The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and DVDs: The Key Classical Recordings on CD, DVD and SACD

by Robert Layton, Edward Greenfield, Ivan March

Book Overview

Compiled alphabetically by composer, and focusing on recording quality, value for money and the interpretation and performance of each work, this guide provides comprehensive coverage of the best of the year's new CD and DVD releases.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0141022620
• ISBN13: 9780141022628
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Length: 1520 Pages
• Weight: 4.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.4" x 6.8" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Review of "Good" and Penguin Classical CD Guides

Truth be told there just are not that many good classical music guides to choose from. In terms of scope the Good Guide is second to the Penguin. In my humble opinion, if you're serious about building or adding to an existing collection of classical CDs and DVDs you will own the "Good" book. You'll also own the Penguin Guide simply due to its more comprehensive scope as there are works (e.g., Beethoven's Overtures to name but one example) that are not covered in the "Good". The Good Guide, like the Penguin, originates from the U.K. Some reviewers feel both these guides have a bias towards British artists. While to some extent this is true, it's not what other reviewers make it out to be and there are countless number of non-British recordings that are highly recommended in these pages. Besides, to my knowledge, one really doesn't have much choice because outside of the Penguin and the Good Guides a comprehensive guide for purchasing classical music is not available. There is the "Third Ear" but is does not come close to the high standard of these two publications. In fact, I have found the Third Ear to be far more biased AGAINST British recordings than these two guides are biased for them. If you're a complete beginner, the NPR Guide by Ted Libbey is an excellent place to start and it can't be accused of a British bias. Gramophone Magazine is the only respectable periodical I've found that gives updated reviews and information about the latest in classical music recordings. The "Good" Guide is issued by the editors of Gramophone. This is the first year I bought the Good Guide as I've been content with the Penguin. However, after being a subscriber to Gramophone Magazine for the past 3 years I've been so impressed with their recommendations that it was a logical purchase for me. I've perused the pages of the Good Guide and found a lot of agreement between it and the Penguin. Certain recordings are obvious recommendations and usually both these guides lead the buyer to owning certain "masterpiece" recordings. Both guides provide professional reviews of many of the avialble purchases for a given piece. Both provide great descriptions of many of the subtleties of given recordings and how the performers interpret the music. These descriptions make it easy to compare and contrast recordings and will help one become a more discerning listener. If you love opera, you're in for a real treat. In addition to being season ticket holders to the Seattle Symphony and Pacific Northwest Ballet, we also have season seats to the Seattle Opera. I use these guides to make sure I own the music for whatever it is we will be hearing and "seeing" in our upcoming seasons. For Opera Lovers, the DVD recommendations are great to have. Now, in addition to having the best CDs of a given opera, I am now able to confidently purchase outstanding DVDs of the operas we'll be attending. If you go to live classical music performances of any kind, being able to familiarize yourse

Ignore the naysayers, this remains an essential guide to classical CDs

I couldn't disagree more with the two reviews that are today the "featured" reviews of this latest edition of the Penguin guide. One gives it three stars and the other one, despite the fact that most reviewers are giving it very strong reviews. I think the strong reviews quite deserved. Unlike the featured reviewers, I can detect no serious decline in the quality of the reviews in the guide. Most of the other criticisms I find either anecdotal or depending on the perception of the reviewer making the judgment. The problem here is that I don't know the reviewers here, while I have spent large quantities of time with the Penguin writers. I've owned most of the editions of the guide over the past twenty-five years and I can't say that there have been massive changes. The reviews are largely affected more by older recordings going out of print or being repackaged and by new recordings than anything. But "decline and fall" theories are always popular. I think they are almost always exaggerated. Let me respond briefly to several of the generalized criticisms. First, that the reviews are not sufficiently in depth. That is true, especially compared to the Gramophone guide's reviews. This is not all downside, however. The brute fact is that the Penguin guide is, compared to the Gramophone guide, much, much larger. It is, in fact, much larger than merely holding the two volumes up beside one another would indicate. The Penguin guide dispenses with much of the prefatory material that the Gramophone guide contains, does not contain composer biographies, and does not contain any indices. Take all these out of the Gramophone guide and the Penguin guide's size becomes more apparent. Also, remove the Gramophone sidebars and reduce its font to the size of the Penguin guide and the hugeness of the Penguin guide becomes even more impressive. Yet, despite its size, the reviews are smaller than those in the Gramophone. Why is this? Because the Penguin guide reviews a vastly greater number of records than the Gramophone guide. It isn't the Penguin guide's fault that there are simply a vast number of classical recordings available today. There are more classical CDs in print today than there were LPs 30 years ago. Penguin's decision was to review more discs rather than featuring longer reviews on far fewer recordings. I WANT a guide that says at least something about a substantial hunk of the CDs currently available. If I want more depth, I can always go to the library and look at an issue of the Gramophone magazine or subscribe to any of the many review magazines out there. A guide like this is what it is: a necessarily brief review of a large number of the more significant recordings, with recommendations of various sorts. For those who wish the reviews were longer, either buy the Gramophone guide or remember that if Penguin had longer reviews they would review as few recordings as Gramophone does. Bias. Yes, the Penguin guide is biases

Penguin Guide to Classical Music

Most classical pieces have been recorded by more than one person, group, or orchestra. Logic tells you that some are better than others. Unless there's a big difference in price or other factor, why not go with the best available? The Penguin Guide not only tells you what's available but also rates each recording. This guide tells you the strengths and weaknesses of each recording, compares them to other recordings, and provides a general price range as well. Armed with this information, you can take the catalog number to your favorite store or on-line site and order with confidence knowing your selection best suits your criteria.

COMPREHENSIVE, COMPLETE, CONCISE GUIDE TO CDs AND DVDs

As usual, Penguin has done it again and given us a treasure-trove of easily-accessible reviews of many, many CDs and and increasing number of classical DVDs. This is a very thick paperback and it has many interesting new lists and categories that only add to this guide's usefulness. Some reviewers in the past have complained about the "British content" and "emphasis" on recording made in the United Kingdom. Get over it! Many of the very best recordings are made by Chandos, Hyperion, etc. and they just happen to be British. Also, this is not an Americocentric prublication because it has to appeal to those discriminating listeners who live in the European Union. Once again - as I said in my review of the Penguin 2004/2005 update version it may be useful to have a section just with DVDs all grouped together because that medium is becoming increasingly important to the dissemination of fabulous performances of symphonies, operas, recitals of all sorts and for those not able to attend a live concert or recital this will enable aficionados of classical music to enjoy the utter reality and precise picture and sound that most DVDs allow. This is a standard reference guide and puts most of the others out of the running. Very, very highly recommended for content and layout. TIMOTHY WINGATE OTTAWA CANADA