Building a Library - General Discussion

[amateur51]

Time perhaps for the return of Interpretations on Record at say an hour's length?
Should drive the messaageboards into a frenzy.

In total agreement here, gradus

[Thropplenoggin]

BaL recommendations (the BaL itself can be interesting whether you are going to buy the recommendation or not) are surely not for the complete novices, nor necessarily for those who already have 30-40 recordings of the piece. It's mostly for those who are looking for their 2nd, 3rd, 4th version, isn't it? I doubt the concept is obsolete except for some "warhorses" - but if you reduce BaL to the warhorses it would be boring anyway.

But who new to classical music would bother 'builiding a library' in the traditional album purchase sense now anyway?

Most people on these boards, old and young alike, are tech-savvy enough to have access to downloads and maybe a music streaming subscription (Spotify, Qobuz, etc.) For 10 euros a month, you can have access to all those 150 versions of the Cello Suites on Qobuz.

Such ubiquity of choice comes with its own restrictions, too, though, in that there is almost too much choice. I recall from my own buying habits when I was dabbling in the shallow end of Classical Music (by that I mean getting to know various composers, not tuning in to Classic FM ), that I would listen to pieces online (YouTube, Grooveshark) then decide which interpretation of a given piece I preferred and then bought it on CD. Then I did my heavy duty listening with the CD, getting to know that one interpretation well.

Sometimes being restricted in your choice or in the availability of music gives you a chance to appreciate what you've got, not what you haven't got. Isn't that why boarders become so passionate about specific versions, ones they've long cherished, or the version that was their first experience of a work?

Then again, having all 150 versions instantly available would have overawed me as a newbie (still does, when I get into a composer I assumed I wouldn't like). I then scuttle off to some kind of authority to give me direction: For3 (natch), Gramophone, Amazon reviews, Building a Library...oh, look, we're back at BaL again. There is still a place for it after all!

Still, the point about "building A library" in a world with Spotify still sort of holds true, doesn't it?

[Nick Armstrong]

Time perhaps for the return of Interpretations on Record at say an hour's length?
Should drive the messaageboards into a frenzy.

I'll third that too, gradus.

[Parry1912]

Time perhaps for the return of Interpretations on Record at say an hour's length?

Sounds good to me!

[Demetrius]

But who new to classical music would bother 'builiding a library' in the traditional album purchase sense now anyway?

Most people on these boards, old and young alike, are tech-savvy enough to have access to downloads and maybe a music streaming subscription (Spotify, Qobuz, etc.) For 10 euros a month, you can have access to all those 150 versions of the Cello Suites on Qobuz.

Such ubiquity of choice comes with its own restrictions, too, though, in that there is almost too much choice. I recall from my own buying habits when I was dabbling in the shallow end of Classical Music (by that I mean getting to know various composers, not tuning in to Classic FM ), that I would listen to pieces online (YouTube, Grooveshark) then decide which interpretation of a given piece I preferred and then bought it on CD.

Mirrors my own behaviour quite well . But apart from flatrate streaming, the cheapest way to get to music is usually buying sets (if you ignore piracy, and I really do prefer buying). Say you bought a set of Bruckner or Rubbra Symphonies - or Shostakovich string quartets ... they serve you well to get to know each piece, on the whole they are high quality interpretations, but that 4th - or that 7th, or that 2nd, after you heard a better version on radio ... and then you start looking for a second recording for your library, not a good one you get cheap in a set, but a stunner. And thats where a BaL recommendation can help you; also, thats when even in this day and age you might be ready to pay 15 Pounds/20 Euros for one CD or High Quality download.

[teamsaint]

Haitink ! for the Liszt poems .

Cheers, Barbi. I was hoping somebody would say that .
Its just so tempting, and just 8 days to pay day . !!

[vinteuil]

Cheers, Barbi. I was hoping somebody would say that .
Its just so tempting, and just 8 days to pay day . !!

... I've put this on the bargains thread - I still think you should consider Haselbock...

[Nick Armstrong]

... I've put this on the bargains thread - I still think you should consider Haselbock...

You can't resist encouraging these.... tendencies, can you?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Bal seems very popular with us. It generally invites more discussion than any other Radio 3 programmes, so let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater just yet.

[Veronika]

I find BaL invaluable - it's introduced me to new composers and new works and allowed me to appreciate those that I'd known more. For me, hearing different recordings is key - it wasn't until I came across de Vriend's recording of Bach's Christmas Oratorio that I realised just how great this work is, for example. Discovering Music is all very well, but if it's just one performance you hear, the chances that it'll be the one that unlocks the music for you are much smaller. And I don't care how small a fraction of available CDs is reviewed, as long as there's variety in the programme.

Re the comment about building one's library: I do buy CDs and I consider having more than one recording of anything as very extravagant. Or rather unnecessary, because I tend to search until I find a recording I really like and stick with it. YMMV, of course.

[Nick Armstrong]

There have been comebacks from Richard Osborne, Robert Phillip and Geoffrey Norris -
so why not Nicholas Anderson too ?

I see he is down to consider Shostakovich 5 on 29 June...

Looking forward to that.

I imagine EA is labouring with his customary initial post about that programme, given all the multifarious readings of the piece...

[Tony Halstead]

all the multifarious readings of the piece...

I do hope that those will include Karel Ancerl / Czech Philharmonic/ Supraphon, probably the very first Stereo LP that I ever bought, and it still sounds very good to this day!

[Bryn]

I do hope that those will include Karel Ancerl / Czech Philharmonic/ Supraphon, probably the very first Stereo LP that I ever bought, and it still sounds very good to this day!

Ditto! I supplemented my gate-fold LP with the Ancerl Gold CD issue. It remains a firm favourite.

[vibratoforever]

Ditto
Music for Pleasure lp , cheap as chips, followed by an equally impressive Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet excerpts

[ardcarp]

Going back to post #1, Karafan, I do hope you and others are not swayed in your opinions by an RP accent (circa 1960) and an authoritative style (which soes not necessarily imply authority). Whilst I agree some of the BALs of yesteryear were wondrous, I find myself in disagreement with your view of Rob Cowan. Leaving aside his Breakfast persona (which the poor man has been obliged to adopt) I thought his Szymanowski vioin concerto review last month was exemplary. He was knowledgeable, genuinely but quietly authoritative, completely informed on both musical and 'engineering' matters and I wonder in what way that particular BAL could have been done better? I do hope Rob's slight London twang is not what influences people here.

Incidentally there has been research into how various regional accents enhance or otherwise people's view of what is being said. Scots is great apparently, but if you talk broad Brummy, then you are pretty much instantly dismissed as a total ignoramus and no-one will take you seriously!