web-resources

[Callipygian]

Hello all,

I have been browsing this forum for a few days now and what strikes me is that our members have a lot of knowledge about great books, web catalogues, labels promoting unsung composers, web resources, youtube channels etc., but it is scattered all over the place. I was thinking it might be a good idea to make one or several stickies, or threads within a new subforum, where we can conveniently list several of these resources. Ideally, the first post in each forum would be an overview post, which is regularly updated as people post replies with new information.

For example, there could be a thread on youtube videos/channels (including our good friend Tony's fyrexianoff channel, JCHBONNET, Messeblanche, bartje11, John11inch etc. etc.) with a short description of contents and a link. One thread may contain links to the most interesting music publishers and labels, one about websites with information about composers (biographies, discographies), one with links to websites where regular good auctions or budget deals of unknown classical music can be found, another on other groups and forums on unknown composers that may be interesting to visit sometime etc.

Long story short: more subforums, good stickies and well-updated comprehensive overviews could make the wealth of information and knowledge here more easily accessible without losing the focus of the forum (i.e. I appreciate the fact that the 'hobbies', 'random chat and facts', 'share your poems' and 'video game corner' that you see as forum tabs in almost every group, whether its primary focus in on fishing or chess, are not included here ).

Just a thought 

Edit: Discovered a very similar suggestion on  http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,378.0.html. There, over a year ago, Mark Thomas responded positively to the idea and wrote that we could give him a wake up call if he hadn't implemented something of the sort yet in one month. So, here it is, "wake up Mark!" 

[Mark Thomas]

Well I was obviously very soundly asleep. 

To be quite honest, just at present I have a lot on and I'm loath to set up a new board. Not that the setting up itself takes much time, of course, but the policing of a board intended to be a resource does. Why? Because to be of any real value as a reference resource the signal to noise ratio has to be very high. No one wants to be ploughing through lots of chatter in the Downloads board, when what they are after is the music links. That's why I split discussion of downloads away from the download posts themselves and into a separate board. Yet I can guarantee that I move at least half a dozen messages a day from the downloads board to the discussion board, a process which unfortunately the software makes needlessly complicated and fraught with pitfalls. The result is that I make noticeably fewer posts of my own, because I'm manipulating those of other people, and I only have so much time.

I didn't intend this to be a whinge, the Downlands section has been a runaway success, and I apologise if it comes across as moaning, but I certainly don't want to do any more policing just at present.

The overall idea is a good one, but I'd like to be more convinced that everybody can post in the right place before I implement it.

[kitmills]

I'm not sure if this should go here or elsewhere...

In case anyone isn't already aware of the source of downloadable public domain scores, here it is: http://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page

This can be an incredible resource for the many folks here who like poring over the written notes of their favorite undeservedly obscure composers.  There's not a great amount of 20th century stuff available (after about 1920) due to copyright law, but there's tons of other works--including, incidentally, many unsung works of well-known composers.

I hope someone finds this useful! 

[Mark Thomas]

IMSLP is indeed wonderful and don't overlook that there are recordings of some of the works available there too. Steve Jones and his Bedroom Band has done sterling work in bringing back to life many unsung string quartets, for instance.