Naxos Futures 2017 - Spain

[Alan Howe]

That's right. Rattle's a minnow in comparison with his great predecessors anyway. It's pure vanity.

[adriano]

I have been impertinent enough to even write a similar comment directly to their website 

[Ilja]

Really, so long as the music itself is also available in other formats to us plebeians, and so long as these productions make a profit that can then be used to generate new recordings, I honestly don't mind if it's based on vanity or not. At least they're trying to do something instead of sitting back mourning the state of things like some others do.


The Berlin Phil's unmistakable taste for the saccharine and luxurious is something that harks back to Karajan, I think. Some of those DG "Karajan Edition" CDs were unapologetically self-indulgent. In particular, I remember a cover with Karajan's hand on the nose of his private jet, with a watercolor by Mrs. Karajan (Mk. 2) on the back..

[Alan Howe]

I wonder how many sets of Brahms/Rattle LPs they have actually sold, though? I mean even the oligarchs have probably given up playing vinyl...

Karajan may have had a massive ego, but at least he had the talent, nay genius to match...

[erato]

Oh no, the prestige in showing off massive record players cannot be underestimated.

[Alan Howe]

Really? I thought turntables were the sole preserve of vinyl geeks...

[Ilja]

Perhaps. But don't underestimate the quantities of second-hand LPs still around. Here in Leiden (a student city) there are four second-hand shops where you can get a competent recording for one euro. That's the exact opposite of the Rattle vanity box you mentioned, and a good way for people without a lot of money to try things out.


And we'll just have to agree to disagree on Karajan 

[adriano]

... and here in Switzerland, they laugh at you if you come buy offering some old LPs to second-hand dealers; their stocks are overfilled and they do not even take LPs for free.They have alöso become quite nosy with CDs..,
So you always have to find foreign sources, or to invest a lot time to offer them on eBay (where too, there is an over-aboundance)

[Alan Howe]

Anyway, back to Naxos futures, perhaps...?