12 April 2010

If you are left with only one choice......

The other day I was asked a very difficult question. "If you're left with only one recording for each Bruckner symphony, what would you choose?" No matter how many versions there are for a particular symphony, just one symphony one choice, i.e. a total of 11 picks.

In the past I usually made do with a number of "favourites" for each version of each symphony, but this time it's different. It is ironic that if one has many choices one will usually find it harder to choose. Sometimes a Hobson's choice may turn out to be not a bad thing.

Well, I reckon that my choices will not be based solely on their artistic value at the end of the day. Other factors sometimes become more important, like emotional values or memorable experience or events associated with a certain recording or CD.

But I really need time to make the choices. I've at one time asked myself, "Why force yourself to do such a foolish thing?" Yes, I don't have to, but I can take it as a mental challenge. Life is strange, isn't it?

It's taken me three good days and I haven't even reached the halfway point.

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