Post by bissie January 11, 2012 (2451 of 4131)
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old-dog-newtricks said:
Anyone encountered any supply difficulties with the Grieg Piano Concerto disc? My usual UK supplier seems to be having difficulties obtaining stock.
We have plenty of stock, but, without an order, we don't ship :-).
Robert
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Post by Nazlith January 14, 2012 (2452 of 4131)
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I'm relatively new to the HD music thing, but so far BIS is definitely my first choice both for SACDs and downloads. And your prices on eclassical play a big part of that.
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Post by wehecht January 17, 2012 (2453 of 4131)
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Robert,
If we can leave the swans behind for just a bit, may I ask an A&R question?
One of the more recent site reviews highlights an issue dear to my heart, namely the terrible scarcity of American music on sacd. I know you've done your part with the Gluzman 3 B's disc, American Spectrum, Harvard Composers, etc. but I wonder if you've ever considered a project that would seem to be a natural for BIS? Howard Hanson's 3rd symphony, highly evocative of Sibelius' music, was written to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the first Swedish settlement in the United States. Paired with his 1st (which he called the "Nordic") it would make a sensational disc (the 2nd, or Romantic symphony available on a Telarc sacd is a much weaker work than 1&3). Any of your wonderful Scandanavian orchestras could play these pieces as to the manner born, though since Hanson was the son of Swedish Lutheran parents who settled in the upper Midwest of the United States the Minnesota Orchestra under Maestro Vanska would be the most fitting performers. Thanks for reading.
Bill Hecht
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Post by bissie January 18, 2012 (2454 of 4131)
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wehecht said:
Robert,
If we can leave the swans behind for just a bit, may I ask an A&R question?
One of the more recent site reviews highlights an issue dear to my heart, namely the terrible scarcity of American music on sacd. I know you've done your part with the Gluzman 3 B's disc, American Spectrum, Harvard Composers, etc. but I wonder if you've ever considered a project that would seem to be a natural for BIS? Howard Hanson's 3rd symphony, highly evocative of Sibelius' music, was written to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the first Swedish settlement in the United States. Paired with his 1st (which he called the "Nordic") it would make a sensational disc (the 2nd, or Romantic symphony available on a Telarc sacd is a much weaker work than 1&3). Any of your wonderful Scandanavian orchestras could play these pieces as to the manner born, though since Hanson was the son of Swedish Lutheran parents who settled in the upper Midwest of the United States the Minnesota Orchestra under Maestro Vanska would be the most fitting performers. Thanks for reading.
Bill Hecht
Dear Bill,
your letter with the suggestion of recording Howard Swanson's S1+3 will go directly to my A&R Director.
Thanks for writing
Robert
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Post by Hitters January 18, 2012 (2455 of 4131)
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wehecht said:
Robert,
If we can leave the swans behind for just a bit, may I ask an A&R question?
One of the more recent site reviews highlights an issue dear to my heart, namely the terrible scarcity of American music on sacd. I know you've done your part with the Gluzman 3 B's disc, American Spectrum, Harvard Composers, etc. but I wonder if you've ever considered a project that would seem to be a natural for BIS? Howard Hanson's 3rd symphony, highly evocative of Sibelius' music, was written to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the first Swedish settlement in the United States. Paired with his 1st (which he called the "Nordic") it would make a sensational disc (the 2nd, or Romantic symphony available on a Telarc sacd is a much weaker work than 1&3). Any of your wonderful Scandanavian orchestras could play these pieces as to the manner born, though since Hanson was the son of Swedish Lutheran parents who settled in the upper Midwest of the United States the Minnesota Orchestra under Maestro Vanska would be the most fitting performers. Thanks for reading.
Bill Hecht
Stupendous idea!
Both pieces are fantastic symphonies. I don't think No. 2 is a weak one, though. Coupled with No. 6 would make a great second installment of this hypothetical new series.
Delos recorded an excellent cycle with Gerard Schwartz conducting the Seattle SO, though on RBCDs, of course. They were amazing performances, splendidly recorded. For the 90s, they were gems.
Of course BIS could take advantage of modern hi-res multichannel recording and provide us with an updated version. The Minnesota/Vänska would be the dream team for it, I agree.
Hope this idea hits the target at the R&B Dept at BIS! It should sell well.
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Post by wehecht January 18, 2012 (2456 of 4131)
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Hitters said:
I don't think No. 2 is a weak one, though.
Yes, Juan, I expressed that badly. I was concerned that Robert would get hold of the Telarc disc, listen to the second, and say "this is pretty weak stuff". What I really meant was that the second requires a stronger interpretive profile if it's not to sound overly episodic. I agree with your assessment of the Delos series, and Gerard Schwarz' recording of the 2nd makes a much better case for it than Eric Kunzel's.
Bill
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wehecht said:
Yes, Juan, I expressed that badly. I was concerned that Robert would get hold of the Telarc disc, listen to the second, and say "this is pretty weak stuff". What I really meant was that the second requires a stronger interpretive profile if it's not to sound overly episodic. I agree with your assessment of the Delos series, and Gerard Schwarz' recording of the 2nd makes a much better case for it than Eric Kunzel's.
Bill
Of course, there is the Mercury recording of the 1st and 2nd, but those are OOP. Robert, I suggest you do a whole series on Hanson, all the symphonies and orchestral works.
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Post by bissie January 18, 2012 (2458 of 4131)
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flyingdutchman said:
Of course, there is the Mercury recording of the 1st and 2nd, but those are OOP. Robert, I suggest you do a whole series on Hanson, all the symphonies and orchestral works.
Hanson? I was referring to Swanson above, a composer more up my alley, it would seem.
Robert
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bissie said:
Hanson? I was referring to Swanson above, a composer more up my alley, it would seem.
Robert
Well, everyone else was referring to Hanson. Bill and Juan and I are talking about Hanson, not Swanson. Who is Swanson?
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Post by Hitters January 18, 2012 (2460 of 4131)
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bissie said:
Hanson? I was referring to Swanson above, a composer more up my alley, it would seem.
Robert
Swanson, as good a composer as he might be, did not write orchestral pieces. He was more into nature-related works for small ensembles. The covers for his several recordings are (mostly) dreadful, being famous for that characteristic alone.
Anyway, if you happen to think about Hanson's symphonies, another fantastic one is ROY HARRIS's 3rd Symphony. This 15 minute long masterpiece is also in the same vein as Sibelius' work. Open, unrelenting, muscular and beautiful, this symphony is an example of synthesis. Tightly knitted, it reminds me of Sibelius 7th, and IMO helped to fund the characteristic "American" sound found in Copland's work as well as in Grosse, and I might add was very influential in the music for the American movies. The rest of his several symphonies is not so interesting. He seems to be trying to develop this style but, again, IMO, does not reach too far, leaving us with the impression that the 3rd is his most accomplished piece for orchestra. Being so short, it could be easily included in an eventual SACD dedicated to Hanson (not Swanson). There is a quite good recording by former BIS's main conductor Neeme Jarvi on Chandos (American Series from the 90s), coupled with Copland's 3rd. Copland's overly long work, though good, shows how wonderful Harris was in his ability for unity and synthesis.
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