New Releases

[Roasted Swan]

But they are sure looking good on the covers!

Deep sigh...........!

[Madiel]

Yes, how dare a young black musician play black and black-influenced music (there's Dvorak in there), instead of "serious" white music, on his first album. 

[Roasted Swan]

Yes, how dare a young black musician play black and black-influenced music (there's Dvorak in there), instead of "serious" white music, on his first album. 

Oooh - I'm cut to the quick.  That hadn't occured to me at all!

My point is that it will be the A&R people and the Record Company who decide the manner in which this disc is created and marketed.  Kanneh-Mason herself describes her disc as a survey of her favourite American music but the PR company emphasise the 'colour' of it.  This does no favours to the artist or the music.  Likewise Goosby's album "Roots" which is a clear reference to the seminal book/TV series - but let's be frank Porgy & Bess has little to do with this guy's roots - it's written by a Russian-American Jewish white guy and arranged by another Russian-American Jewish white guy.  Well done to Goosby to be a level where he can play this but don't pretend the music has much if anything to do with the experience of being Black American - its just a obvious publicity puff and a lazy one at that.

[Brian]

Well I listened to the Goosby album a couple weeks ago and it's really good. Still and Price particularly excel in chamber music rather than their more famous, inferior orchestral stuff.

He is actually biracial but the other half is Korean so I'm sure you will also disapprove of Gershwin's Koreanness 

[Madiel]

but let's be frank Porgy & Bess has little to do with this guy's roots - it's written by a Russian-American Jewish white guy and arranged by another Russian-American Jewish white guy. 

Let's be frank, the idea that cultures could influence each other, or heck, that white people might have appropriated some black music into their own, especially for a work performed by black singers, is just too complex for you.

Heaven knows what you make of the Dvorak. The guy wasn't anything-American. Just spent a few years there... writing works that are regularly discussed for the extent of the influence of the local musical vernacular...

Let's be frank, Debussy was French. Any Indonesian musician who decided to perform the pieces that were influenced by hearing a gamelan orchestra wouldn't get anywhere.

Why any person of colour would embark on a career in classical music given it is essentially white European (and male) and some people are terribly keen to forever keep it that way, I sometimes wonder.

[Mirror Image]

Let's be frank, the idea that cultures could influence each other, or heck, that white people might have appropriated some black music into their own, especially for a work performed by black singers, is just too complex for you.

Heaven knows what you make of the Dvorak. The guy wasn't anything-American. Just spent a few years there... writing works that are regularly discussed for the extent of the influence of the local musical vernacular...

Let's be frank, Debussy was French. Any Indonesian musician who decided to perform the pieces that were influenced by hearing a gamelan orchestra wouldn't get anywhere.

Why any person of colour would embark on a career in classical music given it is essentially white European (and male) and some people are terribly keen to forever keep it that way, I sometimes wonder.

Well said. Music from the Americas, Asia and Africa have influenced European music in more ways than one and I find it strange that one would feel the need to beat home a point about bad marketing when the fact is that marketing has never been classical music's selling point. The repertoire that is performed is the selling point. If one doesn't like the repertoire on a recording the solution is simple: don't buy it or concern yourself with it. For me, Roasted Swan's posts appear to be those from someone with an axe to grind.

[JBS]

The Goosby CD, as well as the Armstrong and Bomsori CDs (all of which have music that's not recorded very often), is on my wish list. RS, thank you for drawing it to my attention.
The Riopy CD seems to be new-age/soft jazz music, all written by the performer, so I don't see why the cover and marketing would be a problem beyond the question of why it's categorized as classical music

[Mirror Image]

Not complete (as opposed to the now OOP Bartók set on Decca), but with interesting content—it can be seen in German at the jpc site.



Announced for mid-September.

Following up to this post from ritter:



I have no idea what the release date will be. I found it on Amazon Germany.

[Mirror Image]

Something for Jeffrey's (Vandermolen) wife -



Something for the Solti fans (and those who had bought his CSO box set):



Some other upcoming releases:

[Madiel]

If one doesn't like the repertoire on a recording the solution is simple: don't buy it or concern yourself with it.

Indeed. The amount of music I'm interested in is vast... but the amount of music I'm not interested in is in fact far vaster. I don't generally concern myself with whether or not a release is targeted at some other part of the diverse musical market, unless there's something truly objectionable about it. And I don't see a reason why any of these releases would qualify...

...might have to listen to them all to find out. 

[Mirror Image]

Indeed. The amount of music I'm interested in is vast... but the amount of music I'm not interested in is in fact far vaster. I don't generally concern myself with whether or not a release is targeted at some other part of the diverse musical market, unless there's something truly objectionable about it. And I don't see a reason why any of these releases would qualify...

...might have to listen to them all to find out. 

Well, I'll leave all that listening to you. I personally don't care anything about those particular releases, but, hey, someone else might be and good for them. We have a lot of music to choose from.

[Roasted Swan]

Well I listened to the Goosby album a couple weeks ago and it's really good. Still and Price particularly excel in chamber music rather than their more famous, inferior orchestral stuff.

He is actually biracial but the other half is Korean so I'm sure you will also disapprove of Gershwin's Koreanness 

I didn't doubt for a second it would be good - hopefully he will have to opportunity to record more.

[JBS]

This was released a few days ago
https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/louise-farrenc-symphonies

[SonicMan46]

This was released a few days ago
https://www.warnerclassics.com/release/louise-farrenc-symphonies
   

Well, I don't collect that many female composers, but I do have 7 CDs of Louise's works including the 3 symphonies inserted above on CPO; looking at Amazon there are also 2 Naxos CDs of the works - nice to see her getting more recognition!    Dave

[Brian]

Based on my listens to No. 1 (my favorite), the Naxos recordings are not good enough to replace the CPO, while the Insula Orchestra is playing on period instruments, which adds obvious appeal of something different. Equilbey conducts dramatic performances, but the orchestral players are not perfect. Definitely nice to have both the Goritzki for a full, modern orchestra and the Equilbey for a leaner, scrapper period group.

[SonicMan46]

Based on my listens to No. 1 (my favorite), the Naxos recordings are not good enough to replace the CPO, while the Insula Orchestra is playing on period instruments, which adds obvious appeal of something different. Equilbey conducts dramatic performances, but the orchestral players are not perfect. Definitely nice to have both the Goritzki for a full, modern orchestra and the Equilbey for a leaner, scrapper period group.

Thanks Brian for your helpful comments - I'll hold on to the CPO set - not sure I need to add another but the new release is available on Spotify and will take a listen; assume that another recording w/ No. 2 by the Insula Orch will be released?  Dave

[Brian]

Thanks Brian for your helpful comments - I'll hold on to the CPO set - not sure I need to add another but the new release is available on Spotify and will take a listen; assume that another recording w/ No. 2 by the Insula Orch will be released?  Dave

Presto Classical says that this new Insula series will be the "complete orchestral works" - not sure if there are any new discoveries to record but based on previous recordings, I think that would be the three symphonies, two overtures, and two sets of virtuoso piano variations.

EDIT:
Just a sneak preview, no cover art yet, but September looks very exciting...a complete new Debussy Pelleas, Carolyn Sampson sings the Chants d'Auvergne, a new Penderecki quartet cycle, new Vasks orchestral stuff, and a Magdalena Kozena song recital accompanied by Yefim Bronfman. BIS will be doing new Saariaho, Part, Norgard, and Kullberg and completing the Zimmermann/Helmchen Beethoven sonata cycle. Isabelle Faust and Antoine Tamestit will be joining a HIP Brandenburg Concerto set. Plus box set reissues of complete Balakirev piano music (Grand Piano), Brahms symphonies (Norrington/SWR), and a 7 CD box of Anima Eterna/Immerseel.

Should be able to post full details and covers Monday or Tuesday.

EDIT II:



76 pianists on 11 CDs!!! Must really be a highlight reel of excerpts. This is Australian Eloquence so I suspect Cyrus Meher-Homji has patchworked together all the best stuff in the piano competition archive. The only pianists I've heard of are Andrey Gugnin, Ivo Janssen, Anna Malikova, Ilya Rashkovsky, and Gottlieb Wallisch. Full list: https://www.europadisc.co.uk/classical/152150/Virtuoso:_Pianists_of_the_Sydney_International_Piano_Competition_(1992-2016).htm

[prémont]

Isabelle Faust and Antoine Tamestit will be joining a HIP Brandenburg Concerto set.

With Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin??

[SonicMan46]

Presto Classical says that this new Insula series will be the "complete orchestral works" - not sure if there are any new discoveries to record but based on previous recordings, I think that would be the three symphonies, two overtures, and two sets of virtuoso piano variations.

Hi again Brian - looking at Louise's recordings in my collection below, the Overtures are included in one of the CPO discs - not sure about the 'Piano Variations' - also reviewing her oeuvre HERE, I seem to be missing some chamber and solo piano works (if recorded?) - will take a look on Amazon and Spotify for some more ideas.  Thanks again!  Dave

[JBS]

Well, I don't collect that many female composers, but I do have 7 CDs of Louise's works including the 3 symphonies inserted above on CPO; looking at Amazon there are also 2 Naxos CDs of the works - nice to see her getting more recognition!    Dave

Amazon US gives the release date as August 6.
I vaguely remember having one of the Naxos CDs and thinking it was rather boring.