The Tower Stumbles

I do love classical music--and some pop, and some rock, and some folk, and some jazz, and some new age, and some world. I listen a lot, almost daily. I have a small (by some standards at least) collection of about 500 compact disks. And I have some vinyl long playing records, and some reel-to-reel magnetic tapes. I have reached the stage where I have recordings of almost all of my favorite classical compositions. In some cases, I have several recordings of a work, by different performers. Every so often I 'discover' something that I have not heard before, and the collection continues to grow.

If the ratings of local radio stations are any indication, I share this love with only about 2.5% of the population.

For years, a primary source of recordings for me has been the local record shop. Have you noticed that they are getting harder and harder to find? Many of the chain stores have folded--Music Plus, and The Wherehouse, to name a couple. They are falling victim to discount stores like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy. Those competitors lack both the depth and scope of offering that a serious collector of classical music needs. The popular music side has suffered too, primarily because of the availability of mp3 downloads on line.

Even the dedicated record shops go through a predictable cycle. When they first open, the classical music section is a garden of delights. There are works by the major composers, of course, often with a choice of performers. And the lesser known composers are represented as well. As time goes on, however, the classical section diminishes in size and variety. Before long, all that appears are some Strauss Waltzes, Mozart for breakfast, the Best of Beethoven, or Favorite Adagios. So, by limiting itself to the "best sellers," the record shop drives away the classical music collector who is exploring an obscure work or composer.

One of my favorite haunts has been Tower Records. The different branches vary, but in general they have kept a large and varied selection of classical disks available. The Los Angeles store has a separate building for the classical music lovers.

But, alas, Tower Records has filed for bankruptcy a second time, and is now up for sale. Only time will tell who will purchase the stores and what will become of them.

One of my closest friends lives in Cleveland Ohio. There is no Tower Records there. In fact, there is no good record store in the city. The same will be true soon for southern California.

Fortunately, we have the internet. So far, I have had excellent results with Amazon.com, H&B Recordings Direct, ArkivMusic, mvdaily, and Sonyclassical.co.uk. And I know there are others as well. But it's just not as much fun as a visit to the local record shop.