How about Unsung CD awards?

[Paul Barasi]

Surely easy enough for us to organise on this site through polling nominated CDs for agreed categories. Wot u think?

[Jimfin]

I think a great idea. Categories could be Best new recording, composer of the year, most enterprising conductor/soloist. Maybe best second recording, always something hard to achieve for neglected composers.

[Alan Howe]

Well, we only have 291 members, many of whom have hardly posted anything at all. I have a feeling that few would actually participate and that the results might be somewhat partisan. Just a feeling...

[Mark Thomas]

All due (and genuine) respect to Paul, but I was rather hoping that this idea would go away...

The key question is: what do we do with the result? Would the exercise be just for our own amusement? If so, then I certainly don't mind someone starting up a poll or polls on a thread somewhere, but I'm afraid that I can't raise much enthusiasm for it. If not, and the idea is some sort of actual "Award" then it's a can of worms. For it to be of any value to us, the "cause" of  unsung composers and the recipient(s) it would have to stand up to scrutiny in all sorts of areas, stand comparison with existing industry awards and be heavily promoted in the real world, which costs serious money. Sorry to be so negative, but having had a fair bit of experience in the field of judging industry awards and organising awards ceremonies I want absolutely no part of all that again, thanks very much. 

[Jimfin]

The practical objections are very just: it doesn't look like it will happen, *but* I like the principle. Maybe, if the site grows over the years, or even if some sort of 'Unsung' society comes into being, some sort of award would be a great way of drawing attention to otherwise overlooked music. But of course the problem is, we ourselves are pretty 'unsung', so the world at large would be unlikely to take much (any?) notice.

[jerfilm]

Well, I like the idea even if it does seem a lot of effort for perhaps nought.   But wouldn't there be some folks who might like to publicize the list,  like those with newsletters - maybe Presto Classical, Records International, JPC, others?  Perhaps our way of sayings "thanks" to these folks for being stockists (not a U.S. term......) of our favorite composers.....

Jerry

[semloh]

All due (and genuine) respect to Paul, but I was rather hoping that this idea would go away...

We have the same view of popularity polls, Mark, but I think there's a difference here which makes it worthy of consideration. In national polls the results would typically be, say, 1) Mozart 40, 2) Beethoven 5, etc. - and music love aren't going to think "Well, I really ought to try that Mozart 40"! Whereas a poll of unsung composers would surely do precisely that - a poll that places a symphony by Rangstrom, say, up at the top would surely persuade our members, who have very diverse tastes, that it has some special merit and is worth listening to.

Anyone with a few grey cells would place infinitely more value on a poll of our members than a national poll, where Hayley Westenra is likely to be voted the greatest opera singer of all time, and the theme from the latest Tolkien film wins out over The Planets!    

The results of OUR poll would be informed recommendations - made exclusively by people with good taste and fine aesthetic sensibilities!!

[Mark Thomas]

And then having polled, how do we publicise it and, who's going to do that?

[Alan Howe]

Frankly, I think the idea is totally impracticable. I'm 100% with Mark here.

[semloh]

And then having polled, how do we publicise it and, who's going to do that?

Oh, I was thinking of a poll simply for the information of of our members... I really don't think anyone else would give a hoot! 

[Mark Thomas]

Quite.

[Alan Howe]

Ditto.

[Paul Barasi]

Yep. Mark & Alan very sensible [+ keeping it internal seems in the unsung spirit]

[Alan Howe]

Lest there be any misunderstanding: I'm not interested - period.

[dax]

I'm new on this board so I hope I'm not speaking out of turn. My immediate reaction on noticing the thread title was to assume that I would encounter a few opinions on CDs of underpublicised music which have impressed in the strongest way because of a) the quality of the music, b) the quality of the performance and c) the fact that such recordings/music seem not to have been heralded even in forums such as this one. The intention would be certainly not to indulge in any subjective/competitive poll (a pretty worthless exercise) but to share a committed enthusiasm or two, especially considering that the CDs I have in mind feature two composers whose work has attracted either little or no attention around here.

The first is a double CD by the Swedish pianist Anna Christensson of music by Henning Mankell (not the author and creator of Wallander, but his grandfather who lived from 1868-1930) much of whose output is for solo piano.



The other CD is of a more familiar composer, Nikos Skalkottas: his string quartets nos 3 and 4. The 4th quartet is surely one of the great quartets of the 20th century.