That is a great summary of why we built this.
We wanted people to have a way to explore classical music that does not depend on them already being an expert. I think there are many potential lovers of classical music out there who are missing out because it’s just so difficult to explore that world incrementally.
Start with a composer and listen to the most popular recording each of their most popular compositions, and you’ll have a really great experience. Then you can decide whether to dig into a particular form (e.g. Symphony, Waltz, Concerto), digest their whole catalog, move onto a related composer, or explore an interesting musician or ensemble that you discovered during that listening decision.
Start with a genre like Opera and immediately get an overview of the most important operas, vocalists, conductors, and composers, and then start developing your own taste and opinions while listening to that stuff.
You’re going to find things you like and want to dig in, and the stuff you don’t like will become a reference point to help you understand that composer, time period or musical form for the future. We’ve put a lot of work into making sure the information is presented clearly and not in an overwhelming way, and that the best content is brought forward.
My classical listening and knowledge has flourished over the past year while working on this stuff. I am really looking forward to bringing that work to all of you guys next week.
Keep in mind I’m new to Roon. My question is, if my personal collection of classical music is scattered (from Terry Riley to Hildegard of Bingen) yet animic, how can Roon help me explore the wider world. Does it index Services like Qobuz to fill in its encyclopedia of recordings?
Yes, this all works on content from streaming services. You do not need a classical library of your own to have this experience.
That’s a good question @Jim_Meyer. As things stand I think Room builds the detailed database from your library. That’s what drives focus, suggesting that it’ll be restricted to your library.
The new focus features for 1.8 go beyond your library.