# Boosterism & Sentimentality in Purchases of Recordings



## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

A mainstay of Classical Music Message Board threads is discussions of recordings- attempts to articulate merits, lists, review comparisions. So many of us (including me) have contributed- at times energetically- to such discussions.

But (fresh off an audition of the first of the 'Razumovsky' quartets in a CD set by the Vermeer Quartet) I wondered to what extent boosterism and sentimentality played a role in a few of my Classical CD purchases. If judging by the imperfect measure of the energy with which we discuss our activities is any measure, I'd say more than most, in my instance.

To take the Vermeer Quartet set, for example... virtually all the review guides say that there are better sets of the Beethoven String Quartets. In spite of this, flush with memories of the Vermeer as Resident Performing Faculty at my University (Northern Illinois University) and holding this position _during the time_ I attended that school, I picked up the set [and seriously, it can in no way be described as a _bad_ recording].

Really, I can't put it down to anything other than sentimentality.

The other example of this is when one picks up a recording under the "support your home side" premise. As an example, back when I lived in the Northeast corner of the state of Illinois, I wasn't that far away from the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. THEY had a recording of Smetana's complete _Má Vlast_. A very nice recording- yet it's probably not going to be at the top of anyone's list. I bought it (and, like the Quartet set mentioned before) don't feel I have anything to apologize for by doing so.

There is a third example, which contains clear elements of the first two, and that's if a person picks up a copy of a live recording when the buyer was _in the audience_ at the time of the performance- and (as concerns the Chicago Symphony Orchestra) I can personally cite some examples of THAT, too.

But I've talked long enough as it is... how about you???


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## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

a bit sideway of topic, yes I like that Vermeer Quartet for Beethoven, I have their late quartet set and it been set a standard Gro Fugue for me. (I should mentioned this in the _Budapest SQ on Beethoven quartet_ thread, bumped early today).

now....let's listen to other about this Boosterism issue, honestly.


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## Rasa (Apr 23, 2009)

Everything is an acquired taste. And if you have a sentiment towards a group, then their recordings might trigger the memories from when you enjoyed their performance.

Myself, I also very much like CDs from artists which I've heard live.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

I indulge in that sort of thing quite shamelessly. The performer is a crucial link with the work, and the personal contact (even if only distant, as in having listened to that performer live perhaps only once) can make all the difference. It's not as if the judgement of a performance is a precise science, after all; how I respond to a performance depends on lots of not-obviously-relevant factors, even including the state of my digestion.

So if one particular performer (or group of musicians) provides me with an enhanced personal involvement just because of who they are and my perceived relationship with them, then I'm glad of that, for it improves my prospects of engaging with the work itself. Call it sentimentality if you will, but I'm actually grateful for that special extra frisson that it generates.


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## Rangstrom (Sep 24, 2010)

On my list of desert island recordings I warned of possible attendance bias for many of the entires. I really like many recordings of the Rzewski's People United variations, but prefer the Oppens' recording probably because I saw her perform the piece live when she first took it out on tour (with maybe 40 others at Smith Hall at the U of I) so you raise a good point.

The Vermeer middle quartet set is one of my favorites. It matches well with the other recordings I have even if it is another case of possible attendance bias on my part.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I've been guilty of this. I bought a recording because the cello player in a quartet answered some emails of mine about Anton Webern and his latest recording of his works. As it turns out, it isn't a recording I return to very much.

I have a lot of Nashville Symphony recordings because they're good recordings. I have a couple recordings only because they're by the Nashville Symphony. I don't return to those two very much. 

So in those csaes, I feel like I've done my duty to the performers, and I can prominently display them if they ever drop by. But boosterism and sentimentality in my case has ended up with me having some dust-covered CDs sitting in the corner.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> I indulge in that sort of thing quite shamelessly. The performer is a crucial link with the work, and the personal contact (even if only distant, as in having listened to that performer live perhaps only once) can make all the difference. It's not as if the judgement of a performance is a precise science, after all; how I respond to a performance depends on lots of not-obviously-relevant factors, even including the state of my digestion.
> 
> So if one particular performer (or group of musicians) provides me with an enhanced personal involvement just because of who they are and my perceived relationship with them, then I'm glad of that, for it improves my prospects of engaging with the work itself. Call it sentimentality if you will, but I'm actually grateful for that special extra frisson that it generates.


I have quoted Elgarian's entire post because I agree with the sense of both paragraphs. I find this degree of agreement rather disturbing; hopefully it won't happen again.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Hilltroll72 said:


> I have quoted Elgarian's entire post because I agree with the sense of both paragraphs. I find this degree of agreement rather disturbing; hopefully it won't happen again.


But you've _entirely misunderstood_ what I meant!

(Just doing my best to cheer you up.)


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

I don't care for Vermeer LvB...some of that due to muddled Teldec sound, some due to indistinctive playing. The Vermeer pinnacle for me is Shostakovich & Schnittke with Boris Berman (Naxos). Different personnel.


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## Meaghan (Jul 31, 2010)

Though I make most of my purchases based on my expectations about the quality of the performance, I do sometimes buy recordings for non-musical reasons. 

The first recording I purchased of Beethoven 7 was the "Bernstein Final Concert" recording, which I bought because it was Bernstein's final concert. Being younger, and kind of in love with Bernstein at the time, I got rather emotional just reading the liner notes.

The first Jonathan Biss CD I bought (Beethoven piano sonatas), I bought without having heard Biss play, or hearing anybody recommend him, simply because I really enjoy his writing about music.

And I have a Mahler 5 by the Oregon Symphony, which I bought because they are my local symphony. I actually really like this recording, and it's a bit unusual--a much clearer texture than I'm used to hearing for Mahler 5.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

I've engaged in this a good amount in the past, not sure how much I still do. For instance, I got into quite a big Paavo Jarvi kick after I saw my first Cincinnati Symphony concert, and got obsessed also with Osmo Vanska's Beethoven cycle because it was with the Minnesota Orchestra (my native state apart from denial).

Otherwise I don't tend to be overly sentimental with this stuff. After hearing Bernstein's first Mahler cycle (my own first Mahler cycle, actually), I listened to other stuff he conducted and eventually realized I didn't much care for Bernstein, and listened to other conductors' Mahler and gradually (much more gradually) came to realize I didn't much care for Bernstein's approach.

So I guess I keep an open mind, though I still look out for really good Minnesota Orchestra recordings...


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Being in a small country population wise (Australia) anyone who is into classical music here to a reasonable degree will find themselves buying recordings by local performers who commonly play concerts here. Some prominent ones I have in my collection are pianists Kathryn Selby and Stephanie McCallum. I've also got a Sculthorpe disc played by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under the late Stuart Challender, who I saw more than 20 years ago. Many other ensembles prominent here have recorded prolifically, such as the Australian String Quartet, the Goldner String Quartet & the Australia Chamber Orchestra to name a few.

I don't religiously collect these, but when I do come across them at a reasonable price, it's a no-brainer to buy them. Australian performers are basically world class, and many have played and studied with the best in the world. So yes, I do buy the local product when it is convenient, and what's more I love to go to concerts to see these excellent musicians do their action in the flesh...


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

Me, to some extent. I have several CDs of our best (and only major) period instrument band, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra under artistic director Paul Dyer. I attend their concerts often, which are coveniently held in the CBD.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

I recently went on a Hilary Hahn binge because I'd met her when I was in college and decided it was ridiculous for me not to own any of her CDs.

Similarly, Koreans love their Korean musicians, and I think it's an entry-point to classical music for many of them. 

I think this kind of thing is fine. It might even be fine if it were the main motive behind most of your listening.


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## TxllxT (Mar 2, 2011)

Living in a small country both population wise and geographically there is a certain degree of sentimental patting one's own back when I look on the number of my CDs having their origin in Holland: Concertgebouw Orchestra, Ton Koopman, lots & lots of J.S.Bach works from various interpretors, etc. Of course Valery Gergiev grew into the conductor he is in front of the Rotterdam Philharmonic. Gustav Leonhardt is one of the pioneers in the usage of 'period' instruments (together with Nikolaus Harnoncourt). This summer we get on our isle of Texel a series of chamber concerts, that are part of a tour which starts in the Concertgebouw.


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## kmisho (Oct 22, 2009)

Heck, I'd do it more if my local symphony made its concerts available. I'd do it just to be able to point at the line on my shelf and say "Check out my Richmond Symphony collection."


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