Performers out of fashion
Tue, Jun 28 2011, 2:19PM
I would be interested in view of my fellow forum members as to why some performers go out of fashion. At the moment I have a bee in my bonnet over the fact that it is next to impossible to get Karl Richter's Bach cantata recordings anywhere on CD; the series has fallen out of the DG catalogue (despite the fact that secondhands are selling at £300 on the internet!).
I have a similar problem with Sandor Vegh's recordings with Camerata Academica. His recordings are available but it is difficult to track reviews - on Gramophone anyway.
These performers were both prominent conductors at one stage (to me they still sound fresh which is obviously why I have an issue).
Why do they fall out of fashion - have our ears changed?
Tue, Jun 28 2011, 3:57PM
#2
RE: Performers out of fashion
I suspect that it is because they were never in fashion in the first place.
Vegh is, perhaps, a good example in that he and his colleagues recorded the Beethoven quartets twice but it is always the ABQ that gets all the recommendations.
Personally, I believe Vegh to be one of the great musicians of the last century.
One to track down is the Music for Strings, percussion and celesta recorded live but truly outstanding (especially if you find his fellow Hungarian, Reiner, a tad cool).
Tue, Jun 28 2011, 7:11PM
#3
RE: Performers out of fashion
Fashion and changes in taste certainly play a part. Hype and its inevitable backlash push artists into and out of the limelight. Appetite for the constant self-promotion necessary to stay ‘at the top’ wanes with age, if it was ever there in the first place. Some talent has to be present, but it’s debatable how important that is in the complete recipe for fame.
Many artists who don’t make the radar world-wide are quietly and successfully beavering away somewhere. Being front-and-centre in London, NYC, Berlin or one of the other much-reported musical hubs isn’t the pinnacle of aspiration for all musicians, neither is having a long-term recording contract. It’s interesting to google people you think have long snuffed it, and find they’re doing very well, thank you, still making music.
Tue, Jun 28 2011, 9:52PM
#4
RE: Performers out of fashion
It astonishes me that the classical music record companies have not begun releasing their back catalogues on download only. Sandor Konya, Cristina Deutekom, Sherrill Milnes and Edda Moser are just four singers who have superb recitals that have never seen the light of day on CD (to my knowledge). I am not sure about whether it's fashion or not. I just get the sense that the record companies feel comfortable putting out the same old "sure things" albeit in different guises.
Wed, Jun 29 2011, 8:10AM
#5
RE: Performers out of fashion
Deutekom din't make that manny (solo)records, here Verdi, Donizetti, Bellini aria's are (once) on the Philips label.(2cd)
Even the famous volume 8 from Philips wit the even more famous portrait of did see the shelfs.
On Hmv Christ on the Mountain of Olives, for a while even the highlight from Un Ballo on also HMV
Also on HMV (Dutch) the famous Mozart aria's with some extra's from operette .
In the mid 90 ties she made here last recording , The Tudor Queens final scenes and I do have that on to.
The problem is Philips recordings are sold to Decca so perhaps in the futhure who knows.
As for Milnes , I dont even start , go to Arkiv Music and search under his name and you be suprised (161 hits) I must admit most of them complete opera recordings.
Wed, Jun 29 2011, 11:26AM
#6
RE: Performers out of fashion
I once Googled a number of musicians, mainly conductors, who were active in the recording studios in the late fifties and sixties when I first started collecting records and one never hears of these days.
None were still alive but many had died fairly recently in their late nineties.
One had, I assumed, left the podium in favour of teaching and/or mentoring and could cite Abbado and C. Kleiber on his CV.
Thu, Jun 30 2011, 10:42AM
#7
RE: Performers out of fashion
I think each generation acquits a different taste of style - for instance I find it hard to listen to richter's bach as it just sounds heavyladen and massive to me. I have the same problem with klemperer's st matthew passion. having found my way to bach via the HIP interpretations of people like gardiner I cannot get my ear around richter (even though he has some amazing soloists).
also when it comes to singers it happens that styles date ... for instance late recordings of schwarzkopf or late recordings of fischer-dieskau (i find the szell recording of strauss four last songs or mahlers des knaben wunderhorn with schwarzkopf or schwarzkopf and fi-di make a point of that ... for me this way of interpretation is a big no-no) - their interpretations sound far too overelaborated for some ears nowadays. it is art for arts sake and in my opinion missing a point: of course artistry is needed but if it sounds like artistry for artistry's sake it becomes mannered.
but then there are others whose singing never goes out of style, for instance elisabeth grümmer, as she achieved a near perfect blend between sounding natural and sounding arty ;)
Sun, Oct 16 2011, 7:20PM
#8
RE: Performers out of fashion
Karajan seems out of fashion now but I am amazed he was ever in fashion. It seems some people will buy any old dross so long as it has three layers of varnish on it, a picture of 'the father' on the front and a big yellow badge on it.
Sun, Oct 16 2011, 7:25PM
#9
RE: Performers out of fashion
One who should go out of fashion is Roger Norrington. At last with the current Gramophone review of his Elgar, Andrew Achenbach has finally tackled "the kings new clothes"!
Mon, Oct 17 2011, 1:48PM
#10
RE: Performers out of fashion
The next person to go out of fashion will be Charles Mackerras, despite the fact that he was always a great favourite of audiences, collectors and reviewers. I have been searching high and low for his unequalled (so the downloads tell me) recordings of Handel operas. Again, DG is the great offender.
Like with the Richter / Bach recordings lamented in my initial posting, second hand CDs are available on Amazon at prices approaching extortion.
Not quite sure what DG wants to achieve. A conspiracy theorist would claim that it is a way of avoiding comparisons with Curtis, Gardiner etc.
Mon, Oct 17 2011, 3:34PM
#11
RE: Performers out of fashion
I follow with some morbid interest this ill-conceived thread: Classical versus fashion. If something is classical does not need fashion norms and those who are "blessed" to perform classical music do not have to fear "fashion" vicissitudes.
The fact that Karajan or K. Richter do not sell as before is an obvious response of labels, who have to promote and, if possible, to establish new names. However, no matter what, a Callas or a Sutherland can never be equaled or even approached by any efforts of the different labels. So is the case for Karajan, K. Richter (or even S. Richter), Gilels, etc.
In short, "Classic" means, by definition, perennial and eternal.
Parla
Tue, Oct 18 2011, 1:27AM
#12
RE: Performers out of fashion
The next person to go out of fashion will be Charles Mackerras, despite the fact that he was always a great favourite of audiences, collectors and reviewers. I have been searching high and low for his unequalled (so the downloads tell me) recordings of Handel operas. Again, DG is the great offender.
Like with the Richter / Bach recordings lamented in my initial posting, second hand CDs are available on Amazon at prices approaching extortion.
Not quite sure what DG wants to achieve. A conspiracy theorist would claim that it is a way of avoiding comparisons with Curtis, Gardiner etc.
No, it is not DG, a company that ceased to exist as a separate entity some time ago, but the perverse policy of the parent company, Universal, and never was a company so ill-named.
I do not think Mackerras will go out of fashion while demand for, and the unlikely event of new recordings, Janacek opera recordings continues.
Tue, Oct 18 2011, 9:11AM
#13
RE: Performers out of fashion
Long live Mackerras (Richter et al) !!
Mon, May 14 2012, 8:02PM
#14
RE: Performers out of fashion
I would be interested in view of my fellow forum members as to why some performers go out of fashion. At the moment I have a bee in my bonnet over the fact that it is next to impossible to get Karl Richter's Bach cantata recordings anywhere on CD; the series has fallen out of the DG catalogue (despite the fact that secondhands are selling at £300 on the internet!).
I have a similar problem with Sandor Vegh's recordings with Camerata Academica. His recordings are available but it is difficult to track reviews - on Gramophone anyway.
These performers were both prominent conductors at one stage (to me they still sound fresh which is obviously why I have an issue).
Why do they fall out of fashion - have our ears changed?
Hi HMV. Have you had any luck finding a copy of that Bach cantatas set? If not, hang in there. I was also on a quest to find them and as it turns out a fellow music friend (who I met on another forum) had the set and wasn't keen on them and offered to sell them to me for a very, very modest price--nothing like those online Amazon prices! Does any online music shop/business have them available as downloads perhaps?
I've been wanting to get ahold of some of those Sandor Vegh recordings with the quartet. I'm not familiar with Camerata Academica though?
Personally, I like to hear different-styled interpretations of works...varies depending upon my mood. It's sad to see things becoming NLAs. Happily Arkivmusic is there to help! Have you ordered from them before? I have and they were very nice to deal with and I know others who also give them a "thumbs up". Good luck!
Best wishes,
Petra
Tue, May 15 2012, 12:21AM
#15
RE: Performers out of fashion
It is possible, of course, that there is no Gramophone review because certain discs were not submitted.
I have come across Chandos recordings that have been with held because, I think, they have received poor reviews elsewhere.
Also, Gramophone tends to review discs available only in the UK.
Some performers go out of fashion, especially after their deaths, and others, often not as good, still get plenty of publicity, especially if they were colourful personalities or a bit cranky - or both. I suppose Karl Richter's big romantic approach to Bach is now considered old-fashioned but he was marvellous in the "Saint matthew Passion" - as was Karl Munchinger, whose entire discography seems to have disappeared.
Adrian