I ask this because this summer I went to the US and picked up literally hundreds of CDs that I had ordered in the past three (or was it four years). I used to pick them up annually. But because of my health problem a couple of years ago, I wasn't able to go but that did not stop me from ordering.
Sometimes I'd order something because of someone's raving about it at GMG, or straight forward recommendations. Some of these are gems (Cras Quintet, for instance!) but some are so bad that really wished that I had tracked the recommendations so I may think twice next time about recommendations from that person! (Nothing personal, just that personal tastes may vary and ours are too far apart!)
I think I will track these recommendations from now on, not just to avoid certain ones, but mostly to remember who made the most valuable recommendations to me so I would be able to tell the person Thank You!
From some people I do accept the recommendation without tracking, but with most I first sample myself.
Actually its almost impossible to give recommendations. For what's one man's bread and butter is to the other a frugal meal.
I always say sample first before you take me up on this.
I am not as careful as I ought to be, in marking to whom I owe thanks for a recommendation . . . .
Only turkeys expect thanks for recommendations. $:)
On Friday, the Turkey Wasn't Around to Receive Thanks
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on September 27, 2017, 06:02:07 AM
On Friday, the Turkey Wasn't Around to Receive Thanks
Nobody here but us chickens.
Some I can remember, some I cannot; often I'll pick up a composer after (s)he has become a widespread GMG hit. For instance, it's hard to know who to credit with, say, Atterberg. (Wait - maybe Atterberg was Hurwitz. I got a lot of recommendations from Hurwitz from about 2005-2010.)
The most memorable recommendations are Todd's counsel to buy [insert any Beethoven sonata recording, but especially Lucchesini's]; George's to track down a live Kemal Gekic Tokyo recital; Johan's and Luke's urging to join them at the live Gothic Symphony Proms performance; Sarge's enthusiasm for the untouchably great Szell/Haydn combo; and the unending parade of jazz suggestions from King Ubu.
Quote from: Brian on September 27, 2017, 06:31:25 AM
... and the unending parade . . . .
That phrase makes me think
Banquo, right away . . . .
Quote from: Harry's corner on September 26, 2017, 11:24:24 PM
From some people I do accept the recommendation without tracking, but with most I first sample myself.
Actually its almost impossible to give recommendations. For what's one man's bread and butter is to the other a frugal meal.
I always say sample first before you take me up on this.
Same here. But I must say I tend to forget who made the recommendation after I've decided to explore. All I know is that "I read it somewhere"... So, apologies if someone here sees me enthusing on a recording/composer without giving credit where credit is due. :-[ :-[ :-[
Quote from: springrite on September 26, 2017, 11:00:27 PM
but some are so bad that really wished that I had tracked the recommendations so I may think twice next time about recommendations from that person! (Nothing personal, just that personal tastes may vary and ours are too far apart!)
This is why I'm loath to give recommendations to anyone. I hate the idea of making someone listen to something they'll hate...
I stalk everyone who makes recommendations to me.
In other news, I wooden worry too much about recommending things that people might hate. If it's on youtube or soundcloud, it's free. If it's on bandcamp it's sorta free, but there is a lot more guilting there. (Bandcamp's where I spend the most money, nowadays. I'm easily guilted.)
But really, if a thing can be recommended, then at least one person has liked it. If it's likable, then maybe more can like it.
No one has to take a recommendation. If you take one, the responsibility is all yours, not the recommenders. I think the recommenders are off the hook, no matter what. Too many people are too hesitant to take risks. I bought new (to me) music all the time, even the times when I was poor. I bought things I knew nothing about. I don't think I ever bought something I was sure I'd hate, but I bought lots of things I didn't know if I'd like or not.
And guess what, I did not like some of them. But here's a cautionary tale for ya: I bought a thing called "Final Ballet" by M. Behrens around 2000. I hated it. Maybe once a year, I would take it out and give it a spin. I never got rid of it, as I suspected that my dislike was all about me and not about the music. According to my discogs' review, I gave it a listen around the end of February in 2010, and loved it. What was different? I had been listening to minimal (not the repetitious kind, the sparse kind) for several years, letting Sachiko M and Keith Rowe and Eliane Radigue work on my ears and my heart.
I recommend Final Ballet highly. You might hate it. OK. But if you ever get to the point where you can listen to it and enjoy it, you will be glad I recommended it to you, no?
I guess the whole idea of recommendations is to cut down on risk.
My idea is that safety may be all well and good for physical realities--it's better to be alive than dead and healthy than sick. But for the arts? Come on, the arts aren't gonna kill you. Why, one of the points about the arts is that that is an area of life where you can be as adventurous as possible without hurting yourself one bit.
Be adventurous!!
Quote from: springrite on September 26, 2017, 11:00:27 PM
I ask this because this summer I went to the US and picked up literally hundreds of CDs that I had ordered in the past three (or was it four years). I used to pick them up annually. But because of my health problem a couple of years ago, I wasn't able to go but that did not stop me from ordering.
Sometimes I'd order something because of someone's raving about it at GMG, or straight forward recommendations. Some of these are gems (Cras Quintet, for instance!) but some are so bad that really wished that I had tracked the recommendations so I may think twice next time about recommendations from that person! (Nothing personal, just that personal tastes may vary and ours are too far apart!)
I think I will track these recommendations from now on, not just to avoid certain ones, but mostly to remember who made the most valuable recommendations to me so I would be able to tell the person Thank You!
I do, for purposes of both thanking some and being more skeptical of others. Nothing personal, like you said, as long as people are either presenting their own opinion, or are forthright in who they are quoting or paraphrasing.
I agree with some guy that no one should hesitate to recommend something that you like.
Online streaming has really changed things. For some people, it's
the way to listen now. I still buy CDs, but I usually stream first, regardless of who made a recommendation. But now there is so much to listen to that I have to be somewhat selective even in what I sample.
Yes, I do! Notebook right here! I am normally a very reasonable and forgiving person, but sometimes I cannot let certain things pass. For example...
A couple of business associates and I paid a visit to a certain individual who recommended the Tactus Vartolo/Lorregian set of Frescobaldi keyboard music!
(https://uproxx.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/sop-banner.jpg)
For recommendations from MI, I wouldn't take it seriously until he had announced the composer (or work) as one of his favorites, disowned it, and come back to it at least twice.
One tends to establish a sense of common interests and general taste with some particular posters. But then, one also tends to get increasingly firm, personal preferences ... I almost always sample MP3 or maybe YouTube sources before buying any new recordings nowadays, to be able to decide better.
For example, I recently saw the 2 CDs with Krenek's piano concertos here, and found them interesting, only having the 3rd in an old recording so far. But hearing the MP3 samples and thinking more about it, I decided to go for vol.2 only so far. As a matter of taste, limits in spending and space, and for the variation in that disc. Still I wouldn't have seen them otherwise, I think.
Also I'm a fan of the bargain news thread here.
Btw, my own taste has become rather idiosyncratic as regards some genres, and I don't expect many people to necessarily agree with it either.
I should do better in keeping track, I feel ... but I have ended up often thanking "whoever recently recommended this" and then the person would step up, so that's cool, too.
Quote from: springrite on September 28, 2017, 12:02:07 AM
For recommendations from MI, I wouldn't take it seriously until he had announced the composer (or work) as one of his favorites, disowned it, and come back to it at least twice.
MI is rather like David Hurwitz...if it's angsty and calls for 80+ member orchestra, he likes it!
hey MI I'm joking a little
When I see a recommendation of a recording most of the useful information consists of the fact that the recording exists.
There are a few reviewers on this site whose word is gold, for me, but they rarely post. I think I usually remember those (like the fact that it was Luke that pointed me towards Ireland).
On rare occasions I get peeved when I find that I don't get credit for a recommendation. For instance, I'm convinced that at first I was the lone voice praising the Vermeer Quartet's Beethoven (which has been my favorite set since they were first released). But now they are available on super-bargain they seem to be generally well regarded. Probably my harping on them in the early days was not as decisive as the price cut. Same goes for the Maazel/Pittsburg Sibelius.
Quote from: Turner on September 28, 2017, 02:50:15 AM
One tends to establish a sense of common interests and general taste with some particular posters. But then, one also tends to get increasingly firm, personal preferences ... I almost always sample MP3 or maybe YouTube sources before buying any new recordings nowadays, to be able to decide better.
For example, I recently saw the 2 CDs with Krenek's piano concertos here, and found them interesting, only having the 3rd in an old recording so far. But hearing the MP3 samples and thinking more about it, I decided to go for vol.2 only so far. As a matter of taste, limits in spending and space, and for the variation in that disc. Still I wouldn't have seen them otherwise, I think.
Also I'm a fan of the bargain news thread here.
Btw, my own taste has become rather idiosyncratic as regards some genres, and I don't expect many people to necessarily agree with it either.
I tend to agree with everything you say: common interests...firm personal preferences...bargain news thread...increasingly idiosyncratic tastes in musical genres... :-\
Quote from: Scarpia on September 28, 2017, 01:48:25 PM
On rare occasions I get peeved when I find that I don't get credit for a recommendation. For instance, I'm convinced that at first I was the lone voice praising the Vermeer Quartet's Beethoven (which has been my favorite set since they were first released). But now they are available on super-bargain they seem to be generally well regarded. Probably my harping on them in the early days was not as decisive as the price cut. Same goes for the Maazel/Pittsburg Sibelius.
Here is crediting you for recommending the Vermeer Beethoven! My copy should arrive next month!
I'm always surprised and somewhat guilty feeling when someone informs me they actually took a recommendation I made—I kind of assume everyone knows I'm crazy and like weird stuff at this point, and worry I'll make people spend cash on things that aren't actually good >.>
Also whilst I ask for recommendations a lot it's usually not to take them, just to read what people have to say so I can articulate opinions I've already formed about whatever recording it is. I do sometimes end up finding out about recordings that I didn't know existed though. That is always helpful to me, so thanks guys, I guess.
Quote from: springrite on September 28, 2017, 04:21:23 PM
Here is crediting you for recommending the Vermeer Beethoven! My copy should arrive next month!
Here's my victory dance!
(https://media1.giphy.com/media/xT0GqyTm0vCtxjIeZi/giphy.gif)
I don't actively track them, but hopefully I remember who recommends a piece that I end up liking a lot.
I think I Always have done so. Whether it was a sales clerk at a brick and mortar record store (the better of them know the rep, distinguish between styles of performance on recordings of the same piece, etc.) Like a good librarian, they can sense your taste, how much to push you into another area, and when.
Individuals: sometimes it is just a matter of their tastes match yours, others are more 'catholic' and can do the librarian business if they know you any length of time.
Almost never have relied upon: Journals, 'gramaphone' magazines, online seller's reviews, amateur user-critic's reviews etc.
No matter what, these venues are in business to make enough money, at least, to perpetuate their business, pay their staff, and to some degree, they are all partially tainted by somewhat having to take care to not offend the record companies.
In the current situation of an impossible amount of recordings available, and instant click and pay, I think suggestions by those whose tastes you trust are near to invaluable.
Recommendations for me came from forums like this. After a while I've discovered who has similar tastes to me and if they say "l like this" then I'll look at it as well. I've discovered some fabulous recordings this way.
Most of the recommendations I get come to me indirectly via the 'What Are You Listening To Now?" thread. Someone will post an album cover and a work that I might be interested in and I'll go check out the music on YouTube or something. If I like the work and/or recording, I'll probably buy it.