I was not sure whether to post this is the Downloads Discussion section in relation to my previous moan about the failure of BIS to record a cycle of the symphonies of Hilding Rosenberg.
I have just flicked my way through the November issue of "The Gramophone", noted, without surprise, that there are new releases of five Mahler symphonies this month and then noticed a news item about future releases.
Having just "celebrated the end of its Complete Sibelius Edition" BIS has "promptly started recording two new complete Sibelius symphony cycles...Osmo Vanska's Minnesota cycle and Okko Kamu's Lahti cycle".
Does this make commercial sense? Am I being singularly obtuse in wondering whether this is necessary?
I am going to put in a very mild while-generally-agreeing good word in their favor for recording a completion of Pettersson's 1st symphony.
... on consideration I'm going to be a little kinder even and suppose that the basic reason might be panic... my country is still going through a financial crisis, Europe is about to enter one that might go even deeper (this is not a tangent- the recording industry in Europe cannot be abstracted from Europe and must consider supply and demand within Europe) - add to this some other factors perhaps (fate of the CD, ... ) and while the response is debatable, panic - hrm - yes, I think I can understand it...
Having been a Mn Orch subscriber forever, I shudder each time they announce a new recording project. Vanska is excellent and has a world class ensemble. But I suspect their Cd don't see ALL that well. There seems to be a consensus that somehow Osmo has some kind of inborn affinity for Finnish music, given his nationality.
If you'd like to hear his Sibelius, I can put up a recording of his 5th Symphony from a broadcast performance last season.
Jerry
I have Vanska conducting the Sibelius Symphonies Nos. 1, 4, 6 and 7 with the Lahti Symphony Orchestra.
My point is-do I want to hear him doing these works again with the Minnesota orchestra or do I want to hear the Lahti Symphony Orchestra doing them again with Okko Kamu? The answer really is no.
Do other people? The answer, presumably, is yes.
Well, the new Sibelius cycle is going to be in SACD. I believe that's the justification.
The Watanabe/Columbia Sibelius cycle has some magnificent performances. It was through these recordings that I understood for the first time the power and daring of Sibelius 3.
Although duplication is a bore for those who may already multiple recordings of this repertoire, we might spare a thought for others who are just starting out on their CD collections. For them, choice is probably be a good thing. Personally, I've always welcomed new recordings of familiar repertoire - even second or third cycles by the same conductor - provided that the artist has something to say or there are technical reasons for the time and effort spent. Of course, the matter of unrecorded repertoire then arises, but I hardly think we can complain; the situation now is so much better than it was even a decade ago.
What von Bahr, Kiilunen and others tell me repeatedly is that the warhorses and Sibelius stuff pays for the Rosenberg symphonies, Rautavaara, Klami, etc. Without that stuff they can't pay the bills. Capitalism.
I can understand that.
Quote from: Tapiola on Monday 05 December 2011, 12:12
What von Bahr, Kiilunen and others tell me repeatedly is that the warhorses and Sibelius stuff pays for the Rosenberg symphonies, Rautavaara, Klami, etc. Without that stuff they can't pay the bills. Capitalism.
I could understand this point IF BIS had the slightest intention of actually recording the Rosenberg symphonies...but since they, apparently, have no such intention I am somewhat less sympathetic ::)
The general point is undoubtedly valid and we should indeed be immensely grateful for the quite amazing volume of recordings of previously unknown repertoire that has been recorded over the last decade. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to companies like Chandos, Hyperion, Dutton, BIS, Ondine etc etc but the more we get (and the older I get ;D) the more impatient I become for those items which still remain unrecorded.
Rosenberg was one of the greatest Swedish composers of the 20th century and now that we have all the Alfven, Peterson-Berger, Atterberg, Rangstrom, Wiren, Pettersson, Blomdahl, Larsson symphonies on disc, almost all the Natanael Berg and a promised cycle of Kallstenius, the omission of Rosenberg stands out like an enormous sore thumb :(
Quote from: Tapiola on Monday 05 December 2011, 12:12
What von Bahr, Kiilunen and others tell me repeatedly is that the warhorses and Sibelius stuff pays for the Rosenberg symphonies, Rautavaara, Klami, etc. Without that stuff they can't pay the bills. Capitalism.
Indeed, I believe I read their best seller is the Mozart flute and orchestra works (a very excellent disc, mind you). Though apparently in general Bezaly sells.
Given the astonishing quality of the Beethoven symphonies that Minnesota and Vanska made in glorious SACD, I will gladly buy another (!) set of Sibelius symphonies, even though I think Vanska's approach to no. 2 is wildly off the mark. I can only hope that BIS would let the same forces go for a Tchaikovsky cycle, duplicating the recent, and startlingly uninvolved and dull Jarvi set.
The Minnesota Sibelius cycle has begun with the first release of 2 & 5. A video preview from BIS is available here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0AJYbmx29k (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0AJYbmx29k)
Jerry
...complete with birds twittering to the opening of the 2nd Symphony! >:(
I'm in! And to heck with the sacd, give me a blu ray with those beautiful pictures! The landscapes are mesmerizing.
Well Vol. 13 of The Sibelius Edition has a sort of picture video to some of Sibelius's more well known known music...