Klarinet Archive - Posting 000260.txt from 2000/08

From: "Tony Wakefield" <tony-wakefield@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] My memory did not deceive me after all
Date: Fri, 11 Aug 2000 15:14:33 -0400

SEE BELOW - Tony says etc

----- Original Message -----
From: Kevin Fay (LCA) <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subject: RE: [kl] My memory did not deceive me after all

> Kenneth Wolman lamented:
>
> <<<I recall people here talking to Gigliotti at ICA gatherings about
> lobbying SONY to reissue the two First Chair recordings (doesn't he play
the
> Premiere Rhapsodie on the second?); and I indeed wrote to SONY and asked
in
> my most respectful manner that they consider doing so. What I got back
was
> exactly nothing, not even an acknowledgement.
>
> I realize the classical end of the music business is in big trouble in an
> age that values megabucks above all else, and where A&R seems to be
managed
> by a bunch of guys who would be better-placed in some dot-com computer
> startup. I don't know who else on Klarinet or in the ICA (I joined
recently
> myself) has knocked on SONY's doors about these legendary performances (I
> mean, William Kinkaid? Marcel Tabeteau?), but perhaps there is SOME way to
> exert influence on whatever powers exist...from within the present
orchestra
> management itself...from Gigliotti himself.... How does one replace the
> irreplaceable?>>>
>
> I've often wondered why this happens. On the one hand, I completely
> understand the record companies' reluctance -- they are in the business of
> making money, not preserving cultural artifacts. The conductor of my
> orchestra recently related an anecdote of a recent recording by the Berlin
> Philharmonic that sold less than a thousand copies worldwide; when you
> contrast that with the considerable success of, say, Britney Spears,
there's
> no economic wonder as to why these companies do what they do.

[Tony says: - - -
BUT THE ORCHESTRA`S WORK AND THE MUSICIANS` PROFESSIONS ARE NOT
CULTURAL ARTIFACTS. THE ORCHESTRA IS >ALSO IN THE BUSINESS OF MAKING MONEY.
NOT MANY PEOPLE ON THIS PLANET REALISE THIS. IT`S TIME TO EDUCATE THEM! It`s
quite possible that the record co. had no intention of releasing the
Hovaness C.D. at that time. They are not going
to tell you that however. I allowed some arrangements to be recorded by some
other band, with the intention of airing them to a wider audience. I took a
week, (not a long time, but long enough) adapting them, without
remuneration. I was not told either that they were not for immediate
release. This was 3 years ago also, and not a word from Woolworths about
whether they are perhaps just very slightly concerned whether their business
plans are not contributing towards my furthering my career AS A
PROFESSIONAL ARRANGER.]

> This hits home. My orchestra spent an enormous amount of time and effort
> recording Alan Hovaness' 15th Symphony for Koch about three years ago --
it
> has yet to be released, even though the recent maturation of his estate
plan
> (that's how lawyers refer to dying) should have sparked some interest.
The
> members of the orchestra have already ordered over 1,000 copies of the
disk,
> so there is an almost certain coverage of costs to get the thing edited
and
> printed. But like the rest of the art music recording industry, Koch is
> strapped for cash and we wait. Meanwhile, rap stars named after small
> candies rake in big bux.
>
> >From a business standpoint, the reason is systemic and therefore
difficult.
> The bottom line is that there is only so much art music that people will
> buy, and that virtually all of it is already recorded. I personally own
> over 600 "classical" CDs (and then the jazz . . . ); with four recordings
of
> Mahler's 5th, it's a real hard sell for me to buy another one. (My wife =
> my economic conscience).
>
> . . . but there is some hope. First, anyone can come in and re-release
old
> recordings, as long as they pay the statutory royalty to the copyright
> holders. Summit recordings is releasing all kinds of cool old stuff in
this
> manner. (Unfortunately, they're a bunch of brass players . . . ) Perhaps
> someday they or one of their ilk will release the gems.
>
> Of course, the big record companies could help this out by providing the
> folks like Summit with the original master tapes, which would greatly
> enhance our enjoyment. But they typically won't -- but won't release the
> good stuff either.
>
> Sigh.
>
> kjf
>
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