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Site review in Classical Music Magazine Posted by Len Mullenger on July 18, 2008, 12:53 pm Message modified by board administrator July 22, 2008, 2:50 am Click and Pick: Tony Deller reviews concert-finding websites Classical Music 19 July 2008 p23 ......... www.musicweb-international.com has been around longer still, and is one of many sites concentrating on reviews rather than listings. Set up in 1995 under the name MusicWeb, the site was originally intended to raise the profile of British composers. Since then it has diversified to include CD and live reviews (again, its reviewers are not paid). In contrast to Classical Source, which is relatively simple in design, MusicWeb has something of the second-hand bookshop about it. Certainly, one can spend enjoyable moments browsing its many links and crannies; much of what it contains is informative - its exhaustive potted biographies of British light music composers alone make it an essential source. But its slightly ramshackle appearance sits oddly with the slicker web designs we are coming to expect. ................................................. I would have preferred being compared to a reference library rather than a second hand-bookshop but I am taking a positive view of this review which I think is actually rather affectionate. I like being thought of as a sort of retreat to delve and explore. Of course we could look very swish if we wanted to - £10,000 to spare anyone? ......................................................................  Post a Response

Re: Site review in Classical Music Magazine Posted by Dave on July 21, 2008, 7:13 pm, in reply to "Site review in Classical Music Magazine" 88.202.212.43 'Ramshackle'? What does he want, an all-singing, all-dancing cabaret site? MusicWeb is deeply informative, with its excellent team of reviewers clearly backed up by a great deal of research and knowledge. My only quibble? What happened to the Music Quiz? ;-) Kind regards Dave  Post a Response

Re: Site review in Classical Music Magazine Posted by Len Mullenger on July 22, 2008, 2:49 am, in reply to "Re: Site review in Classical Music Magazine" 217.155.206.169 The Quiz: I had a number of messages that people had stopped looking at the quiz altogether because they never knew what the music was. That was defeating my objective for the quiz which was to persuade people to listen to music I thought they probably would not have heard before and then explore it further. I have now altered the format by doing that directly but this has removed the quiz element. I could link sound extracts directly to reviews but that would greatly delay sending discs to reviewers whilst I played them and made appropriate extracts. It would also be very expensive in MCPS/PRS fees. I do do that on certain selected discs. Is 'These You Have Missed?' working for you? Were you familiar with the Wordsworth or Tubin symphonies. If not, have the extracts whetted your appetite? Len  Post a Response

Re: Site review in Classical Music Magazine Posted by Dave Payn on July 22, 2008, 3:34 pm, in reply to "Re: Site review in Classical Music Magazine" 88.202.212.43 Hi Len No, I was not aware of the Tubin or Wordsworth Symphonies and my appetite has certainly been well and truly 'whetted' by the extracts listed on the site. However, the same was also true of some of the quiz items (once I'd discovered the answers!). Anyway, 'These You Have Missed' seems to be a fine idea and I look forward to more personal discoveries via your superb website.  Post a Response

Re: Site review in Classical Music Magazine Posted by Dominy Clements on July 23, 2008, 10:03 am, in reply to "Re: Site review in Classical Music Magazine" 194.171.57.1 Agreed, the 'Those You Have Missed' concept is a very good and useful one, although it's not a title I would associate with such a service - it sounds more something like a page on Friends Reunited. 'Those of which you would otherwise never have heard' might be a more accurate, if cumbersome alternative. How about the 'MusicWeb Discovery Saloon Soundbar' - I'd drink there!  Post a Response

Re: Site review in Classical Music Magazine Posted by Len Mullenge on July 27, 2008, 8:59 am, in reply to "Re: Site review in Classical Music Magazine" 217.155.206.169 Hi Dominy, I am changing that title to the rather snappier How did I miss that? I hope visitors will find that more tempting. Len  Post a Response

Re: Site review in Classical Music Magazine Posted by Martin Walker on July 23, 2008, 10:42 am, in reply to "Site review in Classical Music Magazine" 91.168.0.90 I'm glad you're taking a positive view, Len, but I think the review is a scandal, damning with faint supercilious praise. So we are coming to expect "slicker web designs"? But how does MusicWeb's design "sit oddly" with them, since they don't offer half as much and are thus strictly not comparable? "Certainly" - "But" -: this is empty and inconsequential pooh-pooh talk. Did he write anything about the quality of the reviews?  Post a Response

Re: Site review in Classical Music Magazine Posted by Len Mullenger on July 25, 2008, 11:44 pm, in reply to "Re: Site review in Classical Music Magazine" 217.155.206.169 No! You got it all! Len  Post a Response

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