The Gramophone Classical Good CD Guide contains over 3,500 reviews of classical CDs and DVDs written by the critics of Gramophone, the world's most authoritative classical music magazine. Includes a CD sampler of music by your favorite composers.
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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
the rumors are true,
By A Customer
This review is from: Gramophone Classical Good CD Guide 2004, 17th Edition (Gramophone Classical Music Guide) (Paperback)
It's true what many classical music fans have said about Gramophone's "British bias." They do tend to lean toward British performers and labels, and they often lavish praise on artists who don't quite measure up to the hype (Gramophone Magazine's recent article on Kathleen Ferrier comes to mind.) Also, their reviews tend to be very short, and the Guide, or at least the 2002 edition that I have, does not tell you who the reviewers are, leaving you unsure whose taste you agree with and whose you don't. However, with these caveats in mind, I have found a lot of great recordings by browsing through this book. Their ratings (zero, one, two or three stars) are consistent and they also tell you what price range the CD is in. Some recordings that they list (for example, Veronique Gens's CD of Handel cantatas) are difficult to find in the U.S.In addition to this guide, I recommend checking out ClassicsToday.com and browsing through Fanfare magazine (longer reviews, more detail, less slick and gossipy than Gramophone). [also, I agree with the reviewer below from Colorado - thumbs down on the Lindsay Quartet. All the British CD guides seem to love them, though.]
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Quirky and difficult to use,
This review is from: Gramophone Classical Good CD Guide 2004, 17th Edition (Gramophone Classical Music Guide) (Paperback)
As others here have noted, the reviews in the Good CD Guide are gossipy and tainted by a British bias. They can also be annoyingly repetitive; sometimes every review of a piece will include general comments about the piece, in addition to the review of the recording itself. As a consequence, perhaps, surprisingly few recordings are actually reviewed, despite the size of the book. Also worth noting is that the book is printed on cheap, rough paper, the text is printed too close to the spine, and the book will not lay flat -- all in contrast to the Penguin Guide.If you're seeking an antidote to the Penguin Guide, I would suggest www.klassik-heute.com or www.classicstoday.com, rather than another printed guide.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Too many cooks spoil the soup,
By A Customer
This review is from: Gramophone Classical Good CD Guide 2004, 17th Edition (Gramophone Classical Music Guide) (Paperback)
The latest edition of the Gramophone Guide is a marked improvement over previous editions. The Guide now has a better rating system, and key recordings are better represented.However, with over 50 contributors, there is somewhat of a lack of consistency in the ratings. Many recordings that have very favorable written reviews are rated one disc or no discs at all. Take Stephen Kovacevich's Grieg Piano Concerto, for instance. In the text, it is described as a "benchmark offering." But the rating is no discs out of three! This happens repeatedly in the Gramophone Guide. It is not clear how the ratings were arrived at (whether individual reviewers gave each disc a rating, or whether the editor simply tacked on ratings to each review). This makes the Gramophone Guide less useful than, say, the Penguin Guide, which, for whatever else you can say about it, is very consistent in its reviews and ratings. Stick to the Penguin Guide if you agree with the opinions of its three editors, who together write all the reviews, making for a more consistent system of ratings. True, a British bias, but consistent ratings nonetheless.
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