Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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56 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good general guide, but far too many omissions., 23 Oct 2007
Last year's (2007) Penguin Guide was just a 'yearbook', covering new releases in the previous 12 months. This 1600 page 2008 edition is a general guide to 'the best' classical recordings from those currently available in the U.K. There are now so many classical CDs of such a high standard that the editors have had to make changes to previous editions. The main difference is that there is now a '4 star' rating for truly exceptional recordings. Also three starred recommendations now have a shaded box around them to make them stand out. There is a 'key' symbol for, er, key recordings. And there's a Rosette symbol awarded by an individual reviewer for CDs that have some special quality. I can't help but think that all these symbols will make things confusing for newcomers.
But on the plus side, the typesetting is much clearer, and the Guide is printed on better quality (though inevitably thin) paper now, making it easier to read than in the past.
As usual the reviewers are generally pretty reliable; musical judgement is of course highly subjective (I would never want Mahler conducted by Karajan; that hideous Mahler 5, more Mantovani than Mahler) but newcomers won't go wrong too often, and we seasoned collectors like to disagree from time to time. But there are some serious omissions for a Guide that was published in September 2007. The legendary recording of the Schubert String Quintet by the Aeolian Quartet with Bruno Schrecker (Regis Records, formally Saga) is missing. As is the Mahler 2nd Symphony in a stunning recording by the Budapest Festival Orchestra under Ivan Fischer (Channel Classics); a disc which has won many awards including a Gramophone 2007 Award! I could go on; I just don't understand how so many really excellent discs get missed. On the other hand, there's the occasional discovery; for me the wonderfully noble account of Tchaikovsky's Pathetique Symphony conducted by Vaclav Talich on Supraphon.
Overall, this is by far the most comprehensive guide around here in the U.K. I personally prefer the Rough Guide to Classical Music, complete with composer introductions and idiosyncratic articles, but that's very out of date now. So yes, if you want general guidance, this is a recommendable book.
And with so many classical recordings available, and still being turned out, it's reassuring to see that the death of classical music has been greatly exaggerated.
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Maybe imperfect but still an essential and valuable guide, 5 April 2008
I was surprised to see how critical other reviewers had been. I've been buying these Penguin Guides for many many years and despite some failings in this newest edition I still think it's an invaluable book and a very reliable overall guide to classical recordings.
True, there are some editing mistakes, but it's a huge book and I for one am willing to forgive a few foibles, given the volume's wide scope.
I'm not sure whether expanding the "star" ratings to 4 stars actually adds to the value of the ratings. Personally I've never had a problem with the ***/**/* system, especially as "half-way" ratings can be achieved by bracketing a star. The use of the Rosettes to single out recordings that really stand out or offer unique performances has always been very useful, and remains so. Inevitably, the ratings are subjective, but the pedigree of the 3 original reviewers is unparalleled in this field.
The inclusion of music DVDs in the guides in recent years has been a distinct plus, in my view. I've used the guide to start a fairly small collection of DVDs and have been delighted with the results - even played through a modest DVD player and a standard stereo TV. Events like the annual New Year's Concert in Vienna are ideal DVD candidates as you capture more of the atmosphere of the occasion than on CD. The documentaries on Sviatoslav Richter and Hildegard of Bingen are worth every penny too.
Are there "important" omissions? Yes, inevitably there are some, but we must concentrate on the wood rather than a few individual trees. Taken overall, this remains an excellent guide to relative value across a staggering range of mainly classical recordings. I for one wouldn't be without it!
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34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Still good, but in need of re-editing, 24 Oct 2007
Agreed on the points made by Steve in his review. It'an overall good overview of recorded classical music, but the omissions are many and the editors still tend to ignore many fine new recordnings as well as reissues by smaller labels, the super-cheap Brilliant Classics-label being one noticable example.
The matter of taste and recommendations will never be agred upon by concensus, but there is a sometimes almost annoying bias towards certain conductors and artists.
I also think the editors may need to go over the guide and do some re-editing, and proofread and rewrite reviews. A few examples: On one page we are told that Karajan's Beethoven symphony-set from the 70's is his best, a few pages later we are told that the 60's set is his best. We are told that Barenboims highly recommended Mendelssohn "Songs without words" from 1974 has been around for 2 decades. It's 2007 now. When comparing Tchaikovsky-symphonies, the recommended Jansons-set gets a very brief description, while the Litton-set gets half-a-page. Should not the most recommended recordings receive the most space?
Overall a good effort of mostly turning old pages and adding something new, no more than that. It needs renewal of another kind than just changing the star system. 3 stars.
Personally I like the American "Third ear"-guide, outdated but generally a better reading-experience and with many fresh views.
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