BBC Music Magazine

[DanielFullard]

Does anyone read this?

I subscribe to it and find it to be a very good publication and although at times some of it goes over my head, as I lack the technical knowledge of music, I have learned so much from the magazine and always look forward to it coming.

The CD is great as well usually and in the last year the quality has really went up. Unlike other mags they are full works and it has helped introduce me to music I otherwise would never have heard

[Harry]

Its not bad indeed, but my magazine is still Grammophone, been a subscriber for more than 20 years.

[Don]

The CD is great as well usually and in the last year the quality has really went up. Unlike other mags they are full works and it has helped introduce me to music I otherwise would never have heard

It is very favorable to get a disc of full works instead of Grammophone with its "bits and pieces" from full works.  The BBC reviews are quite short but logically prepared.

[The new erato]

It is very favorable to get a disc of full works instead of Grammophone with its "bits and pieces" from full works.  The BBC reviews are quite short but logically prepared.

BBS Mag usually presents warhorses I know quite well whereas Grampohones bits and pieces often leads me to interesting music I wouldn't be inclined to explore usually. In the last issue the Stockhausen excerpt was worth the prce of the magazine in itself. My one regret is that they decided to fill up half the disc with (for me) meaningless talking. If I want talk I turn to the radio.

[Harry]

BBS Mag usually presents warhorses I know quite well whereas Grampohones bits and pieces often leads me to interesting music I wouldn't be inclined to explore usually. In the last issue the Stockhausen excerpt was worth the prce of the magazine in itself. My one regret is that they decided to fill up half the disc with (for me) meaningless talking. If I want talk I turn to the radio.

Yes I always skip that part, but the bits and pieces are important for me, as to hear works I normally would not listen too. Both magazines have their advantages.

[vandermolen]

BBC Music Magazine is getting more adventurous in its CD releases (Tubin, Grace Williams etc).

[Mark]

Ah, my favourite classical music magazine. Not necessarily for the articles and reviews (though I do enjoy both), but more for the cover CDs. So many treasures being regularly unearthed from the BBC archives. I've subscribed since Vol. 13, and have back-collected all but just fewer than 50 of the cover discs issued since the title launched in 1992. If I had to quit subscribing to all magazines but one, I'd keep this one, for damned sure.

[Harry Collier]

BBC Music Magazine is getting more adventurous in its CD releases (Tubin, Grace Williams etc).

OMG. I've just started an (experimental) subscription and I certainly don't want hours of anyone called Tubin, Grace Williams (who is he?) or whatever. There are probably 145 operas by Rossini and Donizetti I have never even heard.

[locrian]

The glossies seem a bit light content-wise. I prefer a fat digest, like Fanfare. Or nothing at all...

[Don]

BBS Mag usually presents warhorses I know quite well whereas Grampohones bits and pieces often leads me to interesting music I wouldn't be inclined to explore usually. In the last issue the Stockhausen excerpt was worth the prce of the magazine in itself. My one regret is that they decided to fill up half the disc with (for me) meaningless talking. If I want talk I turn to the radio.

When I want talk I turn to my wife.

To me, bits and pieces are worthless.

[Solitary Wanderer]

I'm considering subscribing...

[Mark]

I'm considering subscribing...

Give it a three-month trial. If you don't like it, cancel.

[vandermolen]

OMG. I've just started an (experimental) subscription and I certainly don't want hours of anyone called Tubin, Grace Williams (who is he?) or whatever. There are probably 145 operas by Rossini and Donizetti I have never even heard.

Don't worry, the more esoteric stuff is usually coupled with more mainstream recordings. Grace Williams (a welsh composer) was a she.

[Mark]

This month, they've got a studio recording of Glazunov's Symphony No. 5 on the cover disc. I've not heard ANY symphonies by this composer, so this is a great way to discover music I wouldn't otherwise buy but might do so in the future if I like it.

[vandermolen]

This month, they've got a studio recording of Glazunov's Symphony No. 5 on the cover disc. I've not heard ANY symphonies by this composer, so this is a great way to discover music I wouldn't otherwise buy but might do so in the future if I like it.

You should like Glazunov, a fine writer of melodies; very Russian. If you like the symphony look out for his ballet "The Seasons" which is his masterpiece I think; a fine inspiriting score that I was fortunate enough to see at the Proms many years ago.

[Solitary Wanderer]

Give it a three-month trial. If you don't like it, cancel.

Yep, they're the lines I'm thinking along. It would be nice to have a printed music magazine to browse in the evenings 

[Mark]

Yep, they're the lines I'm thinking along. It would be nice to have a printed music magazine to browse in the evenings 

When I'm working in London, I read mine on the train. Supposing I read it cover to cover for up to an hour each day, I usually go through it (reviews and all) in about a fortnight.

[Mark]

You should like Glazunov, a fine writer of melodies; very Russian. If you like the symphony look out for his ballet "The Seasons" which is his masterpiece I think; a fine inspiriting score that I was fortunate enough to see at the Proms many years ago.

Thanks.

I've heard good things said of 'The Seasons', so I'll add it to my wishlist. Any particular recording I should spring for?

[hornteacher]

I purchased a subscription to Gramophone eight weeks ago and haven't yet seen an issue.  Does it take a while to get to the USA?

I went to the local news stand to look for one but found BBC Music instead which I have enjoyed very much.  Last month had a great article on Joshua Bell and this month was a tribute to Pavarotti.

[Mark]

I have a Gramophone subscription, too. I used to take it for the cover CD excerpts, which introduced me to a world of new recordings, some of which I was tempted enough to buy or download. Now that the cover disc is more a 'podcast' than an effective sampler, I simply toss the CD straight into the bin the moment it arrives through my letterbox - saving the plastic case, naturally: there's always a broken one somewhere in my collection.

Both Gramophone and BBC Music magazines do contain a lot of reviews. I don't read these and think, 'Wow! That's amazing! I'll buy it', or 'There's one to avoid'. I use the reviews to see what's currently been issued - and in particular, what's been issued on the labels which appear on eMusic. If I spot something I like in the pages of a printed magazine, I'll likely bookmark it online and later download it. And if I really like what I hear, it gets moved to my Amazon wishlist. I find this a far more economical way to use 'reviews' as a guide to buying.