This week’s #1 US classical bestseller is all new music

This week’s #1 US classical bestseller is all new music

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norman lebrecht

November 20, 2013

Last time Hilary Hahn made it to the top of the Nielsen charts, she sold just 500 copies in a week.

This time she sold 1341 units of the ‘In 27 pieces’ recording. The album is made up of new commissions.

She’s also #1 on Billboard.

Go, that violin case!

hilary hahn

Comments

  • John Soloninka says:

    Wonderful music!! Would love to hear more from these composers. What a great project for her. I love the “meatiness”, strength, security and cleanliness of her playing.

  • Gary says:

    So, new music does indeed sell.

  • robcat2075 says:

    So 500 copies can be a chart topper now? That’s getting down to selling-CDs-out-the-back-of-your-van numbers.

  • Lauren says:

    I like what I’ve heard of it. Classical music may not sell to the masses but those who do buy it will be listening to it decades from now rather than the throw-away rubbish in the top-forty of pop and rap charts that no one will remember a year from now.

  • Friedhofer says:

    Yes! check out the 2 Symphony by Danish composer Søren Eichberg (also featured on the Hahn album):

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpuXHnUji_A

  • Mikey says:

    If other violinists are to continue playing these works, how will they be made available?

    Will performers have to run around trying to find these pieces from the individual composers? Or is there some mechanism to find them all in the same place?

  • RobertM says:

    Wonderful to see the much underrated Christos Hatzis on this list – he really does deserve to be heard more in Europe. This CD is a good idea and let us hope that it makes people broaden their repertoire in future.

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