Sunday 15 January 2012

In the good old days, you went to a record shop, found an LP that looked good, asked to hear it, then sat in a listening booth and listened. You could do this even into the 1960s; I remember sitting in a booth in Oxford High Street when I was a student there, listening to La Bohème from start to finish – I had tears in my eyes at the end. I bought the two LPs (Beecham, Björling, de Los Angeles).

After 55 years or so of listening and buying, I now know more or less what suits me. But novelties come along and I currently read American Record Guide, Classica, The Gramophone and International Record Review. When re-subscription time comes round, I hesitate for Classica and Gramophone (ARG is emailed to me free by a friend). When someone enthuses over something that might tempt me, I listen and consider. John Hughes in IRR enthused over a recital disc of 18th century opera arias by Teodora Gheorghiu: “this is an impressive issue by a small company” he said, giving it an outstanding rosette. Since I like 18th century opera recitals, I bought the CD.

However. Richard Wigmore, writing in The Gramophone, is decidely sniffy. “In sum, a recital of mixed pleasures, longer on virtuoso brilliance than on imagination and involvement” quothe he. Listening to the 77 minutes of the CD, I have to admit that most of the music is pretty small beer – Cafaro, Myslivecek, Borghi, Jommelli and Mozart at the age of 10, or whatever. Teodora Gheorghiu sings prettily, but mezzo-forte throughout (and the band under Christophe Rousset doesn't have much to do). Not a CD that is going to grow hot from being removed constantly from my shelves. Difficult to branch out into unknown artists and repertoire these days when one cannot audition complete discs before buying.

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