# Breadth or Depth



## BuddhaBandit (Dec 31, 2007)

This may have been discussed before, but I can't remember if it has.

If you could describe your collecting strategy, would it be "broad" (i.e. few recordings from each composer but many composers represented) or "deep" (i.e. many recordings form each composer but few composers represented). Of course, it is ideal to do both, but $ constraints often make collectors choose one of the other.

My strategy, for example, is definitely "broad". I have many different composers in my collection, but my "deeper" composers are only represented by 5 or 6 discs.

So how do you folks collect?


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## Mirror Image (Apr 20, 2009)

BuddhaBandit said:


> This may have been discussed before, but I can't remember if it has.
> 
> If you could describe your collecting strategy, would it be "broad" (i.e. few recordings from each composer but many composers represented) or "deep" (i.e. many recordings form each composer but few composers represented). Of course, it is ideal to do both, but $ constraints often make collectors choose one of the other.
> 
> ...


I try and do both, but because some of the more obscure composers have hardly any recordings available, and the ones that are available are way too expensive, I try and stick to the composers that have many recordings and try and get as many interpretations as I can, but sometimes I don't follow through with this strategy.

For me, it depends on the composer and whether or not I want to pursue any further recordings.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I think that I am definitely broad. I think that, with most composers, I get a bit tired of listening to too many works by the same composer. Inevitably I learn their stylistic traits & can expect what to hear. That's why I don't own any symphonic cycles. There are exceptions to this, particularly I find with some C20th composers, like Varese, Walton, Bartok, but generally, I limit my collection of a particular composer's works to 2-3 cd's. There's always the radio if I want to be more comprehensive, they offer things from the general repertoire anyway...

& I especially like 2 cd sets like the EMI Gemini series, which give you a sampling of a particular composers works across a few genres. For me, this type of thing make it uneccessary to really collect much more than that...


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I am definitely broad in scope. I want to collect as many styles and composers as I can. I am only a completest with the few composers in my very upper echelon, such as Beethoven and -- well, Beethoven.


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## Conor71 (Feb 19, 2009)

My collecting has definetely become deeper and I find that I am more interested in aquiring different versions of works that I already know than discovering new composers / works - I like trying to get to know a composers work(s) well/better and feel that at the moment I have enough (favourite) composers to work with .


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## vavaving (Apr 20, 2009)

I tangentially enumerate styles, periods, nationalities, instrumentation, artists, ensembles, composers, and contrafacta.

Collecting is breadth. Depth is sorting out a collection.


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## starry (Jun 2, 2009)

My approach to music in general is very broad. Sometimes though I might wish to look at someone in more depth, so in classical music I thought it worthwhile to listen to as much of Beethoven, Mozart, JS Bach, Haydn and Schubert as was available (with at least three of them there are complete editions available). In 20th/21st century classical music I've concentrated on looking at as many composers as possible, I might be approaching the 1000 mark.


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## JoeGreen (Nov 17, 2008)

Generally I have a broad collection, with a couple of composers that I go in depth with.


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## starry (Jun 2, 2009)

BuddhaBandit said:


> If you could describe your collecting strategy, would it be "broad" (i.e. few recordings from each composer but many composers represented) or "deep" (i.e. many recordings form each composer but few composers represented). Of course, it is ideal to do both, but $ constraints often make collectors choose one of the other.


I suppose there could be money constraints, but really the one constraint that everyone faces is TIME. Unless someone gets stuff but never listens to it I suppose.



vavaving said:


> I tangentially enumerate styles, periods, nationalities, instrumentation, artists, ensembles, composers, and contrafacta.
> 
> Collecting is breadth. Depth is sorting out a collection.


I'd say depth is exploring more of a composer's works, it's impossible to do that with every composer as nobody would have the time.

Apart from composer the next most important classification for me would be period. Style somewhat goes in line with period anyway. Even where it doesn't like sometimes in twentieth century music I would still put classical pieces together (by decade in this period) even where the styles vary. There can be connections between styles anyway, there can be a link between 'romanticism' and modern music for instance.


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## bassClef (Oct 29, 2006)

My approach is to explore outwards, and when I find composers that really strike a chord with me I delve as deep as I can with those. I'd say this is probably true for most people.

Of course there's always the chance you may miss someone using this approach, if you just skim over them without studying them in a bit more depth, maybe the one or two pieces you try aren't truly representative of their best - but there just isn't enough time to do this!


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Mine is definitely deep at the expense of breadth. Once I get interested in a particular composer or style, I dig and dig and dig to the point of exhaustion (my exhaustion, not its). But it's not just music. I do pretty well the same with everything: skim around the surface until something interests me, then dive in and stay in. The exploration can take weeks, months, or years, depending on what it is. My CD collection can make no claim to 'balance' at all. Not that I particularly want it to.


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## Tapkaara (Apr 18, 2006)

For me, broad. I only get "deep" with composers I really, really like. For example, I will never need more than one recording of the Turangalila Symphony, as the one I have does its job just fine and I am not necessarily interested in hearing another reading of a work I am already lukewarm on.


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## Mirror Image (Apr 20, 2009)

Tapkaara said:


> For me, broad. I only get "deep" with composers I really, really like. For example, I will never need more than one recording of the Turangalila Symphony, as the one I have does its job just fine and I am not necessarily interested in hearing another reading of a work I am already lukewarm on.


I don't own any versions of "Turangalila Symphony," because well....I don't like the piece. I only buy what I like. I don't own one recording that I don't like. Of course there will be some I don't like as good as others, but my CD collection is solid from top to bottom. I can pick out a CD from my collection blindfolded, put in the CD player, turn it up, and it's going to be a great recording.


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## Rondo (Jul 11, 2007)

As much as I try to have a library with a wide selection of composers, the majority of the purchases I've made in the past couple of years were by one of about 6 composers: Beethoven, Mahler, Shostakovich (which has seen nothing less than _exponential_ growth in the past six months alone), R. Strauss (thanks to some helpful contribution in this forum), Prokofiev and Khachaturian. Not very diverse, I know.


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## BuddhaBandit (Dec 31, 2007)

Rondo said:


> As much as I try to have a library with a wide selection of composers, the majority of the purchases I've made in the past couple of years were by one of about 6 composers: Beethoven, Mahler, Shostakovich (which has seen nothing less than _exponential_ growth in the past six months alone), R. Strauss (thanks to some helpful contribution in this forum), Prokofiev and Khachaturian. Not very diverse, I know.


I've been like that in my popular music purchases- every non-classical CD I've bought recently has been by Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Otis Redding, or Louis Armstrong. And classically, I've been buying a lot of Haydn. I think that breadth/depth comes in waves- you experiment, then you specialize.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

*This is an interesting topic, BANDIT!*

My acquisitive strategies have developed from the Days of Vinyl to the current time- and I'd have to say that I went somewhat broad early on, and then deep later-

My favorite styles and eras in Classical Music have not changed since I was a collegian. In fact (upon further reflection), my three favorite composers have not changed in over a quarter-of-a-century (oh, the _order_ may have changed a little bit). Now, one can say that this demonstrates that my tastes are moribund... but I prefer to think that I don't form relationships casually, and the relationships I _do_ form are enduring!

I have plenty of duplicates of mid-Romantic & late-Romantic works... but that's clearly an indication of the way my taste inclines. I think I can count on the fingers of both hands all the duplicates that I have of works that fall outside the 19th century (and those, in most cases, are only just barely, e.g. Mozart's late symphonies, Beethoven's 1st, Mahler symphonies 5 and on, and Rachmaninoff P.C. #3).

I've found that, going forward, I have been more receptive to "post-Romantic" works than I've been to "pre-Classical period" ones. No knock on the Baroque era (maybe I'll get more enjoyment out of it one day)- just a matter of preferences.


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## Mirror Image (Apr 20, 2009)

Now my strategy is to expand my collection with a lot of little known composers' works that are rare and not performed in concert halls. This is one reason why I'm collecting different composers from Naxos' "American Classics" series, but I'm still looking for European composers works that wrote in the Romantic and 20th Century periods since this seems to be the bulk of my collection. I'm not a big Classical or Baroque period fan, so I'm into those periods.


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## BuddhaBandit (Dec 31, 2007)

Chi_town/Philly said:


> I have plenty of duplicates of mid-Romantic & late-Romantic works... but that's clearly an indication of the way my taste inclines. I think I can count on the fingers of both hands all the duplicates that I have of works that fall outside the 19th century (and those, in most cases, are only just barely, e.g. Mozart's late symphonies, Beethoven's 1st, Mahler symphonies 5 and on, and Rachmaninoff P.C. #3).


So, do you tend to acquire different recordings of single Romantic-era works or do you buy different works by a single composer? I mean, would you rather have five billion Ring cycles or single recordings of all Wagner's operas?


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

Sorry for the delay in getting back in touch on this issue. Let me share my Wagner Opera/Music Drama inventory- *Rienzi*- 1 version (I agree with 'TorGor' that it's an underrated opera- but I have I have no tremendous desire to get another rendition), *Holländer*- 1 version, (again, no real desire to add to it...). *Tannhäuser*- 2 versions, *Lohengrin*- 2 versions, *Tristan & Isolde*- 4 versions!, *Meistersinger*- 2 versions (_not enough!!_), *Ring Cycle*- 4 versions, and *Parsifal*- 2 versions...

For my part, I've been able to acquire multiple versions of the _Ring_ cycle, *AND* single versions of the remaining "canonical" operas-- but if impelled to make a recommendation to a potential Wagnerian, I'd advise getting all the Wagner operas first (well, except for _Feen_ & _Liebesverbot_), and then consider if one wants multiples.


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## Padawan (Aug 27, 2009)

> I am definitely broad in scope. I want to collect as many styles and composers as I can.


That's pretty close to my collecting strategy for the moment. I listen for pieces/works that interest me and then happen to note who the composer is. I'm not sure I'll ever own a complete set of a composer's works. I do have duplicates of a few of my favorites pieces.


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

Oh goodness, definitely DEEP. I will pick a composer and study his works to death.. and it may take a long time to get through most of their works, which is why I only know the most famous composers very well, even though I've been listening seriously for 3 years!


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## haydnguy (Oct 13, 2008)

Definitely broad for me. I'm not a musician so if I find a version of a piece I like, that's good enough for me. I think if I were a musician I'd like to get multiple versions of pieces and compare but, as it is, one copy that I like is good enough.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

I do my best, but mostly it comes down to breadth. There was a period where all I bought was Mahler, and another where all I bought was Sibelius, but I haven't really done that anymore. I have plenty of time for depth; I just want to learn as much music as possible.


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## StlukesguildOhio (Dec 25, 2006)

I began with a strategy of breadth... collecting key works by composers from across the spectrum: everything from medieval through Bach, Mozart, the Romantics and on through the 20th century. After a while I began to flesh out my collections of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mahler, Wagner, Richard Strauss and other composers of whom I was particularly fond. Now my focus is a further depth within given genre and periods. I am especially fond of vocal music (opera, choral, lieder, chanson, etc...) and have been fleshing out works in that area... getting into Russian opera, Modern and Contemporary choral, songs by Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, etc... I am also focused especially upon "early music" exploring everything from Byzantine chant to Sephardic Spanish music to Gregorian chant. Perhaps my biggest efforts at gaining greater depth are focused upon late 19th and 20th century music... and especially tonal music... where I am purchasing works by composers beyond the central names... composers such as Delius, Bax, Langaard, Bantock, Korngold, Szymanowsky, Zemlinski, Hahn, Ben Davies, Joseph Marx, James MacMillian, Daniel Catan, Osvaldo Golijov, Hovhaness, Howard hanson, David Diamond, Herbert Howells, Ned Rorem, Moritz Moszkowski, Mieczyslaw Karlowicz, Dallapiccola, Takemitsu, etc...


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## kg4fxg (May 24, 2009)

*Books......*

Bandit,

I use books to decide my collection. I get many listed below off Amazon for a few dollars used. They describe the "Standard Repertoire". As if such a thing exists. But they do help you understand the pieces and provide background and sort of walk you through the piece.

Yes, I buy pieces I don't like. But in the process I discover composers I really like and then I buy more less know works by them. Or I buy pieces that I read about here. But the books below were how I got my feet wet.

According to my iTunes I have 659 Albums. I am not sure if that is accurate. I buy only Albums on iTunes never just a piece. And I have some CD's not loaded into iTunes.

As discussed in other threads you can check out CD's at the local library to hear the pieces mentioned in the books. Yes, it is expensive to collect classical music.

Remember, it's not how many pieces you own. Just get a couple of books that gives you an introduction of classical music from Medieval to Modern. Just collecting one Album a month you will be pleased in your investment.

Music: An Appreciation [Hardcover] 
By: Roger Kamien

The Complete Book of Classical Music [Hardcover] 
By: David Ewen

The Symphony: A Listener's Guide [Paperback] by Steinberg, Michael [Paperback] 
By: Michael Steinberg

What to Listen For in Music [Paperback] 
By: Aaron Copland, Leonard Slatkin

The Concerto: A Listener's Guide (Listener's Guide Series) [Paperback] 
By: Michael Steinberg

Listen to the Music: A Self-Guided Tour Through the Orchestral Repertoire by... [Hardcover] 
By: Jonathan D. Kramer

The Rough Guide to Classical Music: 100 Essential CDs, 1st Edition (Rough... [Paperback] 
By: Joe Staines

The Oxford Companion to Music (Oxford Companions) [Hardcover] by Latham, Alison [Hardcover] 
By: Alison Latham

Classical Music Top 40: Learn How To Listen To And Appreciate The 40 Most Popular And Important Pieces I [Paperback] 
By: Anthony Rudel

The New York Times Essential Library: Classical Music: A Critic's Guide to the 100 Most Important Recordings [Paperback] 
By: Allan Kozinn

Conducting Technique: For Beginners and Professionals Book [Spiral-bound] 
By: Brock McElheran

The Art of the Conductor: The Definitive Guide to Music Conducting Skills, Terms, and Techniques [Paperback] 
By: John J Watkins

The Classical Music Experience With Web Site, Second Edition: Discover the... [Hardcover] 
By: Julius Jacobson II

Classical Music Without Fear: A Guide for General Audiences [Paperback] by... [Paperback] 
By: Marianne Williams Tobias

The Classic Fm Guide to Classical Music: The Essential Companion to Composers... [Paperback] 
By: Jeremy Nicholas

Classical Music Top 40: Learn How To Listen To And Appreciate The 40 Most Popular And Important Pieces I [Paperback]

Why Classical Music Still Matters [Paperback] 
By: Lawrence Kramer

Classical music [Hardcover] 
By: John Stanley

Random House Encyclopedic Dictionary of Classical Music [Hardcover] 
By: Helicon Publishing Ltd.

The Chronicle of Classical Music: An Intimate Diary of the Lives and Music of the Great Composers [Paperback] 
By: Alan Kendall

Mendelssohn (Illustrated Lives of the Great Composers) by Moshansky, Mozelle [Paperback] 
By: Mozelle Moshansky

Vivaldi: Voice of the Baroque [Paperback] by Landon, H. C. Robbins [Paperback] 
By: H. C. Robbins Landon

Antonio Vivaldi: The Red Priest of Venice [Hardcover] 
By: Karl Heller

Vivaldi (Illustrated Lives of the Great Composers) [Paperback] 
By: J. Booth

Johannes Brahms: A Biography [Paperback] by Swafford, Jan [Paperback] 
By: Jan Swafford

Schumann: The Inner Voices of a Musical Genius [Paperback] by Peter Ostwald [Paperback] 
By: Peter Ostwald

A Brahms Reader [Paperback] by Musgrave, Michael [Paperback] 
By: Michael Musgrave

Classical Music (Eyewitness Companions) [Turtleback] by Burrows, John [Turtleback] 
By: John Burrows

Who's Afraid of Classical Music [Hardcover] by Walsh, Michael [Hardcover] 
By: Michael Walsh

The Classic FM Friendly Guide to Music (Classic FM Friendly Guides) [Paperback] 
By: Darren Henley

The Essential Canon of Classical Music [Paperback] 
By: David Dubal

Classical Destinations: An Armchair Guide to Classical Music [Hardcover] 
By: Simon Callow, Wendy McDougall

Who Needs Classical Music?: Cultural Choice and Musical Value [Hardcover] 
By: Julian Johnson

The Life and Death of Classical Music: Featuring the 100 Best and 20 Worst Recordings Ever Made [Paperback] 
By: Norman Lebrecht

Ballet 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving the Ballet [Paperback] by [Paperback] 
By: Robert Greskovic

The Lives of the Great Composers [Hardcover] 
By: Harold C. Schonberg

Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote the Music! [Hardcover]

The Vintage Guide to Classical Music [Paperback] by Swafford, Jan [Paperback] 
By: Jan Swafford

Classical Music 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Classical Music... [Paperback] 
By: Fred Plotkin

The NPR Classical Music Companion: An Essential Guide for Enlightened Listening [Paperback] 
By: Miles Hoffman

Inside Music [Paperback] by Haas, Karl [Paperback] 
By: Karl Haas

Opera 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Opera [Paperback] by Fred... [Paperback] 
By: Fred Plotkin, Placido Domingo

Classical Music [Paperback] 
By: Phil G. Goulding (Author)

The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection : The 350 Essential Works [Paperback] 
By: Ted Libbey (Author)

The NPR Listener's Encyclopedia of Classical Music [Paperback] 
By: Ted Libbey (Author)


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

kg4fxg said:


> ...Yes, I buy pieces I don't like. But in the process I discover composers I really like and then I buy more less know works by them. Or I buy pieces that I read about here. But the books below were how I got my feet wet...


I like listening to music that I don't warm to straight away. I like to listen to these pieces repeatedly, to understand them better than I would if I'd just dismiss them after one listening. Sometimes, I might really like a piece by a composer, but be lukewarm on other pieces. This changes as I get to know the works better, listen repeatedly & develop my perceptive listening skills. & often, acquiring more works by such a composer makes me form a better picture of what they are trying to do. I like broadening my horizons like this, I don't like to be inflexible & only buy things that I know would be immediately appealing. That would be very boring, indeed...


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## Sorin Eushayson (May 10, 2009)

I definitely start deep and move out. When I find a composer I like I buy a lot from that composer. This isn't to say I don't have a large variety; I count well over seventy different composers in my collection. When I find someone whose music I respond to I tend to go a bit crazy with the purchasing, though! I guess you could say I search broad, but listen deep!


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## Fergus (Aug 25, 2009)

I would say deep. I own boxed sets of the complete works of Bach and Mozart, as well as many additional transcriptions of Bach's music. I have Beethoven's complete piano sonatas, string quartets, and symphonies (multiple times for the symphonies), as well as a little more. I have begun seriously collecting Haydn. I have his complete piano sonatas, and I have many of his string quartets and symphonies, with the intention of getting them all. I have all of Bax's symphonies plus several tone poems. I have started collecting Aho and Sibelius, with the intention of getting all their symphonies plus many other works. I also have several Vivaldi albums besides my multiple copies of The Four Seasons. For some of the composers I have only one or two works by, I sometimes have multiple versions, such as Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition or Holst's Planets. In general, when I really like a composer, I try to explore his works in depth.


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## Mirror Image (Apr 20, 2009)

Sorin Eushayson said:


> I definitely start deep and move out. When I find a composer I like I buy a lot from that composer. This isn't to say I don't have a large variety; I count well over seventy different composers in my collection. When I find someone whose music I respond to I tend to go a bit crazy with the purchasing, though! I guess you could say I search broad, but listen deep!


I'm the same way! When I find a composer I really take to, I buy a lot from them and many different versions of the same work, but this of course, doesn't mean I don't have a large variety of composers in my collection, because I certainly do, especially in regards to the Romantic and early C20th periods.


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## Sorin Eushayson (May 10, 2009)

Mirror Image said:


> I'm the same way!


Hey, I knew I wasn't _completely_ nuts!


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## Mirror Image (Apr 20, 2009)

Sorin Eushayson said:


> Hey, I knew I wasn't _completely_ nuts!


Oh, well you're completely nuts. We all are in our own ways.


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## starry (Jun 2, 2009)

samanazadi said:


> If you find me the song Masterpiece Artist Friends
> http://www.4shared.com/mp3/8SKmfVHw/a1_online.html?


It sounds more like a TV theme than classical. Don't know it though.


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