# Finding the version I like best



## eager to learn (Dec 25, 2014)

Hi there,

I was not fortunate to be educated in music. I never received any music instrument lessons nor was I ever trained to read music. C minor, D major just sound like bad grades to me.

I listen to all sorts of music and I often find a piece I like but over time I've come to realize the conductor and orchestra make all the difference. I, like others, enjoy Beethoven's 9th symphony "Ode to Joy" but it can sound very different depending on the conductor and orchestra.

It try to locate the performance I like on YouTube but not everything is on YouTube. It's very disappointing taking a classical music CD out of the library home to listen to only to discover I don't like that performance. 

Maybe the problem is the performance I've liked was in C Minor and what I took home on the CD was a D major so they're very different? I have no idea.

I'm trying to collect classical music to my liking and wondered if there's a repository of classical music online (besides YouTube) which would allow me to listen to many versions of say "Ode to Joy" to ensure I would buy or find a version I liked?

It's a journey!

Thank you so much.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Spotify is the best way to preview all versions of a classical music song/work/piece. I also use iTunes radio too.


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## Kibbles Croquettes (Dec 2, 2014)

Well, I've used Naxos music library but you need to pay for it. On the other hand many libraries have a subscription to it so you could check if your library also has. That would mean that you could use it for free.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Naxos Music Library is available for free. Merry Christmas!

http://www.tso.ca/en-ca/Discover-the-Music/beethoven-on-demand.aspx


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

I doubt there's any place that has more versions than YouTube does, and I can't imagine you couldn't find a performance you like there (unless it's either a piece you don't like or something obscure)



> Maybe the problem is the performance I've liked was in C Minor and what I took home on the CD was a D major so they're very different? I have no idea.


That's not how it works. There is an issue with "original instrument" performances being pitched a little differently, but conductors don't change the key of a piece.


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## Kibbles Croquettes (Dec 2, 2014)

KenOC said:


> Naxos Music Library is available for free. Merry Christmas!
> 
> http://www.tso.ca/en-ca/Discover-the-Music/beethoven-on-demand.aspx


If I understood correcetly: a part ("over 130,000 high-quality audio tracks") of it?


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

eager to learn said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I was not fortunate to be educated in music. I never received any music instrument lessons nor was I ever trained to read music. C minor, D major just sound like bad grades to me.
> 
> ...


Welcome to TC
Like you I am not particularly knowledgable about music, and can say that I have had many helpful and encouraging comments from other TC users with much sound advice.
I would agree with the reply above that using a music streaming service such as Spotify really helps. I find I can quickly explore new works and then compare versions.
Look at the Current Listening, Saturday Symphony and Composer Guestbook threads for a wealth of info and advice
Enjoy


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## teej (Aug 17, 2011)

ClassicsOnline is pretty good and you can listen to 30 second samplings of every track:
http://www.classicsonline.com/home.aspx


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## Guest (Dec 26, 2014)

http://classical-music-online.net/


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

KenOC said:


> Naxos Music Library is available for free. Merry Christmas!
> 
> http://www.tso.ca/en-ca/Discover-the-Music/beethoven-on-demand.aspx


I tried this out but the tso.naxosmusiclibrary.com has me blocked on ISP? Any way around this issue?


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Depending on where you live, you may be blocked from NML due to copyright restrictions by the music's owners. Just my guess.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

eager to learn said:


> I've come to realize the conductor and orchestra make all the difference.... It's very disappointing taking a classical music CD out of the library home to listen to only to discover I don't like that performance.


Since you have access to a public library, check out the library's web site. They certainly subscribe to many e-library services that you can access for free from home (or smart phone) with your library card.

Also, since you are already using You Tube, you will typically find numerous different recordings of many compositions online. If you don't like one, you can easily select another. There isn't only one 'good' one


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

Public library can be awesome to preview stuff too. SLC rocks da house!


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## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

albertfallickwang said:


> Public library can be awesome to preview stuff too. SLC rocks da house!


I'm with albert on using libraries as a way to explore and discover new music.

I've discovered all sorts of stuff using our local public library.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

JACE said:


> I'm with albert on using libraries as a way to explore and discover new music.
> 
> I've discovered all sorts of stuff using our local public library.


Yeah and since the SLC public library has at least 25000 classical music CD including huge box sets I will be busy for the rest of my life there.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Sometimes the quest seems to be impossible.

I have 8 different versions of the Bach Cello Suites, still not satisfied completely with any of them.

Still searching. Frustrating.


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

hpowders said:


> Sometimes the quest seems to be impossible.
> 
> I have 8 different versions of the Bach Cello Suites, still not satisfied completely with any of them.
> 
> Still searching. Frustrating.


Is one of them Heinrich Schiff? A lighter, more playful approach than I'd heard before. I'm not throwing my Fournier away, but Schiff has given these amazing works a new life for me.

*p.s.* I learned about this recording on the forum--from Ucko, I believe. But thanks to whoever!


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Blancrocher said:


> Is one of them Heinrich Schiff? A lighter, more playful approach than I'd heard before. I'm not throwing my Fournier away, but Schiff has given these amazing works a new life for me.
> 
> *p.s.* I learned about this recording on the forum--from Ucko, I believe. But thanks to whoever!


I have the Schiff. It's "okay". Of all my recordings, I favor the second Ma approach-highly personal accounts-but he doesn't embellish any of the repeats at all-he simply lowers the volume.

Still looking for "perfection".


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## Guest (Dec 27, 2014)

hpowders said:


> Sometimes the quest seems to be impossible.
> I have 8 different versions of the Bach Cello Suites, still not satisfied completely with any of them.
> Still searching. Frustrating.


Mr Powders! I thought you were _big_ on Jean-Guihen Queyras? Or have you been playing footloose and fancy-free with me, huh? (Know that I treat infidelity with extreme prejudice.) Still, how can we ever be totally satisfied? If not, we would just roll over and snore for the rest of eternity.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

TalkingHead said:


> Mr Powders! I thought you were _big_ on Jean-Guihen Queyras? Or have you been playing footloose and fancy-free with me, huh? (Know that I treat infidelity with extreme prejudice.) Still, how can we ever be totally satisfied? If not, we would just roll over and snore for the rest of eternity.


I am, to a point. However, his set is not perfect. Why? He should have been a little more creative with ornamenting repeats. He barely pays lip service to doing it.
Only one performer of the eight sets actually does ornamentation quite delightfully and plays with gut strings. She's Ophélie Gaillard and her set of the cello suites is the most stylish.

Queyras uses a baroque cello, but uses modern strings (to my ears). What's the point?

Every performer about to play Bach should be required to listen to Igor Kipnis do it on harpsichord.
He shows how embellishing repeats should be done. I mean it was expected of performers to embellish repeats, not simply repeat the section "verbatim".

Queyras would be fine for most people. He plays in tune at non-reverential tempos in an extroverted way.

I would say Ophélie Gaillard is now my first choice for this music-very stylish, gut strings, delightful embellishments. She knows how to play Bach.

Mainstream listeners would probably prefer Queyras-a fine first choice for non-HIP Bach.


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## Declined (Apr 8, 2014)

Spotify is the solution.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Yeah, Spotify is good. I don't know if the forum allows detail, but they have a nice promotion going on now.


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## eager to learn (Dec 25, 2014)

Thank you.

Wow. I had no idea I had all these responses.

Is there somewhere I can set it so I get e-mail notifications when someone has replied to my post?

I looked under Settings but it said I didn't have permission.

Thank you!


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