Streaming, Downloads and CDs

2 May 2021

The original working title of this programme was Keep music live?

Here's what I wrote when inviting people to the discussion:
In the past we've always been encouraged to support live music-making as much as possible, but the pandemic makes this more complicated, and things are changing. Is it better to perform classical music live or to record it? Is there any future in music recorded, packaged and sold on disc or should it always be downloaded, streamed or broadcast? And what are the pitfalls of reviewing music in these formats?

The live vs recorded issue didn't get discussed much, but there was lots of information about streams/downloads/CDs. I'm happy with how the discussion went - it was really interesting - but I think there are more questions to ask here, including these:

- live vs recorded classical music ... are the old boundaries between these still so important here, as we all keep our social distance?

- James Ross tells us that streaming now takes 80% of the market share. Traditionally the record labels were the gatekeepers of which music and which performances get recorded and distributed, but now anyone can set up a live or recorded stream. Are the streaming services, aggregators, playlist compilers and search engines now taking over as arbiters of what's heard, and is this dangerous?

- David Arditti asked this important question during the programme: how do classical musicians get paid at all in this new world? This is particularly vital to musicians whose recordings don't generate hundreds of thousands of streams.

What do you think? Let's continue the discussion here.

Keith Bramich

6 May 2021

Classical Music Daily
May 2021 snapshot of new releases etc

This list is valid until 11:00 GMT on Friday 7 May 2021 only - please request any items for review by the end of that day.

Concerts

BAMPTON CLASSICAL OPERA

Christoph Willibald Gluck: The Crown (‘La corona’, 1765) - Azione teatrale, in one act, sung in Italian with linking English narration
Live performances:
18 May 2021 at St John's Smith Square, London UK
22 May 2021 at University Church, Oxford, UK

ENGLISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Elgar Reimagined - String Quartet in E minor, arranged by David Matthews
Digital concert available from: Friday 14 May 2021, 1930 GMT

Composer Portrait - Adrian Williams: Russells' Elegy; Portraits of Ned Kelly; Migrations
Digital concert available from 11 June 2021

GOTHIC OPERA

Bartok: Bluebeard's Castle - sung in Hungarian with English surtitles
Live performances: 8, 9 and 10 July 2021, all 20:00 at Porchester Hall, London, UK

LONG BEACH OPERA

Philip Glass: Les Enfants Terribles
Live performances: 21, 22 and 23 May 2021, all 8pm at 2nd and PCH rooftop garage at 2nd Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach, California, USA

PARMA LIVE STAGE

Ken Field, alto sax/electronics, Dave Harris, tuba - electro-acoustic performance of composed and improvised music, including Bach and Charlie Parker
Livestream: Friday 7 May 2021 at 7:39pm EDT

Tanguango Quinteto Presents: ¡Gracias, Astor! - in honour of the 100th anniversary of Astor Piazzolla's birth
Livestream: 26 May 2021 at 14:00 EDT

Eight Strings & a Whistle Present: PopUP+!
Livestream: 27 May 2021 at 18:30 EDT

ROMEROS QUARTET LIVE
Romeros Quartet - Pepe, Celin, Celino and Lito - celebrating 60 years of their family classical guitar legacy, streamed from Belly Up, Solana Beach, California, USA
Livestream: Sunday 23 May 2021 at 14:00 PST

SOUTHBANK CENTRE
Esa-Pekka Salonen's final concerts as Principal Conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra
Live performances: 4 and 10 June 2021, both 19:30 at Southbank Centre, London UK
Beethoven, Liszt, Stravinsky, Sibelius (4 June) with Yefim Bronfman
J S Bach, Salonen and Beethoven (10 June) with Mitsuko Uchida

WIGMORE HALL
25-concert anniversary festival 17 May - 3 June 2021
Live performances at Wigmore Hall, London UK
Some concerts will be streamed live

Recordings

ABLAZE RECORDS

Othmar Schoeck-Das stille Leuchten - Clara O'Brien, mezzo; James Douglass, piano - ar-00063
Release: 8 October 2021

ACCENT

La Petite Bande; Sigiswald Kuijken - J S Bach: Brandenberg Concertos - ACC24379
Release: 7 May 2021

ALBANY RECORDS

Quest - Elisabeth Remy Johnson, harp - transcribed works by Amy Beach, Fanny Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann, Niloufar Nourbakhsh and more; harp solos by Kati Agócs, Freya Waley-Cohen, and others - TROY1863
Release: 1 June 2021

ANNA MNICH

Music of Roland Dyens - Anna Mnich, guitar
Release: 2020

ARS PRODUKTION

Release: 14 May 2021

Emily Hoile - Ballade: Works & Transcriptions For Solo Harp - ARS38316

Joonatan Rautiola; Marko Hilpo    Gravity Groove: Works By Debussy, Turriago - ARS38569

Mathias Johansen; Andreas Hering - Pohadka: Works By Martinu, Schumann, Janacek - ARS38584

ATMA CLASSIQUE

iSacabuche! ; Linda Pearse - Hidden Treasures - 17th C Music - ACD22798
Release: 14 May 2021

AUDAX

Mariani Klavierquartett - Brahms & Gernsheim: Piano Quartets Vol 1 - ADX13780
Release: 7 May 2021

AUSTRALIAN ELOQUENCE

Release: 14 May 2021

Sir William Walton: Dame Peggy Ashcroft; Antal Dorati - Gerhard: The Plague; Walton: Facade - ELQ4842200    

Max Rostal; Various Pianists - 20th-century Violin Sonatas - ELQ4829059

Enrique Jorda; Various Orchestras - Enrique Jorda - Decca Recordings - ELQ4840403

Erich Kleiber; Staatskapelle Berlin; Berliner Philharmoniker    Erich Kleiber - The Complete Polydor 78s - ELQ4842049

Johanna Martzy; Michael Mann - Complete Deutsche Grammophon Recordings - ELQ4843299

AYROS

ALTA Early Music Ensemble - Passeggiata Musicale: Leonardo Da Vinci - AYCD07
Release: 7 May 2021

Michele Carreca    Gorzanis 1567 - Lute Dances On Every Fret - AYCD06
Release: 14 May 2021

AZICA RECORDS

Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate: Lowak Shoppala' (Fire and Light)
Release: 4 June 2021

BIS

Release: 30 April 2021

BIS2527 BEETHOVEN: VIOLIN SONATAS

BIS2412 RUSSIAN SPECTACULAR

BIS2565 SPAIN

BIS2229 DUBUGNON: KLAVIERIANA

BIS2199 BRANDENBURG PROJECT (3 SACD)

BMG

RY X & London Contemporary Orchestra - Sweat (Live from the Royal Albert Hall)
Release: 14 May 2021

BR KLASSIK

900189 BRUCKNER: SYMPHONY NO. 3
Release: 30 Apr 2021

BRIDGE RECORDS

BRIDGE 9532 LANSKY: ANGLES
Release: 14 May 2021

BRILLIANT CLASSICS

Release: 1 June 2021

Graupner – Complete Harpsichord Music – Fernando De Luca (14 CDs) - 96131

Piazzolla: Para El Ángel – Jeroen van Veen (2 CDs) - 96431

C-AVI

Luca Guglielmi - J S Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 - AVI8553232
Release: 7 May 2021

Clair-Obscur Saxophone Quartet - Memorias: Astor Piazzolla Memories In 6 Tableaux - AVI8553486
Release: 14 May 2021

CAPRICCIO

Release: 7 May 2021

C5381 STANFORD: PIANO QUINTET

C5429 BRAUNFELS: DON GIL PRELUDE

C5430 LABOR: VIOLIN/CELLO SONATA

CARUS

Soloists; Basler Madrigalisten; L'Arpe Festante, Fritz Naf - Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach: Magnificat - CAR83518
Release: 14 May 2021

CENTAUR

Armonia Celeste - The Rebel Queen: Music from Christina's Swedish and Italian Courts - CRC3797    
Release: 14 May 2021

CHALLENGE CLASSICS

Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Netherlands Radio Choir & James Gaffigan - Willem Jeths: Requiem - CC72874    
Release: 14 May 2021

CHANDOS

Release: 28 May 2021

Sinfonia of London / John Wilson - Dutilleux: Le Loup - CHSA 5263

Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective - American Quintets: Amy Beach, Florence Price, Samuel Barber - CHAN 20224

Brodsky Quartet - Homage to Bach – The Solo Violin Sonatas - CHAN 20162

CHRISTOPHORUS

Feuersinger, Mauch; Schneider; Schreiber; Flaig    Georg Christoph Strattner: Ich Will Den Herrn Loben Allezeit - CHR77454
Release: 7 May 2021

COLD BLUE MUSIC

Release: 28 May 2021

John Luther Adams: Arctic Dreams

Peter Garland: Three Dawns and Bush Radio Calling

COVIELLO CLASSICS

The Muses' Fellows; Monika Mandelartz - Thomas Selle: So Frewe Dich - COV92107
Release: 14 May 2021

CPO

Release: 30 Apr 2021

555425-2 TELEMANN: EASTER CANTATAS

555346-2 BACH: THE OVERTURES

555395-2 BRITISH MUSIC FOR STRINGS II

555274-2 POTTER: SYMPHONY NO. 1

555086-2 STRING QUARTETS

555376-2 DRISCHNER: SONNENHYMNUS (SACD)

555404-2 SPERGER: CONCERTO

DACAPO

8.226204 KUHLAU: WORKS FOR SOLO PIANO
Release: 7 May 2021

DELPHIAN RECORDS

Release: 28 May 2021

Alexandra Whittingham: My European Journey DCD34248

Mozart: Violin Sonatas. Olivier Stankiewicz, oboe; Jonathan Ware, piano  DCD34245

DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON

Silfur - Dustin O'Halloran with Bryan Senti, Gyða Valtýsdóttir and the Siggi String Quartet
Release: 11 June 2021

DIVINE ART

Release: 14 May 2021

J J Froberger: Suites for Harpsichord Vol 2 - Gilbert Rowland, harpsichord - ATH 23209

'Antiphonies' - Carson Cooman Organ Music, Vol 14 - Erik Simmons (organ) - DDA 25218

Hafliði Hallgrímsson: 'Offerto': works for solo violin - Peter Sheppard Skærved - MSV 28616

DREYER GAIDO

Wu Man & Wu Wei - Distant Mountains - DGCD21129    
Release: 14 May 2021

DUX RECORDING PRODUCERS

Release: 7 May 2021

Mihkel Poll, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra & Mihhail Gerts - Works For Piano And Orchestra: Rachmaninoff And Tubin - DUX1702    

Bandonegro & Andres Martorell - Tangostoria - DUX1678

Karol Rathaus Ensemble - Karol Rathaus: Piano Trios - DUX1712

Izabela Paszkiewicz, Lukasz Dlugosz, Andrzej Wojciechowski, Szymon Zawodny - Gorecki,  Messiaen, Schnyder - DUX1728

Release: 14 May 2021

Stanislaw Kierner & Michal Rot - Songs By Paderewski, Koczalski & Szymanowski - DUX1273

Ewa Rzetecka-Niewiadomska - The Organ of Joachim Wagner in Siedlce IV - DUX1608

Ireneusz Wyrwa - Emotionality & Virtuosity: Organ Of St Casimir's Church In Nowy Sacz - DUX1642

Joanna Domanska - Szymanowski: Piano Works Vol. 2 - DUX1673

Ksiazek Piano Duo - Arensky, Rachmaninov: Suites For Two Pianos - DUX1720

DYNAMIC RECORDS

Release: 21 May 2021

CDS7887 GRANADOS: GOYESCAS OP 11

CDS7903 PAGANINI AND ITALIAN GENIUS

ENGLISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Fiddles, Forests and Fowl Fables - Narrated by Gemma Whelan, Hugh Bonneville, Henry Goodman, Davood Ghadami
Release: 4 June 2021

FOOTPRINT RECORDS

Traces of Oblivion - Stefan Östersjö, guitar, Jakob Riis, electronics
Release: 2020?

FRA BERNARDO

Release: 14 May 2021

Ensemble Lorenzo Da Ponte; Roberto Zarpellon - Ariosti: La Profezia D'Eliseo Nell'Assedio Di Samaria - Orat - FB2104397

GLOSSA

Release: 7 May 2021

La Compagnia Del Madrigale - Claudio Monteverdi: Lagrime D'Amante - GCD922810

Mitzi Meyerson    Joseph Anton Steffan: Harpsichord Sonatas - GCD921810

GRAND PIANO

Release: 14 May 2021

GP871 BOTTIROLI: PIANO WORKS 2

GP843 HUNDSNES: PIANO SONATA

GP879 THE PLANETS AND HUMANITY

GREYFADE

Kenneth Kirschner and Joseph Branciforte - From The Machine, Vol 1
Release: 28 May 2021

HAND DRAWN DRACULA

Michael Peter Olsen - Yearning Flow (LP) - LPHDD083
Release: 14 May 2021

HYPERION RECORDS

Release: May 2021

N‎icolò Paganini: 24 Caprices - A‎lina Ibragimova, violin - CDA68366

F‎elix Mendelssohn: The Complete Solo Piano Music, Vol 5 - Howard‎ Shelley, piano - CDA68344

P‎ancho Vladigerov: Exotic preludes & Impressions - Nade‎jda Vlaeva, piano - CDA68327

JOHN MORTENSEN

Historic Improvisation Live - John Mortensen, piano
Release: 1 November 2020

KAIROS RECORDS

Release: 14 May 2021

Alfonzo Gomez - Olivier Messiaen: Vingt Regards Sur L'Enfant-Jesus - KAI0015081

Marco Fusi - Giacinto Scelsi: Works For Violin And For Viola - KAI0015063

Jose Luis Hurtado, Talea Ensemble - Jose Luis Hurtado: Parametrical Counterpoint - KAI0015093

LEONARDO

Alice Fraccari, Angela Troilo, Paolo Davolio, Giacomo Contro, Silvia De Rosso - Sacred Liturgy In Bologna - LDV14069
Release: 7 May 2021

LSO LIVE

R‎alph Vaughan Williams: Symphonies Nos 4 & 6 - London Symphony Orchestra / Pappano LSO0867-D
Release: May 2021

NAVONA RECORDS

Release: 11 June 2021

Inna Faliks, piano - commissioned works by Billy Childs, Timo Andres, Paola Prestini, Richard Danielpour and others alongside Beethoven's Bagatelles Op. 126 - NV 6352

Gavin Bryars: A Native Hill - a choral meditation on our relationship with nature - The Crossing / Donald Nally - NV 6347

Release: 28 May 2021

Ilja Hurnik: Gratias - Jitro Czech Girls Choir / Jiri Skopal - NV6350

Release: 14 May 2021

Fleeting Realms Vol 2 - chamber works by Isak Roux, Mark Zanter, William Toutant, James Shrader, Fabio Antonelli and Marvin J Carlton - NV6348

NAXOS

Release: 14 May 2021

8574238 GERSHWIN: BRASS SEPTETS, VOL. 7

8574292-93 POOT: SYMPHONIES 1-7 (2 CD)

8506042 THALBERG: ITALIAN FANTASIES (6 CD)

8574115 ARENSKY: RUSSIAN TRIOS, VOL. 4

8574147 LISZT: COMPLETE PIANO, VOL. 58

8574191 BROUWER: THE DEVILS CAPRICE

8574182 SKALKOTTAS: DANCES OF WAVES

Release: 21 May 2021

8551449 KAVANAGH: PLAYS KAVANAGH

Release: 28 May 2021

8574143 AUBER: OVERTURES, VOL. 4

8660485-86 MONIUSZKO: HALKA (2 CD)

8573969 BEETHOVEN: TRIPLE CONCERTO

8551451 BEETHOVEN: TA TA TA TAAA (2 CD)

8579093 MENDELSSOHN: SONGS FOR LENA

8574280 FRANCK: ALEXANDER KORYAKIN

8574004 RODRIGO: GUITAR MUSIC, VOL. 3

8579100 GROSLOT: INTIMACY OF DISTANCE

NXN1004 IHLEBAEK: I WILL BUILD YOU

NEW WORLD

Soloists; White Snake Projects Orchestra; Carolyn Kuan    Scott Wheeler: Naga (opera In Two Acts) - NW80814
Release: 7 May 2021

OEHMS CLASSICS

OC1901 GERSHWIN/RAVEL: PIANO CONCERTOS
Release: 21 May 2021

ONDINE

Release: 7 May 2021

ODE 1384-2 LINDBERG: AURA/MAREA

ODE 1354-2 KENINS: SYMPHONIES NOS 4 & 6

ORCHID CLASSICS

Dialogo - John-Henry Crawford, cello - Brahms, Shostakovich, and Ligeti - ORC100166
Release: 4 June 2021

ORFEO

C200062 STRAUSS: RITTER PASMAN (2 CD)
Release: 7 May 2021

PAN CLASSICS

Release: 7 May 2021

Maria Ladurner; Biber Consort - Johann Joseph Fux: Operas & Oratorios For The Viennese Court - PC10425

Gunar Letzbor - Georg Philipp Telemann: 12 Fantasias For Solo Violin - PC10429

PASSACAILLE

Academia Montis Regalis; Enrico Onofri - Vivaldi: Concerti Particolari - PAS1100
Release: 14 May 2021

PHIL. HARMONIE

Martin Stegner - Bach: Suites For Violoncello Solo No.1-6 Bwv 1007-1012 - PHIL06040
Release: 7 May 2021

PIANO CLASSICS

Release: 1 June 2021

Czerny – Der Pianist im Klassischen Stype, Op 856 – Emanuele Delucchi (2 CDs) - PCL10204

Stenhammar – Piano Music – Paolo Scafarella - PCL10225

RELIEF

Tatiana Nikolayeva - J S Bach: Goldberg Variations - Moscow Recording 1970 - CR861006
Release: 14 May 2021

SIGNUM CLASSICS

Release: May 2021

L‎udwig van Beethoven: Symphonies Nos 7, 8 & 9 - B‎ritten Sinfonia / Thomas‎ Ades - SIGCD659

Magnificat, Vol. 2 - S‎t John's College Choir Cambridge / Andrew‎ Nethsingha - SIGCD667

G‎erre Hancock: Choral & organ music - T‎he Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys, Fifth Avenue, New York / Jeremy Filsell  SIGCD631

M‎anu Martin: Lim Fantasy of Companionship - T‎edd Joselson, piano, London Symphony Orchestra / Arthur‎ Fagen - SIGCD670

SKANI

Riga Saxophone Quartet - Saule Tikai / Merely Sun - LMIC096    
Release: 7 May 2021

SOMM RECORDINGS

Release: 21 May 2021

Romantic Revolution: Jan Ladislav Dussek/Chopin SOMMCD 0634

Favourite Orchestral Classics: SOMM ARIADNE 5012 - Philharmonic Concert Orchestra / Iain Sutherland

SOUTHWAY RECORDINGS

Capriccio - String duos, sonatas for violin & piano, cello & piano, and piano trio by British composer David Lewiston Sharpe - Hayley Bullock, violin; Dmitrij Gornowskij, cello; Amir Tebenikhin, piano - SR002CDX
Release: 16 April 2021

SWR CLASSIC

SWR19526CD MOZART: ESSENTIAL SYMPHONIES (6 CD)
Release: 14 May 2021

TACET

Netherlands Chamber Orchestra & Gordan Nikolic - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Symphonies KV 543 "No. 39", KV 551 - TACET2594
Release: 14 May 2021

TACTUS

Release: 30 April 2021

TC 631804 PASQUINI: FIFTEEN SONATAS

TC 720102 AGNESI: ARIAS FROM SOFONISBA

TC 950302 CONTI: MUSIC FOR CELLO

TYZART

Bernhard Parz - Spirit Of Improvisation: Mozart, Scarlatti, Liszt - TXA19141
Release: 14 May 2021

ULYSSES ARTS

Chopin’s Masterpieces - Anton Rosputko, piano - Ballade No 4, Sonatas Nos 2 and 3 - debut album - UA210060
Release: 30 April 2021

Brahms Intermezzi Op 117 and Tchaikovsky The Seasons - Nareh Arghamanyan - UA210127
Release: 7 May 2021

URANIA RECORDS

Alfredo Kraus, Renata Scotto, Fiorenza Cossotto, Ettore Bastianini, MMF Orchestra & Gianandrea Gavazzeni    Verdi: Rigoletto - WS121394
Release: 7 May 2021

WERGO

WER 64342 BARDEN: ANATOMY
Release: 30 April 2021

WILLOWHAYNE RECORDS

The King's Alchemist - British String Trios by Finzi, Wood, Beamish and Moeran - Eblana String Trio - WHR067
Release: 28 May 2021

YARLUNG RECORDS

Confessions - Laura Strickling, soprano; Joy Schreier, Piano   Yarlung 18798
Clarice Assad: Confessions; Gilda Lyons: Songs of Lament and Praise; Tom Cipullo: How to Get Heat Without Fire;  Amy Beth Kirsten: To See What I See; Michael Djupstrom: Three Teasdale Songs; Libby Larsen: Righty, 1966 - 195448187984

Release: 2020

The background image on this page is a 2019 freehand spiral drawing with disc blur by Keith Bramich.