Toytown Germany

Did you know that the greatest classical CD selection in Germany is right here, in Munich? Situated on the forth floor of the Ludwig Beck store on the Marienplatz, it processes orders from all over Europe. Even international visitors, from as far as Japan, come here in person to shop for rare CD's not found elsewhere. And you will never guess whom else one might meet there... Let me give you an example...[img]http://www.toytowngermany.com/munich/ludwig-beck-munich.jpg[/img]

Some months ago, my dog and I went to Ludwig Beck, took the elevator up to the forth floor and made our way into the classical CD department. I was looking to buy a CD by the American Baritone Thomas Hampson, considered to be on of the best in the world, and made straight for the "H" section. As I got there, an elegant older gentleman with a British accent beat me to the spot by a split second. He was looking for a guy called "Hann", who was on the same rack, right behind Hampson, and so all Zafir, the dog, and I could do was to bide our time. Noticing that he was British and thinking he might be another stranded ex-pat lost in a sea of bewildering new cultural items to deal with, I struck up a conversation.

[img]http://www.toytowngermany.com/munich/ludwig-beck-cd-shop.jpg[/img]

We talked about Hann, and then Hampson, and then Hann again, each of us trying to convince the other of "our" singer's superiority and to get the other to buy "our man's" CD instead. He seemed to know an awful lot about opera, a hell of a lot more than I did, so I asked the inevitable question: "So, are you an opera singer or what?"

"Used to be," he replied, happily enough. "But I've given it up now."
"Oh yeah, why?" I challenged, ready to deliver a long lecture about age not being a good reason to give up doing what we love. He looked to be in his seventies, so I thought I'd better infuse him with a dose of wisdom!
"Er, I've taken up acting instead," he replied humbly.
"Oh yeah, what, here in Munich?" I asked, thinking that he might belong to a local ex-pat actors' group.
"Hm, no, in London, actually."
"Oh geez," I replied sympathetically. "Not a lot of money in that, is there?"
"Not doing too badly," he replied with a mischievous smile. "At least it allows me to travel."
"Oh, so you're only here, visiting."
"Yes, indeed."
"How come, did the great CD department get you to Munich?"
"Er, no, I have a few films in the cinema right now. I am actually getting some award tonight."
"Hm I don't go to the movies a lot. Are you in any films I might have heard of."
"Don't know. Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter."
"You got a speaking part, at least?"
"Yes, indeed. I got one of the major parts, actually. I am the bad guy," he grinned.

"Hm, haven't seen the movies, but never mind," I replied and then we turned back to things more important, such as who was the better singer, Hann or Hampson. The next 10 minutes, we spent chatting away and then, he spent a bit of time being dragged by my dog through the CD department while I went off to the other end of the store to get a different rare CD. Only when he wrote down his email for me so I could let him know what I thought of Hann (whose CD I bought because he bought Hampson), he introduced himself by name: Christopher Lee.

[img]http://www.toytowngermany.com/munich/christopher-lee.jpg[/img]

All this just to say what kind of people you might meet there. But, on a rainy afternoon, you don't have to be Christopher Lee, passing the time 'till the evening's award ceremony, to have a great time at Beck's. If you love classical music, what better way could there be to kill a few hours than to really get to know classical music by listening through Beck's extensive selection?

For some brilliant pieces to discover, try a group of composers known as the forgotten geniuses. Most of them lived at the turn of the last century, and were friends and students of the great masters. For circumstances outside their control, they did not become as widely known as their work merits.

The most brilliant, tragic story is that of Hans Rott (1858-1884), Bruckner's favourite student at the Vienna conservatory. He died, aged 26, in a mental institution, but his symphony in E Major was rightly termed by Mahler to be the mark of such genius that music had suffered an irreparable loss with his death. The music was saved from oblivion only thanks to Bruckner, and it took more than 100 years after the composer's death to record it. But now: voila. Check out R for Rott, and you will find the astonishing symphony for only 20 Euros.

How about A for Arriaga (1806-1826)? The 20 year old composer died of a heart attack, having found to have such genius that people encouraged him to keep composing, and he died of overwork.

G stands for the Hungarian composer Karl Goldmark (1830-1915), who used to go for walks with Brahms and Liszt, and whose Rustic Wedding Symphony reflects an influence of both.

Try V for one of the most haunting and brilliant Stabat Maters you have ever heard, released by Orfeo and written by Johann Baptist Vanhal, a close friend of Haydn and Mozart. Vanhal was known for his brilliance as well as his friendliness, and was too friendly to survive competition.

The four surviving symphonies of Franz Berwald of Sweden, who managed a glass factory to finance his composition and his writings, now occupy an important place in the history of 19th century symphony.

Under B, you will discover one of the most fascinating musical figures of the last turn-of-the-century. Italian composer Ferrucio Busoni (1866-1924), subject of a recent major article in Rondo magazine, was a wonder child who became a protégé of Brahms. The troubled, hard-drinking genius composed what is termed "music which gives the soul wings". His haunting Ambumblatt for Piano and Flute, on the Chamber Music CD by Capriccio Records, is considered by many scholars to be the best piece ever written for this instrument combination. Or try the Violin Sonatas 1 and 2. You will find a true genius whose mainly reason for not being as widely known as Brahms and Bruckner is because he - absurdly - wanted to be German instead of Italian, and moved to Berlin from Italy at the height of his career. The handsome female heartthrob eventually drank and smoked himself to death, and still gets fresh flowers on his grave in Berlin.

Or try the German composer Werner Egk, (1901-1983), who resided in Inning on the Ammersee until his death. His opera Peer Gynt was protested against by the Germans as late as 1982, and then, La Tentation de Saint Antoine is a beautiful vocal oeuvre, considered by experts to be as French as any of them. Maybe you will discover some more such forgotten geniuses as you listen through the alphabet at Beck's.

On the more contemporary side, there are at least 5 versions of Brahms Tragic Overture, ranging in price from 5 Euros to 40, and some of them in combination with the Haydn variations, or several of his symphonies.

Try Bruckner's collected symphonies for all of 60 Euross, or the wide range of Naxos CDs available. Naxos is a classic label founded some 15 years ago by a German living in Hong Kong, with the view of making good classical recordings available to a wide audience at a fair price. The average price of their well-recorded CD's is 5 Euros, with full operas like Puccini's Madame Butterfly available at only 10 Euros. Their repertoire is astonishing, and you might want to try a 5 Euro CD of Eric Satie, the crazy French composer whose piano music is as widely known as his strange, funny writings about a composer's life.

If you want to take a break from listening to the music, try grabbing a catalogue and browsing through it while enjoying the delicious, authentic food of the little Vietnamese bistro on the same floor. A gui-coan (Vietnamese Spring roll) sells for only 3 Euros, and provides a delicious way to restore your energies. Sitting at the bar as you eat, you'll find many other music enthusiasts with whom to exchange the tragic life stories of genial composers, or to share tips about new recordings of Mozart. Afterwards, return to the store and check out the latest releases you have just discovered in the catalogue, or in the prestigious music magazine Rondo, also available in the store.

If you have any questions, the staff will be happy to answer them. Don't think that just anyone waits on you here at Beck's. The largest classical music section in Germany has its own, high standards. Most of the shop assistants have studied music and are graduates from university or the conservatory. You can ask a pianist to advise you on Liszt, Satie or Chopin. The store's very own opera singer will tell you the difference between Hildegard Behrens and Cecilia Bartoli, and the violinist from the state orchestra can advise which recording to chose of Busoni's Violin Sonatas.

You may get hooked on the fascinating, novel-style life stories of the composers, which you can read in the booklets as you listen to their music. You may end up returning over and over, for many a rainy day, perhaps even change your taste of music so completely that you want to stay there.

But don't think you can make turn music at Beck into something as easy as a piece of cake, just like that. Each of the shop assistants has their own area of expertise, and some are more friendly than others. Forgive the abrupt ones, if you may. Many of them are geniuses in their own rights, unable to find a place in Germany's overfilled job market, after graduating from the conservatory. It would come as little surprise if 100 years from now someone walks into a music store, finds a fascinating, forgotten symphony, and exclaims upon listening to it - just like we do today, as we stumble upon Berwald, Busoni or Rott - "can you believe this brilliant music has been forgotten so long? And to imagine that the composer used to work at Ludwig Beck to finance himself".

Christopher Lee was not in Harry Potter...

Whenever I am in Munich one of my first stops is Beck's and now that certain record labels are no longer available in the U.S. I am wondering whether you invite inquiries on your inventory. For instance, there is a four-CD set on Bluebell entitled "Wagner in Stockholm" and a 1951 Knappertsbusch Parsifal on Naxos. Do you carry these and do you ship overseas. Viele gruesse aus New York!