(03-19-2014, 06:20 PM)My Alter Ego Wrote: Quote:The Beatles did it when they started Apple. Macklemore did it, and wound up with a fistful of Grammy Awards.
The Seattle Symphony Orchestra is now doing it, too — recording and releasing music on its own label, with the aim of calling the world’s attention to the orchestra’s talent and the distinctive sound characteristic of its home, Benaroya Hall.
For full article see this link:
http://seattletimes.com/html/entertainme...elxml.html
I'm glad the SSO is financially healthy enough to do this, and I hope that it works well for the group. It hasn't been that long ago that many arts organizations (including symphonic orchestras) were dropping like flies. (In fact, about 10 years ago the Seattle SO was on shaky ground.) Therefore, it's good news that some of these organizations have been able to reverse that downward trend and begin to take charge of their recording destinies (and profits, if any).
Symphonic orchestras have a specialized audience -- it's not a small niche, by any means, and from my observations the few times that I've been able to attend concerts, I say that at least half of their audiences could be classified, at the lowest end, as upper middle class. In addition, I'm constantly amazed by the number of smaller orchestras within a 50 mile radius that are maintained/sustained in this area. It's remarkable, really.
All of this, just to say, I wish that Haley could do something like this for herself.
I'm not sure if the Schuman piece below one was previously blocked in the US or if Google decided I might want to see it now after I've been watching more classical music and was having a hard time finding decent authorized recordings.
For whatever the reason, I was thinking of sharing it with you MAE.. but needed a topic to post it under.. this one hits the spot !
I'm probably only into the white dress but the comment thread is a pretty priceless divide between people who think the dress is unbecoming, and the music only being heard because she exploits the dress, and otehrs who seem to hear more .. who tend to also support the dress.
Well, I do like what the dress wraps....
.. but I was also impressed with the performance for lots of reasons...
.. initially I thought it was a bit mushy... but quickly readjusted..
I'm accustomed to having heard (i'm only recently listening to classical music again) pianist hit the keys with a lot more stridency in Schumann's music.. all keys "hitting bottom" (forget how to put that) even in arpeggios etc.
But, I listened a bit longer, and I started to hear an entirely different sort of grace and interpretation, that was decidedly purposeful to my ear... far from being less adept and unable to keep up. To me, there wasn't any hint at strain to play(although the word virtuoso wouldn't come to mind either..there were a few sections) the notes as composed but a relishing of them with a slightly different feel.. perhaps (sexist I suppose) a feminine feel.
(edit) Tom22 theory ( : ) ) : as concertos very especially frequently trade responses with other soloists, (edit) and instrument sections , her particular grace was echoed by the clarinet and oboe in ways I also found graceful in their flutes and violas own distinct way -- with the the entire piece sounding differently than if they had played their parts in response to the more emphatic male pianists.
Anyway.. so much for my creative writing for the day.
Hope you enjoy
And, as to the title of your post... I do think this Frankfurt radio symphony orchestra "channel" brand or whatever, is similar in concept.
I'll come back to the Seattle symphony in another post... I need to let it percolate a bit but it is a very interesting development MAE
Ok guilty as usual of derailing a post. thought I'd add a recording of the first movement by the great pianists Arthur Rubinstein . I wouldn't argue which is better necessarily or which is "right" or "wrong". I may have just watched one to many Bugs Bunny cartoon with a Rubinstein-type of interpretation in it... sometimes something fresh can give a whole new enjoyment not because it is better.
