Raff symphonies from Chandos

[Alan Howe]

Here's the new Chandos CD:

[semloh]

This is excellent news, Alan, and I will definitely get a copy!

Not sure about the neo-Gothic aesthetic of the Friedrich style cover, but it's the music that counts! 

[Mark Thomas]

Love the cover as a cover. It's a bit wintry, though, for music so filled with sunshine. Maybe they were thinking of Macbeth?

[Alan Howe]

...or Switzerland? Nah - no mountains.

[eschiss1]

It occurs to me... the notes to the recording may be available (as PDF) already, as is Chandos' (and Hyperion's, sometimes) oftentimes-habit? Hrm. Can't seem to find it on the website yet- well, maybe next month.

[Alan Howe]

There's no official information yet, unfortunately.

[Peter1953]

I definitely like the cover and keep on looking at this fascinating, mysterious lane. What is it, between all left trees? Couches of stone? However, I cannot share your enthusiasm, because I'm perfectly happy with the Stadlmaier and, I'm so sorry to admit, I've never liked the Shakespeare Preludes that much... On the other hand, it won't be my first buy only because I like the cover...

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Are they perhaps lights to illuminate the drive? (Look further down and they appear illuminated.) Or perhaps hobgoblins?

No matter, it is a disc to be got. (And I suspect, Peter, that when it is released there will be so much excited chatter on this site that you will just have to buy the disc to satisfy your curiosity!)

[Miles R.]

I'm so glad that somebody (namely Stadlmair) recorded these symphonies before Järvi got to them. I find his conducting style so coarse and bombastic that it tends to give me a bad impression of the works themselves if I haven't heard performances by other conductors. Nice cover design, though.

[semloh]

I definitely like the cover and keep on looking at this fascinating, mysterious lane. What is it, between all left trees? Couches of stone? However, I cannot share your enthusiasm, because I'm perfectly happy with the Stadlmaier and, I'm so sorry to admit, I've never liked the Shakespeare Preludes that much... On the other hand, it won't be my first buy only because I like the cover...

Well, it shows how different tastes can be! 

I find the cover deathly and alienated - no hint of humanity and quite at odds with Raff's music. On the other hand the Shakespeare Preludes are contenders for part of my "discovery of 2012" response!

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Scheduled for release (in the UK at least) on 28 January 2013. Marvellous!

[Mark Thomas]

Ah, good-oh!

[eschiss1]

semioh- it was probably painted for a release of Sibelius 6 that was then delayed (all conjecture, all conjecture, but that would be such an appropriate cover!)

[Alan Howe]

Presto are now advertising it here:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Chandos/CHSA5117

[Alan Howe]

...as are Crotchet, here:
http://www.crotchet.co.uk/CHSA5117.html