Lyrita catalogue

Started by Montpellier, June 23, 2008, 03:35:11 AM

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Montpellier

As I understood it, Wyastone (Nimbus) were going to reissue the entire Lyrita catalogue on CD.

Noting the Robert Still symphonies weren't in the July pre-releases I emailed them only to find that the Robert Still disc is not on any of their release schedules.  A great shame - so much for the entire catalogue being reissued.  Which probably means we won't get the Searle symphonies either.

So...a bit disappointing altogether. 

J.Z. Herrenberg

Quote from: Anacho on June 23, 2008, 03:35:11 AM
As I understood it, Wyastone (Nimbus) were going to reissue the entire Lyrita catalogue on CD.

Noting the Robert Still symphonies weren't in the July pre-releases I emailed them only to find that the Robert Still disc is not on any of their release schedules.  A great shame - so much for the entire catalogue being reissued.  Which probably means we won't get the Searle symphonies either.

So...a bit disappointing altogether.

I was under the same impression. I wonder what made them change their mind (if they have, that is)... Those Lyrita reissues are selling very well (among the lovers of British music, of course), and they have been a great critical success, too.

I am glad, then, they reissued Brian in February 2008 (iirc), after more than 30 years!
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. -- Plato

Harry

Quote from: Anacho on June 23, 2008, 03:35:11 AM
Which probably means we won't get the Searle symphonies either.

So...a bit disappointing altogether. 

But then, you have the excellent CPO recordings!

vandermolen

Lyrita will release the Still symphonies in the next few months, probably with Searle Symphony No 2, although they are in negotiations with Decca to try and get agreement to issue a separate CD of Searle's Symphony 1 and Symphony 2. So, there is still some doubt about Searle Symphony No 1 being issued by Lyrita, but the Robert Still symphonies and Searle's No 2 will definitely be issued soon.

Thanks to Colin for getting this clarified.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Dundonnell

Quote from: vandermolen on June 24, 2008, 01:43:57 AM
Lyrita will release the Still symphonies in the next few months, probably with Searle Symphony No 2, although they are in negotiations with Decca to try and get agreement to issue a separate CD of Searle's Symphony 1 and Symphony 2. So, there is still some doubt about Searle Symphony No 1 being issued by Lyrita, but the Robert Still symphonies and Searle's No 2 will definitely be issued soon.

Thanks to Colin for getting this clarified.

Yes, it was most unfortunate that the information supplied at first to those who got in touch with Lyrita was so misleading and alarming. Fortunately my email elicited a response from Caractactus Downes himself and the clarification Jeffrey has explained above.

The intention was to couple the two Still symphonies with the same composer's Concerto for Strings and Elegie for Baritone, Chorus and Small Orchestra(John Carol Case, the Ambrosian Singers and the Jacques Orchestra-Myer Fredman) from Decca LXT 6281.

I hope that equally the plan was to couple the Searle symphonies with Matyas Seiber's Elegy for Viola and Small Orchestra(Cecil Aronowitz and the LPO) and Three Fragments from "A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man"(James Joyce)-(Peter Pears with the Melos Ensemble and rge Dorian Singers)both conducted by the composer, from LXT 5588. These pieces formed the coupling for the original issue of the Searle No.1 conducted by Boult.

If Decca has no intention of reissuing these works I devoutly hope that permission will be given to Lyrita. What does puzzle me is why it has taken so long for a decision on such permission to be made.

Fingers crossed!

Montpellier

#5
Thank you for the consolations.  I'll cross my fingers!   Though the Searle Symphonies have appeared elsewhere I tend to support Lyrita for the work they've done to support british music, most of which would otherwise have been lost.  (Chandos and others have done us some service, so - not to forget them but I liked the sound of the Lyrita Searle on the LP, so it's nice to know I might be able to hear it again on CD.

Cheers.

Dundonnell

This saga continues!

An email from Lyrita this morning indicates that the intention had been to issue the coupling of the Still Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4 with Searle's 2nd this month. However the possibility of licensing the Decca recordings mentioned above cropped up again at the last minute. As a result the release of the Still will not be until February at the earliest.

I cannot understand why Decca would wish to retain the Searle 1st and the other Searle and Still pieces if they have absolutely no intention of releasing them themselves!