Is there a dearth of 'new' Romantic' orchestral works?

[Richard Moss]

As well as daily scanning UC for any interesting new releases members have spotted, each week I look at the PRESTO forthcoming releases for the next 7 days, hoping to see something orchestral (which includes concertos) that was composed, say, between 1790 and 1890, and is a 'not previously recorded' work. 

By and large I continually look in vain (I know there is quite a bit of 'new' choral, opera and chamber music but that us 'not my thing'). I don't think Presto cover Mediterranean labels such as Verso and probably South American labels too - or I haven't noticed anything if they do - and I don't know where else to look for new releases other than Presto.

Am I missing interesting new releases or has the market for new romantic orchestral works (other than CPO)   shrunk to the something approaching the size of the dolphin population in the Gobi desert?

Any pointers members can suggest for where else to look would be really appreciated.

Best wishes

Richard

 

[eschiss1]

Cue (as if!) people answering with Romanticish-sort-of-if-you-stretch-the-meaning works composed after 2020, since people often respond to headlines (I am guilty of this myself).
You're probably right on the whole, though. (Also, both in concert -and- on recording, after the standards, world premieres, the virtuoso show-pieces, the lesser-known lesser-played works are a far fourth in their appearances in most genres; there are exceptions, as when the occasional opera by e.g. Viardot-Garcia or Boulogne (good stuff, both) has been performed at Ithaca College in the last couple of years, though the exceptions have generally been, yes, chamber works or opera.)

That said:

World premieres of Vieuxtemps violin and orchestra works. Just out a few weeks ago...

[britishcomposer]

For a monthly magazine of new releases you can visit jpc here:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/home/static/-/page/jpc-courier

[eschiss1]

Thanks. Hrm. At least one interesting item there to me...

[John Boyer]

Cue (as if!) people answering with Romanticish-sort-of-if-you-stretch-the-meaning works composed after 2020, since people often respond to headlines (I am guilty of this myself).

You are not alone. I thought the same thing.  The title should have read, "Is there a dearth of new recordings of Romantic works?"

[terry martyn]

Unfortunately, I think so too. There was a short-lived post-Covid spike, but I'm having to ferret around for orchestral works in Richard's period  (which happens to coincide with my preferred era). We have lost some good,independent labels and even Naxos is not supplying our lifeblood as much as usual.

Talking of lifeblood, that "lost Vieuxtemps" CD that Eric mentions sounds very anaemic to me. Even a dyed-in-the-wool Vieuxtemps fan as I am  will have to have a serious think about its value. Puts me in mind of that Viotti boxed set that I mentioned elsewhere. Fantastic jpc value, on the face of it, but I would have taken a shoe off and thrown it at the performers for such lack of oomph.

[eschiss1]

Mr Boyer- with the modification that he did specify new recordings of never-recorded (commercially) Romantic-era works. That does narrow the field some. The Oswald CD on Naxos, for example, contains one work that's been recorded once? and one new recording, but I think both (1908, 1898) are outside the time range he specified. Every new boundary condition makes the set smaller, in these things

[John Boyer]

Mr Boyer- with the modification that he did specify new recordings of never-recorded (commercially) Romantic-era works.

I was just referring to the title of the thread rather than the content of Richard's first post in it, which was clear enough. I don't think we have the ability to edit the title ourselves. I think that's reserved for the moderators, so type carefully!

[Richard Moss]

Gents,

Thanks for the comments. Sadly, I found the JPC link to be all in  German even though I clicked the English icon at the top (and my 'O' level German 65 years ago is no help!) I didn't mean the time-band I indicated to be an 'absolute, as Eric says every such parameter narrows the field.  I just meant to give an indication that within that I was very likely to like the works and outside of it is, for me, a bit 'hit and miss'. 

I know Rachmaninov, Glazunov, Paderewski et al were composing well after the 1890s - and there is some lovely stuff there too - but all too often I find I'm buying the later-composed works more in hope than expectation with a lot of disappointments.  My comment about 'no previous recordings' was because, whilst I appreciate a 'better' version is always welcome, 'new' works is my own priority.

I'm feel I need to explore 'unsungs' in my chosen era (and re-listen to what I already have). I'm sure there are lots of already recorded 'worthy' works by composers and works I've never heard of but where and how to start looking for them??  Years ago I would have perused the Classical Record Catalogue (later the RED catalogue) but even if it still exists, its size the last time I had one was approaching the combined London Telephone directory and browsing a list of composers on-line (e.g. PRESTO) is extremely time-consuming.

I did look at the Vieuxtemps release but like a reasonably another recent recording I came across of some newly unearthed Ysaye works, nothing that really stirred the soul (I appreciate  we all like different things).  However, on the plus side, new works from 'my' era DO still appear from time to time and for that I guess we should all be pleased.

Cheers

Richard

[semloh]

One site I find useful, that seems to go beyond the usual labels is:
https://laboiteamusique.eu/product-category/genre/classical/

[Richard Moss]

Semloh,

Tks v much for the link

Richard

[Ilja]

Personally, these days between commercial releases and the wonderful work being done by Martin Walsh, Tuomas Palojärvi, Marius Degenkamp (MDMusics), Tsou Yan Jiet (Unsung Masterworks), Darrel Hoffman (Forgotten Piano Concertos) and others, I can sometimes barely find the time to hear everything once. So that would seem to answer the question in the title of the topic with a resounding "no". Whether that applies to your particular favourite genre or era of romantic music is a different thing, of course. At the moment the emphasis appears to be more on Late/High Romantic material than on earlier (< 1890) stuff.