This is a label that doesn't get mentioned very much - although I have one or two excellent recordings (namely Sibelius' violin concerto with Stephanie Gonley) I wondered if anybody can shed more light on the subject; for example - are there any particular recordings that are 'up there' with the 'best', or at least worthy of positive mention.... just a bit curious, that's all...
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Yes a large number of excellent recordings, Zinman with the Zurich Tonhalle O and the Skrowaczewski Bruckner Symphonies with the Saarbrucken Radio Symphony Orchestra.Originally posted by visualnickmos View Post -
Zinman's Beethoven set with the Zurich Tonhalle orchestra was on this label. It made a bit of a slash at the time due to metronome marki gas. Skrowaczewski Bruckner cycle was memorableComment
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Off the top of my head, the ones that stick out in my collection are the Zinman Beethoven symphonies, an excellent Zemlinsky Lyric Symphony from Gielen, Beethoven piano sonatas from Alfredo Perl, who went on to a 'bigger' i.e. full price label and the Carter Piano Concerto with Ursula Oppens/ Gielen. There are loads more that won't come to mind just now, but will...Comment
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Yes, absolutely, to the Tonhalle/Zinman Beethoven Symphonies, Concertos (Bronfman/Shaham/Mork) and Missa Solemnis. All outstanding. Their Schumann Cycle is, again, sonically as good as any, & one of the freshest HIPPs-style-larger-orchestra interpretations. The Richard Strauss series is a good bargain too, but not on the same level as their Schumann or Beethoven.
More personal favourites: Mozart Violin Concertos - Frank/Zinman; Bizet L'Arlesienne/Strauss Gentilhomme from Basle KO/Hogwood....
But for me, it's the adventurous repertoire that's most precious: 3 discs of Dutilleux Orchestral Music with Hans Graf, and no less than 7 albums devoted to the Enescu Symphonies, Suites and other works, with Christian Mandeal. There's a lovely Saxophone Concerto collection with Jurowski (Schmitt, D'Indy, Milhaud etc), and that Gielen Lyric Symphony aforementioned also has terrific readings of Berg's Lyric Suite and Altenberg Lieder - a great CD. The Schulhoff CD with the crisply neoclassical Symphony No.2 & the jazzy Op.37 Suite etc (Viotti) is very enjoyable, but may not be the finest available.
Note on sound quality though: with several Arte Nova Enescu releases I was unhappy with the later reissues - processed, veiled sound. I sent them back. Seek out the original white-fronted CDs if you can (or the 4-disc box). Probably a good general principle.
So avoid the ones with coloured bands at the top and pictures of boats etc... go for the (rather more attractive) surrealist-birds designs inset on white covers.
AS per here...https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb...te+nova+enescu
Similarly with the Beethoven - white covers with inset pictures may well sound best - the original CD issues in this series are sonically outstanding. True audiophile quality.
Comme ça....
Last edited by jayne lee wilson; 19-08-17, 02:53.Comment
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The rock bottom of Arte Nova CDs is Martin Zehn's Messiaen Préludes, Études and Cantéyodjayâ:
Track 6, Cloches d'angoisses et larmes d'adieu, is littered with drop-outs and other errors in all pressings. It should never have left the factory.Comment
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Originally posted by PJPJ View Post
At least to the only one of the Hogwood recordings I have, the Britten/Tippett/Stravinsky compilation with Emma Kirkby as Anne Trulove.
The only other Arte Nova CD knowingly in my collection is an Arnold compilation:
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I seem to have two CDs: Zinman Beethoven Triple Concerto and Septet as mentioned above by Jayne and Clara Schumann Piano and Chamber works which I must have bought in the city of Clara's birth because it has a label from the Gewandhaus Shop still appended. A very appealing disc which would fill a gap in most collections. Reviewed here.Comment
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Still trying to work out if you meant the pun, Bryn!Originally posted by Bryn View PostThe rock bottom of Arte Nova CDs is Martin Zehn's Messiaen Préludes, Études and Cantéyodjayâ:
Track 6, Cloches d'angoisses et larmes d'adieu, is littered with drop-outs and other errors in all pressings. It should never have left the factory.
I recall 20-odd years ago when a Basingstoke 'record shop' (remember them??) had a fair quantity of fringe-repertoire Arte Novas. The shelves have so far revealed the 3 Enescu symphonies already mentioned, Carter orchestral works (Oppens/SWFSO/ Gielen), and some Buxtehude organ works (Reiner Osler at St Jacobi, Hamburg). Red spines, white front covers all. There are probably others if I hunt carefully...I keep hitting the Escape key, but I'm still here!Comment
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The wording came before searching out the image. I had forgotten which image was used for that particular disc. However, I enjoyed the serendipity of the unplanned pun, so left the wording unchanged. I made the mistake of buying all the Arte Nova Zehn Messiaen CDs around a decade ago. Those of the Vingt Regards and Catalogue d'oiseaux were basically error free in terms of playability but rather mundane where the performances are concerned. How the recording of Cloches d'angoisses et larmes d'adieu made it past quality control is a bizarre mystery.Originally posted by LeMartinPecheur View PostComment
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I don't know what they retailed for in the U.K., but over here Arte Nova discs were absolutely bottom priced, I think under $2 in the 90s, less than half of what Naxos was selling for. I don't imagine that the budget allowed for much in the way of quality control.Originally posted by Bryn View Post
I seem to remember a few of their discs that wouldn't track on certain players, one reason that I probably didn't purchase more of themComment
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Prompted by this thread, I've dug out the Beethoven Symphony set from Zinman and the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra. I'd forgotten how good they are. The Pastoral fairly zips along and includes some interesting ornamentation. Very good recording too with the bass end well represented.Comment
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They, along with the other orchestral works recorded by the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and Zinman, were included in the Sony/BMG 'Beethoven Complete Masterpieces' box.Originally posted by pastoralguy View Post
The inclusion of an extra track with a performance of the final section of the 9th incorporating Beethoven's original general pause in bar 747, is an intriguing bonus on that CD.Last edited by Bryn; 19-08-17, 15:54.Comment
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The duplicity of big boxes I had the Beethoven Zinman set - replaced it when I bought the Big Zinman Great Symphonies box and then doubled up with the illustrated Beethoven box.Originally posted by Bryn View PostThey, along with the other orchestral works recorded by the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and Zinman, were included in the Sony/BMG 'Beethoven Complete Masterpieces' box.
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