An addition to the DG Mahler catalogue
News
The conductor Natalie Murray Beale writes:
Exciting news!!! Tomorrow Deutsche Grammophon – DG release the #tármovie concept album with a host of great music featured in the film. It’s a fascinating album which also gives a glimpse of work from behind the scenes.
There is amazing new music by Hildur Gudnadóttir, Mahler 5 excerpts with the great Cate Blanchett conducting Dresdner Philharmonie and Elgar’s Cello Concerto with soloist Sophie Kauer and me conducting the exquisite London Symphony Orchestra. We had such an amazing time making it. Hope you enjoy it!
But she’s not allowed her name on the front, ‘cos it gets in the way of the Blanchett ‘bait and switch’ branding?
How insulting to the rest of us conductors that DG thinks they should release an album on their label “conducted” by a non-musician to stand alongside the other world-class recordings by DG.
You know, I wouldn’t have minded If DG had simply put Cate on the cover with a baton in front of an orchestra. It’s all marketing, just another movie poster, we get it.
But no, the cover has her “studying” the score, marking it up like she’s a musicologist who is judiciously editing a new authoritative edition of Mahler, behind her shelves of all the tomes she’s read throughout her career in preparation for this moment.
She stood in front of the Dresdner Philharmonie, raised her arms dramatically, the orchestra kept their eyes on the music and played as they’ve learned to play under countless conductors, and she said what? “Stop, 3rd bassoon, measure 392, second note, you played E flat, it’s an E, your printed edition is incorrect”?
Tsk Tsk
Slow news day.
The point is that DG are pre-selling limited vinyl copies signed by Little Miss Maestra.
Legendary conductor, Miss Blanchett
The film was terrific, but this is just a bad idea.
I fancy hearing the disc of Rex Harrison conducting ‘Les Preludes’ in ‘Unfaithfully Yours’. For decades I have been unable to forget that–take as you will.
Haha. Actually it was Rossini, Wagner and Tchaikovsky. He was particularly well coached in showing where horns and bassoons breathe after the 2nd beat of bar 4 of the Tannhäuser Overture…
Nobody handled Handel like he handled Handel!
The film was watchable, music decidedly mundane and the lead quite obviously based on Marin Alsop.
DG’s pandering to Hollywood is more than a little tasteless.
Mmmh………I think Marin is much less obsessive,abusive and neurotic than Mrs.Tar….However,the film is terrific,and so is the acting,especially of Mrs Blanchett and Mrs Hoss.
A pathetic metaphor for the demise of the major labels’ classical releases. They lost the plot deades ago and think that they can claw their way back with this kind of drivel.
The independents have taken the lion’s share of the market – I believe Naxos alone has at least 25 per cent of the classical market. Most of the rest is taken up by a host of others, including cpo, Chandos, Hyperion, Dutton, Tudor, Bridge, Bis, Testament, Brilliant Classics and lots more. They all produce phenomenal quality recordings of a hugely diverse repertoire and don’t need to fork out for overpaid celeb performers.
Happily Eloquence is busy releasing re-issues from the glory days of the major labels.
Could you imagine Chandos issuing Beethoven’s ninth featuring soloists Sting and Celine Dion, conducted by Arnold Schwarznegger? How about a Hyperion issue of Winterreise by John Lydon accompanied by Myleene Klass? Maybe a Naxos Historical issue of a newly-discovered tape of Schubert piano duets played by Russ Conway and Winifred Atwell.
How many copies will this latest offering sell before it goes into the Oxfam remainders box for 50p a time? What kind of demographic are they pandering to?
publicity release…waste of time
Maestra Tar is a truly great conductor, but, sadly, a toxic individual.