Hyperion to retain Robert King titles in its catalog

Bunny · June 17, 2007, 05:31:26 AM

Earlier this month Robert King was convicted of "indecent assault" against 5 boys 16 years and younger (one was only 12) and given a prison term of 45 months. Hyperion has made clear that King's recordings will be retained in the catalog and they hope there will not be a boycott of the recordings in the mistaken belief that he receives royalties on the sales. The King's Consort is now being managed by King's wife and the direction of the King's Consort has been taken over by Matthew Halls. I have more than a few of King's recordings of Monteverdi, Vivaldi, and Purcell and they are excellent both in terms of their performance and sound quality. while I cannot regret having them, I admit it's a case of hating the sin but respecting the sinner. That doesn't mean that I feel that King should be allowed to go unpunished. Personally, I am satisfied that he will go to prison for his abuses and I regret the judge's ruling that he will not be banned from working with young men and boys after his release because he has since married and become a father. Marriage and fatherhood has not been shown to deter such abusers from such predations and the rate of recidivism for sexual offenses is quite high for such offenses.

Sadly, the name, "The King's Consort" now has a new level of meaning for me. How cynical to have called his group that.

Here are some links to the news coverage of this story:

Times Online
Guardian Unlimited
BBC News

FideLeo · June 17, 2007, 05:44:20 AM

The discussion on rcmr : Conductor Jailed

I am not sure the truth about this case has been found/heard yet.

Harry · June 17, 2007, 05:46:35 AM

Lets separate the man's qualities as a fabulous conductor, and the crime he committed.
This happens sadly enough, and this prison term of 45 months will destroy his career and private life for good, a lifelong sentence for him and his victims. .
It is terrible indeed, but I will play his records anyway.
Hyperion is not helped by boycotting them right?!

stingo · June 17, 2007, 05:59:13 AM

I'd think Hyperion has enough troubles on its hands the way it is.

knight66 · June 17, 2007, 06:05:50 AM

Personally, I am satisfied that he will go to prison for his abuses and I regret the judge's ruling that he will not be banned from working with young men and boys after his release because he has since married and become a father.
What bizarre reasoning, it has no touch with reality whatever.

Mike

71 dB · June 17, 2007, 06:07:03 AM

What the f...!?

Not long ago Hyperion was near banckrupcy. Now this. $:-\$

Harry · June 17, 2007, 06:09:26 AM

Quote from: knight on June 17, 2007, 06:05:50 AM
Personally, I am satisfied that he will go to prison for his abuses and I regret the judge's ruling that he will not be banned from working with young men and boys after his release because he has since married and become a father.
What bizarre reasoning, it has no touch with reality whatever.

Mike

Yes that was idiotic ruling indeed.

Lethevich · June 17, 2007, 06:31:01 AM

I would be saddened if Hyperion were forced to make any other decision, I hate hysteria.

"King, who was cleared of one count of indecent assault, told the court that all those levelling allegations against him were "absolute" liars."

Holy crap, that is sickening $:-\$

Bunny · June 17, 2007, 06:37:00 AM

Quote from: knight on June 17, 2007, 06:05:50 AM
Personally, I am satisfied that he will go to prison for his abuses and I regret the judge's ruling that he will not be banned from working with young men and boys after his release because he has since married and become a father.
What bizarre reasoning, it has no touch with reality whatever.

Mike

I presume you are referring to the judge's reasoning! Given the high rate of recidivism for such offenses it does boggle the imagination that he should be permitted to take another position as a teacher or school head.

The great pity is that he is so fine a musician. That's a lot rarer than sexual predators. The other big problem is whether Hyperion can survive this hit. Hopefully, people will separate the man from the music and the label will not suffer.

knight66 · June 17, 2007, 06:39:06 AM

The Guardian piece is an apologia basically. Despite the final disclaimer, it firmly suggests that artists should be better supported and more readily forgiven than mere mortals.

Mike

Harry · June 17, 2007, 06:41:06 AM

Quote from: Bunny on June 17, 2007, 06:37:00 AM
I presume you are referring to the judge's reasoning! Given the high rate of recidivism for such offenses it does boggle the imagination that he should be permitted to take another position as a teacher or school head.

The great pity is that he is so fine a musician. That's a lot rarer than sexual predators. The other big problem is whether Hyperion can survive this hit. Hopefully, people will separate the man from the music and the label will not suffer.

He will never get a new job in his lifetime.
This verdict will stick to him as a lifetime rejection.

Bunny · June 17, 2007, 06:51:33 AM

Quote from: Harry on June 17, 2007, 06:41:06 AM
He will never get a new job in his lifetime.
This verdict will stick to him as a lifetime rejection.

Harry, it's too soon to say that. The world has enormous capacity for self deception. Also, he may very well do things "behind the scenes" as well as under a new, assumed name. I don't think any school will hire him again. They will be more concerned than the judge by how parents will consider this.

I'm also curious about the nature of that "marriage." I may be biased, but I can't imagine that it is more than a sham marriage undertaken to influence the outcome of the proceedings, and it has been slightly successful at that.

Harry · June 17, 2007, 06:56:56 AM

Quote from: Bunny on June 17, 2007, 06:51:33 AM
Harry, it's too soon to say that. The world has enormous capacity for self deception. Also, he may very well do things "behind the scenes" as well as under a new, assumed name. I don't think any school will hire him again. They will be more concerned than the judge by how parents will consider this.

I'm also curious about the nature of that "marriage." I may be biased, but I can't imagine that it is more than a sham marriage undertaken to influence the outcome of the proceedings, and it has been slightly successful at that.

I don't think so Bunny, abusing children is a capital offence anywhere, and people have a long memory. Behind the scenes, well yes, that could be. But changing his name? He is to well known for that, and sooner or later it will come out.
It looks like being a sham marriage, for I cannot believe a woman in her right mind would want to marry such a person, and if she was, divorce him right away, and not stay at his side. So there is something fishy about it all.

Bunny · June 17, 2007, 07:07:38 AM

Quote from: Harry on June 17, 2007, 06:56:56 AM
I don't think so Bunny, abusing children is a capital offence anywhere, and people have a long memory. Behind the scenes, well yes, that could be. But changing his name? He is to well known for that, and sooner or later it will come out.
It looks like being a sham marriage, for I cannot believe a woman in her right mind would want to marry such a person, and if she was, divorce him right away, and not stay at his side. So there is something fishy about it all.

Michael Jackson was married -- twice. He also became a father and his career continued years after the first allegations of abuse against him. Clearly marriage and fatherhood had no effect on his habits. His wife is the present manager of the King's Consort. I don't doubt that she is more married to the Consort (it does have a nasty ring to it now) than to the King.

Josquin des Prez · June 17, 2007, 07:11:44 AM

Quote from: Harry on June 17, 2007, 06:56:56 AM
It looks like being a sham marriage, for I cannot believe a woman in her right mind would want to marry such a person, and if she was, divorce him right away, and not stay at his side. So there is something fishy about it all.

Well, it's not like she knew. Also, the allegations are pretty vague. Perhaps she still believes in his innocence. It's not like in this day and age of hysteria people haven't been falsely accused for stuff like this. Remember the Wenatchee scandal?

BachQ · June 17, 2007, 07:21:05 AM

I assume that King will appeal this conviction ........ a conviction that lacks any shred of physical evidence and which is based on memories dating back more than a dozen years .......

FideLeo · June 17, 2007, 07:22:36 AM

Quote from: D Minor on June 17, 2007, 07:21:05 AM
I assume that King will appeal this conviction ........ a conviction that lacks any shred of physical evidence and which is based on memories dating back more than a dozen years .......

Very true.

Bunny · June 17, 2007, 07:47:56 AM

Quote from: Josquin des Prez on June 17, 2007, 07:11:44 AM
Well, it's not like she knew. Also, the allegations are pretty vague. Perhaps she still believes in his innocence. It's not like in this day and age of hysteria people haven't been falsely accused for stuff like this. Remember the Wenatchee scandal?

I am not privy to the private relationship Mr. and Mrs. King. I do know how such unions have ended in more famous cases. Leonard Bernstein was married for many years and finally divorced his wife to resume a gay lifestyle, at which point he was frequently seen in the company of men much younger than himself (not children or teenagers -- no hint of that). Danny Kaye, also a husband and father, lived separately from his wife as well. Jan Wenner (publisher of Rolling Stone magazine) divorced his wife and resumed an openly gay lifestyle. We all know how Michael Jackson's two marriages ended. Dina Matos McGreevey will claim she didn't know of her husband's alternate lifestyle. He claims she did know from the first days of their marriage. This is a very gray area and no one will know the truth unless the parties involved actually come out and publically admit to what they knew when. That doesn't mean that we can't reach some accurate conclusions about the people involved.

I don't know if this is a case of mass hysteria, but the testimony reported in the Times online reads like the testimony in the recent cases of abuse by priests. One of the problems with cases such as this is that those abused don't come forward in a timely manner because they are too ashamed to tell anyone about it. The other reports of "wrestling" and bath play sound like seductive acts that are at the very least inappropriate with teenagers. If the acts were not meant as seductive, then it's a real pity. However, given the more devasting testimony reported by the Times, it's hard to believe that he was unaware of the nature of the play.

PerfectWagnerite · June 17, 2007, 08:05:40 AM

Quote from: stingo on June 17, 2007, 05:59:13 AM
I'd think Hyperion has enough troubles on its hands the way it is.

Certainly at $22 per CD I doubt there are too many takers.

Bunny · June 17, 2007, 11:04:02 AM

Quote from: PerfectWagnerite on June 17, 2007, 08:05:40 AM
Certainly at $22 per CD I doubt there are too many takers.

I've been buying most of my Hyperion cds in the BMG music clubs. That includes Stephen Hough's and Angela Hewitt's latest albums. And Marc Hamelin and the Leopold String Trio. They don't offer them there in SACD, but I never quibble about things that are on average between $5 and $7 dollars (tax added, shipping included). That's also the way I collected most of my Robert King cds as well. Over the years I was able to pick up quite a bit of the Monteverdi and Vivaldi. The Purcell I bought in my neighborhood used cd store.