Customer Reviews

The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and DVDs Yearbook 2006/07 Edition (Penguin Guide to Recorded Classical Music)

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Again, here, as with my review of the "Guide" itself (odd years is this Guide, even years are the Update), I find that I no longer feel as I did years ago about this book.

I sadly feel that the beginner with collecting classical music needs a smaller, not so expensive book and supplement every other year, as this is. This book, like the guide, years ago was much simpler, and was easily recommendable to the novice music collector. I cannot review this supplement (and the Guide) anymore for the general music buying public, as I feel it no longer serves all equally. It has become a guide, I feel, for the more experienced listener/collector, and that is OK, but the beginner, I feel is wasting his/her money on these guides.

Where to tell them to seek help? I'm not really sure, but I suggest perhaps the Rough Guide to Classical Music, and perhaps the NPR Guide.... I feel that basically the top 100 list on the first pages of the Penguin Guides are all the beginner will really need for a few years, why waste $45 on these two books?????

Sorry to sound negative, I really don't mean to, but I cannot see that these books serve the "general" music public. ~operabruin

Buying CD's is expensive...the Penguin Classical CD/DVD is a must. Why? Because it will save you alot of money...period. Whether you agree with every review or not, if you buy CD's...you can for the price of one get help in deciding which to buy, and which to stay from. I have used my guide alot, and usually end up completely agreeing with the reviews. Buy it...you'll like it.