The MusicWeb Message Board: Re: Sleeve notes

Ralph, the theme of these posts is sleeve notes: how they are presented and how they are written. How or what you or any MWI reviewer writes is not at issue. My points and those of others who have contributed to this post are in relation solely to published and purchased sleeve notes. So admonishment or not of any reviewer is not even relevant. However as you raised the point I will just say that I have absolutely no idea who the average punter might be when it comes to classical music recordings and when only one recording exists of hundreds, possibly thousands of pieces of music I greatly appreciate any reviewer who selects the best music.

Previous Message

Robert, I guess that my indifference to sleeve notes stems from the fact that as a fairly conservative listener I rarely listen to new or contemporary music. I by no means despise musicology but the ethos of MusicWeb is to cater for the average punter who wants some pointers about what to look for in recordings, rather than in the music per se - although of course that can be helpful. Please feel free to admonish me if my own reviews or surveys are not sufficiently helpful in that regard; my sole aim is to enhance a listener's enjoyment of the music in question by selecting the best recording.

Previous Message

First of all I would like to say to Mike that there is no apology necessary as no offence was taken. I just wanted to raise a general and important point on the issue of eyesight and the lack of.

Secondly, Ralph knows his own mind but I can't for the life of me understand why on earth anyone would not appreciate indeed demand a musicological analysis of what is after all nothing but a piece of music. Especially when listening to a piece you have never heard before which is almost always the case with contemporary music. Sadly what we far too often get is some adjective-ridden waffle flailing around in words pertaining exclusively to human emotions or nature description. This kind of tiresomely bad teenage poetry says everything about the lack of musical training of the person penning this gibberish and next to nothing about the music in question. Music is music, not biography or soundtrack or emotion. Furthermore unlike MWI reviewers those who pen liner notes are paid to do so. I am not sure why Ralph chose to put musicological in brackets but whether it interests us or not musicology is a noble discipline of academic study the fruits of which all music lovers should be very grateful for and would be much the poorer without.

In all these issues I think too many people focus on themselves without looking at the broader picture which is what matters most when record (or any) companies are making their decisions.

Previous Message

Well said Ralph!
From a different viewpoint, I am concerned that people coming to classical music for the first time are:
a) Put off by sycophantic blurb about the artistes
b) Left in the dark about the music and given no pointers
c) confused by quasi-musicological clap-trap.(Mahler/Tchaikovsky from Currentzis a prime example).
Companies need to consider their potential audience.
The record shop enthusiast is no longer there to help(with honourable exceptions).

Finally my sincere apologies to Robert, my comments were thoughtless.

Previous Message

Although I concede that they can sometimes be helpful and well written, I confess to being wary of reading sleeve notes and sometimes ignore them altogether, so am heretically not that bothered by their absence or lack of quality. This is because mean-minded people - not MusicWeb readers, obviously! - are quick to accuse amateur reviewers of paraphrasing them -an accusation I am keen to avoid. What I do want from the notes, for example, is information such as which version is being used in a recording of a Bruckner symphony and the what are the differences from other editions that I must look out for. I don't want a "musicological" analysis nor a hagiography of the artists. Some context for the music and the history of its performance and reception is always interesting. I do agree that graphic designers are increasingly careless of legibility; there is a trend for light text on a light background in a miniscule font instead of black on white in a sensible point size. I am certainly not prepared to read the notes online and welcome the demise of the short-lived trend of providing libretti on a CD-Rom disc - which nobody ever accessed. Nor do I want to have to find shelf room for LP-sized packaging - sorry, Len.

Previous Message

Sleeve notes ~ are they still called that? Any rate, notes accompanying CDs.
I suspect that I am not alone in being of a certain age and with eyesight fading. CD notes are often almost unreadable with pale print on a coloured background (stand up Warner)or in print so small that a magnifying glass is needed . As an example Chandos notes, invariably excellent, are in very small , grey print on a white background. I usually have to photo so I can read them.
Content is variable, Naxos and Chandos stand out from the crowd but some are more interested in the artist than the music , there should be room for both.
Example: DG notes for the Ives symphonies with Dudamel are ridiculously useless, heaven knows what guidance they give to any newcomer to the music,
A mention for Bru Zane, an example to everybody, superb, comprehensive, informative notes in readable print (even if a little small). Their excellent presentation makes the case for CDs over downloads.
I know I can search the internet for information but good notes ought be part of the CD package.
Apologies for the rant but with some CDs I feel I am being short~changed.