cpo starts a new series (again) https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/andreas-romberg-symphonien/hnum/3493441
The Phion orchestra is a merger of the Gelders Orkest (a.k.a. Arnhem Philharmonic) and the Orkest van het Oosten (a.k.a. het Overijssels Philharmonisch orkest, later the orchestra of Reisopera, later Netherlands Symphony Orchestra). Phion seems to be a fantasy name, and can also be interpreted as 'Phiharmonie oost nederland).
A must-buy for me - thanks!
Presto says this will be available from them on January 29.
I have just received the CD direct from jpc, and it's a joy. These are essentially late-classical symphonies full of wonderful spirit and invention, played here in HIP fashion but with with due weight and colour - there's nothing scrawny about the (vibrato-free) string playing here. With performances of this quality conductor Kevin Griffiths must be making his father, Howard, very proud indeed.
The only drawback is the short playing time (2 symphonies plus overture = 49:39). Surely another symphony could have been fitted in (unless COVID intervened?) Nevertheless, this is just the tonic needed for these dark times.
The short playing time is indeed rather :(
The works were recorded June, 26-28, 2018 so this can't be covid related.
Well, it could be. They could have been waiting for another work to record and add, then come 2020, decided they had a choice between possibly indefinitely withholding the recording, or releasing it. I'm a little surprised cpo wouldn't have taken the former course, as they have done in the past given their release date history, which suggests that this whole hypothesis of mine is mistaken, but I put it forward anyway...
I just received my copy from Naxos and I am quite pleased with what I hear from this new composer for me.