GMG and classical music collection - the conflict

[71 dB]

For years I have recognized a psychological conflict between GMG and how I see my classical music collection. I am in a phase of trying to find a way to remove this conflict. It's one reason why I am not very active on this board.

I want to enjoy my classical music collection. It's not the largest collection in the world, in fact it is pretty modest compared to the collections of many members on this board. My collection isn't perfect either. Half of it probably is considered mediocre or even bad in quality. However, it represent MY journey exploring the wonders of classical music. I have fond memories of buying my first CD of J. S. Bach (Violin Concertos by Capella Istropolitana on Naxos). To me that CD was extremely exciting as a Bach newbie no matter how mediocre or bad it is compared to the competition. Years later I bought another performance of Bach's Violin Concertos: The Academy of Ancient Music/Andrew Manze/Rachel Podger.

Reading GMG makes me constantly feel I am lacking tons to substantive material. I don't have anything from these composers and I don't have these performances. I should be happy with what I have, not worry so much about what I am lacking.

My sudden interest in Boccherini demonstrates this effect. I should be enjoying my tiny collection of 4 CDs by Boccherini. Instead I think about all the works by Boccherini I don't have. This is absurd! As if I had to own every single performance ever released in order to enjoy any performance!

So, I have been trying to learn some austerity and psychical enlightment. It's not easy. Now I started to drool over the 37 CD boxset of Boccherini on Brilliant Classics. That box is VERY cheap. What worries me is the fact that buying such bargains may keep me from finding enlightment. I feel a big conflict inside myself. Materialism doesn't mean certain happiness.

What helps me is to take a CD off the shelf to my hands I say to myself: "this is a decent/good disc of good music and I f**cking OWN the CD! So put it in your CD-player and enjoy it!" Concentrating on my music collection means come to GMG less often and I read/write fewer messages.

Board like GMG are great when one needs help/advice about performances/works/composers. Reading it in order to find out about the huge defects of your collection is a stupid way to spend your time, isn't it? A want thousands of CDs but I need none more, seriously.

[Bogey]

Always, always buy what you enjoy or think that you will enjoy and then be sure to listen to it and share your thoughts here. 

Nothing wrong with staying clear of larger box sets if you believe they will impede your enjoyment.  Look at George and his purchase of "gold" cds.  He could have easily swept up numerous large sets for what he pays for these, but these are the pressings he enjoys.  He is like a collector of fine French wines, but he actually drinks them.   Then there are others here that can snag hundreds of classical cds a year and glean just as much enjoyment out of them.  Both parties are doing it right.  As for myself, I have been mostly buying retro-cocktail type lps or soundtracks that some folks cannot give away.  Right now I just rather spend my money on these because that is what I want to listen to.  Each one I buy I enjoy. 

Scenes like this break my heart:

[Florestan]

Always, always buy what you enjoy or think that you will enjoy and then be sure to listen to it and share your thoughts here. 

Excellent advice! Also, never ever pay any attention to those who patronize you for buying or not buying something. You are you and they are they --- each with one's own personality, taste and interest, therefore, to each one's own. This is not to say that you should disregard anyone else's opinion or advice. GMG is full of knowledgeable people, ready to impart their knowledge --- but the final decision is always yours.

Scenes like this break my heart:

That's a shame, nay, a crime! 

[Karl Henning]

Excellent advice! Also, never ever pay any attention to those who patronize you for buying or not buying something. You are you and they are they --- each with one's own personality, taste and interest, therefore, to each one's own. This is not to say that you should disregard anyone else's opinion or advice. GMG is full of knowledgeable people, ready to impart their knowledge --- but the final decision is always yours.

Andrei is giving you pearls here, Poju.

[Brian]

I hope nobody is deliberately making you feel like you need more, need to buy more, or need to "fix" your record collection. However, there is also a natural (and enjoyable!) effect of GMG, which is that you get to see the crazy amount of wonderful music that exists, and the even crazier amount of wonderful recordings.

When that gets to be a problem - like when I'm listening to something different from everybody else, or when my budget prevents me from buying other recordings - I just treat the forum as a learning experience. Take mental notes: that exists. People like that.

This year has been interesting for me because I have not bought a single classical CD since January, except a few souvenirs on my trip to Paris and 2-3 "super duper cheap bargains". Now, after 11 months, I don't feel that crazy desire to go buy every album everybody mentions. But I do have a clear, focused, specific wish list for 2015 purchases, and it's only going to cost me a couple hundred dollars to get everything that I saw on GMG this year that I want to listen to.

Boards like these are most useful when you find a few people who have the same taste as you, or similar taste, and learn new things from them. But there are a few hundred of us, and we all like different things. I bet any given day, we listen to 200+ composers between us. That is amazing. But you have to protect yourself from the idea that that is a pressure, or a burden, or a challenge. It's only a learning opportunity. Do what you want.

[Mirror Image]

No one should ever feel that they have to own something just because someone makes a suggestion. I buy recordings because I want them not because I need them. There's a difference. Perhaps my scenario is much different than most of the members here: I'm not married, I have no girlfriend, I live with my parents, and I don't smoke/drink, so this is where some of my money goes. This is my leisure, but, at the end of the day, a person should be happy to have any kind of collection at all. Cherish your recordings and the memories the music has brought you. That is something no one can buy.

[mc ukrneal]

Maybe looking at it differently would help too. All the discs you bought are made by professionals who are among the best in what they do. Most of them think they have something new to say about a piece or something that wasn't quite covered by someone else. So every disc you listen to is a unique take on a given piece. SO really, the issue is not whether one is better than another (it is really rare to find recordings that are simply so deficient that they take away), but which interpretation you prefer.

I was once at a concert with a group of friends (bach double concerto) performed by young professionals. One violinist was clearly better technically, but I felt her performance a bit cold and passionless. The other player was not quite as good, but just made the piece come alive. After the performance, we talked about the playing and when I said that I preferred the second performer, my friend (a cello player) ripped into me. In the end, I held my ground, but it can be difficult do explain what we hear to others (and what we like to hear as well). It is especially hard when you cannot articulate it well either, which can be a challenge (meaning identifying what exactly you liked or disliked and why you liked or disliked it). But even that is not necessary - it is enough to know you liked it.

When things get to voices, they become even more personal. There are many Callas recordings that are considered the 'best' by virtually everyone. Her voice drives me nuts. I don't know why others can't hear what I hear, but they don't (or can ignore it). Should I abandon opera, because most of the world will think me crazy for not liking her voice? Why should I when there are many other voices to hear?!

As a suggestion, I would say join a round of the blind listenings to hear a piece performed different ways (and you don't even have to post your results if you so choose). I think you will see, if you read any of those threads, that there is no concensus as to the best way to play the piece (and supposed classics are sometimes unceremoniously bounced in the early rounds). But hearing it for yourself (and the liberation of picking the one you like most) can be helpful to your own appeciation.

[71 dB]

Awesome responses from everyone! Thanks! I read them carefully.

I am aware that there is not pressure to do what others say. It's all my own weakness to take things that way and that's why I need to learn to get rid of that weakness. The new year 2015 is ahead of us. It's time to have some kind of plans for year 2015.

I feel like collecting/exploring Liszt further. Same with Boccherini. Some time ago I bought 9 CPO CDs of baroque music from jpc.de and I have listened to only one of these discs so far meaning I have a lot of listening pleasure ahead of me. No need to buy anything in the near future. Not buying anything for a while helps focusing on my collection and getting on the right track.

Hobo vinyl collector?

[EigenUser]

Awesome responses from everyone! Thanks! I read them carefully.

I am aware that there is not pressure to do what others say. It's all my own weakness to take things that way and that's why I need to learn to get rid of that weakness. The new year 2015 is ahead of us. It's time to have some kind of plans for year 2015.

I feel like collecting/exploring Liszt further. Same with Boccherini. Some time ago I bought 9 CPO CDs of baroque music from jpc.de and I have listened to only one of these discs so far meaning I have a lot of listening pleasure ahead of me. No need to buy anything in the near future. Not buying anything for a while helps focusing on my collection and getting on the right track.
Hobo vinyl collector?

I never really cared about hearing multiple performances unless it is a work I am very fond of. Even so, I haven't heard more than a handful of performances of, say, Bartok's Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta or Debussy's Jeux.

I also feel a pressure to keep up, but I can't complain. I've discovered composers that I would never have thought about listening to last year. This is where Spotify comes in!

As for 'collecting', I'd suspect that most people on GMG think it is silly for me to collect scores when we have IMSLP (and other, more questionably legal sources for post-1923 works), but I could make the same argument about YouTube/Spotify versus owning physical CDs.

[Artem]

A want thousands of CDs but I need none more, seriously.

This perfectly describes my situation 

[71 dB]

This perfectly describes my situation 

I think it describes the situation of all of us. 

I haven't bought any CDs (classical nor non-classical) since November ninth.

[Mirror Image]

I never really cared about hearing multiple performances unless it is a work I am very fond of. Even so, I haven't heard more than a handful of performances of, say, Bartok's Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta or Debussy's Jeux.

I also feel a pressure to keep up, but I can't complain. I've discovered composers that I would never have thought about listening to last year. This is where Spotify comes in!

As for 'collecting', I'd suspect that most people on GMG think it is silly for me to collect scores when we have IMSLP (and other, more questionably legal sources for post-1923 works), but I could make the same argument about YouTube/Spotify versus owning physical CDs.

I've never been one to rely completely on internet streaming sources as I personally would rather have a good collection and a good stereo system than anything else. I do use sites like NML and Spotify to sample recordings that I'm interested in buying, but that's it. I've always preferred owning something tangible.

[Florestan]

I've never been one to rely completely on internet streaming sources as I personally would rather have a good collection and a good stereo system than anything else. I do use sites like NML and Spotify to sample recordings that I'm interested in buying, but that's it. I've always preferred owning something tangible.

Then do just like I do: extract the sound from Youtube and rip it to CD. 

[Ken B]

Maybe looking at it differently would help too. All the discs you bought are made by professionals who are among the best in what they do. Most of them think they have something new to say about a piece or something that wasn't quite covered by someone else. So every disc you listen to is a unique take on a given piece. SO really, the issue is not whether one is better than another (it is really rare to find recordings that are simply so deficient that they take away), but which interpretation you prefer.

I was once at a concert with a group of friends (bach double concerto) performed by young professionals. One violinist was clearly better technically, but I felt her performance a bit cold and passionless. The other player was not quite as good, but just made the piece come alive. After the performance, we talked about the playing and when I said that I preferred the second performer, my friend (a cello player) ripped into me. In the end, I held my ground, but it can be difficult do explain what we hear to others (and what we like to hear as well). It is especially hard when you cannot articulate it well either, which can be a challenge (meaning identifying what exactly you liked or disliked and why you liked or disliked it). But even that is not necessary - it is enough to know you liked it.

When things get to voices, they become even more personal. There are many Callas recordings that are considered the 'best' by virtually everyone. Her voice drives me nuts. I don't know why others can't hear what I hear, but they don't (or can ignore it). Should I abandon opera, because most of the world will think me crazy for not liking her voice? Why should I when there are many other voices to hear?!

As a suggestion, I would say join a round of the blind listenings to hear a piece performed different ways (and you don't even have to post your results if you so choose). I think you will see, if you read any of those threads, that there is no concensus as to the best way to play the piece (and supposed classics are sometimes unceremoniously bounced in the early rounds). But hearing it for yourself (and the liberation of picking the one you like most) can be helpful to your own appeciation.

I understand what you mean about the second performer, and I often prefer less technically assured performances if done with real committment. I don't think we're alone here. John feels the same for sure.

[Mandryka]

I think the idea of owning a classical music collection is so old fashioned, like makng your own clothes or something. I still own some recordings - the ones I can't get from spotify basically. I really think it's better in every important way to pay their subscription and use them to find new music. If things change, if the price goes way too high, I'll revise my ideas.

Anyway, as far as needing to know lots of different performances, well obviously it's pretty low on Mazlow's hierarchy, but that goes without saying. You don't need it like food and stuff. You need it because you're curious, intellectually curious. It's like all these different performers, or most of them, have different ideas about how the music should go. And that's quite an interesting thing to explore, what they do with the music and why, if you're turned on by that type of thing.

[Jay F]

I think the idea of owning a classical music collection is so old fashioned, like makng your own clothes or something. I still own some recordings - the ones I can't get from spotify basically.

I hate the way Spotify's various contracts can force them to stop featuring recordings so abruptly. They went through such mishegas with Lucinda Williams, I've not used them again except in the most dire emergency (a music emergency is low in Maslow's ranking, I know, but music is what we're here to talk about).

[Mirror Image]

I understand what you mean about the second performer, and I often prefer less technically assured performances if done with real committment. I don't think we're alone here. John feels the same for sure.

Yes, if the performers are emotional and the performance is a committed one, then this bypasses the technical side of things except for audio quality of course. This is something I'm a bit of a stickler about.

[71 dB]

I think the idea of owning a classical music collection is so old fashioned.

I want to be old fashioned. I don't even use a smartphone. My cellphone is a 46 euros Nokia 225. 

I'd never build my music library on streaming services, let someone else thousands of miles away manage MY music. No way. I want physical copies on my bookshelf!

[mahler10th]

I want to be old fashioned. I don't even use a smartphone. My cellphone is a 46 euros Nokia 225. 

I'd never build my music library on streaming services, let someone else thousands of miles away manage MY music. No way. I want physical copies on my bookshelf!

Yes.  Completely.  I utterly hate how 'dependency' has become something of the norm.  Buy music, depend on a paid for 'service' to give you it.  Buy a book, depend on a paid for 'service' to give you it.  You never own it physically.  It is always somewhere you have to go and get it somehow, not in your home for you to hold and behold, it always comes with advertising on a screen from a remote place, even if it IS 'downloaded' on a device which you don't own either.

I want to be old fashioned.

Old fashioned means taking ownership and management of what one spends money on...not being old fashioned means owning nothing, depending to be provided with nothing, and paying for that 'privilege'.  I am most certainly with you on this 71dB.

[Mandryka]

In the great majority of cases, music isn't really the sort of thing that it makes sense to own (Like film and books.) You hear it once, twice -- but then there really is no need to hear it again. You know what he does, there we are, you've experienced that, you've become aware of a new possibility, now on to the next one. There may be some recordings which are deeper than that, which you get something out of revisiting many many times. But it's a really small proportion. That's one reason, but not the only reason, why owning a large library of music is not a good idea, at least given the accessibility of music rental through pay by the month streaming. There they are, sitting on your shelf, neither use nor ornament, gathering dust. And if you do want to find one, they hide!

Let me be clear what I'm saying. Having access to lots of music is good. Owning it these days is a bit silly.