Tír Na HiFi

Jared wrote:thanks Fergus... 5 years in now from having started my collection, and I am determined to take some time this year, filling in some of the gaping holes in basic repertoire which still exist... the LvB STs and Dvorak SQs are for me, among these..

Well done Jared....it is nice to be at that stage! I can remember when you were only taking your first tentative steps. You certainly have come a long way my friend!

I tell you what has also been helping me out; being able to receive Digital Radio! I'd imagine that living in Dublin, you'd take that for granted, but until I moved here, I had never been able to get digital Radio (or in Norfolk, even analogue radio!) but in Hereford centre, it is crystal clear.

I have just bought myself a Roberts Radio/ CD player for the kitchen, and now listen to much more Radio 3 than I'd ever been able to before. Meanwhile, my old analogue radio has moved into my office downstairs, where I play R3 in the background when I'm doing some paperwork. Thia way, I do get to hear new material, rather than buying what I think I'm going to like, blind.

Jared wrote:I tell you what has also been helping me out; being able to receive Digital Radio! I'd imagine that living in Dublin, you'd take that for granted, but until I moved here, I had never been able to get digital Radio (or in Norfolk, even analogue radio!) but in Hereford centre, it is crystal clear.

I have just bought myself a Roberts Radio/ CD player for the kitchen, and now listen to much more Radio 3 than I'd ever been able to before. Meanwhile, my old analogue radio has moved into my office downstairs, where I play R3 in the background when I'm doing some paperwork. This way, I do get to hear new material, rather than buying what I think I'm going to like, blind.

I can well understand that Jared and I have always been a great believer in Radio as a medium and there is no better station at presenting and educating than BBC3! When I first started I kept a notebook and a pen to take notes of what I was interested in. You should have seen my Wish List then! I had no computer back then in the Stone Age (as my daughter would say!) and the Wish List was manually written into a small, hardback notebook which I then took into Dublin (or indeed abroad) when visiting those places we used to have called Record Shops. How things have changed!! But, after a lot of time (and money!) I did get most of what was on that List and more!!!

^^ that is truly a labour of love Fergus, and as a consequence, I feel that you can look back and take greater pleasure in the collection you have amassed, than myself who has merely purchased recordings at the click of a mouse...

in turn, I would say that my Grandfather, who used to pore over reviews in Gramophone Magazine in the 1940s and 50's, before heading into Birmingham to listen to his potential purchases before having them freighted home (!) could take greater delight still...

Jared wrote:^^ that is truly a labour of love Fergus, and as a consequence, I feel that you can look back and take greater pleasure in the collection you have amassed, than myself who has merely purchased recordings at the click of a mouse...

in turn, I would say that my Grandfather, who used to pore over reviews in Gramophone Magazine in the 1940s and 50's, before heading into Birmingham to listen to his potential purchases before having them freighted home (!) could take greater delight still...

No such thing as instant gratification for us old timers LOL!!!

Jared wrote:thanks Fergus... 5 years in now from having started my collection, and I am determined to take some time this year, filling in some of the gaping holes in basic repertoire which still exist... the LvB STs and Dvorak SQs are for me, among these..

I, too, want to plug gaps rather than get alternate interpretatons this year. I'll see how I go.

because you can never have too much Purcell, and I am quite light on his Keyboard works...

Traded for some unneeded discs at Gramex whilst in London

bombasticDarren wrote:

That's a lovely CD.

Seán wrote:

Jared wrote:thanks Fergus... 5 years in now from having started my collection, and I am determined to take some time this year, filling in some of the gaping holes in basic repertoire which still exist... the LvB STs and Dvorak SQs are for me, among these..

I, too, want to plug gaps rather than get alternate interpretatons this year. I'll see how I go.

I'm afraid I'll probably go against the flow here. I still find value in comparing and contrasting alternate versions of pieces I enjoy (it will come as no surprise that I am a devotee of Building a Library on Radio 3...). I'll dip my toe in unfamilair repertoire (see Lambert purchase above) when the urge takes me, but I have no plan at all other than to do what makes me happiest. I have come to the conclusion that pre-Baroque music is quite likely 'not for me' so I won't be pursuing that in the (near) future. 'Modern' (i.e. post WW2) music I tread carefully with even though I ackowledge that a lot of it is very good. I sort of begin with J.S. Bach and end with Britten - there's the odd discrepancy (Purcell, Monteverdi, Adams, Ligeti) but I don't mind poking at my boundaries in moderation. Overall, my CD collection is a glorious mess and I intend to keep it that way! :)