The biggest regrets concerning your record collection

[springrite]

All those CDs I lent to others that either did not come back or came back with major scratches since most people do not care for the discs like I (we) do. I estimate that I lost about 100 to 150 CDs this way.

[DavidRoss]

All those CDs I lent to others that either did not come back or came back with major scratches since most people do not care for the discs like I (we) do. I estimate that I lost about 100 to 150 CDs this way.

Ouch.  At least CDs are less easily damaged than vinyl.  I learned a long time ago not to lend records except to the very few people who handled them responsibly.

[Scarpia]

Like superhorn, I regret wasting money on recordings of third-rate composers whose music doesn't interest me now that I've heard it.  These days I can hear such stuff first through streaming web services.  And it is no doubt foolish of me to have acquired so many recordings, since 90% of my listening probably comprises only a hundred or so.  But foolish pleasures are among life's greatest delights.

I find myself more likely to regret yet another recording of a familiar warhorse, although there is the occasional exception.   It is certainly true that peripheral composers are typically peripheral for a reason, but not always.  (I think I can honestly say I get more pleasure from Atterberg than Mahler).  But the peripheral composers can give a new perspective on their more well known contemporaries. 

Perhaps I should subscribe to a streaming service, but I know I will never give my proper attention to music heard that way.  Isolation with the music is necessary to focus my attention.

[PaulR]

I have a couple of regrets about my collection, not many though.

1.  I don't take the best of care of my CDs.
2.  I buy CDs, and then I listen to them once, or never.
3.  I have more CDs from more obscure composers (Atterberg, Peterson-Berger, Rangstrom) than I do of Bach, or Handel.  (I am not the biggest fan of Baroque music, but if I don't have more music by baroque composers, in general, then I can't expand my knowledge)

[vandermolen]

Lending my boxed set of the complete Jimi Hendrix LPs to a former student, who never returned them - the same goes for my original EP set of the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour' - probably now worth a zillion pounds.

[Mirror Image]

All those CDs I lent to others that either did not come back or came back with major scratches since most people do not care for the discs like I (we) do. I estimate that I lost about 100 to 150 CDs this way.

I don't loan any of my original discs out to anyone and haven't for 20 years. If somebody wants to hear something, I burn them a copy from the original. I lent a friend a CD when I was a teenager and it came back in terrible shape. We got into a big argument about it and I made him give me money to buy a new one. When I say "made," I really mean I got his mother to make him pay me back. We never spoke again after this.

[Bogey]

Still not owning either Book of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier....even started a thread on it and still trying to choose.

[AndyD.]

Still not owning either Book of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier....even started a thread on it and still trying to choose.

Bill  . You? No WTC?

[Bogey]

Bill  . You? No WTC?

Bro, we all have our skeletons.

[springrite]

Bill  . You? No WTC?

Bill himself is sufficiently well-tempered.

[Coopmv]

Still not owning either Book of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier....even started a thread on it and still trying to choose.

I now have 16 versions of the complete WTC, split between piano and harpsichord.  I don't think there is a definitive version IMO.  My goal has been to weed out the imitator/ pretender, i.e. second rate performers ...

[Bulldog]

Still not owning either Book of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier....even started a thread on it and still trying to choose.

Piano or harpsichord?

[Scarpia]

Still not owning either Book of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier....even started a thread on it and still trying to choose.

It depends.  If your collection is a total of 10 CDs, I can see not having a WTC.  If you have more than 10 CDs of music composed before 1750 and there is no WTC, I'd say that's an anomaly.  Aside from the Brandenburg Concerti, what music by Bach would be prioritized above the WTC? 

On the other hand, there are probably a lot of people here who think I am a lunatic for never having even heard Handel's Messiah.

[Bogey]

Piano or harpsichord?

At this point, I would probably opt for piano, Don.  However, I enjoy the harpsichord as well.  Just need to make this a priority.

[Bogey]

It depends.  If your collection is a total of 10 CDs, I can see not having a WTC.  If you have more than 10 CDs of music composed before 1750 and there is no WTC, I'd say that's an anomaly.  Aside from the Brandenburg Concerti, what music by Bach would be prioritized above the WTC? 

I might throw his St. Matt's Passion ahead, and the Goldberg's?  But that may be foolish without hearing the WTC's first.

On the other hand, there are probably a lot of people here who think I am a lunatic for never having even heard Handel's Messiah.

Naw.  But you should give it a spin.  Quite powerful.

[Scarpia]

Naw.  But you should give it a spin.  Quite powerful.

My problem with the Messiah may be that it is in English.  In religious music, not understanding the words is a big advantage for me.   

[springrite]

My problem with the Messiah may be that it is in English.  In religious music, not understanding the words is a big advantage for me.   

Ditto!

And on occasions opera as well, so I wouldn't be distracted by the silly storyline. 

[71 dB]

Still not owning either Book of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier....even started a thread on it and still trying to choose.

And I don't have English Suites 4-6.  Waiting for the Naxos disc to get under £2...

The fact is that owning just one recording of the "core repertoire" means hundreds and hundreds of CDs. I don't have any symphonies by Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Rachmanivov or Vaughan-Williams. My Schubert collection contains complete Trios, complete Masses, Trout Quintet, Adagio & Rondo Concertante in F and Lieder with orchestra. That's 10 Schubert discs. I have only 2 discs of Tchaikovsky containing String Quartets 1 & 2, Serenade for Strings and Souvenir de Florence. I have Rachmaninov's 2nd Piano Concerto, Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini and The Bells (his best work imo). I have not dedicated discs of Vaughan-Williams, only couple of minor works on discs of English music.

My collection has plenty of Elgar and baroque composers. I think I have more music by Johann Rosenmüller (1619-1684) than Sibelius and Dvorak combined! Have more Buxtehude than Brahms and my Johann Friedrich Fasch collection seems to beat my Mendelssohn collection.   

[Sergeant Rock]

On the other hand, there are probably a lot of people here who think I am a lunatic for never having even heard Handel's Messiah.

A lot of people here do think you are a lunatic but it has nothing to do with the Messiah 

My problem with the Messiah may be that it is in English.  In religious music, not understanding the words is a big advantage for me.   

Not a problem...purchase this one; it's in German:




Sarge

[Brian]

Scarpia, if it's any comfort, I've only heard the "Hallelujah" bit and none of the rest.