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I can't remember the details now correctly but in the 1960s I remember perusing the Classical Music Guide (or whatever it was called before it morphed into the enormous RED catalogue). The joy was not only seeing, at a glance, all the available recordings of a particular work, but the eye could take-in other/unknown works and composers in adjoining entries.  There was no need to spell out a composer's name to get the details.

Admittedly, as John & Alan say, the choice then was much smaller but I suspect that, given if I had a copy of the catalogue in my hands, I would find what I wanted as lot quicker than typing in the details online.  However, that meant a trip to the store to see the catalogue (until I started to buy it) so overall on-line probably was quicker (if less satisfying).  The explosion in entries over the last two or three decades is mind-blowing.  However, now when I peruse the PRESTO lists of the week's new releases, there seems to be fewer and fewer orchestral 'romantic-period' works being listed.  I hope this is NOT the end of our 'golden age' for unsungs.  que sera!

Richard

...And is RPC in danger of drifting into the 'big label' syndrome and presenting another version of already-recorded works, rather than pioneering/exploring unknowns'?

Just a passing thought

Richard

Terry/Gareth,

Whist I personally do not know the answer to your query, Terry, the notes to the Musik am Gothaer CD do indeed mention that Grutzmacher took samples from 4 different (Boccherini) works in creating his own performing edition of Boccherini's concerto in B-flat.

Otherwise, at first glance I cannot find any recordings of his own Cello concertos or other works that Gareth mentions - just that Boccheriini one.

Many tks for the info gents.

Best wishes

Richard

My thanks to britishcomposer for uploading this enjoyable work.  The only other work by this composer I have come across was on an album  I bought many years ago called 'Musik am Gothaer', which work was his 'Concert-fantasie'for Cello & Orchestra (Op. 33) .

Checking for any other orchestral works he may haver written, I came across the reference below - way to mighty for my feeble grey matter!! - but its opening line says he was "... the most prolific arranger and editor of music for the cello in the 19th century".

https://mhm.hud.ac.uk/chase/article/friedrich-gr-tzmacher-an-overview-george-kennaway/

His dates (1832 - 1903) place him right in the middle of the 'UC remit' and yet he appears to be virtually unknown as well as unheard.  Is this because his music might be 'pleasant but not memorable' or for some other reason (e.g. he composed very little?)

Any enlightenment appreciated.

Best wishes

Richard

Mark,

having followed your link, my understanding is that the first 2 movements were completed and it was only the 'finale' that remained to be completed (part was already scored, the rest in outline).  1) Is that a correct understanding and (2) does that imply the first 2 movements are performed just as Norman composed them??

He doesn't appear to have left us much orchestral work but I already know (and like) his symphonies, a few overtures and piano konzertstuck I already have so I'm really looking forward to enjoying his PC. 

Many thanks to BC for the upload.

Best wishes

Richard

Terrapon,

Tksd for the good advice - will-do.

Cheers

Richard

just went to the BIS web-site to get more details on this release and found the 'old' site seems to have disappeared and been replaced by a load of typical 'big label' marketing junk - no sign of a query field to find what to want.  How useless (IMHO!) and how sad!!

Richard

As a brief aside to the main work, I have a copy of a 1999 KOCH CD of some of Paderewski's orchestral works and which includes 3 (non-vocal) pieces taken from this work: Prelude to Act 3, a Gypsy March and an orchestral Fantasy based on themes from the opera arranged by Walter Rabl. The CD's notes don't say much about the music except the opera itself was a runaway success and thus the publisher arranged for the Gypsy Dance and Rabl's Fantasy to be published on their own on the strength of it.

Cheers

Richard

There have been (IIRC) many occasions when members have noted a relatively recent (say post-WWII) - and only! - performance of an obscure or otherwise 'unknown' work and which, for reasons I cannot fathom, went unrecorded and the score for which was not preserved (or at least its whereabouts remain unknown).  Surely the 'hand of history' must have gently touched the shoulder of someone involved in the production of that performance at that time to try and preserve that performance for posterity.  Even if a full professional recording was not possible for either technical or financial reasons (perfectly understandable), at least an amateur version would have been better than nothing.

This seems to happen so often but I cannot fathom why! (like the incident reported here some years ago when a famous north London music shop was reported as having chucked thousands of original and irreplaceable scores in a skip!!!)

As a complete outsider to concert arrangements, I may be missing something.

Anyway, let's hope Alan's enquiry can yield some helpful results

Cheers

Richard

Christopher - many tks for the link - much appreciated

Richard

Apologies if there is a previous thread on this which I have not been able to find.

just listening to this work. This was apparently broadcast on 28th December (at a concert in Ukraine?). If anyone had any further information on the orchestration and timings of the individual dances within this overall 'suite' it would be much appreciated.

thanks

Richard

Folks,

Just come across this work on YT - seems full-blooded 'romanticism' to my simple ear (disregarding the date!) but what do you think and does anyone have any more information that the bald title in the YT film??

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6lPQbb7Ln0

Cheers

Richard

Just downloaded this from PRESTO over the week-end - what a most enjoyable listen (on my third hearing and still liking it all). for me, life's too short to listen to music you don't enjoy (perhaps a paid critic may think otherwise).  From his other pieces up on YT, I'd always imagined a light-handed approach to all his works but the symphony sounds quite profound to my uneducated ears.

Pity Capriccio (et al) don't make the liner notes available for downloads as I find they help me understand much better what I am listening to. Hopefully if this CD sells as well as it sounds other works may follow.

Hope you all had a peaceful and enjoyable Easter break.

Best wishes

Richard

I would echo John's comments.  My particular favourites outside RPC are Leslie Howard's 4-disc set of the complete piano & orchestra works of Liszt and the Schubert Symphony 10 (and other symphonic fragment completions) by Brian Newbould,, but I'm sure everyone will have their own personal; favourites.  This note is not to start a  list of all our favourites but rather to echo the (potential) loss of an exceedingly comprehensive and high-quality resource of both sound and text.

If anyone hears what is to become of the wonderful Hyperion legacy - never mind any dearth or otherwise of future issues - please keep us 'ignorami' updated.

Best wishes

Richard

I'm sure it's not a problem but also maybe we should spare a thought for their leading performers such as Howard Shelley & co.- I'm sure they will have many other opportunities elsewhere BUT...?

Hurwitz lauding the marketing and possibilities for re-packaging the back catalogue etc. may be a good thing to help newcomers to appreciate the wealth of 'unsungs' recorded by Hyperion but is little consolation to those of us who eagerly looked forward to the next RPC issue, having already hoovered up what we needed for the existing catalogue.

Anyway, here's to the ongoing good health of the remaining champions of 'unsungs'- CHANDOS, CPO, Dutton et al.

When one door closes, another often opens,,,

Cheers

Richard