If you visited this site before 2004, when I conversed it to audio site then you remember that it was performances-centric site. It was structured by composers, and each (let say some) composition had a list of reported performances in descending order, according to quality of performance. The performances competed for being the “first” and so on…

I did not take this idea very far and I have to tell that I kind of lost interest for maintaining that site as I did not find it stimulating. Why the “competition” even needed? I did feel that it goes anywhere for me. I knew my performances and frankly I egotistically did not care about the performances of others. No one can teach anyone, people juts discover the new things with themselves….

Anyhow, the piece with this notion I found in 2003 when I visited local Clark Johnson, the Miserable. Clark had an interesting way to organize his records. It was by label, by composer, by performer, by instrument, by category – I was not able to figure out - not only in his organization but even in the organization of my own record, however it was also a well designated area with mixed labels, composers, performers, instruments and categories and this area was dedicated for the best  performances ever.

Since then I do very much the same. I have a few shelves where I put the best performances. How can I or anybody else to equate them to a desert island or to not a desert island? They are not really “compete” but they just live on the shelf as the best achievement of mankind musical experiences committer to recorded media. I kind of not need to  stratify them. They are good as they are….

Romy the Cat wrote:

If you visited this site before 2004, when I conversed it to audio site then you remember that it was performances-centric site. It was structured by composers, and each (let say some) composition had a list of reported performances in descending order, according to quality of performance. The performances competed for being the “first” and so on… I did not take this idea very far and I have to tell that I kind of lost interest for maintaining that site as I did not find it stimulating. Why the “competition” even needed? I did feel that it goes anywhere for me. I knew my performances and frankly I egotistically did not care about the performances of others. No one can teach anyone, people juts discover the new things with themselves…. The Cat

Hi Romy,

Whenever I hear an interesting work I come here and use the search engine hoping to find suggestions for interesting performances of that piece. I do this only because I can't afford the discovery way, and music magazines either only recommend new performances or serve a role as advertisers/marketers for the big labels.

I have once only asked for suggestions on Sibelius' Violin Concerto but I got the impression that you weren't very favorable to this kind of post.

Your Great Violoncello and Orquestra performances list has been quite helpful as well and it's a pity you haven't done something similar for the Piano or the Violin (although it's perfectly understandable that you haven't).

Best,

Ric