Recording of Raff's Samson

[Mark Thomas]

Thank you Alan. FWIW, having had the privilege of already getting to know the recording for a month, I agree with everything Alan has written, so much so that I'm not going to post the review I'd already written as it would mostly be repetition.

This is as good a recording as we've any right to expect and it really does Raff proud. Schweizer Fonogramm deserve to have Samson sell by the shed load.

[Alan Howe]

It has been a privilege to receive my copy of this landmark recording and a pleasure writing about it this afternoon. The weather outside may be dreary, but I have a wide smile on my face!

[Alan Howe]

By the way, for those curious to know, Samson plays for just over three hours - longer than The Flying Dutchman, but shorter than Lohengrin; about the same length as The Sicilian Vespers. In other words, it's a 'big listen'.

[adcsound]

Dear friends,

Please don't forget Robin Adams as Abimelech!
2 days before the first rehearsal with orchestra (unique, by the way...) the singer scheduled for Abimelech let us down!
Robin was in Bern and available, almost sight reading the score and literally saving the production.
Not only is he extremely likeable, but I'll always be grateful to him for his incredible performance in these circumstances.

As I've already written, producing an opera is a total adventure, much more complicated than a symphony production.

Like all producers, I am a great admirer of what John Culshaw was able to do in his day.
I must say, in all modesty of course, that I remember the anecdotes he quotes in his book 'Putting the record straight', sometimes describing the recording of operas as a mad world...
He was right.

But it's also extremely exhilarating and exciting.

Salutations suisses,

Fred.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks for this, Fred, and thanks for such an amazing overall production!

[Mark Thomas]

You and the whole team should be really proud of what you've achieved, I don't think it could have been bettered. Congratulations!

[John Boyer]

It's here!  126 pages of notes and an equally long libretto!  Well worth the wait!

[adriano]

This has just been released in Switzerland. A super and luxuriantly presented production.
It includes also a libretto with French and English translations!

[Alan Howe]

We have it too - thanks, Adriano. We'd very much like to read your assessment of this release...

[Mark Thomas]

Absolutely. Do tell us what you think of it.

[adcsound]

Dear Friends,

Here is one of the first reviews (in German):

https://klassik-begeistert.de/cd-rezension-joachim-raff-samson-klassik-begeistert-de-8-juni-2024/

Salutations de Bern,

Fred

[Alan Howe]

There's no sign yet of a UK release date, Fred. Do you know when the set might be available to order from, say, Amazon over here?

[John Boyer]

There's no sign yet of a UK release date, Fred. Do you know when the set might be available to order from, say, Amazon over here?

Can't you UK chaps just order from JPC? 

[Alan Howe]

Yes, of course, but ordering from Germany is time-consuming and expensive - hardly ideal.

I bought the set direct from Schweizer Fonogramm, but I was wondering when potential purchasers here in Britain will be able to order it from Amazon, Presto, Europadisc, etc. After all, an important international release ought to be available internationally. As far as I know the label has no distribution arrangements with any retailers over here and so it is my hope that such a groundbreaking release will be advertised and stocked as widely as possible.

[adcsound]

I know that Graziella tried to find a distributor in the UK but received a negative response from several who didn't think the label was big enough... or interesting enough.

She is in contact with Naxos to find a wider international distribution but nothing is done yet.
Unfortunately, at the moment, only JPC is distributing.