The Gramophone Classical Music Guide
Sat, Nov 24 2012, 9:04AM
It is now known that The Gramophone Classical Music Guide is no longer printed in book format.
I am wondering whether Gramophone can publish The Gramophone Best Classical Music Guide only for those recordings (CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays) with G points, something very much similar to The Penguin Guide to the 1000 Finest Classical Recordings - The Must-Have CDs and DVDs.
If this can be done, it will be not only a very valuable reference book for all classical music collectors, but also an instant best seller. Since each year only a few very best recordings will emerge, the editorial work to update The Gramophone Best Classical Music Guide is really minimal. Hence, publishing The Gramophone Best Classical Music Guide will be a win-win for everybody involved.
I would also like to hear your ideas on this.
Mon, Nov 26 2012, 12:37AM
#2
RE: The Gramophone Classical Music Guide
Thank you, pgraber, for your reply!
As to the current format of the dynamically updated 'Recommended Recordings' database, Gramophone does need some more refined work.
Take the online Bruckner's 4th 'Recommended Recording' page, for example,
http://www.gramophone.co.uk/editorial/bruckners-symphony-no-4
The Gramophone Choice is Jansons's RCO account, but the same entry in the book edition of the Gramophone Classical Music Guide (2012) only has one star. The next two 'Additional Recommendations', Wand-BPO and Bohm-VPO, both received three-star score in the Gramophone Classical Music Guide (2012). The remaining two 'Additional Recommendations', Tennstedt on Testament and Kertesz on BBC Legends, all scored two stars in the Gramophone Classical Music Guide (2012).
So, according to the book version of the Gramophone Guide, Gramophone truly recommends Wand's and Bohm's recordings over Jansons's one. However, this information is clearly missing in the online page.
Mon, Nov 26 2012, 4:15PM
#3
RE: The Gramophone Classical Music Guide
I'm not quite sure what G points are...
Something similar to G spots, I would imagine.
Tue, Nov 27 2012, 8:52AM
#4
RE: The Gramophone Classical Music Guide
Here is one Gramophone G point
I imagine a printed version is no longer commercially viable, certainly not an instant best seller! I'm not quite sure what G points are, but I suspect that as Gramophone migrates to an on-line existence, there might be a place for a dynamically updated 'Recommended Recordings' database available as part of the digital subscription package.