2023 Unsung Concerts

[Wheesht]

It's only mid July but as it is my birthday today, I have decided to look forward rather than reminisce about what might have been...
The Swiss Orchestra have just announced concerts for May 2023: Swiss Dreams with Hermann Suter's Violin Concerto and George Templeton Strong's Le Livre d'Images, Suite Nr. 3. It is to be hoped there will be a radio broadcast.

[Gareth Vaughan]

The Suter violin concerto is a truly beautiful work. How nice to know it is being performed in concert.

[Alan Howe]

Indeed it is.

[Mark Thomas]

Happy birthday, Thomas!

[adriano]

... and my own Naxos recording (of 22 yers ago) of Templeton Strong's Third Suite was a world premiere. However, it seems that Mrs Wüstendörfer premieres an "original version" for chamber orchestra of its third movement. This movement was incomplete and I edited myself.
This lady conductor is heawily celebrated in all media as being a discoverer of unknown Swiss music. I was doing this for some 35 years, but in my country nobody cared to celebrate my own pioneering activities. On the contrary: I met with a lot of hostilities.

[Alan Howe]

Those of us who are really interested in unsung repertoire recognise your great achievements. Your legacy is assured.

[Mark Thomas]

Well put, Alan, and absolutely true.

[ewk]

Seconded!

[Gareth Vaughan]

Hear, hear. You have achieved a huge amount with very little help or encouragement. And we are all, as a result, in your debt.

[Alan Howe]

From his own website: http://adrianomusic.com/styled-15/index.html

ADRIANO, conductor - a Discography of 44 CDs
 * Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bratislava
** Moscow Symphony Orchestra
*** Bratislava Symphony Orchestra
 + Swiss composer

MARCO POLO (12 CDs)
01. 8.223347 (1991)*
OTTORINO RESPIGHI (1879-1936)
Aretusa - La sensitiva - Il tramonto (arr. Adriano) - Quattro liriche dal poema paradisiaco di Gabriele d'Annunzio
(orch. Adriano)
Faridah Subrata, mezzo-soprano
02. 8.223348 (1991)*
8.557820 (2005 Naxos reissue)
OTTORINO RESPIGHI (1879-1936)
Variazioni sinfoniche - Preludio, corale e fuga - Ouverture carnevalesca - Burlesca - Suite in mi maggiore
03. 8.223346 (1991)*
 8.570742 (2008 Naxos reissue of La pentola magica only)
OTTORINO RESPIGHI (1879-1936)
Le astuzie di Colombina - Sèvres de la vieille France - La pentola magica
Ludovit Ludha, tenor; Jakub Francisi, treble
04. 8.223595 (1994)*
 8.570742 (2008 Naxos reissue)
OTTORINO RESPIGHI (1879-1936)
La primavera (cantata) - Quattro liriche su poesie popolari armene (arr. Adriano)
Miroslav Dvorsky, Richard Haan, Jana Valaskova, Denisa Slepkovska, Slovak Philharmonic Choir
05. 8.223717 (1995)*
OTTORINO RESPIGHI (1879-1936)
Lucrezia (complete opera)
Michela Remor, Stefania Kaluza, Richard Haan, Ludovit Ludha a.o.
06. 8.223742 (1995)*
OTTORINO RESPIGHI (1879-1936)
La bella dormente nel bosco (complete opera)
Adriana Kohutkova, Jana Valaskova, Guillermo Dominguez, Richard Haan a.o.
07. 8.223508 (1993)*
 8.550980 (1993 Naxos Patrimoine reissue)
JACQUES IBERT (1890-1962)
La ballade de la geôle de Reading - Trois pièces de ballet (Les Rencontres) - Féerique - Chant de Folie - Suite
Elisabéthaine
Daniela Kubricka, soprano; Slovak Philhamonic Choir
08. 8.223854 (1996)**
JACQUES IBERT (1890-1962)
Diane de Poitiers (2 Suites) - La Licorne (complete)
09. 8.223853 (1996)**,
 8.550980 (1996 Naxos Patrimoine reissue)
SYLVIO LAZZARI (1857-1944)
Symphonie en mi bémol - Tableaux maritimes
10. 8.225134 (2000)**
ALBERT FAESY (1837-1891) +
Götz von Berlichingen - Der Triumph der Liebe - Sempach - Columbus
11. 8.225156 (2001)*
 8.570873 (2008 Naxos reissue)
MARIO PILATI (1903-1938)
Concerto in do maggiore per orchestra - Tre pezzi per orchestra - Suite per archi e pianoforte - Alla culla
Tomáš Nemec, pianoforte
12. 8.225234 (2002)*
ERNEST FANELLI (1861-1917)
Tableaux Symphoniques (d'après Le Roman de la Momie de Théophile Gauthier)
LOUIS-ALBERT BOURGAULT-DUCOUDRAY (1840-1910)
Rhapsodie Cambodgienne

MARCO POLO/ NAXOS FILM MUSIC (15 CDs)
13. 8.223134 (1987)*
 8.557486 (2004 Naxos reissue)
ARTHUR HONEGGER (1892-1955) +
Les Misérables (suite) - La roue (ouverture) - Mermoz (2 suites) - Napoléon (suite)
14. 8.223181 (1989)*
 8.557486 (2005 Naxos reissue)
ARTHUR HONEGGER (1892-1955) +
Les Misérables (complete)
(Gran Premio del Disco "Ritmo" 1992)
15. 8.223466 (1993)*
 8.570979 (2008 Naxos reissue of titles 2 & 5)
ARTHUR HONEGGER (1892-1955) +
Farinet ou L'or dans la montagne (suite) - Crime et châtiment (suite) - Le déserteur (fragment symphonique) -
Le grand barrage (image musicale) - L'idée (complete)
Jacques Tchamkerten, Ondes Martenot
16. 8.223467 (1993)*
 8.570979 (2008 Naxos reissue of titles 2 & 3)
ARTHUR HONEGGER (1892-1955) +
Mayerling (suite) - Regain (2 suites) - Le démon de l'Himalaya (2 movements symphoniques)
Jacques Tchamkerten, Ondes Martenot; Slovak Philharmonic Choir
17. 8.223315 (1990)*
 8.572226 (2009 Naxos reissue)
ARTHUR BLISS (1891-1975)
Christopher Columbus (suite) - Seven waves away (3 pieces for orchestra) - Baraza (piano concerto) -
Men of Two Worlds (5 excerpts)
Silvia Capova, piano; Slovak Philharmonic Male Choir
18. 8.223287 (1990)*
 8.557607 (2005 Naxos reissue)
JACQUES IBERT (1890-1962)
Macbeth (suite) - Golgotha (suite) Chanson de Sancho (orch. Adriano) - Quatre chansons de Don Quichotte
Henry Kiichli, bass; Jacques Tchamkerten, Ondes Martenot; Slovak Philharmonic Male Choir
19. 8.223399 (1991)*
 8.557549 (2005 Naxos reissue)
FRANZ WAXMAN (1906-1962)
Rebecca (selections)
20. 8.223314 (1993)*
ARAM KHACHATURIAN (1903-1978)
Battle of Stalingrad (suite) - Othello (suite)
Jana Valaskova, soprano; Slovak Philharmonic Choir
21. 8.223535 (1994)*
 8.572718 (2012 Naxos reissue)
BERNARD HERRMANN (1911-1975)
Jane Eyre (complete)
22. 8.223682 (1998)*
ERIK NORDGREN (1913-1992)
The Bergman Suites: Women's Waiting - Smiles of a Summer Night - Wild Strawberries - The Face - Garden of Eden
23. 8.223765 (1996)**
 8.557707 (2005 Naxos reissue)
GEORGES AURIC (1899-1983)
La Belle et la Bête (complete)
24. 8.225066 (1999)*
GEORGES AURIC (1899-1983)
Orphée - Les Parents Terribles - Thomas l'Imposteur - Ruy Blas (suites)
Jacques Tchamkerten, Ondes Martenot
25. 8.225070 (2000)**
GEORGES AURIC (1899-1983)
Lola Montez - Notre-Dame de Paris - Farandole (suites)
(Nominated for the Cannes Classical Awards 2001)
26. 8.225136 (2001)*
GEORGES AURIC (1899-1983)
La Symphonie Pastorale - Macao - Du rififi chez les hommes - Le salaire de la peur (suites)
27. 8.223897 (2002)**
8.570238 (2006 Naxos reissue)
DMITRY SHOSTAKOVICH (1906-1975)
The Fall of Berlin (complete, original version) - The Unforgettable Year 1919 (suite)
NAXOS AMERICAN CLASSICS (3 CDs)
28. 8.559018 (1999)**
GEORGE TEMPLETON STRONG (1856-1948)
Symphony No.2 "Sintram" - Chorale on a theme of Leo Hassler
29. 8.559048 (2002)**
GEORGE TEMPLETON STRONG (1856-1948)
Die Nacht - Le Roi Arthur
30. 8.559078 (2002)**
GEORGE TEMPLETON STRONG (1856-1948)
Ondine - D'un cahier d'images (Suites I-III)

STERLING (6 CDs)
31. CDS-1049-2 (2002)**
HEINRICH SCHULZ-BEUTHEN (1838-1915)
Sinfonie Nr.5 "Reformationshymnus" - Die Toteninsel - Neger-Lieder und Tänze - Abschiedsklänge
32. CDS-1052-2 (2003)**
HERMANN SUTER (1870-1926) +
Sinfonie in D-Moll
HANS JELMOLI (1877-1936) +
Drei Stücke für Orchester
33. CDS-1053-2 (2003)**
PIERRE MAURICE (1868-1936) +
La nuit tous les chats sont gris (Overture) - Pêcheur d'Islande – Francesca da Rimini – Daphné – Perséphone - Fugue
34. CDS-1057-2 (2003)**
EMILE JAQUES-DALCROZE (1865-1950) +
Suite de danses – Poème alpestre – 13 petites variations sur « La Suisse est belle » – Suite de ballet (« Sancho »)
35. CDS-1065-2 (2005)**
EMILE JAQUES-DALCROZE (1865-1950) +
Janie (Ouverture et Danses) – 1914, Impressions tragiques – Tableaux romands
36. CDS-1059-2 (2004)**
FRITZ BRUN (1878-1959) +
Symphonie No.3 d-moll

INEDITA (2 CDs)
37. PI 2743 (2008)***
ADRIANO (*1944) +
Concertinos for Piano and for Celesta – Obscure Saraband – Cryptic Sketches
(Sylvia Capova, Tomas Nemec, Marek Vrabel, Slovak Brass Quintet and Slovak Symphony Ochestra)
38. PI 2757 (2010)**
MARIO PILATI (1903-1938)
Preludio, Aria e Tarantella - Quattro canzoni popolari italiane – Bagatelle – Divertimento per ottoni
NOTE:
Adriano's orchestration of Respighi's "Sei piccoli pezzi", for four-hand piano, newly entitled "Sei piccoli pezzi per
piccola orchestra" has been recorded in 2007 on the INEDITA label, catalog number PI 2632. Roberto Diem Tigani
conducts the Sassari Symphony Orchestra

GUILD (6 CDs)
39. GMCD 7306 (2006)**
FRITZ BRUN (1878-1959) +
Symphonie No.9 F-Dur - Aus dem Buch Hiob (Symph. poem)
40. GMCD 7320 (2008)**
FRITZ BRUN (1878-1959) +
Symphonie No.5 Es-Dur – Symphonie No.10 B-Dur
41. GMCD 7372 (2011)**
FRITZ BRUN (1878-1959) +
Symphonie No.6 C-Dur – Symphonie No.7 D-Dur
42. GMCD 7395 (2013)**
FRITZ BRUN (1878-1959) +
Symphonie No.1 h-moll – Ouvertüre zu einer Jubiläumsfeier
43. GMCD .... (2014)**
FRITZ BRUN (1878-1959) +
Symphonie No. 4 – Rhapsodie für Orchester
44. GMCD 7409 (2014)***
FRITZ BRUN (1878-1959) +
Klavierkonzert – Variationen – Divertimento
Tomáš Nemec, piano

[eschiss1]

I have a digitized version of the Brun works that was? is? available over Amazon, a very fine set (which added as a bonus some recordings of a few of the same works conducted by the composer.)

[adriano]

Thanks for your long-term loyalty, dear friends :-)

The Brun set still sells very well as a "physical" box (although I don't get a Cent of royalties).

On Youtube everybody can listen and download for free - a very unloyal thing indeed:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kRIeSTQ72UT8TNnpUIy6TUgz2e7yg86Zs

[Gareth Vaughan]

Extraordinary. Why on earth do record companies allow (or do) this on YouTube? Taster tracks, yes - but whole works!!! I simply do not understand it.

[adriano]

Their naive (or stupid) argument is "for promotional purposes". As you note, Gareth, they could "promote" using excerpts... Especially considering that CD companies usually moan for decreasing sales...

[Ilja]

Nowadays, companies can monetize such streamed videos. It's still peanuts compared to the physical product, but it has the advantage of building up over time and hardly requiring any investment post-recording. However, I find that classical labels don't tackle this particularly efficiently. For instance, posting separate tracks instead of a whole work (as "official" channels usually do) as a single video means that it takes longer to garner income.

The detriment to CD sales is exaggerated, I think. The use of physical carriers for music is decreasing rapidly anyhow, and fast - particularly among the under-50s. Among my students, I don't know of a single one who even owns a CD player (although there are a few LP aficionados); and most friends in my own age group (around 50) that still have one rarely use it. Unfortunately, the existing streaming options hardly favor classical music - either for the consumer or the producer.