Trombadave

Ed,

I was wondering how you prepare for a solo recording session? How many months did you shed the music prior to the session? How many days did you allow yourself to record? How did you select the music for the recording? Did you rehearse with the ensemble/accompanist prior?

Thank you,

David

ecarroll

Dave,

You've asked many questions and if the thread stays alive I'll try to get to all of them.

Regarding length of time, the fastest recording I ever made was one of Handel's complete WATER MUSIC that I conducted (http://www.hbdirect.com/album_detail.php?pid=215803). The ensemble was the Chamber Soloists of Washington -- all members of the National Symphony (save solo oboist Allan Vogel) and very comfortable together. We rehearsed 3 or 4 times and recorded 60 minutes of music found on the the disc in one 2.5 hour session (essentially a sound-check and 2 times through the piece). The results were marvelous.

My recording of Vivaldi, Albinoni, Baldassare, etc. with Concerto Rotterdam (again, mostly Rotterdam Phil. players) was rehearsed for concerts and then made in two sessions -- perhaps a little bit more typical than the Water Music disc.

As for programming, I've never enjoyed recital disks. I prefer programs with "a point of view" -- music by one composer, from one period, or tied together my some relationship hinted at in the title and explained in the liner notes.

More, if you and others really want to hear it...

Best,
EC

ptynan

By all means please go on....

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TrentAustin

Yes... more please!
-T

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rowuk

Yeah - this sounds like exactly what I need. I have a trumpet organ concert coming up in June and decided that there would be no pre-chewed, tid-bits like trumpet tunes or similar stuff. Point of view gets my mind working!
Please go on!

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Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

ecarroll

TMers,

My first recordings were made at the request of a legendary man named George H. de Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (great-grandson of the composer) who founded the Vox and Turnabout labels. The initial program was a LP of English Voluntaries (a form that interested me at the time) by Alcock, Stanley, Greene, Boyce, and others and was recorded for the German label FSM (Fono Schallplatten Muenster) at Harvard University with Ed Brewer, organist and Mark Gould. We had been playing together for some time and banged it out in two 2 hour sessions (AM/PM). This was followed by a program of Venetian music for trumpets, trombones, and organ recorded in the city with the New York Trumpet Ensemble, which I had just taken over directorship of from Gerry Schwarz. We had one late-night session for the antiphonal brass bits (Dave Taylor was absolutely stoned but, as usual, played great) and another for solo pieces with positiv organ. Lee Soper and I played Frescobaldi Canzoni on this session and we were both "on". A terrific experience, at least for me. The last program recorded for FSM was with Lucy Shelton and a continuo group (theorbo, lute, 'cello, positiv organ, harpsichord) in a program of Scarlatti and Melani Cantatas and Arias that we had been playing around NYC. This was recorded, once again, in two late sessions in the city at a wonderful church on 73rd St. just west of Broadway. Nonesuch was recording in the same church then. 2:00 AM sessions were mandatory due to traffic noise. I only lived 2 short blocks away, however, and that made things MUCH easier.

A great (and true) George Mendelssohn story: George walked into a record store in London back in the 60's with Otto Klemperer, the celebrated German conductor. He asked the clerk why they didn't have the complete Beethoven Symphonies, conducted by Klemperer, in stock. He then explained that the man with him was indeed Klemperer. The clerk, unimpressed, asked "and who are you? Beethoven?" to which George replied ".....no, Mendelssohn".

More when I have time,
EC