The union contracts at all the major American orchestras traditionally specified that the musicians get royalties from the sale of recorded performances, I assume in perpetuity. I have no idea what sort of contracts famous soloists and chamber musicians had, but I'd guess they negotiated something similar. (And I think the major European orchestras also received royalties on recordings, though someone can correct me if I"m wrong.) Of course, these royalties are only paid after the boxes start selling, so are not part of the expenses that the company has to invest in order to create and manufacture the box. And if the box sells poorly, then only a small amount of royalties will need to be paid, so there's not much risk to the company.
Could you say anything about how you heard this? There's been a lot of speculation that the Ormandy mono box has had disappointing sales, but nothing specific so far.
And this is a question for people that have this and the black LP sized boxes - was anything actually remastered on Bernstein Remastered Edition? For instance with Bernstein's Columbia Mahler albums there are the older transfers on digital and the ones that were done in 2010. Those 2010 transfers have been repackaged over and over again, there are three Mahler Bernstein Columbia box sets that use that mastering (four if you include the Japan SACD box), and this mastering was also used on Bernstein The Symphony Edition black LP sized box. These 2010 transfers sound really good, Andreas K. Meyer and his team didn't use any noise reduction.
Wow. This is the first I hear of this. I specifically bought the Ormandy mono set to encourage them to issue the stereo one(s). I never listen to mono. I hate to think that was all for nothing. I think there would be much more interest in the stereo box(es). That was the case for me as well. I couldn't convince myself, even when the price dropped considerably.
The tracks of Robert Craft The Complete Columbia Album Collection (release 26 may) - Disc 1 - 1 Schoenberg: Suite, Op. 29 2 Schoenberg: Herzgewächse, Op. 20 3 Schoenberg: Canon for Thomas Mann on His 70th Birthday 4 Schoenberg: Drei Satiren, Op. 28: III. Der Neue Klassizismus "Nicht Mehr Romantisch Bleib Ich" 5 Schoenberg: Zwei Klavierstücke, Op. 33A & B 6 Schoenberg: 3 Songs, Op. 48 - Disc 2 - 1 Webern: Passacaglia for Large Orchestra, Op. 1 2 Webern: Entflieht Auf Leichten Kähnen, Op. 2 3 Webern: FÜNF Lieder Aus "Der Siebente Ring", Op. 3 4 Webern: FÜNF Lieder Zu Gedichten Von Stefan George, Op. 4 5 Webern: FÜNF Sätze FÜR Streichquartett, Op. 5 6 Webern: 6 Pieces for Large Orchestra, Op. 6 7 Webern: 4 Pieces for Violin & Piano, Op. 7 8 Webern: 2 Lieder After Poems By Rainer Maria Rilke, Op. 8 - Disc 3 - 1 Webern: 6 Bagatelles for String Quartet, Op. 9 2 Webern: 5 Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 10 3 Webern: 3 Pieces for Cello and Piano, Op. 11 4 Webern: 4 Lieder FÜR Gesang Und Klavier, Op. 12 5 Webern: 4 Lieder, Op. 13 6 Webern: 6 Lieder Nach Gedichten Von Georg Trakl, Op. 14 7 Webern: 5 Geistliche Lieder, Op. 15 8 Webern: 5 Canons on Latin Texts, Op. 16 9 Webern: 3 Traditional Rhymes, Op. 17 10 Webern: 3 Lieder FÜR Sopran, Klarinette Und Gitarre, Op.18 11 Webern: 2 Lieder, Op. 19 12 Webern: String Trio, Op. 20 - Disc 4 - 1 Webern: Symphony, Op. 21 2 Webern: Quartet, Op. 22 3 Webern: 3 Gesänge, Op. 23 4 Webern: Concerto for 9 Instruments, Op. 24 5 Webern: 3 Lieder Nach Gedichten Von Hildegard Jone, Op. 25 6 Webern: Das Augenlicht, Op. 26 7 Webern: Variations for Piano, Op. 27 - Disc 5 - 1 Webern: String Quartet, Op. 28 2 Webern: Cantata No. 1, Op. 29 3 Webern: Variations for Orchestra, Op. 30 4 Webern: Cantata No. 2, Op. 31 5 Webern: Musikalisches Opfer, BWV 1079: Ricercar a 6 (Fuga II) 6 Webern: Quintet for Strings and Piano (1907) - Disc 6 - 1 Gesualdo: Response for 6 Voices: Aestimatus Sum 2 Gesualdo: Madrigals for 5 Voices 3 Gesualdo: Response for 6 Voices: Tristis Est Anima Mea 4 Gesualdo-Stravinsky: Illumina Nos - Motet for 7 Voices - Disc 7 - 1 Schoenberg: Variations for Orchestra, Op. 31 2 Schoenberg: Vier Stücke FÜR Gemischten Chor, Op. 27 (1925) 3 Schoenberg: Drei Satiren, Op. 28: I. Am Scheideweg "Tonal Oder Atonal?" 4 Schoenberg: Serenade for Baritone and Septet, Op. 24 (1920-1923) - Disc 8 - 1 Boulez: Le Marteau Sans Maître 2 Stockhausen: "Zeitmasse" for Flute, Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet and Basson, Op. 5 (1956) - Disc 9 - 1 Gesualdo: T'amo Mia Vita, la Mia Cara Vita 2 Gesualdo: Or, Che in Gioia Credea/O Sempre Crudo Amore 3 Gesualdo: Chiaro Risplender Suole 4 Gesualdo: Gagliarda Seconda from Gagliarde a 4 5 Gesualdo: In Te, Domine, Speravi 6 Gesualdo: O Vos Omnes 7 Gesualdo: Come Vivi Cor Mio 8 Gesualdo: Gailliarda Ottava from Gagliarde a 4 9 Gesualdo: Felicissimo Sonno 10 Gesualdo: Io Pur Respiro in Cosí Gran Dolore 11 Gesualdo: Già Piansi Nel Dolore 12 Gesualdo: Resta Di Darmi Noia 13 Gesualdo: Deh, Coprite Il Bel Seno 14 Gesualdo: Sinfonia a Quattro Antica from Gagliarde, a 4 15 Gesualdo: Cor Mio, Deh, Non Piangete - Dunque Non M'offendete 16 Gesualdo: Gailliarda Nona from Gagliarde a 4 17 Gesualdo: Mercè Grido Piangendo 18 Gesualdo: All'ombra Degl'allori 19 Gesualdo: Gailliarda Quarta from Gagliarde a 4 20 Gesualdo: Languisce Al Fin Chi Da la Vita Parte 21 Gesualdo: Non T'amo, O Voce Ingrata 22 Gesualdo: O Crux Benedicta - Disc 10 - 1 SCHÜTZ: Attendite, Popule Meus 2 SCHÜTZ: Du Schalksknecht 3 SCHÜTZ: Es Ging Ein Sämann Aus Zu Säen Seinen Samen 4 SCHÜTZ: Anima Mea Liquefacta Est 5 SCHÜTZ: Adjuro Vos Filiae Jerusalem 6 SCHÜTZ: Deus Misereatur Nostri 7 SCHÜTZ: Inter Brachia Salvatoris Mei 8 SCHÜTZ: Fili Mi Absalon - Explicit Content Edited - Disc 11 - 1 Berg: 5 Orchesterlieder Nach Ansichtskartentexten Von Peter Altenberg, Op. 4 2 Webern: Five Movements for String Orchestra 3 Schoenberg: 5 Orchesterstücke, Op. 16 (1909) - Disc 12 - 1 Varese: Ionisation 2 Varese: Density 21. 5 3 Varese: Intégrales 4 Varese: Octandre 5 Varese: Hyperprisms 6 Varese: Poème Électronique - Disc 13 - 1 Bach, J.S.: "Laß Fürstin, Laß Noch Einen Strahl", Cantata BWV 198 ("Trauerode") 2 Bach, J.S.: "Aus Der Tiefe Rufe Ich, Herr, Zu Dir", Cantata BWV 131 - Disc 14 - 1 Berg: Drei Orchesterstücke Op. 6 (1914/15) 2 Schoenberg: Begleitmusik Zu Einer Lichtspielscene, Op. 34 3 Webern: Six Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 6 (1928) - Disc 15 - 1 Berg: Four Symphonic Excerpts from "Lulu" 2 Berg: Der Wein 3 Berg: Three Pieces from the "Lyric Suite" - Disc 16 - 1 Berg: Chamber Concerto for Piano, Violin with 13 Wind Instruments (1923-1925) 2 Berg: 7 Frühe Lieder - Disc 17 - 1 Gesualdo: Volgi, Mia Luce - Madrigal for 6 Voices 2 Gesualdo: O Dolorosa Gioia - Madridgal for 5 Voices 3 Gesualdo: Ardo Per Te, Mio Bene - Madrigal for 5 Voices 4 Gesualdo: Gagliarda 5 Gesualdo: Quando Ridente E Bella - Madrigal for 5 Voices 6 Gesualdo: Dolcissima Mia Vita - Madrigal for 5 Voices 7 Gesualdo: Recessit Pastor Noster - Motet for 6 Voices 8 Gesualdo: Che Fai Meco - Madrigal for 5 Voices 9 Gesualdo: Questa Crudele E Pia - Madrigal for 5 Voices 10 Gesualdo: Ardita Zanzaretta - Madrigal for 5 Voices 11 Gesualdo: Aestimatus Sum - Madrigal for 6 Voices 12 Gesualdo: Canzon Francese Del Principe 13 Stravinsky: Monumentum Pro Gesualdo Di Venosa Ad CD Annum - Disc 18 - 1 Mozart: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 24 in C minor, K.491 2 Schoenberg: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 42 - Disc 19 - 1 Mozart, W.A.: Serenade in B-Flat Major, K. 361 (370A) "Gran Partita" 2 Schubert (Arr. Webernn): 6 German Dances, D. 820 (Arranged By Anton Webern for Orchestra) - Disc 20 - 1 Varese: Deserts 2 Varese: Offrandes - Chanson de La-Haut (Song from on High) 3 Varese: Offrandes - la Croix Du Sud (The Southern Cross) 4 Varese: Arcana - Disc 21 - 1 Schoenberg: Erwartung, Op. 17 (Monodrama in One Act) 2 Schoenberg: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 36 - Disc 22 - 1 Schoenberg: Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21 2 Schoenberg: Die Glückliche Hand, Op. 18 (Opera in Four Scenes) 3 Schoenberg: A Survivor from Warsaw, Op. 46 - Disc 23 - 1 Schoenberg: Pelleas Und Melisande, Op. 5 - Disc 24 - 1 Schoenberg: Prelude (To Genesis), Op. 44 (1945) 2 Schoenberg: Drei Stücke FÜR Kammerensemble (1910) 3 Schoenberg: Variations for Orchestra, Op. 31 4 Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4 - Disc 25 - 1 Debussy: 3 Chanson de Bilitis, L. 96 2 Hindemith: Hérodiade - Disc 26 - 1 Schoenberg: Five Pieces for Orchestra, Op. 16 (Original Version) 2 Schoenberg: 4 Lieder, Op. 22 3 Schoenberg: Chamber Symphony No.2 4 Schoenberg: Kol Nidre, Op. 39 - Disc 27 - 1 Schoenberg: Herzgewächse, Op. 20 2 Schoenberg: Dreimal Tausend Jahre, Op. 50A 3 Schoenberg: Chamber Symphony No. 1, Op. 9 4 Bach, J.S. (Arr. Schoenberg): Prelude & Fugue in E-Flat Major, BWV 552 "ST. Anne" (Arranged By Arnold Schoenberg for Orchestra) 5 Bach, J.S. (Arr. Schoenberg): 18 Chorale Preludes: Schmücke Dich, O Liebe Seele, BWV 654 (Arranged By Arnold Schoenberg for Orchestra) 6 Bach, J.S. (Arr. Schoenberg): Das Orgel-Büchlein: Komm, Gott Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist, BWV 631 (Arranged By Arnold Schoenberg for Orchestra) 7 Schoenberg Interview with Halsey Stevens - Disc 28 - 1 Schoenberg: Zwei Gesänge, Op. 1 2 Schoenberg: Vier Lieder, Op. 2 3 Schoenberg: Das Buch Der Hängenden Gärten, Op. 15 - Disc 29 - 1 Schoenberg: Drei Klavierstücke, Op. 11 2 Schoenberg: FÜNF Klavierstücke, Op. 23 3 Schoenberg: Sechs Kleine Klavierstücke, Op. 19 4 Schoenberg: Suite FÜR Klavier, Op. 25 5 Schoenberg: Zwei Klavierstücke, Op. 33A & B - Disc 30 - 1 Schoenberg: Suite for String Orchestra 2 Schoenberg: Six Songs, Op. 8 - Disc 31 - 1 Schoenberg: Friede Auf Erden, Op. 13 2 Brahms (Arr. Schoenberg): Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 (Arranged By Arnold Schoenberg for Orchestra) - Disc 32 - 1 Monteverdi: Vespro Della Beata Vergine (1610) - Disc 33 - 1 Monteverdi: Vespro Della Beata Vergine (1610) - Disc 34 - 1 Schoenberg: Serenade, Op. 24 2 Schoenberg: Quintet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn and Bassoon, Op. 26 - Disc 35 - 1 Schoenberg: 4 Pieces for Mixed Choir, Op. 27 2 Schoenberg: 3 Satiren, Op. 28 3 Schoenberg: Suite, Op. 29 - Disc 36 - 1 Schoenberg: Trio for Violin, Viola and Cello, Op. 45 2 Schoenberg: Ode to Napoleon Buonaparte, Op. 41 - Disc 37 - 1 Schoenberg: Variations on a Recitative, Op. 40 2 Schoenberg: Phantasy for Violin and Piano Accompaniment, Op. 47 3 Schoenberg: Theme and Variations, Op. 43B - Disc 38 - 1 Schoenberg: Von Heute Auf Morgen, Op. 32 (1928/29) - Disc 39 - 1 Schoenberg: Psalm 130 "De Profundis", Op. 50B (1950) 2 Schoenberg: Moderner Psalm, Op. 50C (1950) 3 Schoenberg: 6 Stücke, Op. 35 (1930) 4 Schoenberg: Kanon FÜR 4 Stimmen: Gravitationszentrum Eigenen Sonnensystem 5 Schoenberg: Kanon FÜR 4 Stimmen: Von Meinen Steinen (FÜR Erwin Stein) 6 Schoenberg: Canon for 4 Voices: Mr. Saunders I Owe You Thanks (For Richard Drake Saunders) 7 Schoenberg: Kanon FÜR 4 Stimmen: O Daß Der Sinnen Doch So Viele Sind! 8 Schoenberg: Kanon FÜR 4 Stimmen: Wenn Der Schwer Gedrückte Klagt (Bärenreiter II) 9 Schoenberg: Kanon FÜR 3 Stimmen: Wer Mit Der Welt Laufen Will (FÜR David Bach) 10 Schoenberg: Canon for 3 Voices: No Man Can Escape 11 Schoenberg: Canon for 3 Voices: I, Too, Was Not Better Off 12 Schoenberg: Canon for 4 Voices: I Am Almost Sure, When Your Nurse Will Change Your Diapers (For Artur Rodzinsky on the Birth of His Son Richard) 13 Schoenberg: Kanon FÜR 5 Stimmen: Arnold Schönberg Beglückwünschst Herzlichst Concert Gebouw 14 Schoenberg: Kanon FÜR 4 Stimmen: Es Ist Zu Dumm (For Rudolph Ganz) (Bärenreiter XXII) 15 Schoenberg: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra (After Monn's Concerto in D Major for Harpsichord) (1935) - Disc 40 - 1 Stravinsky: Variations - Aldous Huxley in Memoriam 2 Stravinsky: Abraham and Isaac - Sacred Ballad for Baritone and Chamber Orchestra 3 Stravinsky: Introitus - T. S. Elliot in Memoriam 4 Stravinsky: Requiem Canticles (To the Memory of Helen Buchanan Seeger) - Disc 41 - 1 Gesualdo: Madrigali a Cinque Voci. Libro Sesto - Disc 42 - 1 Stravinsky: Symphonies of Wind Instruments (Revised 1947 Version) 2 Stravinsky: Les Noces 3 Stravinsky: Les Noces - Version for Solo Voices, Chorus, Pianola, 2 Cimbaloms, Harmonium and Precussion (1919) 4 Stravinsky: Chant Du Rossignol - Disc 43 - 1 Stravinsky: The Flood - a Musical Play (Adapted from the York & Chester Cycles of Miracle Plays & the Book of Genesis) 2 Stravinsky: Les Noces 3 Stravinsky: Mass for Mixed Chorus and Double Wind Quintet - Disc 44 - 1 Stravinsky: Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra (Revised 1949 Version) 2 Stravinsky: Two Poems By Konstantin Balmont 3 Stravinsky: Three Japanese Lyrics 4 Stravinsky: Tilim-Bom 5 Stravinsky: 4 Russian Songs for Voice, Flute, Harp and Guitar 6 Stravinsky: Epitaphium (For the Tombstone of Prince Max Egon Zu Fürstenberg) 7 Stravinsky: Double Canon "Raoul Dufy in Memoriam" for String Quartet 8 Stravinsky: Danses Concertantes for Chamber Orchestra
I believe Sony hired James H North, a music critic and reviewer, to pick the recordings for the remastered edition. He wrote a lengthy article for fanfare magazine defending/explaining his picks. I no longer subscribe to fanfare so the archive is no longer accessible to me so I am relying on memory.
I think you are correct that the prevailing practice for these companies is to pay once only to purchase all rights and ownership of the musical performances. Their costs to re-issue involve only the costs of any remastering and production of physical media, advertising, etc.
This seems a little strange to me. A stereo box of Ormandy recordings may be more akin to the Szell, Serkin, Gould boxes which all sold well. And the Ormandy could have an advantage in that it would be all stereo recordings from the golden age of recording unlike the boxes I mentioned which were both mono and stereo. I think you can clearly distinguish the mono Ormandy as well- all mono! Not everyone accepts a fully mono box set. The Mitropoulos could be distinguished as somewhat of a forgotten conductor perhaps and with mainly old mono recordings. The Bernstein Remastered was an arbitrary selection and not a complete body of work for the period covered. These were all market decisions that Sony made and maybe they can learn from them. Dividing the Ormandy stereo recordings into 2 boxes may make sense so they don’t exclude recordings that collectors want and they test the waters with smaller( less expensive?) collections. I hope that Sony has not decided to abandon this conductor’s distinguished body of work. The boxes they have issued across the board have all been excellent collections of wonderfully curated music and recording information/history. Aside from their business/profit motive-they have also created a reference for future generations to explore and understand classical music( if there is any interest).
Re Ormandy, I think it was not very wise on the part of Sony (to put it mildly) to start with Ormandy mono set, instead of stereo one.
I agree with your assessment. Although I, personally, was very pleased by their decision at the time( and I still am) to curate and release his mono recordings. I am a big fan of mono recordings in general and these are very well-recorded monos. I am probably in the minority when it comes to this appreciation, perhaps. I also enjoy historic performance and was pleased when Sony put together the Mitropoulos box. I was initially thinking maybe they would do a Koussevitzky box( and BSO) at the time, but it now seems like wishful thinking.
I hope not, but after their recent apparent miscalculations Sony might reconsider releasing large boxes and instead concentrate on smaller boxes that are cheaper to produce, such as the many small (in comparison) boxes of well-known and lesser-known pianists they put out over the last decade.
I challenge the veracity of Nitram's assertions, especially when the post includes, "After what I heard from Sony/Columbia people..."
Yeah, the fact that a Robert Craft edition exists (after Ormandy mono or Mitropolous) gives doubt to any claim that Sony regrets past decisions. Or they are simply insane.
I was humoring myself on Discogs yesterday, on that note, wondering what a Universal Schoenberg edition could look like. They really do have some fantastic recordings that haven’t seen the light of day in ages. Made me want a London Sinfonietta box badly. Alas.
A box set of all the London Sinfonietta's recordings for Decca and Deutsche Grammophon (I estimate around 50 CDs) would be a real bomb. Many of his recordings from the analogue era have not yet been released on CD.
My dream “this will bomb” box set from DG would be a rerelease/remastering of the original avant garde series: Avantgarde (2) Unfortunately (for me and the 5 other people who would buy it), I think the Stockhausen estate owns the rights to all DG Stockhausen. ALSO: a box of the Decca Entartete Musik series.
I suppose Sony didn't take into account that not every Classical music fan appreciates mono or pre-tape recordings, and that it could affect sales of those boxes.
The Ormandy mono box set is a piece of art in every aspect. Yes, the stereo box or boxes is what the majority are waiting for, but in my estimation, the period this mono box covers is Ormandy at his best. Mono sound is not a problem for me, particularly fifties mono recordings. All my life I have been listening to magnificent classical and jazz mono records, so the mono sound is not an issue by any means for me.
