Evening star., 1949-07-02
This and That
BIZ Charles E. Tr1ce1reH
"RETHESDA MD

Dear Sir:
Some months ago took up collecting
phonograph records
MY problem today is, should concen-
trate on classical or popular discs?
Some Of my friends buy one and others
the other. but not one know goes in for
both as I do.
MY system has its advantages and dis
advantages. The chief disadvantage is that
I cannot get as big collection Of either as
I could If I concentrated on one or the
other.
!. Il would welcome your words. of wisdom
on this matter. Respectfully. G. M. D."
One can scarcely answer such question
as this except from ones own personal ex-
perience.
1t is a problem many record collectors
face.
This is because no one has an unlimited
amount of money to spend nor room for
the collection of as many records as one
would like to have.
And many persons suffer from a sort OF
guilty complex when they see how much
money they are putting into popular stun
that might have gone to the esteemed
classics.
If one. then, collects simply to brag to
Others the classical records are best. That
way, one can do thorough job Of 1t.
But If one collects partly for the fun Of
It, no doubt he will do well to split his
purchases about half end half. or IS per
cent classical. Is per cent popular.
For there is more sheer musical fun in
popular music than in classic music. Let
us admit that this division OF record music
is not an exact one. There is plenty Of
fun in great music, too. There are some
almost symphonic moments in popular mu-
sic. But for everyday purposes the division
will do. For every one knows what you mean.
X
Fun in music is something that some
folks, and honest folks, too, do not under
stand.
They are so solemn about their music.
and so sold on the idea that great music
is great, that they begrudge every minute
spent listening to anything less than
symphony
That is fine, but in time it tends to be
slightly wearying.
The small melodic work, often folk song,
appeals to something primitive in all Of lis.
Exotic records, to be had from all around
the world show this plainly. Outlandish,
truly from far away places" these songs
reveal that the common basic heart of
humanity is much the same if you can
get it eff the politico-relgious track
AS for us, we wouldn't give Vaughan
Monroe's Riders in the Sky for some
symphonies we have on our shelves, if we
nad to make choice.
Dreamed up by Western forest ranger
(from the old Civil War tune when Johnny
Comes Marching HomeD, this song out OF
an old one becomes. ir this arrangement,
completely new thing.
1t has a haunting something to 1t that
will outlast many more pretentious Offer
ings, both popular and classical.
This record shows how to take an old
tune and make new one out of it. When
it IS done this well, it is always good.
Our answer to our correspondent then,
is to use discrimination, but at the same
time have some of both forms of discs
Just as all work and no play makes Jack
a dull boy. so all symphony records and
no popular ones in a collection tends to
bore even it's owner at last.
Our belief is, if a hard and fast rule is
wanted, that at least IS per cent of ones
outlay should be on popular records. with
| some of the latter being Latin American
numbers.
| No one can know how good popular n1u-
| sic can be unless he is acquainted with mu-
| sic from south of the border and with the
| best European popular songs.
| That one cannot understand the words
| is all to the good the words of popular
songs, the world around, are their poorest
| feature.
Seventy-five per cent, then, for classical
! discs, Is per cent for popular. And II one
| wishes to make it $3.50. they will hear no
objection from this quarter.