The world of classical music can be somewhat confusing. There is a vast amount of recordings of works going back many years. If I decide that I want to buy a classical music cd of a favorite composer, I then have to choose which version to get. Most classics are duplicated by different orchestras, conductors or soloists. There is a radio show in the UK, which advises on building a musical collection and that has been very useful. Sometimes, I will look for recommendations by experts to help me to steer through the maze. I used to think that it didn't make much difference as to which version to choose until I heard two different orchestras perform Vivaldi's Four Seasons. One recording was vastly superior to the other, so I have been discerning ever since.

When choosing what orchestral works to buy, I tend to look at the conductor of the piece and I base my decision on that. It helps to know if a conductor specialized in a certain composer, as Sir John Barbirolli was an expert on the works of Edward Elgar for instance. Other conductors that I would look out for on a classical music cd are Herbert von Karajan, Otto Klemperer and Simon Rattle. All these men have reputations that are hard to beat.

I also have to decide on a selection of soloists. Again, there seems no point in looking outside the known geniuses in their field. The cello is one of my favorite instruments and I love the work of Pablo Casals, Jacqueline du Pre, Yo Yo Ma and Steven Isserlis. The best violin virtuosos are Itmak Perlman and Yehudi Menuin. When selecting pianists, I go for Glenn Gould whenever possible. A classical music cd which matches the best composers with the best players is sublime.

The presentation of classical music has been jazzed up recently, as it needs to appeal to a younger record buying public. The TV station, Classic FM is an MTV type channel, which plays videos for classical music cd promotions. Image has become important for musicians who want to have crossover success with a more mainstream audience.  Violinist Vanessa Mae is a prime example, as are the four handsome men who make up the operatic group, Il Divo. Classical music fans are busily downloading tracks onto their mp3s, just like their pop music counterparts. I wonder what Mozart would make of it all?