Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 60: Dubois

[FBerwald]

This is something to really look forward to ...

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/al.asp?al=CDA67931

The Romantic Piano Concerto, Vol. 60 – Dubois

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Begad, YES! (However I half wish I hadn't read this post until much nearer to July!)

[Alan Howe]

Very nice indeed - although we already have a recording of PC2:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Th%C3%A9odore-Dubois-Concerto-Frithiof-Overture/dp/B007CMTNG6/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1363266292&sr=1-1

[FBerwald]

And a recording of PC1:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Th%C3%A9odore-Dubois-Marc-Coppey-cello/dp/B005CM9DUE/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1363267406&sr=1-3

[Gareth Vaughan]

But that is surely better than having no recordings of either!

[thalbergmad]

I tend to buy Hyperion even if the works in question have been recorded before.

There is a certain distinctive quality to their sound.

Thal

[Gareth Vaughan]

There certainly is, Thal. It's quite alluring.

[Alan Howe]

I'll be buying the Hyperion CD too - I'm sure it'll be better than what we've already got. My earlier post was merely to point out that PC2 has already been recorded.

[petershott@btinternet.com]

And not just the 'sound' - but the musicians invariably involved (I always feel they are chosen with considerable care), the appropriateness of the recording location, the recording itself, the detailed and often illuminating programme notes (surely the best of all record labels?), the inclusion of full texts with translations (where required), the absence of gimmicks in the booklets.....indeed the whole production of the CD.

Across the whole spectrum of instrumental music, chamber, song, choral, orchestral...I can't think of a single Hyperion complete duff. Can anyone? - and heck, please don't try to answer that latter question otherwise we shall have embarked on an endless and pointless thread!

[Alan Howe]

...often illuminating programme notes (surely the best of all record labels?)

They're superb, I agree, but the industry standard is Toccata.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Toccata are excellent, I agree, in almost every way and huge congrats to Martin Anderson. However, their choice of repertoire is often not much to my liking. Notwithstanding some superb chamber music disks of music by Tovey, Thieriot, Jadassohn, Sherwood, etc.  I'd like to see more of that repertoire and less of the dissonant (or in some cases frankly dull) crowd.

[izdawiz]

  wow  really?! I guess I dont have that many Toccata cd to have known that

[izdawiz]

Gareth, u answered my question, thank u

[Alan Howe]

I agree about Toccata's repertoire, Gareth - not my cuppa tea either. However, I think their booklet notes are the best, bar none.

[petershott@btinternet.com]

But I, for one, am profoundly grateful for Toccata's repertoire. Toccata consistently explore areas which other labels do not touch. Yes, indeed, some truly wonderful chamber music by the likes of Tovey, Thieriot, Jadassohn, Sherwood, and not forgetting Gernsheim (that Toccata disc of the two Piano Quintets is among my choice CDs of the decade!). But then there is also some deeply rewarding stuff, most of which has never been recorded before.

For example, a few days ago I received a bundle of Toccata discs - the first Volume of Alkan's Recueils de Chants, Volume 2 of the Stradal transcriptions of the Liszt symphonic poems, Volume 1 of Stradal transcriptions of Wagner, and maybe beyond the interests of this forum, the Glanville-Hicks opera 'Sappho', Volume 2 of Heino Eller's piano music, and more David Matthews. Nothing "dull" about that lot, and where else could one get such music apart from Toccata?

My bundle also included Jonathan Powell's disc of piano music by Egon Kornauth. Now that illustrates perfectly why I hold Toccata to be part of the indispensable furniture of a perfect world. I'd never encountered Kornauth's music before, but had come across some intriguing references to this late romantic figure in my reading. By golly, am I grateful to have got the disc! Just as one example, the Praludium und Passacaglia written fairly late in his compositional career (1939) is a real stunner. Way off thread (from Dubois to Kornauth in the space of just a few posts!), but I just had to wade in, exclaim a heartfelt three cheers to Martin Anderson and Toccata, and stamp my foot down in protest at charges of dullness and not being quite a proper cuppa of tea.