I am sometimes almost embarrassed by the antiquity of my recommendations, especially in the operatic field, but as John says, if your knowledge and collecting go back fifty years, it's hard to avoid the favourites, especially when both performance is superior and sound is more than adequate - particularly if well remastered. However, I do try to welcome really worthy new recordings - whereas I agree, some other review sites just unthinkingly and automatically plug anything new. We are independent of such pressures and tendencies - and long may it so remain.
Mikeh,
I think I can safely say that any tendency to prefer earlier recordings of individual pieces is not deliberate. All our reviewers write their appraisals independently. During the editorial process, though we try to correct any factual or grammatical errors that have crept in, despite the reviewers' diligence, we don't interfere with the opinions they express..
I suspect that the trend that you have noticed is more a reflection that many of us have been collecting recordings for many years, and over time one is bound to develop loyalties to particular recordings. That said, I think it would be fair to say that we are by no means reluctant to praise new recordings when that is warranted.
Message Thread
« Back to index | View thread »
Thank you for taking part in the MusicWeb International Forum.
Len Mullenger - Founder of MusicWeb