As you might know, the basis of my book, “Guitar’s TOP 100. A guide to classical guitar’s most recorded music”, is a computerized discography of soon 14, 000 recordings. This means a reader knows how many recordings exist of each of the 555 pieces that are suggested in the book.
Now, is this information just for me? No. For example, I recently helped out 2 Norwegian students for lectures. One on Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Guitar Sonata, the other on Britten’s Nocturnal and Tippett’s The Blue Guitar Sonata. I provided the accurate (to my knowledge) discographical information they needed and I did it fast. So, this is an example of what I can do for you or your Master or Doctoral students.
Here are more examples of the reasons one can have to contact your friendly neighbourhood discographer:
Choose your title wisely!
You are a budding professional guitarist and will soon publish your first CD. Why should you ponder on a title? Because it makes it easier to find and sell on the internet. Because it is easier for a customer to memorize a well-chosen title. Because it gives a link or unity to all the pieces you will play on your CD. Forget “Guitar recital” as a title, it has been used 221 times and chances are your customers will not find it on the net because it is too general and lacks focus. “Dream” and derivatives (dreaming, dreamer…) 67 times. Fandango, 25; Fire 19; Voyage 18 etc..
Claims. Make sure you are sure!
A record company recently claimed theirs was the first recording of Napoléon Coste’s 25 Studies, Op. 38. False! They put the fourth set, not the first, of the complete Op. 38 on the market.
Get the idea? Write!
