The Penguin Guide To Recorded Classical Music - History

History

The guidebook first appeared in 1960 as The Stereo Record Guide, in response to the increasing number of stereo LP recordings available. Up to 1968 the writing team comprised Ivan March, Edward Greenfield and Denis Stevens. Penguin Books, having published guides to bargain records (1966, 1970 and 1972), began publishing the guides in 1975. In those days, as the reviewers concede it was possible to include almost all stereo recordings, so limited was the repertoire.

Additional volumes were printed to cover cassettes, and in the 1984 Guide compact discs were added for the first time. By the 1990 revision so completely had CDs come to dominate that LPs were omitted altogether. Since 1997, the main guide has been supplemented by alternately published 'yearbooks', adding new recordings and recommended issues for that particular year. Several other supplementary volumes have been released covering 'bargain' recordings. Additionally, since 2003 DVDs have been incorporated, initially as an appendix, and from the 2006 edition in the main body of the reviews themselves.

Whilst these other volumes add further reviews, the authors admit that attempting to cover all releases is now impossible, and instead only the 'cream' of available recordings can be covered.

This more selective approach, coupled with a perceived British bias, has led to criticism, on internet newsgroups and elsewhere. However as even some critics agree a project on this scale and on this topic (inevitably a subjective affair) could not expect to suit all perspectives.

Since publication of the 2010 edition in November 2009, the guide has not been updated. The editors worked on a new book, published in 2011 as The Penguin Guide to the 1000 Finest Classical Recordings: The Must-Have CDs and DVDs.