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symphonies on the cheap

symphonies on the cheap
advice for those on a budget
by patricia hammond | june 1999

Whether it's from watching cartoons, attending the odd concert or hearing snatches on the radio, many people find themselves interested in exploring the symphonies.

It's an amazing medium. With so many instruments, each representing a different colour, it's a rich palette for an artist to create with. And in the course of the last 250 years, more than one genius has made use of it.

The great variety of symphonies and symphonic poems (a symphonic work with little formal structure) offers some pieces that are easy to absorb on a first hearing, and some that start out by being rather dense, but get better with every listen.

I find it fun to think of the different reactions in a live symphony audience. There are those who are entertained by the novelty of seeing so many live musicians; those absorbed in a trance-like, meditative state; those who are bored because they're attuned to the less subtle media that grab our money and attention every day; and then, there is the person so thoroughly familiar with their Bernstein recording at home that they're constantly enraged at the conductor for not acheiving the same climaxes. And inevitably, there are those not familiar with the piece at all, and who are bewildered by any unexpected changes in the music.

The mass appeal of pop music is mostly due to its predictability and repetitiveness. People can hum along to pop tunes even if they've never heard them before, and they can get a satisfying sense of being a part of it.

It is possible to experience something similar with a symphonic work by simply listening to a recording a couple of times. The Bernstein fan above didn't have to be angry at the conductor she was watching; she could have been interested in why this conductor chose to do things differently. In fact, I know several people who make it a hobby to compare different performances of the same works. One of them has twenty different recordings of Beethoven's 9th alone...

In any case, there are many reasons to start a CD collection of symphonies. And it doesn't have to cost that much.

To the best of my knowlege, I have made a list of budget-priced CDs of Symphonic works...in outstanding performances. It doesn't necessarily have to be awful just because it cost under $10! My aim is to give people exploring Classical music for the first time a little more freedom to explore. There's less to lose when you're paying the price of a piece of cake for a couple of symphonies.

One of the difficulties in making up a list like this is the constant fluctuation of CD availability. The EMI superbudget "Seraphim" line, for instance. Here today, gone tomorrow. Rather unfortunate. The RCA "Navigator" series has a couple of titles available in Canada, but not many. With the huge bulk of CD sales being new releases, labels are quick to delete and reissue in another form, with different packaging. (Sometimes as "Legendary Performances" or as cheesy compilations like "Mozart for the Morning Commute") I will update this list as I get more information.

Some of these CDs are doubles, or "2-fers," and, while the item will cost the same as a full-priced CD, you get two, so it works out to be a good deal. I guess this is an obvious piece of information.

And, although mid-price, this collection has so much good, fun stuff, it's worth it, even for the Classical virgin:
Stokowski conducts Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, Borodin's Polovtsian Dances, and Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain. Phase 4 Stereo (Decca)

That's all for tonight, but check every month or so in case there are changes or additions.

Patricia is a classically trained mezzo who now lives and works in the UK. For more information about her, visit patriciahammond.com.
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