The biggest regrets concerning your record collection

[Mirror Image]

I don't have that many regrets regarding my classical collection. Most of the recordings I've bought have been dead-on, but I have had a few misfires like some of Paavo Jarvi's recordings. Thankfully, Paavo Jarvi has recorded two gems early in career that I can stand behind: his recording of Grieg's Peer Gynt and the two recordings he has made of various orchestral works by Arvo Part.

I'm usually pretty selective when it comes to buying recordings anyway, but alot of this comes down to research. Would I buy a recording of Ravel conducted by Leonard Bernstein? No, but I would buy a recording of Ravel conducted by Pierre Boulez, because history tells me that Lenny demonstrated no affinity for French Impressionism while Boulez clearly had the forsight and knowledge of how this music should sound.

Again, it comes down to research and apart of this research is reading a composer's and conductor's history. Sometimes reading other people's reviews can help, but only to get some different information and a different perspective.

[Satzaroo]

You must have felt like a kid in a candy store! 

And the more that I bought, the cheaper the price. My heart was racing like hell.

[Mirror Image]

And the more that I bought, the cheaper the price. My heart was racing like hell.

I know that feeling. Going through bins and finding one recording after another that you didn't own. Yes, that's an exciting feeling, but interestingly enough, I get the same feeling when I'm shopping online sometimes. I'll type in say Honegger and all of these recordings pop up and my eyes get as big as Saturn.

[Sid]

My main regret is not getting back into concert going sooner. I was a fairly regular concert goer in the '90's, then stopped and didn't start again until last year. Now I aim to get less cd's and go to more concerts, at least one good one per month.

As regards the cd's, I have no major regrets. I buy from stores and if I don't like what I buy, I simply take it back. This has only happened twice, first with Varese (who I now really like), then with Langaard (who I still don't like, but I'm generally not into late romantic stuff).

I mainly like getting budget cd's, but have been getting some mid and higher priced discs lately. I catalogued my collection a few months back and there was way too much Naxos. Not that there's a problem with that, but I'm now aiming for more variety.

But a basic philosophy has been to get a wide variety of a composer's music - from orchestral, chamber, solo instrumental, choral, songs, etc. - to get the "big" rather than just a narrow picture. I don't include opera on that list because it's my least favourite genre by far. But this philosophy has served me well, for example, I own Carter's string quartets, a cd of his orchestral works, some mixed chamber works, and the clarinet concerto and piano sonata on compilation cd's. What I have done with him mirrors how I deal with other composers...

[Antoine Marchand]

It is not exactly a regret, but a sort of nostalgia for those past days when every single disc was a party, enjoyed during weeks and even months.

Those days when I didn't have many discs, but I knew very well my "collection" (God, I hate this word!) because every disc was listened to ad nauseam.

Today, I recalled this sensation while I listened to this old 2 CD-set:



... especially the first volume with Jochum, Fischer-Dieskau, Gundula Janowitz, Irwing Cage, Gerald Moore, etc.

[MN Dave]

Regrets, I've had a few. But then again, too few to mention.

[Lethevich]

I haven't listened to much of it, and cannot see that changing in future.

[AndyD.]

Way too much Mozart. Not enough Bach, Bruckner, Richard Strauss.

[Scarpia]

I haven't listened to much of it, and cannot see that changing in future.

I have that set and don't regret a bit of it.  Some of the greatest audio recordings ever made in there, like the Bruckner 7 and Sibelius 6 with the BPO, and the Pines of Rome with the Philharmonia (along with some duds, of course).  I just hope I live long enough to listen to it all.   

[Mirror Image]

Way too much Mozart. Not enough Bach, Bruckner, Richard Strauss.

Yes, Andy I find it curious you don't own enough Bruckner, especially considering that you're such a Wagner guy.

[DavidRoss]

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.

[Gurn Blanston]

Way too much Mozart. Not enough Bach, Bruckner, Richard Strauss.

I've always had a high opinion of your posting, Andy, but this... is freakin' crazy!!          

[Mirror Image]

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.

Can you please point out some of these third-rate composers to me? I would like to know who you're talking about.

[Antoine Marchand]

Here we go again! 

[Mirror Image]

Oh, really?  Are you sure you don't want an excuse to pick a fight and make snidely judgmental comments hoping to bolster your self-image by imagining yourself superior to others?

(Antoine, what say we just give him the benefit of the doubt and consider it a typo?)

No, I don't want to pick a fight with you, David. I just wanted to know who some of these third-rate composers you mentioned are. Don't worry I won't judge or make a snide remark, I just wanted to know, because there are many I consider third-rate as well.

[springrite]

I treasure my collection of third-rate composers' music. While I wouldn't get "The Complete Works of xxx", there are enough hidden gems that give me great pleasure.  For every Ross Edward there is a Harrison, previously considered "third-rate" mistakenly by myself but has become a favorite.

[AndyD.]

Yes, Andy I find it curious you don't own enough Bruckner, especially considering that you're such a Wagner guy.

You guessed it! I'm big on Bruckner. I've just been busy prioritizing Bach and Beethoven lately. There's too many recordings I don't have by those masters.

I've always had a high opinion of your posting, Andy, but this... is freakin' crazy!!          

A lot of people feel that way, Gurn. I keep trying to go back and like Mozart, but I can only deal with little bits of him these days. I still love Don Giovanni, Cosi Fan Tutte, parts of the Requiem, the String Duos and a couple of the Divertimenti.

It's just personal taste, Mozart sounds too safe (and at times hackneyed) to me these days. Too many neatly resolving parts with that same nauseatingly pretty (for me) turnaround.

Again, this is entirely my opinion, nothing more, and I understand it's very unpopular around here. However, it's how I honestly feel, and I stand by it.

I've dealt with impassioned people bashing me for having outgrown Mozart dozens of times already. Most of them couldn't understand that if someone doesn't like something, they don't like it, and there's nothing you can do to "make" that person like it. It's the way the world is, vive le difference.

[DavidRoss]

I treasure my collection of third-rate composers' music. While I wouldn't get "The Complete Works of xxx", there are enough hidden gems that give me great pleasure.  For every Ross Edward there is a Harrison, previously considered "third-rate" mistakenly by myself but has become a favorite.

Of course many third-rate composers manage some first-rate music.  But just because I rather like one piece by x (and partly because of its novelty on first hearing) does not mean that I will like much else.  The old thread on "one hit wonders" suggests I'm not alone in this.

[Antoine Marchand]

I've always had a high opinion of your posting, Andy, but this... is freakin' crazy!!          

I think Andy is trying to say that "that train has left the station", Gurn. 

[AndyD.]

I think Andy is trying to say that "that train has left the station", Gurn.