If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
A toast, please, to I Fagiolini, who have knocked A*d*é R*eu off the top of the Specialist Classical Chart after what seemed like an eternity (well over a year, I'm certain).
It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.
My brother's friend has a fixation about André Rieu and follows him all round Europe. A complete anorak. He cannot talk about anyone else. Who takes any notice of these charts
Hmm. Items from the charts do not normally find their way into my disc players, but I find I have numbers 1, 3 and 18 in the current Specialist Classical Chart. I am looking forward to listening the the i Fagiolini discs tonight. I was very impressed with the Shostakovich disc, but the Rattle was a big mistake. I really wish I hadn't bothered with it. I keep hoping that he will come up to my hopes rather than my expectations, but he very rarely does.
Hmm. Items from the charts do not normally find their way into my disc players, but I find I have numbers 1, 3 and 18 in the current Specialist Classical Chart. I am looking forward to listening the the i Fagiolini discs tonight. I was very impressed with the Shostakovich disc, but the Rattle was a big mistake. I really wish I hadn't bothered with it. I keep hoping that he will come up to my hopes rather than my expectations, but he very rarely does.
Agree on all counts. The i Fagiolini disc arrived from Amazon today, along with Pappano's Rachmaninov/Lyadov CD. I too am very impressed with the Shostakovich.
Rattle, though. For many years he was one of my favourite conductors. I used to go to Symphony Hall regularly to see him in his CBSO days and bought practically every recording he made at the time. His CBSO Mahler 2 wasn't perfect (as people keep pointing out, there's yet to be a perfect Mahler 2 on disc) but, until Ivan Fischer's version was released, it was the one I kept returning to, not least for the wonderful soloists. In comparison Rattle's BPO recording is a real disappointment. Perhaps it's time he returned to Birmingham?! Never mind, it's still a million times better than anything Andre Rieu's ever likely to churn out!
I have just listened to the Number 1 (well the DVD anyway). I searched in vain in the booklet and the back insert for information regarding the format of the "5.1 Surround" offering. My player identified it as (lossy) Dolby Digital (not even the somewhat less lossy DTS is included). When I ejected the disc I found that the Dolby Digital logo was printed on the label side of the disc, but that and the info on the circumference of the disc was the only indication. Why could they not at least have included a DTS option, or better still, a DVD Audio layer? Only 2 cheers for the surround aspect of the issue, I'm sorry to say. Perhaps they are planning on a later Blu-ray release?
I understand that the Dolby Corporation can get quite shirty if use of their system is not adequately drawn attention to. I hope Universal have not upset them too much.
Much enjoyed the music-making, anyway.
Last edited by Bryn; 15-03-11, 07:04.
Reason: Typo.
I must admit to being intrigued (and delighted) by the success of the new #1. Bearing in mind the staggering amount of discs Rieu undoubtedly sells, how did a disc of choral music by a largely unknown composer come to knock him off his perch? Was it lavish marketing from Decca? Was it endlessly played and plugged by Classic FM? Your thoughts, please!
Rattle, though. For many years he was one of my favourite conductors.
Wondering what people thought of Rattle's Bruckner 9 last night on R3. I heard lots of detail, some of it new to me, but I missed that overarching view so essential in B and ended up disappointed.
I must admit to being intrigued (and delighted) by the success of the new #1. Bearing in mind the staggering amount of discs Rieu undoubtedly sells, how did a disc of choral music by a largely unknown composer come to knock him off his perch? Was it lavish marketing from Decca? Was it endlessly played and plugged by Classic FM? Your thoughts, please!
I wondered that too. I mean its hardly a disc that will be flogged in Asda and Tesco (like the Rieu) at 50% discount is it? Just doesn't seem likely...
I must admit to being intrigued (and delighted) by the success of the new #1. Bearing in mind the staggering amount of discs Rieu undoubtedly sells, how did a disc of choral music by a largely unknown composer come to knock him off his perch? Was it lavish marketing from Decca? Was it endlessly played and plugged by Classic FM? Your thoughts, please!
I assume the sales must be measured on a week by week basis, so after almost a year everyone who wants the Rieu disc will have bought it by now and sales must start falling off. If there's no similar disc to take its place a Specialist Specialist disc can stand a chance.
I have seen signs of some keen marketing.
It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.
The Striggio was well-covered in The Guardian the Friday before alst, with an article by Hollingworth and five-star review. It's received good reviews in other papers too, and there's quite a lot going on through social media channels too. They've put together a lot of background material ont heir website too, http://striggio.ifagiolini.com/
Comment