Thank you all for your replies. I enjoy the physical media and will be likely sticking with CD's for the forseeable future. I've, for me, a fairly expensive stereo system and don't wish to invest in any more expensive equipment, cables, or monthly charges for streaming. I really enjoy the collecting aspect too. It's a lot of fun, I appreciate your suggestions in that regard and may be foolish in avoiding streaming, but what the hey. Getting and listening to records, and now CD's, has been one of the joys of my life since I was a kid so I don't want to give that fun up now that I can afford to indulge myself in purchasing them.
Inna, thank you for the suggestions on the
Berlin, Vienna, London Philharmonic orchestras. I'll keep them in mind as well as the conductors and pieces you recommend. Are there any Classical record label you or anyone could name that are consistently good, say as Blue Note might be for jazz.
Jdane, trouble is I don't know or haven't been exposed to enough classical music to know what I like or don't yet. I've mostly had random exposure by picking up a few recordings at library sales or by listening to NPR on the radio while driving. If the local library wasn't closed due to the pandemic I'd go check out a book or two on the subject. I did take an elective course on Classical music in college. but that was close to fifty years ago. The only thing I can recall from that course was that the professor had an enormous "pumpkin" head . He's probably long gone now so hopefully that isn't too mean-spirited a memory to bring up.
Rshak, thank you much for the advice on the Penguin guide, I will get one ordered ASAP, I've found similar guides on rock an roll indispensable. Excellent idea. I'll do a little research and find out which is their most recent edition is and track that down.
Kr4, you're undoubtedly. right,, but I'd like to see what my Magico A3's can do. I recently purchased an Erykan Badu recording that had some very deep bass notes on it the Magico's did a nice job reproducing, so I'm wondering how they'd do on some sonorous classical organ pieces. I don't know what pieces to order though, as I have no idea who wrote them, played them, or when they were written. My lack of knowledge on classical music is fairly comprehensive.
My mom on the other hand could actually play classical music on the piano, but preferred to try and dope out boogie-woogie type jazz piano pieces instead, which she could sadly never master. She could play Rachmaninoff however without blinking an eye, Go figure.
Mikelavigne, if I stick to physical media do you find the SACD;s preferable to the degree Redbook CD's should be overlooked for orchestral pieces or is there good Redbook material out there for that type of music?
Thanks again all,
Mike