The CSO released its Traditions and Transformations: Sounds of Silk Road Chicago CD this week. It is the most recent release from CSO Resound, our in-house recording label. This recording helps to illustrate the full range of the CSO musicians, with music ranging from Prokofiev's Scythian Suite to Bloch's Schelomo, his cello concerto performed with Yo-Yo Ma. But it also includes Harrison's Pipa Concerto that was also featured during 2007's Silk Road Chicago collaboration between the CSO, the Art Institute, Silk Road Project and Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs.
I'm writing not just about this release, but the freedom that the current recording and distribution environment provides to all ensembles. With CSO Resound, we have been able to define our artistic priorities and record what the CSO feels is important. There are many examples of groups looking at music distribution differently. Radiohead's In Rainbows release is one that is often referenced, but it is an outstanding example.
The methods by which music will be distributed in the future are absolutely continually in flux, which makes it an exciting time. We all recognize the shift from physical to digital product, but the digital environment is shifting as well. Where will Rhapsody fit into the mix as its share of the market grows?
We feel there will always be interest in the highest fidelity sound, which is why we released our Bruckner 7 recording with principal conductor Bernard Haitink in SACD Hybrid format. In April, we will be releasing Mr. Haitink's Mahler 6 with the CSO, also in an SACD and traditional format. There may be some opportunities where we cannot have a physical product, such as our Shostakovich 5 conducted by Myung-Whun Chung. But there is still merit in making such an outstanding performance available to the public, which is why this was our first digital-only release. Digital buyers are much more interested in portability than fidelity. It doesn't mean that you have to give up fidelity for portability in all cases. The key is to reach out to as many potential listeners as possible in the formats that make sense to them.
While those strategic decisions need to be hashed-out, the freedom this new recording environment provides is incredibly exciting.
Posted in
Plush | Wed, 02/20/2008 - 2:38pm
Oh sure there are times that recording has been much better than now. Those times might include actual recording sessions for the CSO at Medinah Temple, Orchestra Hall or the Auditorium Theatre. They also included times when tube sound reigned. <p>In former days there was more time to refine the sound, more time to pursue an artistic vision separate from a concert, and more revenue for the playas and the organization. I look forward too to a time when the CSO will pursue more adventurous recording projects. <p>The writer mentions the Silk Road project and it is a start. Not "new music" mind you, but moving away from Mahler and Bruckner where the catalog is already clogged. <p>Your writer's intent is good, but the writer cannot only rely on his memory or what is currently heard. By the way, physical product releases far outnumber digital downloads in the classical field world wide. <p>Fidelity in downloads is still important and a minimum of 320k is recommended. I challenge CSO ReSound to be more innovative and move to more interesting releases.
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