I was organizing my CDs yesterday morning and I realized that I have four different versions of "Mars, the Bringer of War" from The Planets by Gustav Holst (1874-1934). It's definitely one of my all-time favorite pieces of music.
The first and second are two different performances by the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Ormandy. (One recording is two seconds longer than the other. I have no idea why.)
The third is by the Orchestre National de France, conducted by Lorin Maazel.
And the fourth is a synthesizer version by Emerson, Lake & Powell from 1986.
What's funny about this is that I am not a music snob. Far from it -- I am just about the least musical person on earth. I don't read music, I don't write music, I can't play any instrument and I doubt I could name more than four composers. How I came to own four different versions of the same work is a mildly amusing mystery.
The first and second are two different performances by the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Ormandy. (One recording is two seconds longer than the other. I have no idea why.)
The third is by the Orchestre National de France, conducted by Lorin Maazel.
And the fourth is a synthesizer version by Emerson, Lake & Powell from 1986.
What's funny about this is that I am not a music snob. Far from it -- I am just about the least musical person on earth. I don't read music, I don't write music, I can't play any instrument and I doubt I could name more than four composers. How I came to own four different versions of the same work is a mildly amusing mystery.