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How to go about collecting Classical Music

At age 68 I’ve started to like Classical Music. It’s been mostly Jazz, Rock n Roll, and R&B up to now. I’m familiar with those genres, know their history, artists, and how to best and most economically acquire their recordings. Not so the Classical repertoire which covers a much longer time period and encompasses so many styles and forms.

What genres and/or periods of Classical music should I be exploring? I’m not looking for recommendations on particular composers or artists, only genres or periods. In Classical music there is orchestral music, chamber music, opera, church music and who knows what else to try out. Maybe you could advise me, if you wouldn’t mind, of some types to try? Or maybe you could recommend a book on the subject that would help a rookie get a start understanding what’s out there.

In buying classical music, for any one work, there may be innumerable recordings by various artists, orchestras and ensembles. How do you sort out which recordings you want in that respect. For example, I looked up Stravinsky’s Rites of Spring on Ebay last night to get some idea of pricing and what classical music available there. There were so many recordings of that work, I would have no idea how to sort out which would have been a good choice. Are there web sites where there are recommendations on which recordings are most exceptional? Or alternately, are there classical record labels you can rely on routinely to provide superior quality recordings? I’ve heard Deutsche Gramophone may be a reliable label for one, but that’s about it. Could you recommend any other labels to look for?

There seems to be a lot of Classical music in SACD format relative to Jazz or Rock n ’Roll. Is there some reason for that? Should SACD be the format of choice for purchasing Classical music, or is there good classical material in Redbook format to be found? I prefer to stay away from used vinyl due to condition issues, or new vinyl due to cost. I’m guessing the better dynamic range of CD’s lends itself to orchestral music. Is there any market for used classical SACD’s? Are there any sites you prefer to purchase your Classical CD’s, either new or used?

I grew up on Long Island. On one trip to midtown Manhattan I walked into an old church not too far from St. Patrick’s to view its’ magnificent stained glass window. Once inside I heard some equally magnificent classical organ being played. I discovered the church’s incredible organ was being played by some of New York City’s finest classical organists who would book time to practice on it. That large church was always deserted, and I went back many times for what amounted to free private concerts. I’d like to know what kind of music that was to try and replicate that experience to some degree at home, From what I’ve read here and elsewhere there surely is a plethora of other wonderful Classical music to explore and enjoy. Thanks in advance for any advice,

Mike






skyscraper
telefunkin74
6 posts
 
Of all the genres of music I shop for, I've been the most fortunate at purchasing super cheap classical vinyl in near mint condition.  I think it is because classical music listeners tend to take better care of their vinyl and own better turntables that don't damage the grooves.  There also doesn't seem to be as big a market for used classical vinyl, either.  I've found huge collections dumped at the strangest places, a thrift stores in Ridgecrest California, a Goodwill in Lancaster CA, a book sale at the local community college, HPB, etc.  I'm cool with you not wanting to go that route, though.  Leaves more vinyl for us less fortunate vinyl junkies.
skyscraper OP
824 posts
 
Telefunkin, I especially like to find records just like you describe. My late wife loved to go antiquing, but hated when I stumbled upon some bins of old records. And from limited looking through the classical records you find that way, you're right that they do on the whole look to be in much better condition that rock n' roll or jazz records you find . I'll have to start looking again, after having mostly switched to used CD's on Ebay. to avoid the condition issues. From what you are saying we do frequent many of the same type places, albeit on opposite coast.

Realworldaudio, thank you for your informative post. I will be pay careful attention to all the labels you mentioned above, both good and less so. That is valuable information to have. I haven't come across any used boxed sets of classical music, but have not looked either. I'll keep my eyes open. I hear what you are saying about avoiding "modern interpretations". The box set of Bach I'm waiting to get in the mail goes in the other direction, even using period instrumentation. I'd prefer to experience the music the same way the composer would have.

I am considering getting the Deusche Grammophon Beethoven complete works set next, but need to research it more as some here have been disappointed with DG's recording quality in years past. The rest of the artists you mentioned I'll have to try piecemeal to get a feel for what is most enjoyable, Same with conductors, orchestras, individual performers and the like.

Label19, it will probably take years to get though all 157 of the Bachs, but will be fun to do so. I'd only listen to one if I felt like it. Its been fun having  63 Miles Davis records and CD's to choose from, and I never seem to tire of them. My listening to parts of my collection tends to come in jags, and I'll plow through different parts of mf maybe 1500-2000 records and CD's depending on what interests me at the moment, based on sometimes nothing more than catching a few minutes of an artist on TV or maybe. reading a reference to an artist here

Mike.


larryi
3,715 posts
 
While I think some of the guidelines offered above are helpful in making initial selections, they should not be treated as "rules." One of the best things about classical music and performances thereof is how wide open and varied are the possible choices. 

Should performances try to adhere to original interpretations (however that may be divined) and be played on original instruments?  I have many recordings that purport to be such "historically informed performances" and I do like some, but, I also appreciate performances that are decidedly not in that camp.  For one example, I would not rule out Glenn Gould piano performances of Bach keyboard pieces just because the piano had not yet been invented.  I even like some modern transcriptions, such as Bernstein's string orchestra version of Beethoven's late string quartets (No. 14 and 16, I believe). 
skyscraper OP
824 posts
 
Larryi, there seem to be so many permutations of classical music it’s going to take a while to sort them out. It doesn’t make sense to me though personally, to at first listen to music played on different, more familiar instruments than it was intended for, I do want to understand what a composer was composing in the context of his or her own time. I do want to hear and experience the strangeness of those instruments that Bach was actually composing for and listening to.

I like to immerse myself in the art of different cultures and time periods to try and get a feel for what they are, or were, like, independent of our own time and place. That’s really interesting to me. On the other hand I do like and prefer The Who’s take on Eddie Cochran’s "Summertime Blues" which is certainly far different than the original from the fifties. There’s something for everyone.

Mike


larryi
3,715 posts
 
I have no problem with taking the original instrument/historical performance approach.   But, for anything composed before the 19th century, this will not be easy.  For early opera and other vocal music, it would mean castrati singers (not many, for obvious reason, exist today).  For Bach, Haydn and Mozart, no conventional piano (harpsichord, or for late Mozart and Beethoven a fortepiano).  What many consider conventional instruments and practices is really a modern development and a rough consensus of how something should be played. I would guess that Beethoven, if given a choice, would prefer a modern Steinway or Bosendorfer piano over the fortepianos available in his day.
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