The biggest regrets concerning your record collection

[AndyD.]

I'm gonna quote this because nobody else has yet, and also because I understand where you're coming from, Sackbut. I've always had this sort of gnawing deep-inside fear that some day I will run out of things to discover and have everything I want to hear. 2010 proved that wrong - I discovered Roussel's orchestral music, the first half of the Beethoven string quartets, the Weinberg cello concerto, and other dandy stuff - but even so I still have that sort of paranoia. I still have most of Mahler's, Bruckner's, and Haydn's symphonies to hear for the first time, the Beethoven quartets Opp 95-133 ditto, and have been intentionally avoiding all Schubert chamber music in order to discover it later. I guess the thing is, there never actually will be a "oops, I just ran out of new music to hear for the first time" moment, but the fear of it remains, and also, the fear that you/I/we've already heard most of our all-time favorites.

What a weird problem. It's irrational but so compelling.

I rarely listen to "new" recordings (besides Wagner's operas when they're streamed live). That's why I don't post much on the "What are you listening to?" and "Today's Purchases" threads. I feel that I'm too boring for threads like that.

I get so much out of the recordings I already have, and the pieces performed thereof. I listen over and over.

[Sergeant Rock]

I'm gonna quote this because nobody else has yet, and also because I understand where you're coming from, Sackbut. I've always had this sort of gnawing deep-inside fear that some day I will run out of things to discover and have everything I want to hear. 2010 proved that wrong - I discovered Roussel's orchestral music, the first half of the Beethoven string quartets, the Weinberg cello concerto, and other dandy stuff - but even so I still have that sort of paranoia. I still have most of Mahler's, Bruckner's, and Haydn's symphonies to hear for the first time, the Beethoven quartets Opp 95-133 ditto, and have been intentionally avoiding all Schubert chamber music in order to discover it later. I guess the thing is, there never actually will be a "oops, I just ran out of new music to hear for the first time" moment, but the fear of it remains, and also, the fear that you/I/we've already heard most of our all-time favorites.

What a weird problem. It's irrational but so compelling.

You and the But make me smile. At one point in the mid-90s I felt like you guys. I looked at my collection, sizable even then, and thought I'd run out of new music, both classical and popular. A few years later I went online, discovered music forums, discovered online CD merchants. I've added 3000 CDs to the collection I once thought complete    I'm 61 years old; been collecting music for over forty years. Believe me, you won't run out of new things to listen to. For exampole, I just ordered a bunch of symphones by Tournemire. Who the hell is Tournemire? I have no idea    I don't even know what nationality he is. But Lethe's description of the music was so funny, and compelling, I just have to hear it.

Sarge

[Brian]

I think I listened to a Tournemire symphony once    it was about five years ago when I went on Naxos.com and decided to try a composer I'd never heard of from every letter. Can't remember a thing about it. I do remember liking Mihaly Mosonyi... ought to give that a spin sometime.

Maybe that's something to try again soon. It unearthed a huge world of new things.

[karlhenning]

I think I listened to a Tournemire symphony once    it was about five years ago when I went on Naxos.com and decided to try a composer I'd never heard of from every letter. Can't remember a thing about it. I do remember liking Mihaly Mosonyi... ought to give that a spin sometime.

Maybe that's something to try again soon. It unearthed a huge world of new things.

Not at all a bad exercise! Of course, inability to remember a thing about the music is one risk of trying 26 composers you'd never heard of : )

The good news is, you remember Henning ; )

[The new erato]

You and the But make me smile.

Ah; the naivety of youth. What you really should fear is not hearing everything worthwhile.

[Philoctetes]

My only regret is purchasing shit that now I don't want. (It's the chief reason that I wait so long to buy things now. I really detest 'wasting' money.)

[PaulSC]

... this sort of gnawing deep-inside fear that some day I will run out of things to discover and have everything I want to hear...

I know the feeling but agree with the reassuring replies that have appeared. Also, it helps to develop an interest in living composers: I'm confident some of my eventual favorite pieces have not yet been written!

[bhodges]

I'm confident some of my eventual favorite pieces have not yet been written!

A very wise observation.  Thank you for putting it so concisely.

--Bruce

[karlhenning]

Big thumb's-up!

[Gurn Blanston]

My only regret is purchasing shit that now I don't want. (It's the chief reason that I wait so long to buy things now. I really detest 'wasting' money.)

And the strange irony of this is that MY regret is not having learned early on to buy things when they come out, especially PI Classical Era recordings, since most (seriously, most!) of them are only available in a very short window, and most of those are never re-released. Going back a couple of years alter and buying them from the resale leeches has damned near broken me...

[bhodges]

And the strange irony of this is that MY regret is not having learned early on to buy things when they come out, especially PI Classical Era recordings, since most (seriously, most!) of them are only available in a very short window, and most of those are never re-released. Going back a couple of years alter and buying them from the resale leeches has damned near broken me...

And isn't THAT the truth, which is also true with much contemporary fare.  (And chuckling at "resale leeches"...)

--Bruce

[Cato]

I know the feeling but agree with the reassuring replies that have appeared. Also, it helps to develop an interest in living composers: I'm confident some of my eventual favorite pieces have not yet been written!

This is a not-so-subtle hint to resident composers Karl Henning and Luke Ottevanger to buy some more music paper...with 36 staves!

[DavidW]

And isn't THAT the truth, which is also true with much contemporary fare.  (And chuckling at "resale leeches"...)

--Bruce

As I dig into contemporary I see the parallels between the two.  You try to listen to not so famous composers, and you have a few select ensembles that champion them on labels that do limited releases and go oop... yup.

[Philoctetes]

And the strange irony of this is that MY regret is not having learned early on to buy things when they come out, especially PI Classical Era recordings, since most (seriously, most!) of them are only available in a very short window, and most of those are never re-released. Going back a couple of years alter and buying them from the resale leeches has damned near broken me...

I totally get that sentiment. Although, you'll never have to worry about Beethoven symphonies going OOP. 

[Gurn Blanston]

I totally get that sentiment. Although, you'll never have to worry about Beethoven symphonies going OOP. 

Oh sure. I need 7 more Karajan cycles...   Those bastards never go OOP.

I saw some L'Archibudelli Beethoven chamber music though that I bought new "in the window" in 1997, and after not seeing them again at all for 10 years or so, I started seeing them on the Marketplace for around $75 - 100 / disk. And as good as they are, and as much as I enjoy them, $100/disk, they ain't! 



----------------
Now playing:
Anima Eterna Orchestra \ Immerseel  - K 316a 365 Concerto in Eb for 2 Claviers 2nd mvmt - Andante

[rubio]

Ah; the naivety of youth. What you really should fear is not hearing everything worthwhile.

That has always been my big fear, as well . And when I listen to classical, indie, jazz, reggae, black metal, soul, folk, electronica, rap, psychedlica, rock, pop etc + update on several music magazines on a regular basis it is quite demanding to listen to everything worthwhile. But I do see that some people do no have the same curious nature, and this goes both for music, film, literature, food, drink + different subjects on history, psychology etc. Like some in Trondheim can live happily on "Løvbiff" and "Biffsnadder" all their days.

[The new erato]

Like some in Trondheim can live happily on "Løvbiff" and "Biffsnadder" all their days.

You've probably been to "Egon".

Seems we're very similar.

[AndyD.]

Like some in Trondheim can live happily on "Løvbiff" and "Biffsnadder" all their days.

I would live happily all the rest of my days if I could live in Trondheim. Really.

[rubio]

You've probably been to "Egon".

Seems we're very similar.

I have been to Egon, but that's about 15 years ago. I think Egon is for the big occasions. For the everyday meal it was something like O' Martin.

I would live happily all the rest of my days if I could live in Trondheim. Really.

I could also. It's a beautiful city .

[Szykneij]

On the main shopping drag here in Burlington, Vermont (Church Street), they play almost entirely Mozart throughout the Christmas season. That in itself tends to blur the line between "Mozart" and "Muzak" for me.

Andy, is the hot dog lady still in business on Church Street?