# Should I downscale my Bach collection?



## AndorFoldes (Aug 25, 2012)

I currently have the Sviatoslav Richter BMG 4 CD set of the Well Tempered Clavier by Bach.

I find that my interest is flagging when listening to the second book, and that I hardly have any desire to listen to it. It seems that most of the interesting preludes and fugues are contained in the first book.

Should I ditch this recording and get the 2 CD set of the same performance that only contains the first book?

Do you try to downscale your collection to get rid of the parts that you find uninteresting?


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## Nereffid (Feb 6, 2013)

Wait... you already have the first book recorded by Richter, and you want to get rid of it and replace it with the same thing??

Unless the excess weight of book 2 is threatening the foundations of your house, I'd say keep it.


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

No, Richter is fab, one just have to mature and grow in to it!

/ptr


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I'm a strong advocate of the notion that you don't buy something you already have. It's likely that Bk. 2 will at some point click for you, so keep Richter's for future enjoyment. In the meantime, acquire one or two additional Bk 2's. This all assumes that Bach is a high priority in your musical world.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Burn it to hard drive, discard it if you must, but you will have it available if you wish


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## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

AndorFoldes said:


> Do you try to downscale your collection to get rid of the parts that you find uninteresting?


No.

Our sense of what's _good_ or _interesting_ is always evolving. You might come to enjoy it later. I know that this has happened to me many times.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Of course I consider WTC Book Two sounding much better on the harpsichord and for that I recommend the recent Kenneth Weiss release in the complete WTC set of Book One and Two.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Get GG's I & II, and be done with it.

It's not shameful to cull. Do what your heart and ear tell you.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I'm puzzled - I can't see the point of downscaling if it's actually going to cost more money just to replace only part of the same repertoire.


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

Keep it. Play it. Enjoy it.


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

hpowders said:


> Of course I consider WTC Book Two sounding much better on the harpsichord and for that I recommend the recent Kenneth Weiss release in the complete WTC set of Book One and Two.


Wouldn't disagree that it can sound better on harpsichord, but was very much enjoying Angela Hewitt's set on Hyperion yesterday. As she says: "if it doesn't sound good on piano, blame the pianist rather than the piano"


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Headphone Hermit said:


> Wouldn't disagree that it can sound better on harpsichord, but was very much enjoying Angela Hewitt's set on Hyperion yesterday. As she says: "if it doesn't sound good on piano, blame the pianist rather than the piano"


On piano, coloristic shadings are "unwelcome" in WTC, IMO. Keith Jarrett and András Schiff show how its done in Book One. Schiff spoils Book Two for me in that he takes every single repeat. I just don't have all day to sit there!


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I'd give away my son before I give away my Bach. (He never reads this stuff on TC anyway).


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

^^^ many of us have 'given away' our daughters :lol:


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

It took me 20 years of classical music listening to be prepared to listen to Bach. When I was first listening, I went out and got examples of the "big three" and I totally got Beethoven and Mozart (although my appreciation of Mozart has increased over time). But Bach seemed obtuse and impenetrable to me. I banged my head on the wall with a couple of dozen works, then just set Bach aside and moved on to greener pastures. Recently, I have returned to Bach with considerably more experience and I hear what I was missing before.

There's nothing wrong with setting something aside because it isn't connecting with you yet. But I wouldn't get rid of the CD. It may turn out to be your favorite later down the road.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I have rid myself of unwanted CDs in the past and sometimes find at a later time that I wish I had kept them. If you are not hurting for storage space, may as well hang onto the set, unless you have a buyer willing to pay a decent price so you don't take a big loss on it.


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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

I must keep Bach for when I develop sufficient taste
I must keep Bach for when I develop sufficient taste
I must keep Bach for when I develop sufficient taste
I must keep Bach for when I develop sufficient taste
I must keep Bach for when I develop sufficient taste - repeat until no longer necessary, Bart Simpson!


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## candi (Nov 15, 2014)

If you need to free up physical space, just convert those CDs to digital. Sell the CDs, and store the files away until you want to listen to it.


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## Radames (Feb 27, 2013)

AndorFoldes said:


> I currently have the Sviatoslav Richter BMG 4 CD set of the Well Tempered Clavier by Bach.
> 
> I find that my interest is flagging when listening to the second book, and that I hardly have any desire to listen to it. It seems that most of the interesting preludes and fugues are contained in the first book.
> 
> ...


How many CDs do you have? I am long past the point of packratdom. I don't have room for everything. I don't know what to do - CDs are piled everywhere. Get a handle on it NOW.


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