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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
larryi
4,038 posts
 
The field is so vast and diverse that you should sample as much as you can to get a handle on what kind of music, period and styles you like the most.  I would suggest listening to the radio, particularly internet stations, or even the classical music offered on cable tv channels. 

The guides mention above, such as the Penguin guide, are good resources for finding specific recordings of compositions you are interested in, but, you would have to know the piece of music you are looking for; it is not a guide to the music itself.  I like a book called "1001 Classical Recordings You Must Hear Before You Die."  It is arranged in chronological order and it is good for finding specific composers and pieces of music as well as the particular recordings of that music that the editors favor.  I think the selections are quite good.
skyscraper OP
830 posts
 
Lowrider, thank you for the info on 1980’s DG CD’s. I’ll look for the later remastered copies only from then. Good to here Redbooks from other sources are good. That’ll make shopping on the used market lots easier. Thanks for the Wikipedia link to a the brief outlines of periods too.

Ericsch, you are twisting my arm. I will look up what a Node 2i is anyway and what they cost, as well as a yearly Quboz subscription. I would prefer to remain ensconced in the 20th rather than 21st century. I did throw away my cellphone when I retired.

KennyC, thanks for that link and the places to do some research. I’ll check both out.

Nordicnorn, thanks for the heads up on the Telarc, Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Harmonia Mundi, RCA Living Stereo, and Tacet labels. That is good information to have in hand. Once the pandemic ends it would be a good idea to take in some live classical music too.

LarryC, I went ahead and purchased off Ebay a hardcover copy of the "1001 Classical Recordings You Must Hear Before You Die." book you suggested. I really need to find a guide to the various periods and types of classical music out there, to know what to sample to find what I like best. I should have kept the textbook from that college class on classical music. I’ve got to track down the Penguin book now.

Mike

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 
A big +1 @nordicnorm. 
It's unfortunate that early DG digital doesn't measure up to other labels. DG had many of the great conductors/orchestras under contract.

skyscraper OP
830 posts
 
Lowrider, that really is unfortunate. After reading about the poorer quality 1980s Deutsche Grammophon material, I was wondering if any of that lesser material is in the massive DG Beethoven "complete works" boxed set they sell. I happened to stumble across a mention of that set on the classical music aficionados thread on site and looked it up on Amazon. I was thinking that might be a nice set to have, but not if it contains some of those inferior quality CD’s.

Rshak, I found and purchased on Amazon a "Like New" condition 2009 version of the Penguin Guide you suggested. Apparently that was the last year they published the full guide, not just an annual update. Thanks again for the suggestion. It should be useful.

Mike
edcyn
1,876 posts
 
Everybody here has good suggestions.  And yes, Herbert Von Karajan and the Berlin or Vienna Philharmonic is a good bet for a first stab to find a performance of a particular work.  Leonard Bernstein might even be a better bet.  Or any conductor/performer with a Russian name.  If you have a soft spot for good tunes and lush textures, try one of Tchaikovsky's ballet scores. 

I gotta say, too, that I love Primephonic to distraction.  Sound quality of the classical only streaming service is, at worst, a half-a-hair behind Qobuz.  In other words, excellent. They have experts and guides on hand to lead you into the magic forest.
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