'New' old recording

[giles.enders]

I have purchased a cd, EMI/Virgin classics, of Humperdinck.  There are four items, 55 minutes playing time.  The recordings are twenty years old and the notes are a scandalous half page.  Konigskinder the longest item at twenty minutes doesn't even get a mention.  This says it all about EMI. The executive responsible needs to reveal themselves and answer some questions or they could of course resign and get a job to which he or she may be more suited.

[albion]

The executive responsible needs to reveal themselves and answer some questions or they could of course resign and get a job to which he or she may be more suited.

I agree completely - it smacks of ignorance and a cheapskate ethos! I recall buying the original 1992 release when Virgin was independent (unfortunately I don't have the disc anymore) and seem to remember quite an extensive essay. Ah, the wonderful world of reissues - operas without libretti or even synopses, choral and vocal works minus texts, innacurate track listings, more column inches given to the performers than the work, the historical context or the composer ...

[Pengelli]

Still,If you are interested in Humperdinck,there is the cpo recording of 'Donroschen' to look forward to. The cast list looks good.

[mbhaub]

I have the original. Nice disk. If you want the original booklet notes I could scan them and send it to you.

[Pengelli]

Actually,I was referring to the upcoming complete recording of 'Donroschen',which cpo have announced. I am looking forward to this & hope it lives up to expectations. At last,we will find out if there really was more to Humperdinck than 'Hansel & Gretel' & 'Konigskinder'. Personally,I think 'Konigskinder' is a very beautiful & underrated opera. I don't think Humperdinck was merely repeating himself. I think 'Konigskinder' was a progression & in some ways,more subtle,his tonal palette more refined. I have the emi recording in the 3cd version with the original Lp set cover,which I used to have as a teenager. The recording is a bit resonant,I suppose,but the singing is wonderful.
I also have an ancient,late 40's cd transfer of his 1905 opera,'Die Heirat wider Willen',which sounds reasonably good for it's age,and has some lovely music,but really does need a modern state of the art recording to really evaluate just how good the score is. Strangely enough,using 'surround sound' on the headphones,which I usually avoid like the blazes,seems to help!

[JimL]

Who put out that CD of Humperdinck's string quartets that came out a few years ago?

[eschiss1]

There was a Koch Schwann CD that had a quartet (no. 3, according to allmusic.com?) in C of his (poss. ca. 1905?), and a Gasparo LP that had a quartet of his and a quartet (op.20/2) by Haydn, but I don't know what else there has been in the way of recordings. (Allmusic only lists that one CD.)
Eric

[giles.enders]

Thank you for the offer, mdhaub, I do know what should have been in the notes.  The point is that EMI are in serious trouble and this is part of their problem.
When Virgin had their flagship store in Oxford Street, London, I often went in at what was peak shopping time to find I was alone or with one or two casual shoppers there.  The reason, they were clueless about stocking or marketing.  At one point they had a series of classical recordings, exclusively for Virgin stores, displayed at the entrance.  The only problem was that a very prominent 'bargain' price label was stuck on the top right hand side so that you couldn't tell who the composer was on the specially designed Virgin bargain label.  I summoned the store manager who said 'it was corporate policy to have bargain labels top right'.  Not content with this, I wrote to the head of marketing - no reply.  I then telephoned several times and eventually reached the person to find an unbelievably rude thicko.  They deserved to fail.

[thalbergmad]

When Virgin had their flagship store in Oxford Street, London, I often went in at what was peak shopping time to find I was alone or with one or two casual shoppers there.   

HAHA, those were the days. Thankfully, I no longer trawl London record shops.

The Classical dept of Virgin was huge and as you say used to attract about 3 customers a week. In contrast, there used to be about 300 people crammed into Harold Moores. It was worse than a Burmese Railway Station waiting room.

Thal

[Pengelli]

I used to love 'Swales Music Centre', In Haverfordwest. Alas,killed off by the enroachment of cheap and dreary chain stores.
That's progress!

[JimL]

I used to love 'Swales Music Centre', In Haverfordwest. Alas,killed off by the enroachment of cheap and dreary chain stores.
That's progress!

Hey!  We got no Tower!  We got no Wherehouse (well, I think there may be a few left, but with virtually no CDs.)  We got no Virgin.  I think there is still a chain called F.Y.E. but they're mainly a DVD/Blu-ray outlet.  What I wouldn't give for even one convenient, local, cheap and dreary chain store!  It would sure beat having to put my credit card number on the net, then waiting around for 2 weeks or more! 

[Mark Thomas]

Ah, Haverfordwest! I lived there too, you know Pengelli, in my teens. I remember Swales well...

[Alan Howe]

The only place I bother looking round these days is HMV on Oxford Street, London. Otherwise, I'm a totally virtual browser...

[eschiss1]

The only place I bother looking round these days is HMV on Oxford Street, London. Otherwise, I'm a totally virtual browser...

Not Harold Moore's? (Or does that shop no longer exist?)

[Mark Thomas]

What, not even Harold Moores, just around the corner from HMV in Great Marlborough St? It may be like the Old Curiosity Shop, but they still have some quirky individual imports and a huge second hand selection. Good heaves, they even have a web site now and are refitting...