Telarc Update..

[Chalkperson]

From the Absolute Sound Editor, Harry Pearson...

While Telarc Records, as we knew it, did not officially cease to exist on the last day of March, it will only be a shell of its former self. As one of its principals put it, “Its heart and soul” are gone.

On that day, Concord Record Group closed down the in-house production staff of 26 people, including producers Bob Woods and his wife Elaine Martone, and brilliant young engineer, Michael Bishop. Woods and Martone have become an independent producing team, and Bishop, with others on his team, have founded Five/Four Productions to do recording work.

Telarc’s situation is far from unique. In the past several years, the production teams working for all the major labels have been “let go,” and that includes those at Sony Records, EMI, Decca, and more recently DG. This is the result of sagging sales of recordings industry-wide. It is a story that has long gone unreported in the audio press.

Seeing that downward trend, the two owners of Telarc, Woods and Jack Renner, sold the company to the Concord people in December of 2005. Exactly three years later, Concord announced it was pulling the plug on 31 March. Renner had taken the money, going into an early retirement (still doing the occasional recording gig), and Bishop and his crew left early to get their new firm going. In a lateral and unrelated move, Dave Love, the president of Heads Up (the jazz label Telarc bought in 2000), was “terminated” at the beginning of March, apparently because he did not see eye-to-eye with Concord’s management.Mark Wexler is now running Heads Up as well as what's left of Telarc, reporting to Concord.


The Telarc label will continue in name. Its catalog will remain available. And recordings already in the works will be released until early summer. And, Woods says, he and Martone will continue to produce for Telarc when the occasion merits it, most likely on Atlanta Symphony sessions. (Cincinnati’s orchestra, for the time being, will not be recording.)

Woods says, "[T]he big hammer fell [on Telarc] in the first half of 2008,” when the company began to get a 55 per cent return rate (or more) on its discs from retailers who said they were no longer able to sell classical music as they had in the past. Consumer tastes have changed, they said, and Woods agrees. He then foresaw the coming end of Telarc’s independence and now says, “I couldn’t blame Concord for what they did; if I had been in their shoes I would have done the same thing.” The sales and marketing team, as well as the Cleveland-based warehouse staff are being kept on by Concord. Everything else, says Bishop, will be out-sourced; “the heart and soul of the Telarc sound is gone with us.” Ironic since the Telarc team produced the best sounding recordings from a major label since the Golden Age of Mercury and RCA some 40 years ago.------ HP

[maestrob]

What a heartbreaking article. Thanks, Chalk, for keeping us up-to-date.

55% return rate, huh?

[Febnyc]

One of the first CDs I purchased was a Telarc - called "Star Tracks" - and did so to hear the dawn of digital sound on my newly-acquired player and speakers. This was about 20 years ago.

For easy listening I've enjoyed many of the Erich Kunzel compilations on this label. Also love the Mackerras Gilbert & Sullivan discs, his brilliant Scheherazade (in fabulous dynamics), Maazel's The Ring Without Words, Robert Shaw's Firebird....and on and on.

A shame to see this label fade away.

[Lance]

Yes, it's a tragedy to see such a highly recognized company as Telarc fade away from the former glory it has so long enjoyed. I cherish my many Telarc recordings, most importantly, those by the celebrated Robert Shaw, who brought a special distinction to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, which I have heard live on many occasions, bringing that orchestra to a steller status it had not known until Shaw's arrival. Of course, there are many other superb soloists and ensembles on the label. I'm happy, indeed, to have a great many Telarc recordings in my collection. I once remember, on CMG, when Robert Spano was appointed conductor of the ASO, remarking whether the quality of the orchestra would be maintained. Mr. Robert Woods, one of the owners of Telarc at the time, responded to me on CMG, assuring me that the quality would remain at the top.

From what we read, Telarc's back catalogue will continue to be made available. It would be a shame to have such an extensive and well-recorded catalogue vanish into the ether. Time will tell.

[stenka razin]

Telarc is not quite dead yet. Here are four admirable releases in their Everybodys series set for a release date of 4/28/09.
The list price is $9.99 for two CDs in a single jewel case. There are some wonderful goodies here and the sound is spectacular and the performance range from good to excellent and the price is right.


1-Dvorak-Symphonioes 8 and 9, Serenade For Strings, Scherzo Capriccio and Nocturne.
Paavo Jarvi, Conrad Van Alphen(South African) and Andre Previn. Van Alphen who is the music director of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra will give you a fresh take on the Dvorak' 9th.

The Van Alphen 9th with the esteemed Rotterdam Philarmonic was not issued previously. It is a very, very inexpenive way to hear a conductor that most of us CMGers are unfamiliar with. It is always good to have fresh ears and hear a masterpiece delivered without any preconceptions.

2-Mozart-Symphonies 32, 35, 36 and 38.
Sir Charles Mackerras

3-Haydn-Symphonies 100, 101, 103 and 104.
Sir Charles Mackerras

4-Sibelius-Symphonies 1,2 and 5, Finlandia and The Swan of Tuonela.
Yoel Levi

5-Beethoven-Symphonies 1,2,5 and 7.
Christoph Dohnanyi


P.S. Two other earlier Everybodys sets included the remaining Beethoven Symphonies under Dohnanyi. So you can have his complete Beethoven series for around $30 list and telarc's amzing sound, to boot.

[John F]

Is there anything new here, since the thread beginning March 3 with a link to Norman Lebrecht's obituary notice? Even the second paragraph is as predicted.

http://www.classicalmusicguide.com/view ... lit=Telarc

I wrote at the time,

According to Stereophile, rumors of Telarc's death are exaggerated:

Plans are for Telarc itself to continue with new projects (farmed out) in order to keep their catalog alive. The company's 2009 schedule includes 15 classical releases; 33 jazz, pop, and cabaret titles from both Telarc and subsidiary label Heads Up; and two blues discs. So far, only two multichannel SACDs are planned: Vivaldi's Four Seasons, from Martin Pearlman's Boston Baroque; and Bruckner's Symphony 5, from the Philharmonia Orchestra under Benjamin Zander, the latter to be released in late March.

And who will be making these farmed out new productions? Why, the Telarc production team, which will continue in existence as an independent production company called Five/Four Productions Ltd. According to the story, "the men have already begun recording projects in multiple genres for the Cleveland Orchestra, Telarc, and other high-profile clients."

Five/Four hit the ground running long before they expected to: "Four months before they'd planned to get going on outside projects, the Cleveland Orchestra contracted 5/4 to record fabulous soprano Measha Brüggergosman and the orchestra in selections by Richard Wagner. The recording will join other Wagner tracks on a Cleveland Orchestra all-Wagner disc from DG scheduled for release in 2010. Audiophiles will then be able to compare the PCM sound on DG's recent Cleveland Orchestra recording of Beethoven's Symphony 9 with the sound in DSD of the same orchestra, as captured by 5/4."

Here's the whole article, which popped right up when I googled Cleveland Orchestra Telarc:

http://www.stereophile.com/news/once_te ... five-four/

How this will work out in the longer term remains to be seen, and it's possible that Telarc will eventually cease publishing new classical recordings. Anything is possible. But if Five/Four is able to make a go of it, and the Cleveland Orchestra and others continue to be recorded by them, who cares what brand name the new recordings are sold under? A Telarc recording by any other name...

Anything in this need to be changed?

[Lance]

Apparently not much of a change. I think collectors of any great label find it very disappointing about such news and it wears on them, hence to bring it up. There is probably nothing WE can do, who acquire recordings, except to continually feel the sorrow about such news. Maybe the next news we read will be that the Universal Group, or Naxos, or whoever, will buy up the catalogue. There's always some hope.

[John F]

The future is so unknowable about the record business generally, and classical recording in particular. Bad economic times fuzz up the future even more. All we can do, really, is get the records we want while we can and sit tight.

[nut-job]

Apparently not much of a change. I think collectors of any great label find it very disappointing about such news and it wears on them, hence to bring it up. There is probably nothing WE can do, who acquire recordings, except to continually feel the sorrow about such news. Maybe the next news we read will be that the Universal Group, or Naxos, or whoever, will buy up the catalogue. There's always some hope.

I thought the back catalog, such as it is, would continue to be distributed, although there won't be any new production. In any case, if I hadn't come upon a few threads I wouldn't ever have noticed that Telarc is gone. Have they made a single noteworthy recording in the last 20 years? There is that nice Mackerras Mozart cycle, the O'Conor Beethoven, but that's about it.

[Lance]

I don't know too much about their latest releases, however, the ROBERT SHAW recordings I believe to be among the best things in their catalogue. Because of Telarc, I "discovered" or amplified my interest some grand artists on the label, including:

John O'Conor, pianist
Robert McDuffie, violinist
Lang Lang, pianist (believe-it-or-not!)
Christine Brewer, soprano (outstanding soprano!)
Arleen Augér, soprano (with Previn conducting)
Garrick Ohlsson, pianist (Busoni concerto)
Michael Murray, organist
... well the list can become pretty lengthy.

And, Telarc issued two discs called "A Window in Time" offering some of the best piano "roll" recordings, with Sergei Rachmaninoff at the Bösendorfer Imperial concert grand piano. These were some of the best roll recordings I have heard.

So, in the end, Telarc has certainly has made their mark in the world of recording.

Apparently not much of a change. I think collectors of any great label find it very disappointing about such news and it wears on them, hence to bring it up. There is probably nothing WE can do, who acquire recordings, except to continually feel the sorrow about such news. Maybe the next news we read will be that the Universal Group, or Naxos, or whoever, will buy up the catalogue. There's always some hope.

I thought the back catalog, such as it is, would continue to be distributed, although there won't be any new production. In any case, if I hadn't come upon a few threads I wouldn't ever have noticed that Telarc is gone. Have they made a single noteworthy recording in the last 20 years? There is that nice Mackerras Mozart cycle, the O'Conor Beethoven, but that's about it.

[nut-job]

They made their mark in the lp era, with very clean pressings of good recordings. They never recorded any new or particularly novel repertoire, just standard stuff with the loudest deepest bass drum sound in the industry. For hyperion, Chandos, or any number of labels I can list many new composers I discovered. I don't think anyone would say the same for Telarc.

I don't know too much about their latest releases, however, the ROBERT SHAW recordings I believe to be among the best things in their catalogue. Because of Telarc, I "discovered" or amplified my interest some grand artists on the label, including:

John O'Conor, pianist
Robert McDuffie, violinist
Lang Lang, pianist (believe-it-or-not!)
Christine Brewer, soprano (outstanding soprano!)
Arleen Augér, soprano (with Previn conducting)
Garrick Ohlsson, pianist (Busoni concerto)
Michael Murray, organist
... well the list can become pretty lengthy.

And, Telarc issued two discs called "A Window in Time" offering some of the best piano "roll" recordings, with Sergei Rachmaninoff at the Bösendorfer Imperial concert grand piano. These were some of the best roll recordings I have heard.

So, in the end, Telarc has certainly has made their mark in the world of recording.

[Lance]

I thought the John Field Nocturnes for Piano was quite a novel idea for a major label. And sound-wise, it's outstanding. Since I generally collect by artists - rather than repertoire - I kind of hand-picked their catalogue, first and foremost, however, was anything by Robert Shaw conducting.

They made their mark in the lp era, with very clean pressings of good recordings. They never recorded any new or particularly novel repertoire, just standard stuff with the loudest deepest bass drum sound in the industry. For hyperion, Chandos, or any number of labels I can list many new composers I discovered. I don't think anyone would say the same for Telarc.

I don't know too much about their latest releases, however, the ROBERT SHAW recordings I believe to be among the best things in their catalogue. Because of Telarc, I "discovered" or amplified my interest some grand artists on the label, including:

John O'Conor, pianist
Robert McDuffie, violinist
Lang Lang, pianist (believe-it-or-not!)
Christine Brewer, soprano (outstanding soprano!)
Arleen Augér, soprano (with Previn conducting)
Garrick Ohlsson, pianist (Busoni concerto)
Michael Murray, organist
... well the list can become pretty lengthy.

And, Telarc issued two discs called "A Window in Time" offering some of the best piano "roll" recordings, with Sergei Rachmaninoff at the Bösendorfer Imperial concert grand piano. These were some of the best roll recordings I have heard.

So, in the end, Telarc has certainly has made their mark in the world of recording.

[Seán]

The future is so unknowable about the record business generally, and classical recording in particular. Bad economic times fuzz up the future even more. All we can do, really, is get the records we want while we can and sit tight.

That's exactly what I'm doing.

[Guitarist]

So far, I'm not pleased with Concord Music. I bought a copy of Zander's new SACD Bruckner 5th on Telarc (from Amazon)--it simply wouldn't play on my SACD player. So I returned it--no problem. I then saw a copy at the SF Virgin Music--bought it--same story, but I couldn't return it since they were closing the store. I contacted Concord Music and they said to return it to them and they'ed evaluate it. It's been over two weeks and now they "can't locate it." I imagine I'm just screwed if it doesn't turn up. I've mailed and received 100s of CDs and never has one gotten lost. I don't think the left hand knows what the right hand is doing over there!

[Lance]

Ever since the Concord takeover, Telarc seemed to to go to pot. I hope you will be able to get a new copy. I send nothing out now without a delivery confirmation when something has to be returned. Insofar as the SF Virgin store, if they were still open, they should have given you a refund! I no longer give gift certificates for ANY store or restaurant. I was substantially "burned" when my daughter once gave me a $250 gift certificate to establish a personal Web site with all the frills. The company went down the tubes a few months later and the gift certificate with it.

So far, I'm not pleased with Concord Music. I bought a copy of Zander's new SACD Bruckner 5th on Telarc (from Amazon)--it simply wouldn't play on my SACD player. So I returned it--no problem. I then saw a copy at the SF Virgin Music--bought it--same story, but I couldn't return it since they were closing the store. I contacted Concord Music and they said to return it to them and they'ed evaluate it. It's been over two weeks and now they "can't locate it." I imagine I'm just screwed if it doesn't turn up. I've mailed and received 100s of CDs and never has one gotten lost. I don't think the left hand knows what the right hand is doing over there!

[stenka razin]

So far, I'm not pleased with Concord Music. I bought a copy of Zander's new SACD Bruckner 5th on Telarc (from Amazon)--it simply wouldn't play on my SACD player. So I returned it--no problem. I then saw a copy at the SF Virgin Music--bought it--same story, but I couldn't return it since they were closing the store. I contacted Concord Music and they said to return it to them and they'ed evaluate it. It's been over two weeks and now they "can't locate it." I imagine I'm just screwed if it doesn't turn up. I've mailed and received 100s of CDs and never has one gotten lost. I don't think the left hand knows what the right hand is doing over there!

Guitarist, it is so sad to read of your bad experience with Concord Music. If it makes you feel any better, the regular CD version of Zander's Bruckner #5 sounds wonderful. Maybe if you write Concord and ask them to substitute the non SACD version as a replacement, they will, mate.

[Guitarist]

Ever since the Concord takeover, Telarc seemed to to go to pot. I hope you will be able to get a new copy. I send nothing out now without a delivery confirmation when something has to be returned. Insofar as the SF Virgin store, if they were still open, they should have given you a refund! I no longer give gift certificates for ANY store or restaurant. I was substantially "burned" when my daughter once gave me a $250 gift certificate to establish a personal Web site with all the frills. The company went down the tubes a few months later and the gift certificate with it.

Sadly, numerous signs proclaimed, ALL SALES FINAL!

I don't want another copy (there's simply some incompatibility between that release and my player, something I've never encountered before. Either that or I'm incredibly unlucky! I have a few other Telarc SACDs that play just fine). If they ever find it, I'll ask for their Sibelius 2nd/Tubin 5th SACD release instead.

[Chalkperson]

I have about 1,000 SACD's and only ever had trouble with two or three discs when using my Sony Player, and, they were Sony discs that it would not play, since I bought my Linn player I have had no problems whatsoever...

[Ralph]

Telarc discs, especially early music, are an important part of my collection. Who will replace Telarc? Anyone?

[Lance]

I hear there is a new European label called DITTERSDORF. They will be specializing in early music through the early Classical period. They are looking for supportive funds. Any interest?

Telarc discs, especially early music, are an important part of my collection. Who will replace Telarc? Anyone?

[Guitarist]

I need to reassess Concord Music: they overnighted the Sibelius SACD to me! My faith in the music industry has been (partially) restored! (It plays fine and sounds great!)

[Febnyc]

Berkshire Record Outlet recently has listed lots of Telarc discs at real cheap-o prices.

[EarlyCuyler]

Not quite sure why they would keep recording Atlanta and not Cincinnati? I knowthe Cincinnati Symphony/Pops has sold a myriad more recordings than the Atlanta Symphony. Hopefully Cincinnati will find a recording contract soon. after they get rid of Paavo Jarvi preferably.

[karlhenning]

Woods says, "[T]he big hammer fell [on Telarc] in the first half of 2008,” when the company began to get a 55 per cent return rate (or more) on its discs from retailers who said they were no longer able to sell classical music as they had in the past. Consumer tastes have changed, they said, and Woods agrees.

I think they're seriously misreading the situation as "consumer tastes have changed" (if they mean by that musical fashion; a taste for classical music doesn't map onto the statistics that the industry charts).

What has changed is the medium, and the way that product is marketed. Full-ticket classical CDs ($18.99 for a single disc, are you kidding me?) was a non-starter 15 years ago. This isn't about the 'viability of classical music'; this is about delivery and publication systems, and the question of how much of that institution does the end-consumer really need to pay for, as a percentage of each purchase.

I understand that Telarc is feeling its pains; and they'd like to make it out as a the sky is falling! for classical music as a whole. But 85% of this is about Telarc, and not about classical music.

Cheers,
~Karl

[nut-job]

I think they're seriously misreading the situation as "consumer tastes have changed" (if they mean by that musical fashion; a taste for classical music doesn't map onto the statistics that the industry charts).

What has changed is the medium, and the way that product is marketed. Full-ticket classical CDs ($18.99 for a single disc, are you kidding me?) was a non-starter 15 years ago. This isn't about the 'viability of classical music'; this is about delivery and publication systems, and the question of how much of that institution does the end-consumer really need to pay for, as a percentage of each purchase.

I understand that Telarc is feeling its pains; and they'd like to make it out as a the sky is falling! for classical music as a whole. But 85% of this is about Telarc, and not about classical music.

Cheers,
~Karl

I'm not sure price is the issue. Their discs started getting cheaper in recent years and that doesn't seem to have helped. But I know why I stopped buying Telarc. They used to have reputable artists. Dohnanyi and Cleveland, Mackerras, Shaw. Now they record Paavo Jarvi with Cincinnati and Levi with Atlanta? Not in the same league.

[karlhenning]

I'm not sure price is the issue. Their discs started getting cheaper in recent years and that doesn't seem to have helped. But I know why I stopped buying Telarc. They used to have reputable artists. Dohnanyi and Cleveland, Mackerras, Shaw. Now they record Paavo Jarvi or Cincinnati Levi with Atlanta? Not in the same league.

I agree that price is less of an issue particular to l'affaire Telarc. That was a side example of part of the industry really playing dumb to the change in the environment.

Your point very well taken viz. the change in quality of the stable, overall.

Cheers,
~Karl

[Lance]

I quite agree. For me, the Robert Shaw recordings were the icing on the cake! How I miss that man's work, chorally or orchestrally!

I'm not sure price is the issue. Their discs started getting cheaper in recent years and that doesn't seem to have helped. But I know why I stopped buying Telarc. They used to have reputable artists. Dohnanyi and Cleveland, Mackerras, Shaw. Now they record Paavo Jarvi or Cincinnati Levi with Atlanta? Not in the same league.

I agree that price is less of an issue particular to l'affaire Telarc. That was a side example of part of the industry really playing dumb to the change in the environment.

Your point very well taken viz. the change in quality of the stable, overall.

Cheers,
~Karl

[John F]

Telarc has stayed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra through two changes of music director, with Robert Spano now in charge. He has his enthusiasts, indeed some critics were promoting him to lead the Boston Symphony and then the New York Philharmonic. The performances I've heard him conduct, notably with the Brooklyn Philharmonic before he moved on to Atlanta, have been quite strong - at least the equal of Robert Shaw, I'd say, though of course no one can equal Shaw as a trainer and conductor of choruses. But it's not a name to sell stacks of CDs.

Incidentally, Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony won quite a few Grammies in the 1980s because the orchestra and chorus voted for themselves en bloc. Other orchestras didn't do likewise, and some (Boston, New York, Philadelphia) didn't have associated choruses to swell their numbers. This led to a change in the rules, with a panel of critics selecting a set of finalists in each category before the artists etc. could vote on them. Since then, only two Atlanta Symphony recordings have won Grammies.

The other big winner is Georg Solti with 32 Grammies. This has been explained to me as because all the members, regardless of their kind of music, vote for the winners in all categories, and Georg Solti and the Chicago Symphony had by far the highest name recognition among American orchestras. Of course they made some outstanding recordings during his long tenure, but so did others who scored less well with the non-classical voters.

[karlhenning]

I agree that price is less of an issue particular to l'affaire Telarc. That was a side example of part of the industry really playing dumb to the change in the environment.

This is exactly what I'm talking about:

List Price: $19.98

Cheers,
~Karl

[Lance]

Well, I've heard the Atlanta SO many times live - in Atlanta - and thought them to be first rate. Maybe the Cincinnati Pops under Kunzel sold a lot of discs, but I'm sure Atlanta has as well. Under Shaw, the ASO became a first class orchestra.

Not quite sure why they would keep recording Atlanta and not Cincinnati? I knowthe Cincinnati Symphony/Pops has sold a myriad more recordings than the Atlanta Symphony. Hopefully Cincinnati will find a recording contract soon. after they get rid of Paavo Jarvi preferably.

[John F]

Not quite sure why they would keep recording Atlanta and not Cincinnati? I knowthe Cincinnati Symphony/Pops has sold a myriad more recordings than the Atlanta Symphony. Hopefully Cincinnati will find a recording contract soon. after they get rid of Paavo Jarvi preferably.

Not quite sure why Telarc would have wanted to do that. They've been recording the Atlanta Symphony for 30+ years, won lots of Grammies (however that happened), evidently sold lots of records, and brought the orchestra international recognition. Their long series of recordings with the Cincinnati Pops has been successful too. But clearly they haven't found it worthwhile to abandon the fruitful Atlanta relationship to start from scratch with another, rather less well known regional symphony orchestra, even a good one, under a different series of conductors. Given how things stand with Telarc, it's a moot point anyway, isn't it?

[nut-job]

Oh well, just picked up 22 Telarc CDs from Berkshire, almost all of them for $2.99. Shame, though. They made the very best audio recordings (the reason I'm anxious to pick some of them up), too bad they were rarely of the very best performers. It is also evident that they were not great at marketing themselves.

Oh, to think what it would be like if some of those screechy Karajan recordings that hurt my ears were made by Renner and Woods instead of Michel Glotz and Günter Hermanns.

[stenka razin]

Oh well, just picked up 22 Telarc CDs from Berkshire, almost all of them for $2.99. Shame, though. They made the very best audio recordings (the reason I'm anxious to pick some of them up), too bad they were rarely of the very best performers. It is also evident that they were not great at marketing themselves.

Oh, to think what it would be like if some of those screechy Karajan recordings that hurt my ears were made by Renner and Woods instead of Michel Glotz and Günter Hermanns.

nut job, Renner and Woods had multiple offers from Universal (DG, etc.) over the years to abandon Telarc and merge their company into that huge empire and those two gentlemen constantly refused the offers. If they had listened, Karajan at the end of his life and Bernstein, too would have had the best recordings engineers possible for their recordings. But, sadly that did not happen. Well, Telarc lasted about 30 years and now that Concord has taken over at Telarc, we can expect reissues of those great sounding Telarc CDs indefinitely, but no more new Cds.

[Chalkperson]

Oh, to think what it would be like if some of those screechy Karajan recordings that hurt my ears were made by Renner and Woods instead of Michel Glotz and Günter Hermanns.

The problem, to a degree, is that to Karajan and the Producers the sound was fine, the Playback System in the Studio would have masked all the screechiness, it took me 15 years and tens of thousands of dollars to get rid of that Ear Attacking Noise that hurt me to listen to most recordings, in my Rock and Roll days I often saw Bands/Producers play back albums on Six Inch Auratone Cubes to get a feel as to how the records would sound in a car, on an eight track or the Radio, if it sounded good on the Auratones it would sound great on Quads, Karajan would not know an eight track if it hit him on the nose...

http://books.google.com/books?id=006sLM ... #PPA443,M1

[nut-job]

nut job, Renner and Woods had multiple offers from Universal (DG, etc.) over the years to abandon Telarc and merge their company into that huge empire and those two gentlemen constantly refused the offers. If they had listened, Karajan at the end of his life and Bernstein, too would have had the best recordings engineers possible for their recordings. But, sadly that did not happen. Well, Telarc lasted about 30 years and now that Concord has taken over at Telarc, we can expect reissues of those great sounding Telarc CDs indefinitely, but no more new Cds.

Renner and Woods working at DG wouldn't have solved the problem. The minimal microphone recordings that Telarc did are not economically efficient. Because they have a lot of embedded reverberation they don't lend themselves to lots of edits and patching, and they require extensive setup time to get the balance right. I suspect Telarc liked working with second-string orchestras and conductors who were happy to record at all and would put up with all the inconvenience. Can you imagine them convincing Karajan to do another take because the balance was off and the horn section needs to be moved one meter back to be avoid overpowering the strings section? Günter needs to have that gain slider to fix the balance before Karajan decides it's time for his Weiner Schnitzel and Schnapps.

[John F]

I suspect Telarc liked working with second-string orchestras and conductors who were happy to record at all and would put up with all the inconvenience

That doesn't really apply to the Cleveland Orchestra and its conductors Lorin Maazel and Christoph von Dohnanyi, does it? No doubt Telarc made them a good offer, but if the inconvenience was all that great, the deal would surely have ended when the first contract ran out. Instead, the orchestra has chosen Telarc's former recording team to make its own records.

[absinthe]

Oh well, just picked up 22 Telarc CDs from Berkshire, almost all of them for $2.99. Shame, though. They made the very best audio recordings (the reason I'm anxious to pick some of them up), too bad they were rarely of the very best performers. It is also evident that they were not great at marketing themselves.

It must be that you get what you pay for, then. I have a few Previn/LSO; Mackerras etc...they weren't quite as cheap as $2.99 so.....

As to marketing they managed to keep going for 30 years - not bad for an indie. They hardly seem worse off that the recording majors these days who have all but given up on promoting new artists/ensembles/works.

cheers.

[nut-job]

It must be that you get what you pay for, then. I have a few Previn/LSO; Mackerras etc...they weren't quite as cheap as $2.99 so.....

Mostly Loboz-Cobos and Levi recordings. I have a few already and they generally well performed, if standard. But I find few recordings which capture the sound of an orchestra with the realism that the Telarc team achieved at their best.

[karlhenning]

Mostly Loboz-Cobos and Levi recordings. I have a few already and they generally well performed, if standard. But I find few recordings which capture the sound of an orchestra with the realism that the Telarc team achieved at their best.

Decades ago I had a Levi recording of the Shostakovich Tenth on Telarc, which I found unexceptional.

Jesús López-Cobos and Cincinnati on Telarc I have performing the Shostakovich First & Fifteenth, and the Rakhmaninov Second; these are excellent.

Cheers,
~Karl

[nut-job]

Decades ago I had a Levi recording of the Shostakovich Tenth on Telarc, which I found unexceptional.

Jesús López-Cobos and Cincinnati on Telarc I have performing the Shostakovich First & Fifteenth, and the Rakhmaninov Second; these are excellent.

Cheers,
~Karl

As I would expect. At $2.99 a pop it's worth the risk. Maybe they'll become rare colectors items and I can sell them on ebay for 100 bucks each some day.

[EarlyCuyler]

I suspect Telarc liked working with second-string orchestras and conductors who were happy to record at all and would put up with all the inconvenience

[/quote]

I would hardly consider the Cincinnati Symphony a second string orchestra. One of the oldest in the country, and one of the highest paying. Listen to their recordings of Respighi, Mahler, Bruckner, or their Wagner disc. They play wonderfully. With the most underrated brass section in the world, especially in that huge acoustic hole they call home. Or at least they used to be before Paavoi slowly dismantled it. Telarc lost my interest when they started using more mics. Karajan recordings on DG I avoid like the plague for that reason. EMI was totally different however. The BPO/Karajan recording of Bruckner 8 from 1958 is astounding. That was before the BPO got "malled" and began to sound generic. Which unfortunately is what is happening to Cincinnati under Paavo Jarvi. They used to have a signature sound, but thats going away now. How I wish Neeme was here instead of Paavo. Another TREMENDOUSLY underrated orchestra is the St.Louis Symphony. A fantastically rich sounding group.

[nut-job]

I suspect Telarc liked working with second-string orchestras and conductors who were happy to record at all and would put up with all the inconvenience

I would hardly consider the Cincinnati Symphony a second string orchestra. One of the oldest in the country, and one of the highest paying. Listen to their recordings of Respighi, Mahler, Bruckner, or their Wagner disc. They play wonderfully. With the most underrated brass section in the world, especially in that huge acoustic hole they call home. Or at least they used to be before Paavoi slowly dismantled it. Telarc lost my interest when they started using more mics. Karajan recordings on DG I avoid like the plague for that reason. EMI was totally different however. The BPO/Karajan recording of Bruckner 8 from 1958 is astounding. That was before the BPO got "malled" and began to sound generic. Which unfortunately is what is happening to Cincinnati under Paavo Jarvi. They used to have a signature sound, but thats going away now. How I wish Neeme was here instead of Paavo. Another TREMENDOUSLY underrated orchestra is the St.Louis Symphony. A fantastically rich sounding group.

Just listened to one of the recordings you seem to have mentioned, Respighi, Pines of Rome, Lopez-Cobos, Cincinnati. Typical Telarc. Sound is extremely natural, the strings sound fluid with a subtle sheen as they do in a concert hall, not the screachy rosin-on-the-string sound you hear in most commercial recordings. Brass and winds sound like they are in the room, perfect perspective and sound image. Not "demonstration quality" sound, just sounds like your living room has been grafted onto a concert hall.

Now let's get to the performance, perhaps the worst I've ever heard on record. Immaculately played, but it sounds like a fine professional orchestra sight-reading an unfamiliar score. The conductor has no presence or apparent controlling intelligence at all. Focusing on my favorite part, the final movement, Respighi's score isn't terribly nuanced, it is very terraced with the orchestration becoming bigger in discrete steps and they play it very straight without emphasizing dynamic changes. Maazel/Cleveland makes a brilliant spectacle out of it, the old Reiner makes it into a vigorous tour-de-force, Karajan finds orchestral lines to emphasize which makes it seem to progress from crescendo to crescendo in a much more compelling way. Under Lopez-Cobos it might have well been a midi synthesizer. Franklty I can't imagine how Paavo could possibly have been worse.

I still enjoyed it, just to hear an orchestra play that nicely and so well recorded. It was worth $2.99 from Berkshire. But to hear that orchestra play that music with that recording rig with a real conductor on the podium. It would have been priceless.

[EarlyCuyler]

I should have been more specific which Respighi recording I was referring to. My apologies. That recording is not one of their better performances. I would much more readily recommend Church Windows or Roman Festivals which are the 2 best performances on record of both pieces. Roman Festivals only competition comes from Pittsburgh/Maazel. Check out that recording. Have you heard the orchestra live? Or are you just going on recordings?

[nut-job]

I should have been more specific which Respighi recording I was referring to. My apologies. That recording is not one of their better performances. I would much more readily recommend Church Windows or Roman Festivals which are the 2 best performances on record of both pieces. Roman Festivals only competition comes from Pittsburgh/Maazel. Check out that recording. Have you heard the orchestra live? Or are you just going on recordings?

OK, I found that one for $1.79, plus shipping. Worth a try. I haven't heard them live, but with Telarc audio, I might as well have.

[EarlyCuyler]

I should have been more specific which Respighi recording I was referring to. My apologies. That recording is not one of their better performances. I would much more readily recommend Church Windows or Roman Festivals which are the 2 best performances on record of both pieces. Roman Festivals only competition comes from Pittsburgh/Maazel. Check out that recording. Have you heard the orchestra live? Or are you just going on recordings?

OK, I found that one for $1.79, plus shipping. Worth a try. I haven't heard them live, but with Telarc audio, I might as well have.

Recordings are never a substitute for a live performance. I can't believe I actually have to say that...

[nut-job]

I should have been more specific which Respighi recording I was referring to. My apologies. That recording is not one of their better performances. I would much more readily recommend Church Windows or Roman Festivals which are the 2 best performances on record of both pieces. Roman Festivals only competition comes from Pittsburgh/Maazel. Check out that recording. Have you heard the orchestra live? Or are you just going on recordings?

OK, I found that one for $1.79, plus shipping. Worth a try. I haven't heard them live, but with Telarc audio, I might as well have.

Recordings are never a substitute for a live performance. I can't believe I actually have to say that...

I can't believe you actually think you have to say that...

[EarlyCuyler]

I should have been more specific which Respighi recording I was referring to. My apologies. That recording is not one of their better performances. I would much more readily recommend Church Windows or Roman Festivals which are the 2 best performances on record of both pieces. Roman Festivals only competition comes from Pittsburgh/Maazel. Check out that recording. Have you heard the orchestra live? Or are you just going on recordings?

OK, I found that one for $1.79, plus shipping. Worth a try. I haven't heard them live, but with Telarc audio, I might as well have.

Recordings are never a substitute for a live performance. I can't believe I actually have to say that...

I can't believe you actually think you have to say that...

I guess I just assumed that calling an orchestra second-tier went with a more informed opinion. One that is based on having heard said ensemble in a live performance, preferably more than once.

[nut-job]

I should have been more specific which Respighi recording I was referring to. My apologies. That recording is not one of their better performances. I would much more readily recommend Church Windows or Roman Festivals which are the 2 best performances on record of both pieces. Roman Festivals only competition comes from Pittsburgh/Maazel. Check out that recording. Have you heard the orchestra live? Or are you just going on recordings?

OK, I found that one for $1.79, plus shipping. Worth a try. I haven't heard them live, but with Telarc audio, I might as well have.

Recordings are never a substitute for a live performance. I can't believe I actually have to say that...

I can't believe you actually think you have to say that...

I guess I just assumed that calling an orchestra second-tier went with a more informed opinion. One that is based on having heard said ensemble in a live performance, preferably more than once.

I have nothing bad to say about the Orchestra as a performance group. As far as their success in the world, they are just not at the same level as Berlin, Vienna, New York, Chicago, Cleveland, London, San Francisco, etc. They have never had a first-rate music director since Reiner left, they have never had a recording contract with a solvent record label and I don't think they have ever recorded a Beethoven cycle. No matter how nicely they play, they're not in the big leagues.

[EarlyCuyler]

I should have been more specific which Respighi recording I was referring to. My apologies. That recording is not one of their better performances. I would much more readily recommend Church Windows or Roman Festivals which are the 2 best performances on record of both pieces. Roman Festivals only competition comes from Pittsburgh/Maazel. Check out that recording. Have you heard the orchestra live? Or are you just going on recordings?

OK, I found that one for $1.79, plus shipping. Worth a try. I haven't heard them live, but with Telarc audio, I might as well have.

Recordings are never a substitute for a live performance. I can't believe I actually have to say that...

I can't believe you actually think you have to say that...

I guess I just assumed that calling an orchestra second-tier went with a more informed opinion. One that is based on having heard said ensemble in a live performance, preferably more than once.

I have nothing bad to say about the Orchestra as a performance group. As far as their success in the world, they are just not at the same level as Berlin, Vienna, New York, Chicago, Cleveland, London, San Francisco, etc. They have never had a first-rate music director since Reiner left, they have never had a recording contract with a solvent record label and I don't think they have ever recorded a Beethoven cycle. No matter how nicely they play, they're not in the big leagues.

Oh, can we have another Beethoven Cycle please? Just what we need. I applaud orchestra's for going outside normal and safe rep. I also wasn't aware that was a qualifier for a top tier orchestra. That is pretty ludicrous if it is. Give the Beethoven a rest, the same for Mozart. There are more than enough recordings of those works. As for the orchestras you named in example of "Top Tier" orchestras:
Berlin is not a sound I look for aside from a very select portion of the catalogue. Vienna is astounding, when they aren't over engineered. New York hasn't sounded good since Mehta left. Chicago is starting to sound good again after Barenboim. Cleveland is hit or miss. All the London orchestra's are pretty damn impressive, as always even better with Gergiev. San Francisco is scary good, but their Mahler cycle that everyone raves about is over engineered as well.

I am not thrilled with the way the orchestra plays now. As much as I was before Paavo's reign of terror came to Cincinnati, but I still consider them in the Top-Tier of World Orchestra's. Any orchestra can play like god's on any given night. Case in point...Ben Zander/Akron Symphony last season performed Mahler's Symphony No.2. Best performance i've ever heard of the work. I've heard it live 5 times. Once in Cleveland, and twice each in Cincinnati and Chicago. Akron blew them away. Once in Cincinnati was with Gilbert Kaplan, so I didn't really hear Mahler 2 I heard something that loosely resembled it, so thats not really fair. But Zander/Akron was an amazing and uplifting experience.

[stenka razin]

By the way, CMGers, Telarc just finished releasing Dohnanyi's Cleveland Beethoven 9 Symphonies in 2 CD single jewel box 2fers at the ridiculous price of $10 per 2fer. That means for $30 you can hear the complete Dohananyi 9. That's darn good considering the great 80's Telarc sound and the good reviews these performances have recieved. If you check the sales at places like Barnes and Noble and Borders these Dohnanyi renditions will set you back much less than $10 each. Buy them. The title is the offputting 'Everybodys Beethoven'..But, please do not pay attention to the title, the contents are marvelous and a real deal.