Raff symphonies from Chandos

[mbhaub]

What's the normal delay from recording to releasing? Can we expect to get this before Dec 21? That Mayan calendar is staring us down.

[JimL]

The Mayans were a civilization of Harold Campings.

Actually, those big circular stone calendars, if I'm not mistaken, were inset in the stone blocks around the base of those pyramids.  There were only so many you could fit in those stone blocks.  To continue in sequence, at some point you would have to build another pyramid.  The Mayan civilization ended before they could begin another pyramid to continue the sequence.  Or so I infer.

[Alan Howe]

Fascinating that Symphony No.2 - perhaps Raff's least-known symphonic masterpiece - is the choice for the first disc. Encouraging too that more than a single disc is envisaged...

I should think that honor should go to No. 6.  Unless you don't think that one is a masterpiece.

I won't argue with that too hard as I like No.6 very much indeed. But I think the balance of critical opinion favours No.2. Thus A. Peter Brown, writing in The Symphonic Repertoire, volume 3 part A, says:

"Of all Raff's symphonies, the Second is certainly worthy of revival."

...and yet Helene Raff wrote that the 2nd Symphony "...has attracted relatively little attention."

[Paul Barasi]

Anyone know how long Chandos recordings stay in quarantine before release?

[Alan Howe]

They can be pretty quick - Rufinatscha 6 came out within 6 months....

[eschiss1]

I see (apologies, probably mentioned) that Järvi included the Concert overture (Op.123) (which I like especially, but then I like that Marco Polo disc with the 7th symphony more than the average forumgoing bear) in three early December 2011 concerts with the Suisse Romande orchestra (according to the Concert Diary on his website.)
(And also besides Raff included this past season works by Halvorsen, Tubin, Atterberg, etc. in concerts with different orchestras. ... neat.)
(Ah, yes, I see you mentioned it at the time, Mark. Sorry!)

Osr.ch has the 2012/13 schedule (PDF) up, though. Hrm! (No Raff. I wonder if there's more information on the website I'm missing...)

[Alan Howe]

Ralph Couzens has now confirmed that Symphony No.2 and the Shakespeare overtures/tone poems were recorded in Geneva by Neeme Järvi and the Suisse Romande Orchestra:
http://www.classical-mp3.co.uk/index.php?topic=65.msg372;boardseen#new

[petershott@btinternet.com]

What wonderful news with which to initiate the renewed Forum!

[Alan Howe]

Quite so, Peter.

[mbhaub]

What do you make of the fact that he recorded Nr. 2 instead of the far more popular (and marketable?)  3 or 5? I think that's really an interesting choice.

[Mark Thomas]

Indeed Martin. I think that it's a really intelligent and encouraging choice. Whilst the spectacular Im Walde and Lenore are the most "popular" of Raff's symphonies, the more restrained Nos.2 and 4 are arguably his most musically successful ones and, as such, possibly the best ambassadors for his symphonic music these days. To my mind it demonstrates that someone has looked very carefully at Raff's oeuvre and realised that this symphony is a hidden gem. Also the coupling of the Shakespeare Preludes (let's hope that they won't be once again wrongly dubbed "Overtures") is very welcome. The best interpretations which I've heard - Werner Andreas Albert's for cpo - never made it to disc. None of those currently in the market: Stadlmair's full set on Tudor and a couple from Schneider for  Marco Polo, match Albert's interpretations. Roll on Järvi's Second, say I!

[Alan Howe]

In view of A.Peter Brown's esteem for Raff 2, I think we're in for a treat...

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Yes, I'm sure a real treat is coming our way.

I do accept Mark's point about Raff 2 being one of the best ambassadors for the symphonic music. However I'd be wonderfully happy hearing Jarvi in any of the symphonies (or other orchestral music) - and that doesn't betray any indifference to the merits of Raff 2.

However what would be an even bigger treat (do treats come in sizes?) would be if someone gave us more of the string quartets. Everything I've read indicates the quartets rank high in the Raff canon. And yet (fingers crossed) if Chandos are about to embark on what will be the fourth complete set of the symphonies, it is maddening and exasperating to remember that CPO got as far as Volume 1 with the quartets performed by the Mannheim Qt way back in I think 2005, and nothing has happened since. Volume 1 comprised the two Op. 192 quartets, and marvellous they were. But are we ever going to get a Volume 2?

We've got two sets (both very good in my view) of the Piano Trios, all four Volumes on CPO of the works for Violin & Piano, the two utterly wonderful Divox CDs of the two Op. 202 Piano Quartets and Op. 107 Piano Quintet plus a number of other chamber works. But, bloomin' 'eck, where are the other string quartets?

Ironic really, since I guess if you happen to be a concert promoter or record company it is easier to find a string quartet for a performance rather than an ensemble for the less 'usual' piano quartet or quintet. Don't quite know about that, but living close to Aldeburgh and Snape (and with Potton Hall just up the road) I've got used to spotting well known quartets sunning themselves on the beach or supping pints in the pub (or in one case emerging from the renowned ice cream parlour in Aldeburgh High Street on a very hot day and promptly dribbling melted ices down shirt fronts). Very lucky us, for we live in an age when incredibly good string quartets seem to emerge from every quarter. So no excuse for lack of performances or recordings of the Raff quartets.

Apologies: thoughts of Raff and a lovely summer morning encourage undue loquacity and a wandering down a tangent away from the subject of the topic. And, forgive me yet again, for thoughts of string quartets and Aldeburgh reminds me that every day bar one next week will be spent at the Maltings attending masterclasses and performances of the Shostakovich quartets given by the Kopelman Quartet. I'm in heaven. But decidedly non-Romantic music, so I shut up before the hand of Alan or Mark is wielded in a swipe!

[Mark Thomas]

I understand that cpo have had recordings in the can for quite some time (i.e. years) of performances by the Mannheim String Quartets of the remaining quartets in Raff's canon. But, despite volume 2 (Nos.2 & 3) being promised for 2011 and then 2012 in their catalogues, nothing has appeared. It is intensely frustrating but I suppose is symptomatic of cpo's huge logjam of recordings which we all know they have and which we're desperate to hear.

For a quick fix, Peter, why not try the recordings by Steve Jones of Nos.3, 5 and 8 which he made at my suggestion? He'd be the first to acknowledge that they're no substitute for a professional recording but, to my ear, they're a more than adequate stop gap. You can track them down by searching for Steve's Bedroom Band at IMSLP, or they're all available at my Raff site here. Then you'd only be missing out on No.4.

Needless to say, many of Steve's recordings of Quartets by other unsung composers are a joy and I've spent many happy hours exploring his archive at IMSLP, which he continues to add to.

By the way, Tra Nguyen's third piano music CD will be coming out in November on Grand Piano and there are two further releases due from Sterling later this year, date as yet uncertain. So there's plenty more Raff, all of it recording premières, on the near horizon.

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Thanks for your kind response, Mark.

In common with many others I'm deeply grateful to CPO - and deeply puzzled by their habit of devoting what must be considerable finances into recording projects.....and then keeping the results locked away. But that's been the subject of innumerable posts - so no need to revisit the issue!

However I suppose we ought to be encouraged by the fact that the remaining Raff quartets are at least recorded. So they are not in Never Never land. (Wonder what the Mannheim Quartet make of it?)

Your final paragraph gladdens the heart - a third Tra Nguyen disc (though very sadly the last in the series I believe?), and two Sterling releases. I guess the lips are sealed regarding the contents?

There is a couple in my home county of Suffolk who last week won £148 million on the National Lottery. Wonder how many Raff operas could be recorded with that budget?