Aurelio Barrios y Morales Symphony in F minor

[Alan Howe]

Dates: 1880-1943, but I've no idea when this (very conservative-sounding) symphony was written. Forthcoming from Sterling, but don't be misled by Presto's (mis)translation of the title of the CD : it means 'Anthology of his symphonic (i.e.orchestral) music':
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9265590--barrios-anthology-of-his-symphonies

[izdawiz]

Per this source the symphony was written in 1913: https://yancuic.com/2021/10/04/afinan-rescate-sinfonico-de-la-obra-del-compositor-aurelio-barrios-y-morales/

[Alan Howe]

Sounds pretty underwhelming to me - and not particularly well played.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I agree. Moreover, though it is impossible to tell without seeing a score, I get the impression from the soundbites that most of the tempi are leaden and slow, which certainly would not help the piece.

[Alan Howe]

Unless we're completely wrong about the music and performance, I just can't see the point of this release. There's so much better music waiting to be recorded.

[Mark Thomas]

I've had an advance copy of this recording, and the impression the soundbites give is accurate. The recording, performance and music itself have nothing to recommend them.

[Alan Howe]

Oh dear. Has Sterling lost its way?

[semloh]

One bad apple doesn't spoil the whole bunch... but we'll watch just in case. 

[Mark Thomas]

I don't know for sure, but I suspect it's a classic case of someone paying to have a recording produced commercially.

[Alan Howe]

Oh, dear:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2022/Jan/Barrios-symphony-CDS11142.htm

[eschiss1]

I'm always surprised by lines like the end of that review, though... that not everything deserves revival? Granted, easily enough

[Mark Thomas]

Nick Barnard's review might seem overly harsh to readers who haven't heard the recording but, believe me, it's a very fair assessment. This recording is definitely the antidote to the Your Discovery of 2021 thread!

[Alan Howe]

Sad to say, some music really isn't worthy of revival - but, of course, we have to hear it to find out!

[JP]

Perhaps recordings such as these are being churned out by sheer commercial necessity by a label that appears to have seen better days in the past and not been generating much new releases of late. The latest issue is perhaps undertaken on the demand or request of its patrons and financiers in the face of a global supply chain shortage of commendably glossed over musical gems amid these dire Covid times. Aside from those committed backers of this composer, it will surely whet the appetite of those diehard collectors smitten by a lifelong addiction of obsessive compulsive collectible hoarders syndrome for better or worse...

[Alan Howe]

Sterling has never really been in the business of generating new recordings; rather it has generally sourced its releases from the archives of radio stations. If this particular release is a means of advertising the orchestra's qualities as well as the music's viability, it would seem a failed enterprise.

This release may actually harm the label's reputation.