Even more Raff on its way from Sterling

[Mark Thomas]

The last time I spoke to Bo Hyttner, which was several months ago, release was "imminent", but we are still waiting and to the best of my knowledge there is no prospect of seeing it in the public domain soon. To be quite honest, my calling Stockholm is now a complete waste of time and money, not to mention the risk to my blood pressure. As I suggested before, perhaps someone else could try contacting Bo to enquire after progress? His email address at Sterling is sterling@mbox301.swipnet.se and the phone number is +46 866 71177. Good luck!

[adriano]

Even from my part I am not bothering anymore to call Bo on this unfortunate subject...

[giles.enders]

Sterling Records are a very small company who have recorded many works which we may never have had the opportunity of hearing.  I have made this point before on this forum, that if someone wishes to come up with a substantial sum of money then orchestral recordings can be rehearsed and recorded in a very short period of time.  To record orchestral music is extremely complex and costly.  The strain of doing this particularly when one individual has to organise it all is immense.  There are many musicians who want to be recorded, there are many listeners who want works to be recorded and they often do not coincide with each other.  I wont detail all that is involved but do know, from my experience of just running weekly concerts without any recording problems, it is almost a full time job and can be very stressful.

There is the implication by some on this forum that relatively small independent companies should do this and that.  Give them the funds and they might, otherwise try Universal or Warner.

[Mark Thomas]

Giles, all that you say is true. Suffice to say that my frustration with this situation is precisely because I have put my money where my mouth is, and have sponsored all Sterling's Raff recordings, including this one.

[Alan Howe]

...in which case the delay in putting right the problems associated with it is totally inexcusable.

[giles.enders]

Mark, As you have sponsored all the Raff recordings on Sterling, I would assume that you have some sort of legal right to their ownership in particular for the music which has yet to be released.  Perhaps this recording could be released by another record label?  I wonder if the performers and recording engineers have been paid.

[Alan Howe]

There still remain the technical problems involved - which Sterling, having advertised and supposedly released the product, should now be putting right without delay. It's their responsibility, no-one else's.

[giles.enders]

I agree that from what has been said it is Sterling's responsibility and an explanation is due from them but it would seem the situation has reached stalemate for the time being and that is not a good sign.

[Alan Howe]

Only one party is responsible for the situation as it exists, i.e. a recording with unresolved technical issues - and that is Sterling. Whether this is a 'stalemate' or not, it is entirely of Sterling's making. And the CD is still being advertised on Sterling's own website: http://www.sterlingcd.com/catalogue/cds1099.html.

Until we get firm news of a resolution of the technical issues involved, I suggest this discussion be suspended for the time being. It's getting us nowhere and, I imagine, Mark T. is already very annoyed about it. As would I be.

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks for your input, Giles, but I don't want to wash Sterling's (or my) dirty linen in public. Let's just let matters take their course for now, eh? A very slow course in this case...

[Mark Thomas]

Bo Hyttner tells me that he now has new masters for the two CDs, and that we can expect to see the recording reappear next year "together with a number of new products that we have been waiting to release".

[Alan Howe]

I imagine that you're pleased about this, Mark. Let's hope the new masters do the trick...

[M. Yaskovsky]

Puzzling, jpc.de is advertising this 2Cd-set, for a very competitive price, but are these recordings and pressings that don't have the faults mentioned some months ago in this topic?
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/orchesterwerke/hnum/8412791

Quote: (Bo Hyttner who, having listened to the CDs, also now confirms the presence of the artefacts. He tells me that, due to continued distribution problems, as far as he is aware the only copies of the set on sale should be through Records International (which obtained them through a direct channel from Sterling), and he has contacted Jeff Joneikis to alert him about the issue. The problem appears to be the recording masters, not the manufacturing process, so he has also contacted the recording engineers to rectify the problems and prepare replacement masters. He assures me that he will not release the set for full distribution until these issues have been dealt with. So, it is clear that there will be further delay before this important set is generally available.)

[Mark Thomas]

I have no idea whether these are the new pressing, but I doubt it because the release date (Erscheinungstermin) given is 29 March 2012, which would indicate the original faulty CDs. To the best of my knowledge only Records International had them, but maybe jpc had a batch too. Once I know the re-release date I'll post it here, but until then I'd counsel caution.

[Sharkkb8]

At the risk of flogging a deceased equine....every week or two I make yet another attempt to acquire this recording - as I have throughout the well-over-three years since it was announced on this forum.  Today I tried again, and thought I'd check in at the Sterling website, on the off-chance that there is availability - or news, good or bad.  The website is, for me anyway, unavailable - "cannot connect to server sterlingcd.com".  Anyone know if this is just a temporary internet hiccup, or something more ominous?