Boston Symphony on Naxos???

[Modernistfan]

This is not an April Fool joke a few months early, but an actual recording announced on the Naxos Direct website for November. Yes, the Boston Symphony, conducted by Andris Nelsons, will actually appear on a Naxos recording entitled "Boston Symphony Commissions," featuring new works by Timo Andres, Eric Nathan, Sean Shepherd, and George Tsontakis. The recording is Naxos 8.559874 in their "American Classics" series.

[John F]

Major American orchestras have appeared on such labels in the past when the recorded repertoire lacks commercial appeal. New World Records published some recordings of new American music by the New York Philharmonic and other top orchestras.

[Modernistfan]

Agreed, I have a number of those recordings on New World with the New York Philharmonic and Pittsburgh Symphony. The NYPO also put out a recording of two symphonies by Christopher Rouse, conducted by Alan Gilbert, on the Danish label DaCapo. It's still a bit shocking to see the BSO on Naxos, though.

[maestrob]

It's pure speculation on my part, but I imagine that Naxos publishes self-financed recordings. Indeed, it's not going to far to imagine that New World records did the same. I may be reaching for it, but the Boston Symphony and Nelsons do not work for free, so somebody is paying them, and it's probably the foundations that backed the composers listed above.

I look forward to hearing more about this release. Please keep us posted.