Recorded Classical Music: a Critical Guide to Compositions and Performances

Schirmer G Books, 1981. Hardcover. Good/Fair. An extraordinary compilation of brief reviews of pretty much every piece of any length on any LP listed in the Schwann catalog of the time. A staggering 2164-page book that must have represented thousands of hours of listening. In general, one and only one specific recording is recommended for each piece, whether a Beethoven symphony or a trumpt-piano solo piece. (And there is little doubt that Cohn actually did listen to each and every piece, since his remarks are often quite specific; as an example, he prefers a different pianist for each one of the five Beethoven conceros.) As might be imagined, he sometimes struggles to say something different for each of the thousand-odd pieces included, but it is an amazing feat all the same. The very heavy book is solid and unmarked; the dust jacket has several taped tears.