The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music: Here are some more lists of the Best of 2013 Classical Recordings. They include NPR, Alex Ross and The New Yorker magazine, the San Jose Mercury News and the Star-Ledger of New Jersey.

By Jacob Stockinger

Just like the list of the past year’s best classical recordings (below) from The New York Times, which I posted yesterday and which has a link below, other media outlets are checking in with their lists.

https://welltempered.wordpress.com/2013/12/22/classical-music-the-top-classical-recordings-of-2013-are-finally-named-by-the-critics-for-the-new-york-times-does-the-list-come-too-late-to-serve-as-a-holiday-gift-giving-guide/

Here is the list, posted three days ago, of notable local concerts plus great recordings by the acclaimed critic Alex Ross  (below) of The New Yorker magazine:

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/12/notable-classical-performances-and-recordings-of-2013.html

And once again, The Ear has to ask: Why so late? There isn’t much time let to go shopping in local traditional brick-and-mortar stores or even on-line in time for Christmas.

Could it be that the late Thanksgiving threw everyone off?

Are maybe such lists just receiving a lower priority than they used to?

Were reviewers more interested in other things, like the expensive box sets that companies are pushing and they got review copies of?

Or have staff cuts at various newspapers added to the work load and made it more difficult to cover live events and also get out this seasonal features?

The Ear wonders and is waiting to hear some answers from others in the media or from his readers.

In the meantime, here are even some other lists and suggestions from various less well-known sources.

Use them for holiday gifts guide, for others or – at this point in time – for yourself if you receive some gift cards to, say, Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com or Archivmusic.com

Here is one from NPR’’s superb blog “Deceptive Cadence” that lists NPR’s Top Ten classical choices (below) for 2013:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/bestmusic2013/2013/12/13/249751178/npr-classicals-10-favorite-albums-of-2013

Here is one from the San Jose Mercury-News:

http://www.mercurynews.com/music/ci_24759155/best-2013-classical-hilary-hahns-27-pieces-top

And here is one from the Star-Ledger in New Jersey.

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2013/12/best_of_2013_classical_music_recordings_and_performances.html

You will notice some crossovers and agreements with NPR. The San Jose Mercury News and The New York Times. That bodes well, it seems to me, and makes the choosing that much easier.

But, as I have said often before, add immensely to the holiday gift by including some tickets to live local concerts – don’t forget that the Madison Symphony Orchestra is offering cut-rate tickets for the rest of the season through midnight of Christmas Eve — and the promise of your companionship and help or assistance.

For more information local concerts, here is a link:

https://welltempered.wordpress.com/2013/12/21/classical-music-this-holiday-season-why-not-give-the-gift-of-live-music-plus-your-time-and-companionship-here-are-some-suggestions-from-the-ear-and-from-guest-blogger-janet-murphy/

Music, like other forms of art, is a pleasure to be shared and is social in its origins.