June 20, 2026
#544
Gentle reader,
I am in my 70th year on this planet we call Earth. Which means that I have lived in eight decades. I have seen a lot of changes in my lifetime. Somethings have remain constants, and that is I prefer REAL things to pixels on a screen.
Yes, I AM typing this into my PC and I am about to be talking about digital music discs. The point I am making is that I prefer a real book, made from paper which was once a tree. I am not trying to start an argument with anyone, I am, you will likely say, "old fashioned." And, I am okay with that statement. To use the technical terms, I prefer "physical media".
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE digital things! By that I mean, like the majority of the people in the world, I have embraced digital technology. NOT in the same way so many have.
For example, 99% of the time, my smart phone sits in my pocket unused. Occasionally, I will find myself about to get up and go look something up on my PC when I remember that I have computer in my pocket. But, other than that, I use it to make or receive calls and texts. Sure, I will take some pictures, but the camera in my phone pales in comparison to what my digital cameras can do. Nope, no video watching, no following Instagram, for me. Just talk and text most of the time. You see, I am always seeing people who just can't seem to do anything without watching a video or something on their phones at the same time. Including DRIVING! Not this guy. But, if one points out to another that they may be addicted to their phone and watch out!
In other words, since I have lived 90 per cent of my life before the existence of the Internet and cell phones, if some "Bad Actor" managed to somehow disable the Internet, I would not be nearly as put out as so many people around the world would be. For crying out loud, I still have MAPS in my car, and they are made of paper. Do I love WAZE? You betcha!
Anyway, here's an interesting book I have:
And books, oh, so many books I have bought and enjoyed since learning to read! Such as this one which I bought because the majority of recordings in my collections are of Classical Music, I bought this to see what the "experts" decided are the best performances ever recorded up to that time the book went to Press.
While I can understand the author's logic in starting with the very oldest recorded works, I am very glad there is also an index of composers too.
As you can see, the first half of the book has no pages marked. While there is much excellent earlier music, I prefer later compositions, especially full orchestral music.
This YouTube video is what inspired me to write this article. Buy CDs Now before Collectors Ruin the Best Kept Secret - YouTube
I like this man and his videos. HE does a great job and is very personable. I don't begrudge him and all of the things he has which I do not. His talent and abilities have allowed him to make a good living creating YouTube videos. I am very happy with my life. I'm not looking for "pats on the back" or validation of any kind nor hoping that some of my articles "go viral". In fact, I have rarely made any videos. I certainly could not create a YouTube channel. I have no interest in doing so. What he mentions in this video about "Japanese pressings" of certain CDs having better sound intrigued me. Since I only have these two Japanese ones and have no way to do an A/B comparison with their western versions of the CDs I will just tell you about these two.
Note "NIPPON COLUMBIA" below the man's feet. Yet, on the front and spine is clearly DENON. Until seeing this CD in a thrift store, I did not know that DENON dabbled in making commercial recordings. I only know them for audio equipment.
The inside of the CD's "liner notes". A term from the pre-digital days of recorded music when the LP record's paper sleeve which protected the record, had photographs and writings about the music or in the case of pop and rock records, they often have lyrics to the songs. The term carried over into CDs.
I can't imagine what countries and peoples which have so many different symbols which put together form words, used for formal writing similar to the Western world's typewriters we had before the digital world came along.
What I was alluding to in the title of this article was my delight in being able to find what must have been a very limited release CD created in 2005 of what the book says is THE best performances of these piano concerti. BTW, in Italian, words which end in O are singular, ending in I are plural. One piece of spaghetti is a spaghetto. Therefore more than one concerto is not concertos, it is concerti.
Naturally, when I read about this CD, I immediately went on eBay to look for one. Yep, there's a brand new, sealed (still holding the factories air inside) CD for $150!! I looked on Amazon, zip. Other searches came up empty, then I remembered Discogs. Sure enough, there was ONE available and the seller only wanted $35. I bought it. It turns out the seller was right here in Virginia! It arrived a couple days later and I could not wait to listen to it!
Since I am not familiar with the Gewandhausorchester, I did not know which of the two gentlemen on the cover was the conductor or the pianist. This old school black and white photo solved that puzzle for me.
LIVE recordings can either be great or not so good, depending upon many factors. Well, the Decca recording engineers know their trade because the sound is outstanding! I'm listening to it right now. Loudly, because my wife is not home.
The Presbyterian church of which we are members is blessed by our pianist/organist holds a Doctoral in Music and is outstanding! Her husband also is a musician with the United States Navy. Our Pastor is a music lover and has arranged to have a brass quintet (two of the players are church members and the pastor plays trumpet, but not in the quintet) which is awesome! There is nothing like LIVE music. Especially when the performers are mere feet from you. But, I digress.
From the front, the sleeve's front page is no different than in the West.
The back tells a different story.
The first page of the CD booklet.
The second page. Many more are all in Japanese.
To conclude, I do not know if CDs are going to be snatched up by greedy collectors or not. Perhaps the video's title was click bait. Nor, do I know whether they are making a comeback. Locally, the only place to find new recorded music is our local TARGET. And those recordings are pricey! I prefer to haunt the several thrift stores around here. Something we both enjoy but don't do as often as we used to.
I have, frankly, too many records, digital discs and even 100 audio cassettes. I retired nine years ago, having vowed to listen to every recording I own when I retired, and have been working my way through listening to them all. But, I wonder if I will be able to listen to them all. In doing so, I have been removing the ones I don't care for and donate them for others to find and enjoy. My oldest grandson, Kyle, is going to inherit all of my audio equipment and recordings. He's so much like me in some ways, which is wonderful! One time, he came walking into the living room after looking through my records with a grin on his face, "Mom, he has Chicago Transit Authority!" like he'd found the Holy Grail! I said, "No, YOU have Chicago Transit Authority."
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I am truly grateful that you do so. When I began this blog back in 2008, it was just for something different to do. I had no idea whether anyone would read it. So, thanks again. I write two other blogs: Pictures of Nancy. The Love of My Life. and People Say I'm Special. But I Don't Know Why. Take a look, if you like. Feel free to Comment below or via Facebook.
Scott Robb
June 20, 2026
#544
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