Before we get started...

Hello again! Welcome to Building a Classical Music Collection. I want to give you an overview of what this column will cover so you know what to expect. My goal is to include information that will help those just beginning to explore classical music and build a collection, as well as those that want to know more about the best recordings to sample for particular works.

I am a staff of one, so it would be well-nigh impossible for me to review every classical music recording available out there already, plus new releases.  I will be reviewing recordings of individual pieces of music bearing in mind that some pieces of music may be part of a larger group of pieces that are often considered together (i.e. Beethoven’s symphonies or Respighi’s Roman Trilogy).

I will focus on the “core repertoire” in classical music, reviewing as many of the currently available recordings of a work as is possible.  These are the pieces that are the most well-known, performed or recorded most often, or are listened to the most.  Meanwhile, my goal is to also highlight new classical music, or recordings of new compositions whenever possible, particularly those that have received a significant amount of attention or acclaim.  My hope is that through this column you will become more familiar with works you may know, and perhaps get to know some works that are new to you. 

At times I may take a broad view of what may be considered “classical” music.  For example, the movie scores of John Williams, while not considered strictly classical, are well worth investigating.  You may disagree, and that is perfectly okay.

I believe you must listen to a recording multiple times to be able to make a fair judgment about its merits or drawbacks.  One may notice different details on different hearings, and we all tend to listen for different things when we hear music.  The goal is that with repeated listening I will get a more accurate sense of a recording’s value, and that I will be able to convey to you in writing a fair account of how it may compare to other recordings of the same work. Of course there is a good amount of subjectivity involved, but my hope is that you will consider my comments, take a listen for yourself and make your own judgment. Where applicable or helpful, I may use other sources of information or other reviews in my content.  I will always cite these sources when I use them.

At times there may be several recordings of the same work that each rise to the top of the pile, but for different reasons. For example, sometimes it is good to include historical recordings, or recordings using different types of instruments, for equal consideration due to their unique qualities. I value recordings that move me in some way rather than those that are merely faithful to the score. But there are many valid ways to interpret the music, and I will always do my best to leave room for views other than my own.

So that’s a little background on how the column will proceed. Next time we will begin building your classical music collection! See you then.