The Penguin Guide to Recorded Classical Music
Encyclopedia
The Penguin Guide To Recorded Classical Music (formerly The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and latterly (from 2003 to 2006) The Penguin Guide To Compact Discs and DVDs) is a widely-distributed annual publication from Britain published by Penguin Books
, reviewing and rating currently available recordings of classical music. It is written by Ivan March, a music journalist, consultant and former professional musician, Edward Greenfield
, former music critic of The Guardian
newspaper and Robert Layton, music writer and lecturer. All three are also reviewers for the UK classical music periodical Gramophone. Since the 2008 edition, a fourth contributor has been listed on a par with the three founding authors. This is Paul Czajkowski who had been involved as an editor from the 2002 book.
The Guide is often found in the classical departments of record stores. Formerly, it awarded each recording a rating of between one and three stars, with extraordinarily favoured recordings receiving a rosette
. Since 2007 however, the publication uses four stars to denote records which are "exceptional issue[s] in every count", although the rosette system remains.
NOTE: A star in brackets means there is some qualification to the performance or recording.
, in response to the increasing number of stereo
LP
recordings available. Up to 1968 the writing team comprised Ivan March, Edward Greenfield and Denis Stevens
. Penguin Books
, having published guides to bargain records (1966,170 and 1972), began publishing the guides in 1975. In those days, as the reviewers concede it was possible to include almost all stereo recordings, so limited was the repertoire.
Additional volumes were printed to cover cassettes, and in the 1984 Guide compact discs were added for the first time. By the 1990 revision so completely had CDs come to dominate that LPs were omitted altogether. Since 1997, the main guide has been supplemented by alternately published 'yearbooks', adding new recordings and recommended issues for that particular year. Several other supplementary volumes have been released covering 'bargain' recordings. Additionally, since 2003 DVDs have been incorporated, initially as an appendix, and from the 2006 edition in the main body of the reviews themselves.
Whilst these other volumes add further reviews, the authors admit that attempting to cover all releases is now impossible, and instead only the 'cream' of available recordings can be covered.
This more selective approach, coupled with a perceived British bias, has led to criticism, on internet newsgroups and elsewhere. However as even some critics agree a project on this scale and on this topic (inevitably a subjective affair) could not expect to suit all perspectives.
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
, reviewing and rating currently available recordings of classical music. It is written by Ivan March, a music journalist, consultant and former professional musician, Edward Greenfield
Edward Greenfield
Edward Greenfield is an English music critic and broadcaster. He joined the Manchester Guardian in 1953, working as a lobby correspondent in the House of Commons. He has been a record critic for the newspaper since 1955, a music critic since 1964, and was chief music critic from 1977 until his...
, former music critic of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
newspaper and Robert Layton, music writer and lecturer. All three are also reviewers for the UK classical music periodical Gramophone. Since the 2008 edition, a fourth contributor has been listed on a par with the three founding authors. This is Paul Czajkowski who had been involved as an editor from the 2002 book.
The Guide is often found in the classical departments of record stores. Formerly, it awarded each recording a rating of between one and three stars, with extraordinarily favoured recordings receiving a rosette
Rosette (decoration)
A rosette is a small, circular device that is presented with a medal. The rosettes are primarily for situations where wearing the medal is deemed inappropriate. Rosettes are issued in nations such as France, Italy and Japan...
. Since 2007 however, the publication uses four stars to denote records which are "exceptional issue[s] in every count", although the rosette system remains.
Ratings
As provided by The Penguin Guide To Recorded Classical Music:- Rosette: A rosette is a compliment that places the recording in a very special class.
- 4 Star: A very exceptional issue on every count.
- 3 Star: An outstanding performance and recording of the calibre we now take for granted.
- 2 Star: A good performance and recording of today's normal high standard.
- 1 Star: A fair or somewhat routine performance, reasonably well performed or recorded.
NOTE: A star in brackets means there is some qualification to the performance or recording.
History
The guidebook first appeared in 1960 as The Stereo Record GuideThe Stereo Record Guide
The Stereo Record Guide is a series of nine classical discographies published by the Long Playing Record Library in Blackpool from 1960-1974.When volume 1 was published in the fall of 1960, the majority of classical records issued were monaural. The authors were totally supportive of the new...
, in response to the increasing number of stereo
STEREO
STEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
LP
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
recordings available. Up to 1968 the writing team comprised Ivan March, Edward Greenfield and Denis Stevens
Denis Stevens
Denis William Stevens CBE was a British musicologist specialising in early music, conductor, professor of music and radio producer....
. Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
, having published guides to bargain records (1966,170 and 1972), began publishing the guides in 1975. In those days, as the reviewers concede it was possible to include almost all stereo recordings, so limited was the repertoire.
Additional volumes were printed to cover cassettes, and in the 1984 Guide compact discs were added for the first time. By the 1990 revision so completely had CDs come to dominate that LPs were omitted altogether. Since 1997, the main guide has been supplemented by alternately published 'yearbooks', adding new recordings and recommended issues for that particular year. Several other supplementary volumes have been released covering 'bargain' recordings. Additionally, since 2003 DVDs have been incorporated, initially as an appendix, and from the 2006 edition in the main body of the reviews themselves.
Whilst these other volumes add further reviews, the authors admit that attempting to cover all releases is now impossible, and instead only the 'cream' of available recordings can be covered.
This more selective approach, coupled with a perceived British bias, has led to criticism, on internet newsgroups and elsewhere. However as even some critics agree a project on this scale and on this topic (inevitably a subjective affair) could not expect to suit all perspectives.