CDs that stay in the box!

[Paul Barasi]

Never mind Unsung; my confession is: Unheard.

Worse or better than CDs that stay in the box: CDs that never even escape from their cellophane wrapper?  If the Unplayed Hit Squad raided me I'd be in some trouble. It's hard getting through all the music - never developed the skill of listening to more than one at a time!  Part of my problem is bad indexing and chaotic stacking. Still, I get something of a kick whenever I do manage to find something. I'm better with books: I have a new purchases shelf. Should really do the same with CDs as just having a pile of new ones only works up until I move them out the way.

[sdtom]

Perhaps stop buying so much?

[Ilja]

I'm surprised to see the anti-Wetz sentiment here. Actually, I rather like most of his symphonies, at least. But then, I regularly listen to Furtwängler...

[Alan Howe]

As do I, Ilja - e.g. Barenboim in Furtwängler 2 is just magnificent. Perhaps we should both get out more...

[Pengelli]

There is no doubt that cds of Wetz have had allot of very
good reviews,love them or loathe them!

[Syrelius]

I often get disappointed when buying ballet music, also by composers that I normally like. For instance, I am very fond of the symphonies and symphonic poems of Arnold Bax, but I have so far only played The Truth About the Russian Dancers once.

I also have to defend poor Boehe. Of course, he is not one of the great masters of the history of music, but I still think his music is quite enjoyable. Am I the only person on this forum to think so?

[Alan Howe]

No, I'll stand up for Boehe. A really good wallow - thoroughly enjoyable, both cpo CDs.

I'll also stand up for Wetz and d'Albert. I've been listening to the latter's Symphony in F a lot over the past couple of days and it's a very fine piece - with memorable themes and some really fine passages, such as the climax of the slow movement. But, as I've said before, I'm a sucker for all this expansive late-to-ultra-late Romanticism.

What I would say is that a lot of music requires a bit of hard work - and that includes sung as well as unsung composers. How many people 'get' the whole of the Ring cycle at the first hearing?

[Mark Thomas]

Or, in my case, umpteen hearings. I'm afraid that I'm with Rossini: "Wonderful moments but dreadful half hours".

I do agree about needing persevere with some music. The best example which I can think of is most of Draeseke's output. He's a hard nut to crack but so rewarding when you do.

[Ilja]

And it rather explains why Draeseke fell into such neglect in a time when people couldn't give a piece more than one or two hearings. The luxury of being able to listen to a piece many times is something we don't share with most romantic composers' original audiences, of course.

[Pengelli]

The 'Truth about the Russian dancers', is also, the only Bax cd I've only ever played once! Might give it another try though.

[Pengelli]

My guilty cd pleasure, the Tikhon Khrennikov symphonies! The string playing of
the old soviet orchestra is incredible.Fear,possibly!

[Hovite]

And some of them, like the 6th, are just embarrassingly poor.

I'm currently listening to that one. It is on disc 13 of 16. I think the strongest disc in the set is disc 9, with symphonies 24 and 27.

[Pengelli]

An old thread,I know,but I'd go for No 21.The old Unicorn recording with Measham conducting should be reissued forthwith! Wonderful!