The following is not a set of hard and fast rules, but rather a guide to help you determine what may very well be a quality purchase of classical music.

    A little understanding about “classical” music...

“Classical” music got its start probably sometime in the 1500s, at least in the form we know of today. Each century since has practically formed its own style, or era of music since. Starting with

Midieval (500 - 1400)

Renaissance (1400 - 1600 - Gabrieli, Palestrina)

Baroque (1600 - 1760 - Bach, Vivaldi, Händel)

Classical (1730 - 1820 - Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven)

Romantic (1815 - 1910 - Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn)

Neo-Classical (Prokofiev, Mahler, Sibelius) and of course

20th Century (Shostokovich, Kodaly, Bartok) and Contemporary.

Usually, a composer can and they often do cross over from one era to another, as these transitions did not occur overnight, but were inherent from fads and passing styles.

There are many things to consider when buying a classical cd, or album or whatever. Many people prefer a conductor while others may prefer an ensemble or performer, and others still may prefer a media (vinyl, reel-to-reel) or era (1920s-1940s, 1950-1959). I have not heard every orchestra, nor every recording, but I have been listening intently for the better part of 25 years.

Though it is good to be educated when listening and buying classical music, there is one thing that is most important: Does it sound good to you?

Many people will not hear the intensely poor intonation in the brass section during the Catacombe section of Bernstein/New York Philharmonic’s Pictures At An Exhibition recording. But if you can hear an instrument that is even slightly out of tune then Bernstein will disturb you more than a little. If this is you, read on...

    A little understanding about Conducting...

A conductor is to an orchestra what a monitor is to a keynote speaker. He only reveals what is already going on, he is not the lifeblood of an orchestra (save interpretation) but rather helps the orchestra to know the tempo, to know they are playing the right section and to help cue sections. He is not there for the audience, he is there for the orchestra. The orchestra is not there for the audience, they are necessary for the music; the music is there for the audience. That is not to say that one cannot enjoy watching an orchestra or its conductor, but these things are a means to, not an end.

Leonard Bernstein is perhaps the most well-known conductor of all time. He is a wonder both within the symphony world and without. He is also a wonder to me. I wonder how a man with so much flash and acrobatics could ever get any symphony to read him. Contrast this with Fritz Reiner. Reiner mastered the art of economy, and there was little doubt as to where the beat ever was or when it was your time to come in. Ironically, Berstein was a student of Reiner’s. Upon seeing his acrobatics for the first time Reiner remarked “I didn’t teach him that”.

These are some of the things you will encounter when considering an orchestra/conductor. Is the conductor there for himself or for the music. Is he conducting the orchestra or is the orchestra conducting him? My goal is to help you determine what is art and what is entertainment when purchasing a piece of classical music.

    What to look for...

To get us started, here is a quick list of qualities to look for...

1. •Reputable Ensembles/ Conductors
   

2. •Quality Artwork
   

3. •A label you can trust
   

4. •Above all, a composer you enjoy
   

Of the above list, here are a few things I look for when perusing…

1. •Ensembles: Vienna Philharmonic - Vienna Symphony - Chicago Symphony (1953-1969)
   

2. •Conductors: Fritz Reiner - Bruno Walter - Erich Keiber - Josef Krips
   

3. •Performers: Lisa Della Casa (soprano) Sviatoslav Richter (pianist) Jascha Heifetz (violinist)
   

4. •Labels: Naxos - RCA Gold/Red Seal - RCA Living Stereo* - Deutche Grammophon
   

*RCA Living Stereo I find rather dated in the artwork, but I know that there is a quality recording behind it, and so I suppose I can overlook it..!

These ensembles and maestros will offer you a very good performance and recording. But we must be careful, these men are dead, long dead, which means their recordings can and do date back to as early as the 1920s! Let’s talk briefly about recording technology throughout the 1900s...

Recoding Technology in the 20th Century...

Again, if your ear is untrained then you will probably want to avoid any recording made before 1955 (or any mono recording), as most were made directly to acetate records (before vinyl!) are mainly mono recordings and do not qualify as high-fidelity. By 1958 RCA had invented Living Stereo and their recordings even by todays standards are brilliant. Unfortunately, after about 1970, recordings became too good. Yes, too good. There are many recent recordings where you can hear the oboes clicking about, throats being cleared, conductors moaning as they conduct, and of course podiums and chairs creaking. In addition, because of digital standards dating from 1979, many recordings lack the warmth of analogue.

I myself look intently for recordings dating from exactly 1950 to 1969. Preferably the 1950s. Fritz Reiner did all of his recording with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra between 1953 and 1963, all of them superb. Bruno Walter made many recordings with the Columbia Symphony Orchestra and New York Philharmonic Orchestra from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, and are likewise superb.

A note about conductors...

By now, you realize I am a Fritz Reiner nut. The thing about Reiner I like is that he was not so good as to conduct a piece of music as the composer may have intended, but going beyond that to conduct as the music demands. Most conductors will conduct simply as he prefers the music to sound. Much of this borders on arrogance. These are the recordings which will cost you upward of $20 for a disc, usually with a picture of the conductor or performer on the cover, and not one of the composer, who has become secondary. Avoid these. More on cover art in a minute.

I’ve come to prefer Bruno Walter in recent years. His recordings possessing warmth and articulation which I find thrilling. Yevgeny Svetlanov and the USSR Symphony Orchestra is also one of my preferred, being the epitome of a Russian orchestra. If you have not heard Russian music from a Russian symphony, it is quite different from a European orchestra. Much more brilliant and brassy. A lot of passion, sometimes at the expense of a little control, but it is often done tastefully.

Daniel Barenboim, who is still living and conducting in Chicago has come to my attention lately. I’ve avoided him mostly hearing nothing but harsh words about him, but after watching him conduct I became highly interested. He has a subtleness which I admire as it allows the music to speak. I have not heard much of his music, but what I have heard, he may be one of the best still alive.

Leopold Stokowski, another legend from the 20th century, dead now only about 30 years. Brilliant, but I dislike his recordings. His sound is rather sloppy, in my opinion. conducting without a baton and only a limp wrist. Where is the downbeat supposed to be? The orchestra will find one if you do not give them one. And he committed the unpardonable sin... He messed with the music. He changed scores. If they were unimportant works then I would just call him arrogant, but no. He messed with The 9th.

1. 1. I will interrupt our flow for just a moment to talk about... The Ninth. I speak of Beethoven, of course. Beethoven not being one of my favorites (except the piano concertos) but this is only opinion. I cannot help you select a composer. They are all good in their own right. But the Ninth... The Ninth! Beethoven wrote 9 symphonies. Personally, I need none of them (though I do own them all). That’s just my preference. Except the 9th. 60 minutes of mind-numbing brilliance. Everyone knows the Ninth, overrated only as much as the 2007 New England Patriots. Four movements, each one as brilliant as the one which precedes it.
      

2. 
   

Now, back to Stokowski. He changed with the Ninth! He added to the score, much like the Mormons adding to the Word Of God. Unacceptable. Unpardonable. And he unnecessarily orchestrated many works which just didn’t need it. I have a problem with this. I can only imagine a plaque on Stokowski’s wall reading “If it ain’t broke, fix it ‘til it is”. A brilliant conductor, except perhaps when it mattered.

Georg Solti, often credited with giving the Chicago Symphony its sound, but no. Fritz Reiner did that. Solti’s recordings are perfect, even if at the expense of warmth. I find them sterile as a result. Often over-indulgent in volume and endings, I can’t help but picture a middle-aged man driving a brand-new corvette. To take another quote from my unwitting mentor, Fritz Reiner... “A conductor should have the score in his head, not his head in the score”. Solti was often too busy turning pages to conduct properly. How can one properly conduct with one hand occupied? Please don’t misunderstand me, Solti’s recordings are very good, sonically. But perhaps missing a bit in the artistry. Across the pond, Neville Mariner/St. Martin-In-the-Fields affects me the same way, though his recordings are good.

    A note about orchestras...

What is the difference between a symphony orchestra and a philharmonic? Not a thing. Usually these terms are used if there are two orchestras in the same city, for differentiation. But be careful not to confuse two ensembles. The Boston Philharmonic is not the Boston Symphony, in may ways. Many orchestras are still famous, made reputable by conductors who were in tenure more than fifty years ago (eg. Chicago Symphony, New York Phil.) but many no longer possess the mastery that made them famous. Some orchestras are bound never to attain recognition (Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco) despite having moments of greatness. Avoid “Pops” symphonies at all cost. They are the Velveeta of orchestras.

European orchestras are more often than not extraordinary. The Vienna Philharmonic, Vienna Symphony, Orchestre Symphonique de Paris, London Philharmonic, London Symphony etc... Europeans have a much higher demand for good orchestral performance, which is why it was the European conductors who made the aforementioned American orchestras great. Even the cd stores in Europe are greatly stocked with much classical music, and many with very low price tags. DO NOT make the mistake in thinking price equals art. In fact, it rarely does. If you are an Opera lover, the Vienna Philharmonic made some definitive recording in the 1950s of many operas by Mozart, Beethoven and Wagner*.

1. 1. *Please note that Wagner was a strict anti-semite, and a cheater. A man devoid of character, despite his artistic ability, he was idolized by the Nazi Party who often would perform his music at their parties. I do not support his music.
      

2. 
   

    A note about performers...

In a moment, you will see my note on album artwork. Performers used to make a name for themselves by performing. Now, it seems they make a name on posing, and they are signed because of their sex appeal. Yes, they may play a violin well, but you wouldn’t know that.

Here are some performers to look for...

1. •    Van Cliburn, piano
   

2. •    Sviatoslav Richter, piano
   

3. •    Jascha Heifetz, violin
   

4. •    Lisa Della Casa, soprano
   

5. •    Vladamir Horowitz, piano
   

6. •    Nathan Milstein, violin
   

Avoid:

Pavoratti. Pavoratti? Yes. He is quite good, it’s true, but he has found too much attention, thus you will pay the price, and there are many others who are just as good. In fact, avoid the showy Three Tenors altogether. Domingo, Pavoratti and (the other guy?) Jose Carerras. There are many talented singers, you don’t need these attention grabbers.

I regularly avoid these well-known conductors...

1. •    Leonard Bernstein
   

2. •    Herbert Karajan
   

3. •    Claudio Abbado
   

4. •    Seiji Ozawa
   

5. •    James Levine (a “little” Georg Solti)
   

   

   

1. 1. A note about labels...
      

2. 
   

Deutsche Grammophon is well know now for more than 50 years for their high-fidelity recordings, backed by unparalleled German technology at the time. In addition, Radio Corporation of America (RCA), inventors of Living Stereo have a series called RCA Gold Seal and RCA Red Seal, performances and recordings unmatched then and now. Also, a recent label called Naxos, referred to often as a “budget” label, I do not consider them as such. Budget labels (eg. Laserlight, EMI etc...) are often weak interpretations by orchestras nobody has heard of. Utah Symphony? Not on my dime.

There are some many great historical labels, too. But if you are new to classical music, or even a specific work, do not grab these first round. Historical recordings are good for those who know a work well enough to give another interpretation a try. There is little sonic quality to these, even the restored versions.

    Lastly, artwork...

I quickly avoid a cd with a picture of the “artist” smiling on the cover. It is often this self promotion which reveals the absence of genuine art. Take these covers for example...

1. 1.Poor Andrew Litton just doesn’t have enough “cool” going on to warrant a cover.
   

2. 2.The target audience for this Joshua Bell album might have been better served if he had rather auditioned for New Kids On the Block.
   

3. 3.Sol Gabetta is certainly a pretty girl, but that’s about all I can tell.
   

4. 4.What exactly Hilary Hahn selling? I never saw the words Brahms, violin or concerto.
   

5. 5.Anne Sophie Mutter appears as if she’d rather have been cast on Melrose’ Place.
   

I do not have a problem with the featured artist being on the cover, only when that artist has a message which is the only way he or she will sell the cd because there’s no other way anyone is going to purchase it. In contrast, here are a few cds I own.

First, there are photographs on the cover, yes. But they are not intended to sell a message, but artistry. The name of the composer and work are readily available, and then the artists, whose reputations have preceded them, not trying to be made through photographic charms (if you knew Fritz Reiner, he was anything but charming).

    Things to avoid...

Even good conductors and musicians are prone to poor judgement, be it a bad take or sub-par performance in the interest of time constraints (as Karajan was often known to do) but some are known to have occasional greatness. Claudio Abaddo, perhaps, though I have yet to find it. His sound, to me, is rather uninspired. Leonard Bernstein to me is the conductor’s version of “The Emperor’s New Suit”. Most people think he is the conductor of conductors, but it seems very few would actually listen to him if they were unaware that he was conducting.

Unfortunately, there were many great conductors before the maturity of recording technology. Some names you will come across: Koussevitsky, Furtwangler, Mengelberg, Walter and many others. While these performances are timeless and sometimes spectacular, the recordings are not. More often than not these recordings are well marked for performance date, mostly 1930s, sometimes 1940s. I would only recommend these after developing a mature taste for specific pieces, as you may want to hear them for a different interpretation.

    Places to look...

When hunting for classical music, try to avoid the megamarts, especially in the US (eg. BestBuy, Walmart) as many of these have a very sad assortment of sometimes as little as 100 cds. When you think of the multiple millions of recordings this is nothing to choose from.

When starting out, look for the Naxos label. While you may not get always a top notch performance, you will get a solid one without breaking the bank. The purpose of Naxos is not to provide cheap cds for cheap people, but to offer an unparalleled catalogue at un-intimidating prices.

Look for used cd stores, especially ones that specialize in classical music. You will usually have to travel into a city to find these, but the trip is often worth it. I’ve found a few which I frequent as often as I can:

1. 1. Boston US - Orpheus (CommAve)
      

   2. London UK - (Nottinghill Gate)
      

   3. Amsterdam - Concerto (Utrechtsestraat)
      

   4. Geneva CH - CityDisk (Cornavin, Balexert) mostly new.
      

2. 
   

I could literally shop 2 or 3 times a week for music, but with a used store it quickly becomes redundant. Be sure to let it “rest” and restock, otherwise you will be flipping through the same titles over and over again, and a wearied browser often leaves empty-handed.It may help to have a list of what you’re looking for. Sometimes browsing a large selection without an idea of what you want can be overwhelming.

Ebay is terrific place for purchasing not only any title you may be looking for, but also for rare performances. The only downside is there are dozens of others with your exact tastes, and may be well willing to pay twice or thrice what you’re willing to pay, though this is uncommon and in your cyber-travels you may never even come across it.

    Finally...

Another guide to buying classical music, although I do not agree with his “Lenny” complex and some other things, it is a good buyer’s guide and an alternative view to purchasing.

http://inkpot.com/classical/buycds.html

Home