What type of CD collector are you?

[gmstudio]

Definitely, definitely impulsive.  If I stumble upon a symphony from 1850-1950-ish from a composer I've never heard of, I must have it.

[marvinbrown]

I began my collecting in much the same way. If I could do it all over again, I would have followed my own musical taste, rather than the tastes of others (essential works.) Sure, I found a lot of stuff that way, but I also amassed a lot of CDs that I don't listen to, tying up money that could have spent on CDs that I am likely to listen to more often. 

 George, unlike you and Shrunk I have never followed the tastes of others (essential works).  I have always followed my own tastes.  From the opposite end of the spectrum I can safely tell you that my approach has restricted my exposure to music. Now 3 years down the road I have amassed a collection of music that I can not claim to be very diverse: for example my collection of Anglo-American composers is practically non-existent (I hadn't even heard of Finzi untill Mark mentioned him to me), I do not have any works from the following composers: Schubert, Schumman,Stravinsky, Shosty, and my baroque composer collection is basically J.S.Bach, very little of anything else.  In short, its certainly isn't greener on the other side of the fence  .


 marvin    

[George]

 George, unlike you and Shrunk I have never followed the tastes of others (essential works).  I have always followed my own tastes.  From the opposite end of the spectrum I can safely tell you that my approach has restricted my exposure to music. Now 3 years down the road I have amassed a collection of music that I can not claim to be very diverse: for example my collection of Anglo-American composers is practically non-existent (I hadn't even heard of Finzi untill Mark mentioned him to me),

Me too.  I actually just got a Finzi disc the other day.

I do not have any works from the following composers: Schubert, Schumman,Stravinsky, Shosty, and my baroque composer collection is basically J.S.Bach, very little of anything else.  In short, its certainly isn't greener on the other side of the fence  .
 marvin    

Perhaps a moderate dose of each, explore to hear more composers for awhile, then look closer at the ones that peak your interest. 

BTW, no Schubert NOR Shostakovich?! For shame. 

[Mark]

Me too.  I actually just got a Finzi disc the other day.

Which one?

[marvinbrown]

Me too.  I actually just got a Finzi disc the other day.

  This one came highly recommended by Mark and will be my introduction to this composer:

 

  marvin

[George]

Which one?

You know, that Naxos one with the concertos.     

[George]

  This one came highly recommended by Mark and will be my introduction to this composer:

 

  marvin

Indeed that's the one I got, too. 

Check PM. 

[Renfield]

What type of collector? Fanatical!

[RebLem]

I'm mostly the obsessive type, but some of the impulsive, too.  I do own 18 complete Beethoven symphony sets, and 19 additional recordings of the Beethoven 9th, for example, but I am proud to say not one of them is by Herbert von Karajan.  I do have a copy of his 1963 interpretation of the Eroica, was is an exception to my generally low opinion of his work. 

I am not out to get every set of Beethoven symphonies, but there are a few things I do like to be a completist about.  I do want every set of the Shostakovich quartets and symphonies, for example, and am well along to acquiring them.  I own about 10 recordings of his piano quintet, one of my very favorite works. 

The situation is complicated by the fact that no one else in my family likes classical music, particularly, so I have it in my will that my collection, upon my death, goes to the public radio station in Garden City, KS.  I have begun to collect, occasionally, with that in mind, getting works or performances I think they would want, even though I am not necessarily particularly interested.  This is particularly true of opera, which is outside, basically, my primary sphere of interest.

[marvinbrown]

I'm mostly the obsessive type, but some of the impulsive, too.  I do own 18 complete Beethoven symphony sets, and 19 additional recordings of the Beethoven 9th, for example, but I am proud to say not one of them is by Herbert von Karajan.   I do have a copy of his 1963 interpretation of the Eroica, was is an exception to my generally low opinion of his work. 

    Wow you and I couldn't be more different if we tried RebLem.  As I mentioned earlier in my post I am a definitive collector.  I only own one complete Beethoven Symphony Cycle (yes- Karajan 1963 with the BPO which in my opinion is definitive)  Plus you collect operas for altruistic purposes, which I admire,  yet have no interest in them while I on the other hand can't live without opera. Opera is my primary passion.  I guess we are a diverse bunch at GMG  .

  marvin

[Harry]

I'm mostly the obsessive type, but some of the impulsive, too.  I do own 18 complete Beethoven symphony sets, and 19 additional recordings of the Beethoven 9th, for example, but I am proud to say not one of them is by Herbert von Karajan.  I do have a copy of his 1963 interpretation of the Eroica, was is an exception to my generally low opinion of his work. 

You are such a (what was the word you used on me) such a THURD, to ignore the Karajan recordings, and being proud about that, well...

[Mark]

This is particularly true of opera, which is outside, basically, my primary sphere of interest.

And outside of mine, too.

[Hector]

These days both Explorative and Selective, although I do read what others think on this board and reviews from all over the place, including MusicWeb!

It does help.

[Great Gable]

What is so wrong with Karajan? He seems universally unpopular whichever forums one uses. Ok, he has occasionally applied the same brushstrokes to Vivaldi as he would to Brahms, thus rendering Vivaldi... well not Vivaldi anymore. But I still see the worth in that extreme interpretation. It's just another take. But to universally damn him seems churlish, I have some wonderful recordings by him.

[Mark]

What is so wrong with Karajan? He seems universally unpopular whichever forums one uses. Ok, he has occasionally applied the same brushstrokes to Vivaldi as he would to Brahms, thus rendering Vivaldi... well not Vivaldi anymore. But I still see the worth in that extreme interpretation. It's just another take. But to universally damn him seems churlish, I have some wonderful recordings by him.

I guess some conductors (and artists) just go in and out of fashion.

[Don]

What is so wrong with Karajan? He seems universally unpopular whichever forums one uses. Ok, he has occasionally applied the same brushstrokes to Vivaldi as he would to Brahms, thus rendering Vivaldi... well not Vivaldi anymore. But I still see the worth in that extreme interpretation. It's just another take. But to universally damn him seems churlish, I have some wonderful recordings by him.

Many folks on this board have praised a number of Karajan recordings.  Personally, there are way too many excellent conductors to get hung up over a small number of them.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

What is so wrong with Karajan? He seems universally unpopular whichever forums one uses. Ok, he has occasionally applied the same brushstrokes to Vivaldi as he would to Brahms, thus rendering Vivaldi... well not Vivaldi anymore. But I still see the worth in that extreme interpretation. It's just another take. But to universally damn him seems churlish, I have some wonderful recordings by him.

Karajan has a vociferous fan base. And it's all I can do sometimes to keep from being buried by the onslaught of affection.

It wouldn't be so bad if the praise were confined to the average/routine accolade but at times threads can quite literally become log-jammed with Karajan hyperbole, things like "no one even comes close" or "supreme achievement not to be surpassed" or "superior to all others" and such. And on and on for post after post...

A person can feel backed into a corner sometimes as it gets to looking eerily like a Karajan feeding frenzy. What's a hapless non-Karajan fan to do?

Bypass them? Well, I'm learning...

[Renfield]

Karajan has a vociferous fan base. And it's all I can do sometimes to keep from being buried by the onslaught of affection.

It wouldn't be so bad if the praise were confined to the average/routine accolade but at times threads can quite literally become log-jammed with Karajan hyperbole, things like "no one even comes close" or "supreme achievement not to be surpassed" or "superior to all others" and such. And on and on for post after post...

A person can feel backed into a corner sometimes as it gets to looking eerily like a Karajan feeding frenzy. What's a hapless non-Karajan fan to do?

Bypass them? Well, I'm learning...

To be honest, and even though I am very much the Karajan "fanboy" myself (see: Your First Classical "hero", etc.), I don't specifically recall using terms such as "definite", or "so far unsurpassed" exclusively for Herbert von Karajan recordings that I consider to fit that description.

But it might be just me.

There's been another thread on this subject, however, and so I won't get in an argument about it in this one.

[Grazioso]

What type of collector am I? A completist in that I've been building up all the core repertoire so I can explore it, have it on hand for reference, and build up a good understanding of the main currents of classical music history. Plus, most if it is considered great for good reason! I've also been collecting the complete symphony cycles of just about everyone since that's my favorite classical genre. I'm not a completist/obsessive type where it comes to multiple recordings of the same work: I rarely own more than one or two recordings of a piece.

I'm an explorer in that I love to try out music off the beaten path--and, man, have I discovered some awesome stuff outside the big names!

Re: Finzi, here's a wonderful, highly regarded disc:



Clarinet concerto, Severn Rhapsody, etc.

[Mark]

Re: Finzi, here's a wonderful, highly regarded disc:



Clarinet concerto, Severn Rhapsody, etc.

Can't praise this highly enough. Another top Finzi recommendation.