Of all the unrecorded music in all the world...

[edurban]

Alan, we also get Ambroise Thomas courtesy of Peter Moores, but alas no Saint-Saens.  Back in the old flush days of classical recording we had Massenet's Esclarmonde, 2 different La Navarraises, Therese, Don Quichotte(s)...there's even a brand new Jongleur de Notre Dame on DG.  Where are the Bonynges, Alagnas, Moores for poor Saint-Saens?
It was so even in the later days of Saint-Saens life when he wrote of Paris 'They want any operas but mine...'

David

[Pengelli]

Listening to some of these 'live' recordings of opera's,(and operetta,if you like that sort of thing), one can't help but yearn for the starry,studio recordings of days gone by. And,sorry to sound like an old curmudgeon;but allot of recordings of rare and neglected opera,and operetta,are ruined for me by the singers,who all seem to sound the same these days. Bland!
Take for example the 60's recordings of opera's by the underated Lortzing,made by emi. I mean,okay the sound quality is reverberant and not exactly hi-fi by todays standards,but you only have to look at the cast list. Or,what about the Sony recording of Weinberger's 'Schwanda the Bagpiper',the Massenet recordings you mention,the emi electrola Humperdinck 'Konigskinder',the starry emi electrola & Pathe  series of complete recordings of German and French operetta's,rare opera's from emi & RCA like Flotow's 'Martha', Nicolai's 'The Merry Wives of Windsor', or even Kienzl's 'Der Evangelimann'. The quality of the casting,the charisma & distinctive voices of singers you can identify immeadiately,without even having to look at the booklet! The studio conditions making the ideal conditions for an opera or operetta you may never see or hear live.

[Alan Howe]

When a millionaire is involved, the choices may inevitably be personal. And who could blame him?

Then, what about Draeseke's operas? Not even a sniff of any of them - nor of Raff's....

[thalbergmad]

Well, if i win the lottery you can look forward to the complete Piano Concertos by Steibelt and a Herz/de Meyer transcriptions disk.

Thal

[Pengelli]

I'd do Havergal Brian's The Tigers,or pay for them to release the BBC recording,because I don't think you could do it much better. Oh,and every opera by Holbrooke,not just the 'Cauldron of Annwn' cycle.(But I've told you all before!).
Anyway,with regard to Millionaire Philanthropists. They always seem to have rather mainstream tastes. One exception was the 'Grateful Dead',who were very keen on Havergal Brian. I seem to remember it was called the 'Rex Foundation'.? (Forgive me if I'm wrong). But they didn't pay out for whole opera's,or anything big like that. I think they just acted as sponsors,mainly. Wouldn't it make a change if a millionaire,or Multi-millionaire, paid out for,say, a Raff opera,as you suggest,or (part of,at least), August von Bungert's massive operatic tetralogy,'Homerische Welte' ,Holst's 'The Perfect Fool',one of Rutland Boughton's Arthurian cycle, Jaromir Weinberger's 'The Outcasts of Poker Flat' or D'Indy's 'Fervaal',or an unrecorded Humperdinck or Pizzetti opera,(just for me!),and some more 19th century English opera's. Some hope,eh! I've just GOT to make a million. somehow!

[albion]

With regard to 19th century British opera, Victorian Opera Northwest have recently recorded William Vincent Wallace's Lurline and George Macfarren's Robin Hood, the former for release this summer, the latter for release this winter - both projects fully worthy of our support:

http://www.victorianoperanorthwest.org/Recordings/Lurlinerecording.htm

http://www.victorianoperanorthwest.org/Recordings/RobinHoodrecording.htm

[eschiss1]

Pengelli- the Rex Foundation it is (and good work they've done...) (there was a documentary about it featuring interviews with Brian and Simpson among others, and some of their music, that I caught on TV in the early 1990s I believe...) Named after Rex Jackson, a Grateful Dead roadie, according to the Wikipedia article...
Eric

[JimL]

Great!  Maybe we can contact Bob Weir, or some other survivor from the group and turn him on to some of our other stuff!

[Pengelli]

Indeed,I just had a look at their website. They certainly do allot,yet keep a lower profile than some I can think of. I even keep meaning to try one of their albums. I gather that 'American Beauty' is regarded, by some,as their best album. I am.actually quite, partial to  'Jefferson Airplane' and 'Quicksilver Messenger Service'............ahem,this IS an unsung Rock band message board,isn't it?!!!!
    I remember that part of the deal,when they helped fund a Havergal Brian cd,was for to the Havergal Brian Society to return the favour by attending a 'Grateful Dead' concert.

[chill319]

what about Draeseke's operas?

Strauss (of all people) promoted performance of a Draeseke opera in the late 1930s, a time when there were plenty of other neglected Aryan operas, including Guntram. Does it all come down to the librettos?

[Pengelli]

Talking about Rock/pop music circa 1960's. I remember when I bought Janis Joplin's 'I got dem old Kozmic Blues again mama' album,my mum said, 'Is she related to Scott Joplin'?
   Erm,maybe we could have a go JimL!

[Alan Howe]

Nah, it's money again.

[chill319]

I gather that 'American Beauty' is regarded, by some,as their best album.

How many bands have had a non-performing composer-in-residence (Robert Hunter, listed as "songwriter" in the 'American Beauty' credits)?

[Christopher]

Have Napravnik's four symphonies been recorded?

[Alan Howe]

Certainly not in the modern era.