Four Recordings Worth Checking Out

Among all the noise of the world, there is a plethora of great music on record. There are also plenty of bad recordings out there that don't do justice to the music, or are just plain unbearable. Here are some recordings that will definitely bring you listening pleasure as well as a musically enlightening experience, all the while cutting through the noise coming at us!

Fire up the stereo or put on a good pair of noise isolating headphones. Let's get to it!

Yehudi Menuhin: The Great EMI Recordings

This block of 50 CDs is like a trip down memory lane with regard to Menuhin's playing and the recording technology. At the beginning of the set, we see the young Menuhin at the beginning of his career making his famous first recording of the Bach Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin. This recording was not just a personal first, but it was the first ever complete recording of the Sonatas and Partitas. This recording definitely sounds old, and lacks sonic fidelity (what do you expect for the 1930s?), but Menuhin's performances of Bach combine elegance and virtuosity like no other.

After the first few discs, we find better recording technologies and a more mature Menuhin playing, among other things, all of the Beethoven Sonatas for violin and piano. Menuhin plays these with beauty and vigor. Most of the discs are dedicated to chamber music and concertos, and are recorded with various stereo and monaural technologies. It is interesting to hear Menuhin's evolution as a violinist and the evolution of the recording technology.

There are multiple versions of several pieces in the set, such as the concertos by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Sibelius. Each performance provides a different view of each piece, and it is worthwhile listening to them all.

EMI did a good job transferring all of the recordings from aging and deteriorating media, and this set is a must have for the musician or music enthusiast.

Jascha Heifetz: Brahms and Tchaikovsky Violin Concertos

These two famous concertos are like a playground for the great Jascha Heifetz. He shows off his virtuosity as well as some beautiful interpretive work. These performances pack a powerful punch, but Heifetz brings out the most delicate moments like no one else. I think the composers would be proud to hear Heifetz play their concertos.

Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra are equally spectacular. They complement Heifetz with their beauty and accuracy of sound from the biggest tuttis to the most introspective moments. The principal oboist does a particularly great job with the solo in the opening of the slow movement of the Brahms. The strings and winds do special justice to the delicacy of Tchaikovsky's opening.

Like most of the RCA Living Stereo recordings from the 1950s, these were originally done on a three-track machine, then mixed down to stereo for consumer media. The fidelity on these recordings is quite high with very little distortion, although some noise is audible. The newest release on Super Audio CD features the original three-track versions of these recordings. For those of us who don't have SACD equipment, the stereo version is just fine.

Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony: Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 "Organ Symphony" / Debussy: La Mer / Ibert: Escales (Ports of Call)

These timeless performances are as relevant today as they were when they were recorded about 60 years ago. Charles Munch was the premier interpreter of French music at that time, and these pieces display the unique colors and sounds that make French music great. Put on top of that the Boston Symphony at their finest, and the acoustics of Boston Symphony Hall, and you have a real winner.

The Saint-Saëns takes the orchestra through so many different sounds, from the almost inaudible at the beginning, to the incredibly intense in the fourth movement. The organ fits beautifully underneath the strings in the second movement. You might or might not like Debussy's La Mer. If you love the ocean, you will be in heaven, but if you hate the ocean, you might not like being immersed in it with this performance!

When things get loud with the organ and full orchestra, there is some distortion in the sound. Some people object to this, but I think it adds some character. Recording with an organ and orchestra is a big challenge. The engineers had to deal with the sheer dynamic range from the opening to the giant organ chords. Then there's the frequency range from the lowest rumbling organ notes to violins playing in their upper reaches. Add lots of bright brass and percussion sounds, and you've got an engineering nightmare. I think they handled it well with the technology they had.

Like many other RCA releases, this one is now available on an SACD hybrid disc.

Alexander Glazunov: Complete Symphonies and Concertos

This 9 disc set, conducted by Jose Serebrier, features the Russian National Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, violinist Rachel Barton-Pine, pianist Alexander Romanovsky, and many others performing the music of Alexander Glazunov.

Even though the album title says "Complete Symphonies," you will also find other orchestral music by Glazunov, such as The Seasons, the Suite from Rayamonda, and several other small works. Serebrier's interpretations bring out the clarity of sound that is the hallmark of Glazunov's orchestrations. Serebrier also highlights the sunny disposition in Glazunov's music. Glazunov rarely wrote truly dark music despite living through some bad times. Perhaps this comes out of his naturally generous personality, or maybe it was all the vodka he drank.

Frankly, I could probably find better recordings of the concertos and solo works. Even so, these renditions are definitely worth hearing. The soloists all handle the challenges of the music well, but I personally like the artists of the previous generation (Heifetz, Menuhin, Milstein, Oistrakh, etc.) Whether you like the soloists or not, it is great to have all of Glazunov's concertos all in one place and performed solidly.

Put good performances of Glazunov's concertos and major orchestral works in one collection, and you have a sure winner.

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I could surely put many more recordings on this list. Maybe I'll make another one in the near future. For string players and enthusiasts, these recordings in particular are very important, for their iconic performances cover so many different genres and time periods. It is also great to hear contemporary recordings as well as ones from decades ago. Artists 60 years ago didn't have the luxury of  editing and splicing tiny slices of a performance together, so it's interesting to hear some imperfections in the performances of great masters. It proves that they're still human, and don't detract from the character of the performance.

Every one of these recordings provide great value for the price, and are very enjoyable to listen to. If you buy any of these your ears will thank you!

No one pays me to tell me what to write. This post is all facts and my personal opinions. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please contact me if you have questions.

How your bow frog can fail you

In a previous post, I went over some ways that your bow can fail at the tip. The frog can present its own set of issues that can rear their ugly heads at the worst possible times. Unfortunately, there isn't much a player can do to prevent most frog problems. At least frog problems aren't that common outside of drops and other abuse.

Spreader Wedge

The most common problem with the frog is the spreader wedge coming loose. Some frogs are just bad at retaining the spreader, but the rehairer should be able to deal with that and make it stay. If it does come loose, a good technician will usually be able to fix it in a few minutes. If you're in a pinch, you can push it back in as best you can until you get to the shop.

The spreader wedge is the
piece of wood across the hair.

Plug

Just like at the tip, the hair is held in the frog by a small block of wood. If this block is not cut properly, or made out of soft wood, it can fail and let the hair out. If you are concerned that the hair in your frog is coming loose, take a pencil and draw a line across the hair right in front of the ferrule. You will be able to monitor the hair by seeing if this line moves.

Knot

This is knot (hehe) so much a problem as at the tip, but the knot in the hair can come loose and allow the hair to pull out one at a time. The frog knot is generally pretty secure, though.

Ferrule

The ferrule is the D-shaped metal ring that holds the hair and spreader together. It is ok most of the time, but certain points can be fragile. Ferrules are made out of two pieces of metal soldered together. The rounded part attaches to the flat part, and the joint is the most common failure point. Here is a picture of a ferrule that is starting to crack along the solder joint.

Screw and Eyelet

The screw can break sometimes, but a more common failure point is the brass eyelet. Even though it does wear out in time, many players bring it to an early demise. If the hair is too long, the frog has to move back farther in the mortise than it should. If it is against the back of the mortise, and the hair still isn't tight, most people will keep cranking the screw to no avail, and strip the threads in the eyelet.

The frog moves back and forth as the screw turns. If the
eyelet can't move back further, and you keep turning,
something has to give, and that will be the eyelet.

If the nut seems to just stop turning before the hair is tight, don't force it! Most technicians can quickly shorten the hair for you at minimal expense. If they rehaired it recently, they should correct it for free. If it's almost time for a rehair anyway, just get it rehaired.

The entire frog explodes

Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence. If this happens, your first choice is to replace the frog. A good bow person will be able to find one. In the case of very cheap bows, just buy a new one. If the bow happens to be a very expensive or historic one, then it's time to bring the whole thing (along with ALL pieces and splinters) to an expert bow restorer. A regular bow technician may be really good at rehairing and many other things, but very few will be up to the task of restoring a frog that has really broken.

There are so many ways something can break. With all the tension on bows and instruments, it's a wonder more stuff doesn't happen!

Finding Audiences

As a young musician, I have learned a lot about the business in a short amount of time. I also have a lot more to learn. I write from exactly this perspective, and I want to share what I have already learned about real musician life. Musicians need audiences in order to survive. If no one is paying to listen, a musician can't make it.

Many college graduates are used to having a captive audience of fellow students who are required to attend recitals, so audiences are easy to get and easy to reach. In real life, there is no such captive audience. There is nobody outside of college who has to go to recitals just so they can get a degree. Many colleges also have a few community members who frequent student recitals, which further enhances audience numbers and interest.

Outside of college, getting an audience is not so easy. In college, I always had nice audiences for my recitals, but they were always mostly the same people at each one. After years of playing for seemingly the same people concert after concert, I've started to wonder how it is possible in the real world to reach a wider audience with my music.

There are musicians out there who think that they can put on a great classical concert, promote it heavily, get an audience that spills out of the room, and make a ton of money. I used to be one of them--not any more. That's not the way it works. People really don't want classical music the way I want them to want it. The serious solo and chamber music concerts I love don't have a wide appeal, so how do classical musicians find an audience while maintaining high musical standards? Read on to find out!

1. Find out what people want

This step will involve some trial and error. Take a walk down the street, and look at the people. Do most people look like they would sit for an entire sonata and enjoy it? Probably not. If you go on YouTube, the videos and songs that go viral are often no more than 3 minutes. Even though you wish peoples' attention spans were longer, you have to meet them where they are. Don't think that you can single-handedly change the world by pushing long and serious performances. If people don't want it, you can't force them to come to you. People want things entertaining and short. Having what people want makes a difference. You need to come to their level. Even the biggest symphony orchestras have pops concerts that sell way more tickets than the classical ones.

2. Sell out to those people

Yes, I said that. It sounds so bad. Sell out! Some musicians will hate me for saying this. If you are selling a great product or service, and nobody wants it, you have two choices: change your offering or go out of business. Even if people want what you consider to be an inferior product, you need to give that to them if you want to stay in business. For musicians, this might mean letting go of playing big, satisfying programs in favor of playing more popular genres. You might feel like you are compromising your musical integrity because you are stepping down to what you think is a lower musical art, but that is the way to get to people. Once you have a following, you can start to draw them to you, and integrate the music you consider higher art.

3. Team up

Your chance of success is much better in a group, because people like groups and bands. Find people of good musical ability and flexibility. The actual instrumentation matters less than what each musician brings to the table. Having talented arrangers and composers in the group is always a plus. The most important thing is to find people who are willing to try anything and be pleasant to work with regularly.

4. Create your own music

OK. You've found and examined your audience, let go of any fantasies of changing them, and developed a willingness to meet them where they are. You have also found a group to work with in this venture. Great! You now have to make music for your audience. This takes creativity and a bit of craziness. There are many different genres and styles that people like, and creating your own music lets you tailor your offering to your people. It also gives you a chance to use the music theory classes you may have hated so much during college.

Decide on what kind of experience you need to offer to your audience, and create music for that. There are many ways to create music that is distinctly your own. Cover versions of pop tunes are a draw, but copyright matters complicate things. Live performances of cover versions don't usually bring trouble, but posting recordings online is risky without licensing. Original compositions are a great way to introduce audiences to your group and build your fan base. There's not much to say about composition here, but group members can create music for the group, their abilities, and their instruments. Do any of the group members have any special abilities or tricks up their sleeves? Why not write for that?

5. Engage more than one sense

Audiences want to be entertained. As much as I love to sit in a cushy seat in a warm concert hall listening to the greatest sounds ever made, that experience doesn't appeal to the masses. People want interesting visual aspects like lighting, backdrops, cool looking instruments, etc. The possibilities are endless. Perhaps in a less formal venue, you can have a set up with tables and chairs, which is more inviting to some people. You can also involve the auditory sense with some talking in the program. Don't bore the audience with lots of it, though. Keep words brief and engaging.

6. Acquire and combine skills

Most fresh college graduates think they know everything about the music and the business behind it. If you think that, you're wrong! You will have a lot to learn about different styles of music (read "the ones that pay bills), composition, theory, and how to make an audience happy and want to come hear you again. Versatility is key. Once you have a grasp on something, use it. Find groups and venues in which you can test out your new skills. Never think any style or venue is beneath you; if you do, you might be sleeping with a sidewalk beneath you instead of a bed.

7. Promote promote promote

Here's maybe the toughest one of all. Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ (who goes there anyway?), and many others have made it easy to reach a lot of people very quickly and inexpensively. Unfortunately, you will be just one voice in a noisy crowd. Your posts and messages might just get scrolled right over. How do you avoid this? One method is to make friends in real life. If someone is a fan of you, they are more likely to be receptive to your music, and they might put your events in their calendar. They see your name on a post, and they might stop and read it. Another good promotional method is to post your events to community calendars run by radio and TV stations. Believe it or not, people read these, and they might get a few more audience members. If you do something they like, they might come back. When you do the community calendar thing, be consistent about posting, because your newly acquired fans will be looking for you there.

You can also find community bulletin boards at grocery stores and other crowded locations. Music stores are good spots for promotion, and the managers are usually willing to let you put up a poster. Perhaps the most important way of promoting is to tell people about what you are doing. If you happen to be talking with a random person on public transportation, waiting in a long line, at a barbershop, or anywhere for that matter, be forward about what you do. Have cards with your information on you at all times. There's no such thing as instant success, but developing regular fans is important.

Conclusion

Everything here is about basic marketing. If you have what people want, and get it in front of them, you have a fighting chance of succeeding. If you stick with what you like and only what you like, you have an audience of one, and that is yourself. One aspect of audience development that people don't admit to is that there's no such thing as loyalty. Your audiences will find other things to do if you don't engage them. They might find other things to do if you do engage them. You must fight for each audience member, and always be reaching for new ones. Remember that even if you do everything well, you can't please everybody.

This is not a comprehensive guide to success as a musician, but I hope it gets you thinking.

Tschüss!