The Adagio Business Plan

In my opinion one of the primary reasons that classical composers, publishers and labels haven't embraced the distribution of classical music via the Internet as much as other music genres is simply that classical enthusiasts are more demanding of audio quality. Most music files available online are in compressed formats, such as MP3 or WMA, which make the files much smaller and quicker to download and take up less storage space on your computer and/or playback device, but at the expense of audio quality. Almost all currently used audio formats use what is known as "lossy compression", where a mathematical algorithm removes portions of the audio stream that we supposedly can't hear or perceive in order to save space. Such a compressed music file might sound great on your iPod or Zune while you're jogging, skiing or just listening at work, but if you compare a file ripped from a CD into a compressed audio format to the original track of the CD on a decent home stereo system, you CAN hear the difference. Having worked in consumer audio sales for over ten years and knowing the tastes of customers that enjoy classical music, I can say they generally demand high audio quality in the equipment that they purchase and are willing to pay for it, so they aren't going to compromise their listening enjoyment by utilizing lower quality audio recordings.

I myself work in the IT sector and am a big proponent of computer technology. I'm an avid computer gamer, I build my own systems and have a small side business troubleshooting and repairing computers, and I could be considered an "early adopter" of technology. That being said, I have never purchased a single MP3 off the Internet and I continue to purchase my music (of all types) on CD. As a matter of fact I have just recently gotten around to importing my CD collection onto my computer, but I'm definitely not ripping them to MP3's - I'm recording them in the same format as they are on the CD. Sure, they take up more room, but I feel the audio quality more than makes up for the extra space required. After all, the goal of audio reproduction has always been to try to capture and duplicate the sound of the live performance as close as possible, so why compromise it from the start?

Classical music is eternal. Perhaps those CDs don't sell as much as those of some pre-pubescent band of boys, but those who create recordings of classical music are creating true art -- not music with all the depth and emotional truth of a piece of onion skin. What's really sad is that the onion skin seems to matter more these days to recording labels, as long as it's onion skin that pays.

Beethoven died in 1826. Does anyone actually believe that if the world is still around in 183 years people will even know who the Jonas Brothers are? Of course they won't, but I bet you they'll still know Beethoven. In the end talent always wins.

The headline is misleading and the premise is just plain silly.

I agree, CDs are the best for sharp, clear and pleasurable listening of the classics. I think it is a money thing. Lots of work and time and therefore money go into producing a CD, and the financial return is not like the Jonas Bros. would receive.