In praise of Gramophone Forum...

In praise of Gramophone Forum…

Having been watching the forum since May, with a couple of posts to my name only, I wanted to start a thread exemplifying how much I have gained in terms of enjoyment and knowledge over the past few months, and which I genuinely hope will continue.

I have found that posts generally have been helpful and encouraging to my status as a ‘beginner’ in the world of classical music, although I always have had a borderline interest – through a relative and through film soundtracks – only now, in enforced semi-retirement, do I find the time to expand interests away from 24/7 (it seemed) work. So I am very fortunate.

My post of August 18th

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/forum/recordings/classical-cd-collection-or-part-of-wanted-for-beginner%E2%80%A6

tells you where I’m coming from

In particular, the posts on…

Radio 3 at 320kps; Buying and Playing Lossless Formats; Who were the Great 20th Century Symphonists; What Equipment do you use; and many others I have found very valuable.

I won’t name the contributors (you know who you are – and thank you all) but I can say that I have been encouraged to listen to recordings, radio, and over the coming months, live concerts, which I never thought I would. If you are listening to anything on R3 from City Halls, Glasgow, I am likely to be there.

Equally, there are contributors, whose posts are either technically well beyond me, or whose style and views (or even prose) I don’t find particularly user friendly or encouraging. So I don’t ‘watch’ them. They have as much right to post on the forum as even a beginner does, provided we all obey the House Rules.

Please, please let us not go down the road of the expense and inconvenience of pre-moderated posts.

The forum doesn’t really deserve that.

Two words on trolling. Please don’t. Google it or see the House Rules if you are unsure (I was).

http://www.gramophone.co.uk/forum/about-the-site/house-rules

Best regards to all.

Bob