collection support needed

violinconcerto · November 23, 2007, 06:46:50 AM

Hello!

After about 10 years of excessive collecting of recordings of works for violin and orchestra from the 20th century (see: www.violinconcerto.de), I am now at a point where I don't know how to increase the collection.
Over the years I collected nearly all CD recordings of the works I know of. I also bought some LPs and received digital copies of LP recordings from other collectors. I gathered broadcast recordings and private copies of composers, radio stations, publishers and so on. Actually I know of just a handful new released CD recordings which I will buy in the near future and another handful old LP recordings which I cannot find anywhere. Then I just have an extensive list of composer names who wrote a violin concerto, but there is or was never a recording.
So my question is: What can I do now to find more works I don't know so far (beside waiting for new CD releases over the years)?

Thanks and best,

SonicMan46 · November 23, 2007, 07:03:59 AM

Don't think I can help you much, but quite an impressive list of names & works for coverage of just over a century of 'modern' compositions - I was flabbergasted, in fact, by the number of composers just in the 'Z' listing (of course, knowing very few myself)!

Just curious - how many CDs, LPs, and other types of recordings do you own that comprises this vast collection? Thanks -

gmstudio · November 23, 2007, 01:46:55 PM

Maybe it's time to move on to the cello?

71 dB · November 23, 2007, 10:33:40 PM

Quote from: gmstudio on November 23, 2007, 01:46:55 PM
Maybe it's time to move on to the cello?

That's my suggestion too.

Only violin concertos? Wicked!

violinconcerto · November 25, 2007, 03:08:20 AM

Thnaks for the cello suggestion!

But I prefer the violin sound over the cello (just for personal taste reasons), so I will keep on collecting violin concertos.

To answer SonicMans question: I own about 2000 CDs.

springrite · November 25, 2007, 03:11:14 AM

Quote from: violinconcerto on November 25, 2007, 03:08:20 AM
Thnaks for the cello suggestion! But I prefer the violin sound over the cello (just for personal taste reasons)

Move on the double concertos (or concertante works) in which one of the solo instruments in the violin. There should be quite a few there.

Guido · November 25, 2007, 04:13:41 AM

springrite is right - there are quite a few, and some of them are of real quality.

What about violin Sonatas? I'd be willing to bet that there are even more sonatas than there are concertos.

Or couldn't you just take a break and start widening your view of other music - you are missing alot of great music!

Grazioso · November 25, 2007, 04:18:52 AM

Why not start going backwards before 1894? That would open up a huge range of wonderful concerti. I understand that you are mainly interested in 20th-century styles, but if you were to investigate earlier works with the same vigor, you might find yourself gaining a new appreciation for them.

As for finding new 20th-century works for your collection, I can only think to do the obvious: browse record company catalogs and retail sites like Amazon, Arkiv, broinc, jpc, etc. Here's a list that may have a couple you haven't heard yet:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_for_violin_and_orchestra

71 dB · November 25, 2007, 04:31:31 AM

You have Frank Zappa's "Music for electric violin and low budget orchestra" but you are not interested of ANY cello concerto?

Also, you have collected 20th century violin concertos. How about 19th century? How about Viola Concertos?

violinconcerto · November 25, 2007, 05:31:21 AM

Thanks for your suggestions!

Maybe I can explain my collecting restrictions with this short look back in history: When I started listening to classical music (before I was this "normal" radio pop guy), I listened a lot to classical radio programs to find out more wonderful classical music. And after several months I noticed that I mainly (maybe 95%) liked 20th century music. I also noticed that I preferred orchestral music over chamber music. So I focussed on orchestral music from 20th century. After a lot of lending CDs from the library I was fascinated about the violin concertos: Sibelius, Barber at first, and I can very good remember my fascination while hearing Janacek or Shostakovich #1 the first time. That was the point where I started to collect violin concertos. Due to masses of works and recordings I focussed some time later just on violin concertos and leave the piano concertos or symphonies alone (which I also bought to that point).

So after this short surview about my collecting history you may understand that I don't want to collect violin sonatas or string quartets or other chamber music for violin.
And I also don't want to go backwards in time, because I don't enjoy this music (and I collect to find enjoyable music!).

To "enlarge" my collection to a whole new solo instrument isn't an option. I prefer the violin and collecting viola or cello concertos is a whole new thing, a new start. I don't want to start anything, I want to enlarge my existing collection.

@springrite: I already collect double and triple concertos with a at least a solo violin. I am not that interested, but have a look for them as well.

Guido · November 25, 2007, 06:20:59 AM

So really you're just looking for new places to find violin concertos? I would suggest contacting living composers who aren't famous enough to have recordings out.

Seriously though - you are really missing out on 20th century violin sonatas - so many beautiful ones. Try the Walton.

I have found that in general, the more you listen to a new style, the more one apprecuates, so maybe it time to go beyond your 'natural' inclination towards 20th century violin concertos and try omething a bit different...

MichaelRabin · November 25, 2007, 03:00:05 PM

Do you have Gavin Bryars VC?

Maciek · November 25, 2007, 11:36:19 PM

I think you've arrived at the point where you have to write some VCs of your own in order to have new stuff to listen to...

some guy · November 25, 2007, 11:47:58 PM

I don't share your love for violin concerti as such, but I do know that a lot of electroacoustic composers write a lot of stuff for violin and electronics.

Though you did say you preferred the sound of the orchestra!

Still, that's my two cents (as you have all the violin concertos that I have--I'm putting on the Matthus right now).

I think Maciek and Guido have the right ideas, commission 'em and/or write 'em yourself.

some guy · November 26, 2007, 12:00:02 AM

Hey violinconcerto, I just had an idea. How about you share your knowledge with us? (Our value to you may be limited, but yours to us could be superb.)

I for instance, have the Roettger (which I hate) and the Myaskovsky (which I barely tolerate) and the Huber (which I love). I also have and enjoy the Ligeti. I assume already that I'd like the Kurtag and the Nono, and will doubtless end up with those eventually as I continue buying Nono and Kurtag CDs.

Of the older guys, I enjoy the Bartok the most, followed at some distance by the Stravinsky and at some slightly greater distance by the two Prokofiev.

The Musik in Deutschland Konzert set is in the mail.

Anyway, given that brief list of mine, which concerti do you think I would enjoy the most?