BY LAURA BIEMMI, TRENDS EDITOR
Classical music lovers are spoilt for choice when it comes to listening to their favourite music. Streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music have a healthy number of classical goodies in their libraries, and specialist streaming platforms such as Primephonic and Idagio seek to delight the expert musicians who seek specific recordings of various works. New CDs are released each week, concert recordings are widely broadcast, and online archives capture unforgettable musical moments for all.
Having all this technology at our fingertips is fantastic. I’m a huge fan. I love that I can switch between watching a Strauss opera on my iPad and YouTubing ‘Handel Hallelujah Chorus Fails’ whenever I feel like it. I’m certainly not one to wistfully stare out the windows and daydream of the good old days, before everything was just a finger-tap away.
And yet.
I’ve discovered the secret thrill of hunting and collection, of cultivating and (some would say) hoarding, a vinyl collection of my very own.
I’d never considered myself a vinyl fan before; records make me think of my dear old nan blasting Jesus Christ Superstar at full volume near midnight and trying to relive the ‘70s. But when I stepped into my local op shop trying to find concert blacks, I never thought I’d spend 45 minutes rifling through a packed shelf of colourful, near mint-condition records.
Let me share a secret with you: second-hand records are such good value. Prices may fluctuate between 50c and $5 depending on your op shop, but you’re not just paying for the music. You get to hold a piece of music history in your hands; a relic from a time before CDs, streaming, or any electronic means of recording and disseminating music. The people who originally owned and listened to the very vinyl in your hands may have gathered around the turntable and marvelled at the sound of a full symphonic orchestra pouring from a household object.
This record is a relic from the time when Dvorak’s New World symphony was considered his fifth rather than his ninth.
You’re paying for the thrill of the
chase; in today’s day and age, how many of us excitedly rummage through piles
of stuff to find our needle in the vinyl haystack?
(Side note: you are going to search through a lot of hilarious pre-digital content. How many flute covers of movie music and ‘string band’ arrangements of folk tunes are out there? The world will never know.)
Sifting through countless Liberace records to get your sweaty little hands the New York Philharmonic with Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony? Infinitely more rewarding than YouTubing the music.
And let’s be real: $5 (at most) for a record is a bloody bargain. We’re musicians. What musician doesn’t love a bargain?
Listening to classical music on vinyl is a unique experience; it’s like the musicians themselves are enveloping you in a warm hug of music and love. Vinyl brings an extraordinary amount of warmth to the music; I nearly cried listening to the lush string sounds in Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, a reaction I usually reserve for the wind playing in that work. Critics of vinyl cite the crackling and popping of records as distracting and unkempt compared to the crisp clarity of digital recordings. But to me, a record of warmth and soul that showcases its flaws alongside its triumphs is infinitely more special to me. It reminds me that the art of music-making strives for connection rather than perfection, and I connect extraordinarily to the music on vinyl records.
However, the aesthetic experience of owning a classical music vinyl collection is not for the ears alone. Most records are decked out with fantastic cover art, making the record a medium for both aural and visual arts. It makes flipping through your collection all the more visually pleasing, as well as giving you something to stare at as you ponder the meaning of the music surrounding you.
Tag yourself. I’m awkward lute guy from Brahms 1.
Plus, owning a record player adds major Insta-vibes to any bedroom/studio/study/practice room. Hang up some fairy lights, sprinkle a few succulents around, and watch your space come to life! Fully featured turntables can come in many forms, from retro-inspired statement pieces to sleek, futuristic designs. The perfect turntable to reflect your aesthetic taste is out there!
I won’t be cancelling my Spotify subscription anytime soon. But next time I find myself in an op shop with a few coins in my wallet, I’ll know exactly what to do.
CutCommon joined forces with Rockit to challenge Laura Biemmi to explore the world of vinyl and fully featured turntables. Have you ever found a vinyl gem? Drop us a line with your favourite classical LP.
(We can’t get enough of that Brahms 4…)
Image above by Annie Theby/Unsplash, featured image by Valentino Funghi/Unsplash. All other images by Laura Biemmi.
