masters (also the Bach Guild "Big Box" series). These are box sets of good solid performances of great music for only a few bucks apiece. Buy them all and listen to them and decide what appeals to you. Then come back and tell us what you like and we can make further recommendations.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=rise+of+the+masters
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...ox+bach,aps,196&rh=i:aps,k:big+box+bach+guild

This is the best advice you will get. Many of these are audiophile recordings from the BIS label. Excellent performances. Excellent sound. No risk for two bucks a pop.


----------



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

As almost everyone agrees, there's no right answer. I'll say what I wish I'd've done....

I don't think trying to get a collection is the right way to go about getting a collection. The aim is to experience, learn, and love, not to have.

I would start with the most famous recordings of the most famous works, and listen to them until you feel like you know them well, reading about them as well, and then move on _slowly_. I'd make a prioritized, ranked shopping list, and move along it methodically. Maybe I'd buy ten recordings a month - that's a reasonable pace - with about five from the list, three that I am curious about even though they're not high on the list, and two that catch my eye (cover art or whatever) even though I don't have any idea whether they're worth the money or anything. You can adjust the 5/3/2 ratio to match your desire for education or sense of adventure.

If that turned out to be too fast, I'd slow down. (In real life I've never found a way to slow down.)


----------



## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

gHeadphone said:


> Im pretty new to Classical music and am trying to build up a good starter collection which will cover most of the main areas.
> 
> I started with the top 10 guide... I am now purchasing cds from the BBC Music Magazines top 50 greatest recordings of all time... and cross referencing with the Gramaphone top 100 greatest classical recordings...
> 
> Is this a good way to start or a bad idea generally?


If it suits you, then why not? It is not how I approached a similar goal. I didn't want to have a clone copy of someone's 'ideal' collection. I wanted my own hand-picked collection. Some of those greatest composers or works are not of huge interest to me, while other composers and works not appearing on the lists might be, although there is certainly a large overlap in the core set of essential composers and works.

I began by scanning such lists as the ones you mentioned and noting the works that are considered the greatest. I paid attention to the composers that appeared on the lists, the pieces that constantly recur. I scanned Amazon for recordings of the works I was after. I paid attention to the performers of each recording, listened to some samples in many instances, noted the labels the recordings are issued on, found out if the recordings had been reissued on those labels at a lower price, looked at the number of user *s the recordings had received, but didn't necessarily shy away from a gut feeling despite low ratings, read a few of the more credible user reviews, spent ages skimming the Wikipedia pages on the composer and on the works of interest, if separate pages existed, etc.

I identified the composers I wanted, some I wasn't so interested in (I added many of those in the years to come), got some major pieces by each of the composers of interest (and spent years fleshing out the collections of these composers with other works as I became interested in them), etc.

Personally, I would stay away from anything much before 1960, until you have developed a decent collection. Those historical recordings are fine for seasoned fans who wish to explore some of the greats of yesteryear. Likewise, I would stay away from pricey new releases, unless you have deep pockets. Getting a basic collection together is a rather costly endeavour, even if you are a savvy shopper. There are countless reissues of some of the finest recordings ever made prior to about 2000 that can be purchased new for $10 (Canadian) a disc or less (much less in boxed sets). You can always add alternate versions of your favourite pieces by other performers sometime in the future, but right now your goal is to get to know the basic repertoire.

I am also not a fan of those big complete works boxes of a composer's entire output. I feel it is much nicer to pick and choose a little, even if it means some duplication down the road (this is a plus, as you will see later on). Sure, the complete symphonies, or string quartets or late trios or whatever are also boxes, and I love those  but I feel the 'everything the composer ever did' boxes often have a lot of inferior recordings and extra stuff you really won't want, or will definitely want a nicer recording of.


----------



## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Triplets said:


> Suggested Pieces To Investigate:
> 1) Bach- Brandenburg Concertos, Goldberg Variations
> 2) Handel- Water Music, Fireworks Music
> 3) Vivaldi--4 Seasons
> ...


I like the look of this list


----------



## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Triplets said:


> Suggested Pieces To Investigate:
> 1) Bach- Brandenburg Concertos, Goldberg Variations
> 2) Handel- Water Music, Fireworks Music
> 3) Vivaldi--4 Seasons
> ...


A reasonable list but with two notable absences ... nothing by Stravinsky or Mahler

Regarding the comments about avoiding pre 1960 recordings, I feel that is arbitrarily limiting. Even taking into account sound quality, very good stereo recordings were being made by 1955. I only need mention the Solti _Rheingold_ to prove the point


----------



## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

gHeadphone said:


> I am now purchasing cds from the BBC Music Magazines top 50 greatest recordings of all time (http://soon.cocoplastic.com/page/Top-50-Greatest-Recordings-of-All-Time-(BBC-Music-Magazine).aspx) and cross referencing with the Gramaphone top 100 greatest classical recordings (http://soon.cocoplastic.com/page/Gramophone-TOP-100-Greatest-Classical-Recording.aspx).
> 
> Is this a good way to start or a bad idea generally?


So far so good, gHeadphone. That BBC list looks especially useful to me.

As you make progress collecting cds, you may want to refine your methods a bit. If you have a spouse, for example, you may want to try to plan deliveries for when s/he happens to be away on a business trip, distribute secret stashes throughout your living space, and periodically loan items to a trustworthy friend. A separate bank account is essential. I can give further advice after your collecting gets really out of hand.

In any case, looks like you're having fun collecting. Tell us what you think of your cds in Current Listening, and you'll get lots of great feedback and recommendations, I'm sure--if not too many!


----------



## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

This is a vexing question... how can any of us say someone else's approach in to classical music will be good or bad? We can only compare with our own experiences.

I would say that building a starter collection based around highly recommended and usually older recordings of canonical repertoire is a good approach to getting into classical music, but I can't avoid saying "but..."

The "but" being, what if it turns out your favourite music isn't part of the canonical repertoire?
When I first started listening to classical, I fell in love with Philip Glass's operas _Akhnaten_ and _Satyagraha_, and I developed a fondness for Franz Schmidt's 3rd symphony wholly unrelated to that work's obscurity. These were works I came across by chance. The idea that (following the Classical CD Guide) a Brahms piano trio should have somehow been a higher priority for me strikes me (and would have struck me then, too) as laughable. But of course you might love that Brahms piano trio!

And another issue, as you alluded to, is the sound quality. Personally I'd argue that you shouldn't feel obliged to get more used to the sound of older recordings - I agree with Triplets's endorsement of Pip Eastop's Mozart album, for instance. But, again, if _you_ feel it's worth the effort, then go for it.

So overall I'd say, sure, carry on with what you're doing, but be aware that this is only one approach of many.


----------



## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

It is a great time to be a collector, because record labels are issuing large box sets of CDs at fire sale prices.


----------



## Andreas (Apr 27, 2012)

I'd make these twelve suggestions to anyone wanting to dive into classical music. All very well-known, all available in many different versions. Covering a fairly broad ground of genres from the baroque to the early 20th century.

Bach, Well-tempered Clavier I
Handel, Messiah
Vivaldi, Four Seasons
Haydn, a selection of string quartets
Mozart, symphonies 40 & 41
Beethoven, a selection of piano sonatas (typically "Moonlight", "Pathétique", "Tempest", "Appassionata")
Beethoven, symphony no. 9
Schubert, Winterreise
Chopin, a best-of compilation
Wagner, a compilation of overtures and preludes
Debussy, a compilation (ideally including "La mer" and "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune")
Stravinsky, Rite of Spring


----------



## gHeadphone (Mar 30, 2015)

Wow thanks a million for the really detailed and helpful responses so far, i can tell that ill be spending a lot of time on this site already!

Blancrocher recommended that i list what im currently enjoying (I do have a few more cds but these are the ones which ive listened to most)

My favourites (in order more or less)

Stravinsky - Rite of Spring (LSO - Abbado)
Schubert – Trout Quintet & Death and the Maiden (Amadeus Quartet)
Elgar – Pomp & Circumstance Marches (Solti – LSO)
Tchaikovsky – Ballet Suites (Rostropovich – Berliner)
Mahler – 5th (Von Karajan – Berliner)
Part – Tabula Rasa (Gidon Kremer)
Beethoven – 9th (Abbado – Wiener) 
Schumann – Kinderszenen (Klara Wurtz) 
Rachmaninov – Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini
Beethoven Piano Concertos (Perriera – Concertgebow)
Beethoven – 5 & 7 (Kleiber)
Ravel – Piano Concertos (Zimerman – Boulez)
Terry Riley – In C
Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition
Reich – Music for 18 musicians
Wagner – Ring without words (Maazel – Berliner)
Brahms 4th (Kleiber)
Debussy – Complete Piano Music (Werner Haas)
Bach – Brandenberg Concertos (Il Giardino Armonico)
Mozart (Piano concertos 17 and 21 (Geza Anda)

Any recommendations would be really appreciated.


----------



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

gHeadphone said:


> Wow thanks a million for the really detailed and helpful responses so far, i can tell that ill be spending a lot of time on this site already!
> 
> Blancrocher recommended that i list what im currently enjoying (I do have a few more cds but these are the ones which ive listened to most)
> 
> ...


That's a really fine list. Based on it...

From Stravinsky's Rite of Spring you want to hear Petrushka and the Firebird. Maybe after that take a wilder step with Oedipus Rex.

You've got a lot of minimalism there - Reich, Part, Riley - so you might try Adams' Harmonielehre.

If you like Tchaikovsky and you like piano concertos, you want to get Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto. It looks like you're going for classic recordings so consider the Van Cliburn, which comes with Rachmaninoff's second.

I see the Ravel and Debussy, and I wonder if you've tried any of Debussy's orchestral music? I'm going to make an idiosyncratic recommendation: Paray's recording of La Mer, with Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun. A more popular suggestion would be Boulez's recording of La Mer.

Since you're good with Beethoven 5, 7, and 9, how about the 3rd - perhaps Bernstein - and the 6th by Bohm?

The Ring Without Words is the beginning of opera. How about a DVD of Don Giovanni (maybe the one with Bryn Terfel), followed by Giulini's recording? Or if you insist on doing Wagner, a DVD of Tristan (maybe the Barenboim one staged by Ponnelle) followed by Bohm's recording?

Finally, I see the Schumann, and I wonder about Pollini's recording of Schubert and Schumann's fantasies.

Happy shopping!


----------



## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Looking over that, I'd like to suggest something completely different as well. 

On the one hand, how about the Tallis Scholar's recording of Allegri and Palestrina? (There are two, and either is fine.) 

On the other hand, something a touch more modernist... how about Rzewski's Variations on The People United Will Never Be Defeated! performed by Drury?

And finally, something just way off-base. How about Fauré's piano quintets, Janacek's string quartets, Silvestrov's Silent Songs, or Gesualdo's 4th book of madrigals (performed by La Venexiana)? 

Just for a little exploratory fun.


----------



## Vesteralen (Jul 14, 2011)

I honestly would not know how to respond to this request. I did not begin to concern myself with forming a collection until years after I started listening.

I just went into a record store (we had those back then) and went to the library and picked out something that looked promising. It wasn't long till I latched on to a composer or two I loved (Schumann / Brahms), a conductor I liked (Szell / Steinberg), a performer I liked (Claudio Arrau / Ruth Laredo) and just looked for a bunch more stuff by them.

I guess it was just a completely different approach. But, it worked for me.

Year later, I began to widen out a bit.


----------



## Guest (Apr 1, 2015)

I, too, started with the www.classicalcdguide.com recommendation list. I explored the other recommendations, as well, delving deeper into some of the composers with the works they recommend. I also went to classical.net, and there they have a link called Basic Repertoire that lists some of the major composers from all the significant periods, what some of their most recognized works are, and even recommends certain works to focus on, along with usually 4-5 different recommendations for recordings for each. As you find certain works or composers you like, come on here, tell us what you like, why you like it, and ask for recommendations in that vein.

The things that led me were coming to enjoy a particular composer or musician (either conductor or musician), and I would be willing to branch out based on those preferences. For example, I learned early on that I really enjoyed Jordi Savall, and while my initial introduction to him was through his recording of Handel's Water Music, I came to expand my interest into broader areas, including more "world" music, which he also records.

My main advice is to just follow what interests you. If there is some particular aspect of anything that you find you like, explore that. Like a composer? Like a particular instrument? Like a particular soloist? Conductor? Maybe even a particular label (I have purchased numerous recordings purely because I have had good experience with a particular label, and trust the quality of the product they produce, such as Harmonia Mundi, or BIS, or Hyperion).


----------



## Guest (Apr 1, 2015)

And go to your local library, if you have a good one. They can be invaluable tools! They are a great, free resource for trying new things you might be uncomfortable spending money on. I discovered that I loved renaissance music because, on a whim, I checked out a recording of works of Palestrina by the Tallis Scholars from my local library. I don't know if/when I would have discovered that genre had I not had the cost-free option of sampling works from the library. The same with my fondness for Messiaen. All thanks to my library. It is because of that that, while normally being a small government kind of guy with an aversion to taxes, I always vote FOR any local measure that increases funding for libraries. One of the few public resources that I feel are absolutely worth the money.


----------



## gHeadphone (Mar 30, 2015)

Thanks again for the replies. Ill try the Debussy Orchestral works ( i almost bought it at the weekend)

Im not sure if there is a particular instrument, i do love the full orchestral sound to be honest but im pretty early in developing my taste still. Ive been buying most of my music from Tower records in Dublin where John in the classical section has been incredibly helpful.

I know that Amazon is popular, has anybody tried Presto (seems to be a UK site)? They have a March sale on and there look to be some good stuff on sale

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/promotion/springsale?k=11&w=Award+winners

Im afraid that if i take my credit card out ill have to hide the bill from the wife though!!


----------



## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

Try ArkivMusic and Wikipedia for the composers of pieces you already like. They will have lists of what other things that composer wrote in those same genres and others.


----------



## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

bharbeke said:


> Try ArkivMusic and Wikipedia for the composers of pieces you already like. They will have lists of what other things that composer wrote in those same genres and others.


classical.net is a handy site including many of the composers in the basic repertoire and what the site's authors think are their crucial works (the very best ones have a red star). If you click on a composer's name, you'll find a list of recommended recordings, though I don't think the site's been updated in awhile.

http://www.classical.net/music/rep/lists/20th.php

It's an easy way to get a general idea of what's out there.

*p.s.* Tom Service has a guide to more recent repertoire, with appreciative essays ending with "five key links" to their works:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/series/a-guide-to-contemporary-classical-music


----------



## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

My advice: 

- Be curious and follow your nose. If something grabs you (a composer, a performer, an era), dig deeper.

- Use broad, "historical survey-style" lists as a way to discover the stuff that really appeals to you. But don't feel constrained by them. If you end up spending most of your time listening to a narrow time period or just a few composers, that's fine. Again, follow your bliss. 

- Don't hold anyone else's opinion of any recording in too high an esteem. Critics work for you, not the other way around. If you like it, it's good. (But also know that your own opinions will likely evolve as you listen over time.)

Have fun on your journey!


----------



## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Advice for starting a good collection:

Have plenty of cash on hand and buy the best individual performances you can find. Stay away from big boxed "complete works" sets, unless you wish to be disappointed.


----------



## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

hpowders said:


> Have plenty of cash on hand and buy the best individual performances you can find.


Or, identify the best half dozen or so recordings (try getting anyone to agree which of those is really the best one) and buy the one that best meets your budget and level of interest in that composer and particular work. If it turns out to be a crucial piece for your listening pleasure and you want to hear more performances, you can always add another one or more performances to your collection later on, when you have more knowledge about what performance qualities you most value and which performances will deliver them. The most expensive one isn't necessarily the most widely recognized best one nor the one you will necessarily come to prefer.


----------



## Bevo (Feb 22, 2015)

:angel: Here's an EXCELLENT and inexpensive way to get started. Now you probably use iTunes for you're digital music downloads, but Amazon has their own mp3 app. Go to Amazon and search "Big Box." There is a recording company by the name of "Bach Guild" that every so often releases various digital albums that have LOADS of music on them (and I mean HOURS). Sometimes their categorized by composer, sometimes instruments, Eras, or even moods. Regardless, if you want to get a taste of Various samples try them out. They always have hours of music loaded onto each digital album and when it's first released they're only $0.99 (eventually go up to about $5). They have a Big Haydn Box with over 14 hours of music, 3 Big Baroque Boxes with over 14 hours, a Big Mozart, a Big Brahms, a Big Beethoven, Symphony, Mahler, Winds and Brass, you name it!!! They're even about to release a Big Purcell Box on the 8th. Now, there's obviously going to be better quality performances out there, but to get your feet wet with new composers and/or eras, you can't go wrong. http://www.thebachguild.com/


----------



## Bevo (Feb 22, 2015)

hpowders said:


> Advice for starting a good collection:
> 
> Have plenty of cash on hand and buy the best individual performances you can find. Stay away from big boxed "complete works" sets, unless you wish to be disappointed.


I'd have to disagree with on that, especially if you're new to a specific composer or era. If you're just trying to find out what's out there and what you like then those are fine. Just make sure you don't spend a lot on them so that when you find one of two you do like you can purchase a better performance of it. Sometimes those "complete sets" are the best, and only, way to listen to certain pieces. There's plenty of my favorite pieces that I wouldn't have found had I not heard it in a "complete set" album. True, they're not usually the best performances, but they can help you find you're favorite works which will allow you to look into getting the best performances.


----------



## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

gHeadphone said:


> I know that Amazon is popular, *has anybody tried Presto (seems to be a UK site)*? They have a March sale on and there look to be some good stuff on sale
> 
> http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/promotion/springsale?k=11&w=Award+winners
> 
> Im afraid that if i take my credit card out ill have to hide the bill from the wife though!!


Presto is my regular music dealer, gHeadphone.

They have a wide selection and a fast, efficient mail order service. The site is very well organised. If there are ever problems (which there very rarely have been, but I once bought and downloaded an incomplete .flac file from them) their service is personal and quick. There are often sales and special offers.

They also pay their taxes, which endears them to me somewhat more than Amazon.

P.S. My guide to buying LPs and CDs over the past 30 years has been successive versions of the Penguin Guide to classical music. Since this is a collection of brief reviews of a very wide range of recordings, it might be of most use to you when you have more of an idea of what kind of music you like, but I have certainly found it a fairly reliable guide to good recordings and performances.

The latest version still seems to be the 2010 edition, but it will help with older recordings. I use it alongside online reviews nowadays.


----------



## gHeadphone (Mar 30, 2015)

hpowders said:


> Advice for starting a good collection:
> 
> Have plenty of cash on hand and buy the best individual performances you can find. Stay away from big boxed "complete works" sets, unless you wish to be disappointed.


Thanks hPowders

Ive stayed away from the box sets, im trying to work out the best performances (thats why the BBC list) but i have to make sure for my ears that i stick to Stereo at the moment.


----------



## Genoveva (Nov 9, 2010)

gHeadphone said:


> Thanks hPowders
> ... im trying to work out the best performances (thats why the BBC list) ...


Given your aim, which I think is a sensible one, you might find the following procedure to be useful:

1. Go to "Presto Classical": here is their UK site http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/

2. Click on "Composers & works" in the top left corner.

3. Select a composer you are interested in, e.g. Mozart (since you mentioned the Horn concertos previously)

4. Look at the section "Major works" about half way down the page

5. Select for example "Horn Concertos Nos 1-4 (complete", and you will see a list of recommendations where they exist by outfits like the BBC, Gramophone Magazine, Penguin Guide etc. These well-known guides are usually reliable.

6. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes practice to get the hang of the above procedure. It's very easy, and the way to go, rather than rely on ad-hoc responses here.

7. May I also suggest that it's worthwhile taking a look at the BBC's Radio 3 "Essential Classics" playlists over the past couple of years or so. This programme airs from 9-12 am Mon-Fri, and they generally play only the best recordings of classical music. The time spot from 11-12 aim is especially worth looking at, as they pick a major work. On Monday's they play in full the recommended version from the previous Saturday's "Building a Library" selection in CD Review. All recent and historical playlists are published on the Radio 3 website.

8. If you dig around further on the BBC website you should also be able to find a historical list of all "Building a Library" recommended performances of many major classical works. You might try this link to start with: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tmtz

9. If I make make a purely personal comment, I would suggest that, in the absence of any specific recommendation or where you are unsure which of several alternatives to choose from, you would be better off selecting choosing a modern performance rather than some old historical version from say the 50s or 60's. Performance technique has changed a lot over this period, and generally speaking it's been for the better in my view (with HIP etc).


----------



## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

If you just in the beginning, you are pretty lucky because there are so many great recordings that were reissued bargain-priced as boxsets and you don't have to repurchase those all over again, which is the case with veteran collectors... you had the original LP... then you'll have to get the CD... then the must-have reissue in superior sound... then the boxset because you still miss some of the stuff included... then the remastered boxset!!! (ahem... Warner Classics... ahem...)

Some of these are selling for insanely low prices considering what's included... take a look...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002HNA9LS/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/30-Complete-Operas-Maria-Callas/dp/B004JC16LM/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Symphony-Edition-box-set/dp/B00IZ11XA2/
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Decca-Wiener-Philharmoniker-Orchestral-Edition/dp/B00M8PBQT4/

etc...


----------



## gHeadphone (Mar 30, 2015)

Thanks Genoveva

Ill try the presto method, its seems like a very good idea to me.

I actually started to listen to the BBC3 podcasts and they introduced me to some great new music (Bartok for example). I agree with the modern performances as a choice, i have decent equipment and i do like good sound quality so ill lean to that side.


----------



## gHeadphone (Mar 30, 2015)

Hey Azol

Thanks for the recommendations, ill take a look now. I had been tempted to go with a Decca or Sony box set but i was advised against it by the guy in the local record shop. The Weiner Decca set looks very interesting to me.


----------



## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

gHeadphone said:


> Thanks hPowders
> 
> Ive stayed away from the box sets, im trying to work out the best performances (thats why the BBC list) but i have to make sure for my ears that i stick to Stereo at the moment.


I snapped up an 87-CD complete Beethoven box set and eventually listened to all of it. But mainly I am only interested in his symphonies, couple of piano concertos, the opera, and some of the stage works. Quartets don't move me. Piano sonatas are great but I don't tend to listen to them. No matter, the set cost me all of $29.95 on Amazon. I can't think of any other composer where I would want a complete box set. Some singers perhaps--I would love a complete works of Marilla Devia, my favorite soprano.


----------



## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

hpowders said:


> Have plenty of cash on hand and buy the best individual performances you can find. Stay away from big boxed "complete works" sets, unless you wish to be disappointed.


That used to be true back ten or twenty years ago, but since CDs have slid in popularity, things that were major recordings on major labels are now being boxed for a dollar or two a disk. It's foolish to spend as much for five really good CDs as you would for fifty really good CDs.


----------



## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

Keep in mind that it is great fun to explore and see what is out there, but to be friendly to your wallet and living space, you should focus on the areas that speak to you the most when you are collecting. Some outliers are okay, but it is not productive to keep something that does not bring you great pleasure just because it is famous or part of many others' collections.

For example, I love piano concertos, symphonies, and solo piano works. I may like some string quartets or violin sonatas, but I do not need to have them as a part of my collection of music.


----------



## 20centrfuge (Apr 13, 2007)

I would, initially build a collection based on standard repertoire. This website has lists to help: 
http://www.classical.net/music/rep/top.php

From my 20th century bias, I would highly recommend the following as introduction to 20th century music:

Stravinsky: Rite of Spring
Prokofiev: Symphony no5
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra
Holst: The Planets
Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition (written in the 19th century and orchestrated in the 20th)
Sibelius: Symphony no2


----------



## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

bigshot said:


> It's foolish to spend as much for five really good CDs as you would for fifty really good CDs.


Honestly, I'd rather pay a little extra, even if unnecessary, as you suggest (and I dispute), to get the discs I choose to get, rather than a pre-packaged set. Most of the big boxes I've looked at seem to have a couple of discs picked to hook you and the rest of the discs are ones you will almost certainly want to replace with something better, so what did you really save?

It's a hot topic and there's no one answer for everyone.


----------



## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Not so true for "complete recordings" or "original albums" boxsets.


----------



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

bigshot said:


> That used to be true back ten or twenty years ago, but since CDs have slid in popularity, things that were major recordings on major labels are now being boxed for a dollar or two a disk. It's foolish to spend as much for five really good CDs as you would for fifty really good CDs.


That sounds quite sensible to me especially if one does not have that much cash.


----------



## Wood (Feb 21, 2013)

gHeadphone said:


> Hi all.
> 
> Im pretty new to Classical music and am trying to build up a good starter collection which will cover most of the main areas.
> 
> ...


Those lists are fine for getting started. Don't forget to include the recommended vocal music in your purchases as this includes a large portion of compositions.

But look at these as the first two lists in a collection of lists. If you become interested in contemporary classical, obscure composers, organ music, baroque opera, acoustic recordings etc etc create a new list for each one, coming on here for help as required.

Don't look to purchase everything on a list, just dip into it when you wish. Keep things fresh by adding a new list now and again.

Buy single CDs, small box sets and full composer box sets. Buy new and second hand, cheap and less cheap, sometimes expensive.

Listen to recordings from all periods from the early cylinders & piano rolls to the present.

Listen to CDs, vinyl, digital and cassettes.

Specialise in some areas, and also listen widely to everything.


----------



## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

My advice is to burn all the furniture to make room for cd shelves.


----------

