Topic: If the GMG regulars were record label owners

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

Well, I think we should take up a subscription and start our own GMG label.  We could all be record moguls leading fascinating - and hopefully controversial - lives.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Marc, thanks for the suggestion.

Nice idea.

I would also like Kooiman´s first Bach traversal (LP 1970es) to be released on CD.
And maybe (for historical reasons) Anton Heiller´s early Bach integral (Philips 1950es).

Heiller is probably the greatest ever (at least on record) IMO. I buy everything I can find of his, including his recordings on organ (Bach, Reger) and harpsichord (Rameau), mostly on the Vanguard label. I found a recording (LP) of his on the Philips label (grayish cover, spiral bound book with LP sleeve) and the sound quailty was so horrendous I could not even finish listening to it. I was very disappointed. The Vanguards were certainly never great in terms of sound quality, but this one Philips was unbelievably bad.

Any info or links you have on Heiller recordings would be greatly appreciated. Please post! Thanks.

[Jo498]

Did Heiller play historical harpsichords or steel frame ones? I have to admit that I encounter his name for the first time, what's so special about his playing?

[Mirror Image]

Yeah, that's John's strategy too.

Actually, I wouldn't say this is my strategy as I want to succeed. Even though my label would be dedicated to the 20th Century, the releases would be wide enough in repertoire that there will most definitely be some interest in what I'm putting out.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

I love Heiller's Rameau on harpsichord for its incredible sense of rhythm and lyricism. When I first found this LP over two decades ago, I listened over and over again, and had these pieces stuck in my head for months. William Christie's performances are quite good, Scott Ross' were a big disappointment (too fast and zero feeling), and various other versions on harpsichord and piano I have heard were ok, but for me none will ever compare to Heiller.

I am sure the instrument he used was not a Pleyel, steel frame affair. The instrument is actually very beautiful sounding and seems historically correct, but the sound quality is far from great.

His Bach seems equally perfect, with all the right tempos, articulation, beautiful registration, etc. Of course, I also love Karl Richter's organ and harpsichord performances, and everyone else on this forum seems to hate and detest Karl Richter, so keep that in mind. 

Heiller was also a noted music scholar and composer.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Here are a few:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9KFwJgKzFg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hgQimuViXQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hA8OpFzvdg

Will have to look into this set. The sound is cleaned up and better than the original LP. From what I see on Amazon, it is only available as MP3 at 99 cents/track. They're going to have to do better than that.

(This thread should be moved to the General Classical discussion forum)

[The new erato]

....... there will most definitely be some interest in what I'm putting out.

One for the girly thread I think.

[(: premont :)]

Marc, thanks for the suggestion.

Heiller is probably the greatest ever (at least on record) IMO. I buy everything I can find of his, including his recordings on organ (Bach, Reger) and harpsichord (Rameau), mostly on the Vanguard label. I found a recording (LP) of his on the Philips label (grayish cover, spiral bound book with LP sleeve) and the sound quailty was so horrendous I could not even finish listening to it. I was very disappointed. The Vanguards were certainly never great in terms of sound quality, but this one Philips was unbelievably bad.

Any info or links you have on Heiller recordings would be greatly appreciated. Please post! Thanks.

I agree that the sound on Heiller´s Philips Bach integral (LP ca. 1952) is bad, and this is why I wrote, that I want it released on CD for historical reasons.

As far as I know, he did not use period instruments for recordings, neither organs nor harpsichords, and concerning harpsichords I think he used to play on Neupert revival harpsichords like the ones Karl Richter used.

He was also very good in live performance, I have attended three organ recitals with him in Copenhagen (Bach, Buxtehude,improvisation).

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Interesting. I'm not sure I could distinguish the sound of an historic harpsichord from a revival instrument, but nevertheless, it sounds nothing like a Pleyel, iron frame instrument to me.

[Jo498]

I am far from an expert but some of the "revival" instruments do sound very different from the historical ones. Of course this might also be sometimes the fault of the recording technology. E.g whatever Gould played on his few harpsichord recordings (Handel Suites) is way too closely recorded and still sounds weak and ugly with a fair amount of pounding noise. Some of this is certainly due to Gould not being used to the instrument and the microphon placement.

[Brian]

Well, I think we should take up a subscription and start our own GMG label.  We could all be record moguls leading fascinating - and hopefully controversial - lives.

Can you imagine the debate that would rage if GMG did raise, say, $10,000, and we all started arguing over what CD to record?

[Mirror Image]

Can you imagine the debate that would rage if GMG did raise, say, $10,000, and we all started arguing over what CD to record?

This would be an argument I couldn't win.

[springrite]

This would be an argument I couldn't win.

But that wouldn't stop you. 

[jochanaan]

...I would give him free reign....

[Grammar Grumble alert!] Shouldn't that read "free rein"?

[Ken B]

Can you imagine the debate that would rage if GMG did raise, say, $10,000, and we all started arguing over what CD to record?

No kazoos!

[Todd]

Can you imagine the debate that would rage if GMG did raise, say, $10,000, and we all started arguing over what CD to record?

If the list of possibilities included Ragna Schirmer playing Op 31, I'd write the check myself.  No need to debate about that.

[Jo498]

Whose op.31? Beethoven's or Chopin's?

[North Star]

Whose op.31? Beethoven's or Chopin's?

Could also be Alkan, Scriabin, or Prokofiev. 
But obviously Todd means Beethoven's.

[Brian]

Whose op.31? Beethoven's or Chopin's?

I think both of them together would fit on one CD...

[Pat B]

I'd record "Funeral Song" by Stravinsky. Also that Brahms piece that Christopher Hogwood discovered a year after Craig Sheppard played it in concert.



More seriously, there are an awful lot of pieces that don't have period instrument recordings (including, amazingly, several Beethoven string quartets), or the PI recordings are unavailable or unsatisfactory. That's what I'd focus on.