Personal Discoveries Thanks to The Forum

[Mark]

Going through my CD racks last night, I was struck by just how many discs were bought as a result of recommendations from members of this forum: no fewer than 50+, in fact. Which got me thinking about how many CDs others have bought because they'd seen discs praised here.

So, over to you. Which of the GMG-recommended discs you've bought have you enjoyed the most? Which members' opinions have you come to trust on the strength of having bought their recommendations? Have you suggested discs yourself which you know others here have bought and enjoyed?

Arguably my favourite CDs come from a Vanguard Classics set recommended on the old forum: Netania Davrath singing the complete Canteloube 'Songs of the Auvergne'. A most wonderful find, and something I'd have known nothing about were it not for this forum.

[Que]

Many, Mark, many.
And I'm very grateful for discovering so much interesting performers and music.
When on your own, with just guide books and on line reviews to go on, one can get "stuck" within a selection of composers, works and performers.

This forum provides many opportunities to overcome that. And the mechanism is quite simple: if particular members share my taste in repertoire and/or performers, I'm inclined to check out their preferences that I'm not familiar with myself. I picked up a lot of Bach and other baroque music. And when I came to the forum I was just moving into post-baroque HIP recordings - the forum provided many leads to pursuit that interest.

Some highlights of items I bought on recommendation here.
Bach: WTC with Glen Wilson (Teldec), Goldbergs with Dantone (Decca) and Frisch (Alpha), cello suites with Paolo Beschi (Winter & Winter), orchestral works with Café Zimmermann. Kletzki's LvB symphonies cycle (Supraphon), Paul Komen's LvB piano sonatas (Globe), HIP chamber music by Schubert and Brahms with La Gaia Scienza (Winter & Winter), Haydn piano trios with the Van Swieten Trio (Brilliant), Haydn keyboard sonatas with Schornsheim (Cappriccio), A Bruckner 4th (CBS/Sony) and 9th (Orfeo) with Kubelik, a Mahler 4th with Walter (Tahra), Mozart violin sonatas with Breitman and Rivest (Analekta), The Sibelius set with Vänskä (BIS)....
And so on and so forth!

Some members whose recommendations I've followed successfully are - amongst many others and in no particular order (!) - Don, Val, Premont, Gurn, Lilas, donwyn, and two recent absentees ( ) : Bunny and Masolino.

Q

[BachQ]

Definitely > 100

[val]

I don't know exactly how many. But I remember buying Max Reger string Quartets following the advice of a member of GMG. And it was a very good advice.

[George]

I am guessing 40-50. 

I have been happy with most of them.

[Heather Harrison]

I don't know for certain how many.  Sometimes I read a recommendation here and it goes on my wish list for future reference, and I know I have bought some of those.  However, I tend to lose track of where and when I heard about a recording, so I don't have a precise number.

Heather

[Renfield]

Mostly confirmed purchases I was anyway going to make, up to this point; so probably a couple of extra Mahler 2nds, so far... But I have amazon orders coming up!

[prémont]

Well, some - I don´t know how many. And first and foremost to widen my horizon within areas I don´t feel naturally attracted to. As to my "region of interest" I am almost completist already.

[dtwilbanks]

I don't know the number either, but quite a few. I don't think I've ever been completely disappointed. Oh, wait...there was that Copland piano set from Sony, but that was probably my fault for not enjoying it. Copland ain't my favorite.

[rubio]

Many. And I have been very satisfied with most of them. This forum is my preferred source for picking recordings. Well, what are the alternatives? The English-biased Gramophone or BBC Music Magazine? Or Classics Today with David Hurwitz? Or the rmcr? Well, I tend to agree more with reviews from Classics Today than the English magazines (which tend not to favour older recordings either).

As I'm mostly into orchestral music I find (amogst others) the advices/recommendations from M, Lilas Pastia, Choo Choo, Seargent Rock, Val to be interesting. For other genres of classical music I often agree with Que, George, Premont, Harry Collier, Todd.

[Haffner]

50-60, and that's probably an underestimation.

[beclemund]

Probably about 50% of my collection...

I still go through reviews regularly, but GMG has helped me discover other composers... Although, it has also been responsible for me *not* buying certain CDs too.

[not edward]

If you include all the pre-GMG boards that shared some members with this one, probably over 100.

[marvinbrown]

  Between 40-50 cds and DVDs and counting  0:) ! 


  marvin

[George]

... Although, it has also been responsible for me *not* buying certain CDs too.

Very good point.

[Don]

I have no idea about the total number, but I pay attention to recommendations on this board as well as from MusicWeb, Classics Today, Fanfare, American Record Guide, International Record Collector and the BBC Music Magazine.

The one recommendation from this board that sticks out in my mind is the one from Bunny concerning the Bach set played by Rousset - fantastic set.

[Renfield]

I have no idea about the total number, but I pay attention to recommendations on this board as well as from MusicWeb, Classics Today, Fanfare, American Record Guide, International Record Collector and the BBC Music Magazine.

No love for Gramophone?

[orbital]

A lot. I don't read any reviews (except of concerts/recitals) outside of GMG actually, so a good deal of my purchases (I'd say about 70% at least) have been based on what I read here. Close to 100 CDs or downloads  I'd say.

[Mark]

No love for Gramophone?

I may be wrong here, but I think there's a feeling (outside of the UK) that Gramophone is too British biased. I'm not sure that's entirely a fair assessment, but I have noticed the magazine does like promoting British classical performers. Whether that's to the exclusion of international talent I wouldn't like to say.

[Don]

No love for Gramophone?

Sorry, I just forgot to mention it.  I realize that the British sources have a bias, but I find that's natural.  Doesn't bother me at all.  If I had to go with just one source, Fanfare would be it.