Pubblichiamo qui di seguito il testo e la lista integrale originariamente pubblicata alla fine degli anni '90 sul sito della etichetta discografica Naxos. L'intento principale dell'articolo non è tanto quello di svelare retroscena sui diritti, ma mettere in guardia gli acquirenti sul fatto che le indicazioni riportate sui cd venduti a prezzo budget in merito alla registrazione digitale DDD non è veritiera. Come è noto, Naxos ha invece sempre realizzato cd DDD a prezzo budget, sin dalla sua nascita.
Over the last few years the market has been flooded by super-budget classical CDs manufactured and / or marketed by firms such as:
Pilz (Labels: Vienna Master Series / Classic Digital)
Selected Sound Carrier (Labels: Masterworks in Digital / Forum)
Selcor (Labels: CD Gallery / The Greatest Classical Hits)
Masters Classic (Label: Masters Classic)
Interphon (Labels: Cenox / Formula Classics / Interphon Classics)
Aurophon (Labels: Aurophon / Arpege)
DA Music (Label: Sonia Classic)
Elap (Label: The Rose Collection)
Mediaphon (Label: Mediaphon)
Orbis (Label: Orbis)
Nikki / Pro Music (Labels: Araxos / Mona Lisa)
Sound Solutions (Label: Onyx)
Bella Musica (Label: Bella Musica)
Point Productions (Label: Point Classics)
ZYX (Label: ZYX Classics)
…and many more.
What they all have in common is an extremely low price and catalogs that contain many fraudulently described recordings.
The fraudulent descriptions can be broken down into categories :
1. Old analogue recordings are sold as DDD. To cover up this fact, the names of the original performers are changed and the names of non-existent artists and orchestras are used instead and sometimes even the names of existing performers (who did not actually make the recordings). In many cases, the companies don't even bother with name changes and simply sell an old analogue recording as DDD.
The names of existing orchestras and artists are used on recordings not made by them in order to give the impression that, for example, a recording from Eastern Europe appears to have been made in England or because the original artist names are difficult to pronounce.
Sometimes names are changed simply to allow different labels to sell the same recordings in different packaging as original recordings. The "P" year is manipulated so as to suggest that an old recording is a new one. The "P" mark and year indicates the year in which a given recording was first released on cassette, LP or CD. The © mark and year indicate when a specific recording was first released in its specific presentation, ie the © mark refers to the design of the cover / sleeve / booklet and not to the recording itself.
2. Sometimes even major companies try to hide the fact that they are releasing newly compiled old recordings by stating on the inlay card of a release "This compilation "P" 1992", even though some of the recordings might date back to the sixties or seventies. The correct "P" mark information should list the years in which each of the recordings was first released, eg "P" 1969, 1972, 1978, 1982", or at least "P" 1969-1982 and only © 1992 would be correct. Some labels now omit any reference to artists or change playing times so as to make it difficult to trace the origins of the recordings.
Another thing most of these fraudulent labels have in common is that most of their recordings come from the same source, ie a catalog of about 2000 titles assembled by the controversial producer / conductor / wheeler-dealer, Alfred Scholz (now Professor Alfred Scholz). Most of these are old analogue recordings made between 1968 and 1970 for Polyband and Primaton and by the Austrian Radio prior to 1977. The recordings by the Austrian Radio were sold in 1977 to PREMIS, a company owned or controlled by Mr Scholz. His catalog also includes a limited number of legitimate digital recordings made in England (London), Slovenia (Ljubljana), Slovakia (Bratislava), and Hungary (Budapest).
The catalog subsequently passed into the ownership of Musikförderung (Verein zur Förderung der musikalischen Beziehungen zwischen Österreich und seinen östlichen Nachbarländern) and is now owned by Point Productions, a company owned or controlled by Wilhelm Mittrich. It is not clear whether the recordings from the Scholz catalog were sold to the various labels as DDD or whether the labels knew that the recordings were analogue but changed the descriptions to DDD on their own. It is also not clear whether all the labels using the recordings from the Scholz catalog actually licensed or purchased these legitimately. Several companies actually re-license and re-sell these recordings without having the right to do so and there is litigation between Point Productions and several of the labels over this matter.
Fantasy Names Used By Many Super-Budget Labels
Süddeutsche Philharmonie
(South-German Philharmonic)
This name is used for recordings made by members of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra between 1968 and 1970. Previously, before the age of the CD, these recordings were marketed under the name "Bamberg Philharmonic". In some cases, the name Süddeutsche Philharmonie is also used for recordings by the Nürnberg Symphony and the Austrian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Philharmonia Slavonica
This name is most frequently used for recordings by the Austrian Radio
(ORF) Symphony Orchestra.
Camerata Romana
This name is frequently used for recording made by the Camerata Rhenania in 1969 and 1970. Camerata Romana is also used for recordings made by the Süddeutsches Kammerorchester München which consisted of members of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestras.
Gaspar da Salo Quartet
This name has been used for old recordings by, for example, the Quartetto Italiano.
Phantom Conductors
Alberto Lizzio, Henry Adolph, Carlos Pantelli, Svend Bengtson, Vladimir
Petroschoff, Loic Bertrand, Eugen Duvier, Peter Stern. These are invented names, often used to disguise the fact that recordings are old and analogue or to pretend that one recording is different from another.
Real Artists
The names of the conductors Anton Nanut, Hanspeter Gmür, Hans Zanotelli and
Laurence Siegel have been used on recordings not made by them. And, of
course, Mr Scholz himself has used his own name on many recordings not
conducted by him. The names of pianists Sylvia Capova and Ida C(z)ernecka have been used on recordings not made by them.
Real Orchestras
The names of the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Festival Orchestra
and the Ljubljana Radio Symphony have been used on recordings not made by
these orchestras.
PILZ
I. VIENNA MASTER SERIES
This catalog is based exclusively on the Scholz catalog and includes a substantial number of fraudulently described recordings :
160 239
PALESTRINA: Missa Brevis / Missa Tu Es Petrus
FD: Analogue, not DDD (Recorded in 1974)
160 250
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto Nos 4 & 5
FD: Concerto No 4 is old analogue recording by Ernst Gröschel and
the Nürnberg Symphony Orchestra (Not Süddeutsche Philharmonie)
conducted by Günter Neidlinger (and not Hanspeter Gmür)
160 252
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No 6 "Pastoral"
FD: Analogue, not DDD. The conductor Hans Swarowski died in 1975, ie before the first digital recordings were made.
160 205
BIZET: L'Arlésienne (Suites Nos 1 & 2) / Symphony No 1
FD: This recording was not made by the London Festival Orchestra (as claimed).
160 201
BRAHMS: Hungarian Dances Nos 1 -21
FD: This recording was not made by the London Festival Orchestra (as claimed).
160 159
BRUCKNER: Symphony No 2
FD: Analogue, not DDD (recorded before 1977). Performed by Austrian Radio Symphony under Carl Melles (and not by the Philharmonia Slavonica under Alberto Lizzio, as claimed).
160 115
LISZT: Symphonic Poems
FD: This recording was not made by the London Festival Orchestra, as claimed.
160 210
MENDELSSOHN: Symphonies Nos 4 & 5
FD: These symphonies not performed by London Symphony Orchestra, as claimed. Symphony No 5 is old analogue recording and not DDD, performed by Austrian Radio Symphony under Milan Horvat (and not by LSO under Scholz).
160 120
MOZART: Marches / Horn Concertos / Cos* fan tutte (Overture)
FD: Not performed by London Festival Orchestra.
160 166
MOZART: Coronation Mass and other Sacred Works
FD: Analogue, not DDD.
160 149
ORFF: Carmina Burana
FD: Analogue, not DDD.
160 161
PAGANINI: Violin Concerto No 1
FD: Analogue, not DDD (first released on Euphoria label in 1977).
160 157
TELEMANN: Tafelmusik / HUMMEL: Trumpet Concerto
FD: Telemann not conducted by Hanspeter Gmür. Hummel Concerto analogue and not DDD (recorded 14 and 15 September 1970).
160 162
TELEMANN: Suite in D Major / RICHTER: Trumpet Concerto
FD: Telemann not conducted by Hanspeter Gmür. Richter analogue and not DDD (recorded 10 and 11 September 1970).
160 216
TCHAIKOVSKY: Nutcracker / Swan Lake (Suites)
FD: Not performed by London Festival Orchestra.
160 244
TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No 1
FD: Not performed by Ida Cernecka and the London Festival Orchestra under Laurence Siegel, as claimed, but by Peter Toperczer and the Slovak Philharmonic under Bystrik Rezucha.
160 245
VERDI: Aida (Highlights)
FD: Analogue, not DDD (recorded in June and July 1969).
160 246
VERDI: Il Trovatore (Highlights)
FD: Analogue, not DDD (recorded July to September 1969).
160 247
VERDI: La Traviata (Highlights)
FD: Analogue, not DDD (recorded in 1969).
160 249
WAGNER: Overtures
FD: Not performed by London Festival Orchestra.
160 175
DEBUSSY: La Mer
FD: Analogue, not DDD. Performed by Austrian Radio Symphony under
Milan Horvat (and not by Philharmonia Slavonica under Alfred Scholz).
In general, most other recordings in the Pilz catalog are analogue and not digital, in particular recordings featuring the Süddeuitsche Philharmonie, the Philharmonia Slavonica and the Camerata Romana.
160 249
WAGNER: Overtures
FD: The recording of the Flying Dutchman is an old, analogue recording by the Nürnberg Symphony Orchestra under Hanspeter Gmür, recorded in 1968. The Parsifal Prelude was recorded by Othmar Maga with the same orchestra at about the same time.
II. CLASSIC DIGITAL
This new Pilz label is also based on the Scholz catalog and includes the same fraudulently described recordings as the VIENNA MASTER SERIES.
140 253
BRUCKNER: Symphony No 4
FD: Recorded by the Austrian Radio Symphony under Milan Horvat
before 1977, ie the recording is analogue and not DD, as claimed.
III. BEST OF CLASSICS
This new Pilz label (DDD! of course) no longer specifies the names of the artists and orchestras. However, the recordings also come from the same source as the VIENNA MASTER SERIES and therefore suffer from the same problems.
IV. GOLDEN CLASSICS
This new Pilz label (2 CD's in one box), also DDD (of course), is also based on the Scholz catalog and has the same problems.
SELECTED SOUND CARRIER AG
I. CLASSICAL MASTERWORKS IN DIGITAL
506.2121
MENDELSSOHN: Symphonies Nos 4 & 5
FD: Both symphonies not recorded by London Symphony Orchestra. Symphony No 5 analogue and not DDD, as claimed. Symphony No 5 actually recorded by Austrian Radio Symphony under Milan Horvat, before 1977.
506.2176
MOZART: Overtures / Marches / Piano Concerto
FD: Overtures not recorded by London Festival Orchestra.
507. 2104
MOZART: Symphonies Nos 35 & 41
FD: Analogue, not DDD, as claimed. Recorded January 15 and 16, 1979
at EMI Studio No 1.
506.2217
MOZART: Serenades Nos 4 & 6 / German Dance No 1
FD: German Dance No 1 not recorded by London Festival Orchestra.
506.2240
PAGANINI: Violin Concerto No 1 / TARTINI: Violin Concerto
FD: Paganini Concerto analogue and not DDD, as claimed. This recording released (using different names) in 1977 by the American Euphoria label.
506.2113
MUSSORGSKY: Pictures at an Exhibition / RAVEL: Bolero
FD: analogue, not DDD, as claimed. Recorded January 21 and 22, 1979 at Henry Wood Hall in London.
506.2225
RAVEL: Daphnis et Chlo* / La Valse / Tombeau de Couperin / Valses nobles et sentimentales
FD: Analogue, not DDD, as claimed. All four works were not performed by the Philharmonia Slavonica under Henry Aolph, but by the Austrian Radio Symphony Orchestra under Horvat, Bour and Irving, and recorded before 1977.
506.2226
SAINT-SAËNS: Symphony No 3 / Carnival of Animals
FD: Carnival of the Animals not conducted by Hanspeter Gmür. Recording most likely analogue as most recordings with Süddeutsche Philharmonie (members of Bamberg Symphony, previously called "Bamberg Philharmonic") were made before 1980.
506.2169
RISMKY-KORSAKOV: Scheherazade / KHACHATURIAN: Sabre Dance
FD: Sabre Dance not performed by London Festival Orchestra.
506.2228
SCHUBERT: Symphonies Nos 4 & 6
FD: The recording of Symphony No 4 is analogue and not DDD ... it is listed on Page 360 of Bielefelder Katalog of 1980. It was previously released under the name "Bamberger Philharmonie conducted by Hans Swarowsky" by the American Euphoria label in 1977. Swarowsky died in 1975. The recording of Symphony No 6 is also analogue and not DDD as claimed ... it was released on Euphoria in 1977 under the names "Orchestra of the Vienna Voklsoper conducted by Alexander von Pitamic".
506.2227
SCHUBERT: Symphonies Nos 1 & 3 / Rosamunde
FD: Symphonies Nos 1 & 3 analogue and not DDD as claimed (Recordings made before 1978). Rosamunde not recorded by London Festival Orchestra (Ballet Music only).
506.2233
TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No 1 / Suite No 4
FD: Piano Concerto No 1 not performed by Ida Czernecka and the London Festival Orchestra under Lawrence Siegel, but by Peter Toperczer and the Slovak Philharmonic under Bystrik Rezucha. Suite No 4 not conducted by Hans Zanotelli.
506.2106
TCHAIKOVSKY: Swan Lake / Sleeping Beauty
FD: Swan Lake not performed by London Festival Orchestra.
506.2232
STRAVINSKY: Le Sacre du Printemps / Petrushka
FD: Not conducted by Hanspeter Gmür. Sacre analogue, not DDD, as claimed. Performances most likely by Austrian Radio Symphony under Milan Horvat (Petrushka) and Leif Segerstam (Sacre), recorded before 1977.
506.2244
BRILLIANT TRUMPET CONCERTI
FD: Torelli, Telemann, F X Richter and Hummel Concertos analogue and not DDD. Recorded by the Camerata Rhenania under Hanspeter Gmür in Bregenz on 14 and 15 September 1970. Torelli Concerto performed by Rof Quinque and not Georges Renée, as claimed.
506.2245
ESPAÑA * ESPAGNE * SPANIEN * SPAIN
FD: Iberia by Debussy analogue and not DDD, as claimed. Recorded by Austrian Radio Symphony under Milan Horvat before 1977, and not by Philharmona Slavonica under Carlos Pantelli. Rapsodie espagnole by Ravel (Feria) most likely also analogue and not DDD ... recorded by Austrian Radio Symphony under Horvat before 1977.
506.2236
WEBER: Symphony No 1 / Overtures
FD: Symphony No 1 analogue and not DDD, as claimed. Recorded by Nürnberg Symphony under Othmar M F Maga and Philharmonia Slavonica under Scholz. Listed in Bielefelder Katalog of 1976 (Page 74).
506.2242
BOHEMIAN MASTERPIECES
FD: Carl Stamitz Double Concerto analogue and not DDD, as claimed (recorded in Hohenems 19 to 21 September, 1970). Benda Symphony No 2 also analogue and not DDD. Recorded by Camerata Rhenania under Hanspeter Gmür (not Munich Symphony under Adloph) from 19 to 21 December, 1970.
506.2243
MUSICA BOHEMICA
FD: F X Richter Symphony C Major, Johan (not Carl as stated) Stamitz Symphony in E-Flat Major and Johan Stamitz Flute Concerto all analogue and not DDD, as claimed. Recorded by Camerata Rhenania under Hanspeter Gmür (not by Camerata Romana under Eugen Duvier) in July and September 1970.
506.2258
FAVOURITE CLASSICAL MINIATURES
FD: Solveig's Song and Flight of the Bumble Bee not performed by London Festival Orchestra.
506.2189
J S BACH: Concerti
FD: Harpsichord Concerto No 2 analogue and not DDD. Recorded by Eberhart Kraus and Süddeutsche Kammerorchester Munich under Hanspeter Gmür (not Camerata Romana under Eugen Duvier) on 29 April, 1970. Other concertos also most likely analogue and not DDD.
506/2191
BARTOK: Concerto for Orchestra / Piano Concerto No 2
FD: Concerto from Orchestra analogue and not DDD. Recorded by Austrian Radio Symphony under Milan Horvat (not Philharmonia Slavonica and Carlos Pantelli) before 1977.
506.2192
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No 3 / King Stephen (Overture)
FD: Overture to King Stephen not performed by London Festival Orchestra.
506.2108
BEETHOVEN: Symphonies Nos 2 & 5
FD: Symphony No 2 not performed by London Symphony Orchestra.
506.2194
BEETHOVEN: The Creatures of Prometheus
FD: Analogue and not DDD, as claimed. Recorded by Austrian Radio Symphony under Milan Horvat (not Philharmonia Slavonica under Carlos Pantelli) before 1977.
506.2160
BIZET: Symphony No 1 / L'Arlésienne (Suite No 2)
FD: Not recorded by London Festival Orchestra.
506.2196
BEETHOVEN: Triple Concerto / Variations for Cello and Piano
FD: Triple Concerto analogue and not DDD (recorded before 1980).
506.2195
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concertos Nos 4 & 5
FD: Piano Concerto No 4 analogue and not DDD, as claimed. Recorded in 1980 by Ernst Gröschel with the Nürnberg Symphony under Guenter Neidlinger (and not the Süddeutsche Philharmonie under Hanspeter Gmür).
506.2200
BRUCKNER: Symphony No 4
FD: Analogue and not DDD, as claimed. Recorded by Austrian Radio Symphony under Milan Horvat (not Philharmonia Slavonica under Henry Adoph) before 1977.
506.2199
BRAHMS: Violin Concerto / Haydn Variations
FD: Haydn Variations analogue and not DDD, as claimed. Recorded by Austrian Radio Symphony under Milan Horvat (not Münchner Symphoniker under Helmut Bucher) before 1977.
506.2173
BRAHMS: Hungarians Dances Nos 1 -21
FD: Not performed by London Festival Orchestra.
506.2116
CHOPIN: Piano Concerto No 2 / HAYDN: Piano Concerto No 11
FD: Chopin Piano Concerto No 2 analogue and not DDD as claimed (recorded at Henry Wood Hall in London on January 6, 1979). The Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra does not perform in the Haydn Concerto, as claimed.
506.2212
HAYDN: Concerti for King ferdinand IV of Naples
FD: Analogue and not DDD, as claimed. Recorded by the Camerata Rhenania under Hanspeter Gmür (not Camerate Romana under Alberto Lizzio) in Bregenz in June 1970.
506.2209
HAYDN: Symphonies Nos 92, 95 and 96
FD: Symphony No 92 analogue and not DDD, as claimed. Recorded by Austrian Radio Symphony under Milan Horvat (not Philharmonia Slavonica under Henry Adolph) before 1977.
506.2207
HAYDN: Symphonies Nos 63, 73 and 97
FD: Symphony No 73 analogue and not DDD, as claimed. Recorded by Austrian Radio Symphony under Milan Horvat (not Süddeutsche Philharmonie under Alexander von Pitamic) before 1977.
506.2205
HAYDN: Symphonies Nos 30, 48 and 55
FD: Symphony No 48 is analogue and not DDD, as claimed. This symphony was recorded by the Austrian Radio Symphony under Milan Horvat (not the Philharmonia Slavonica under Henry Adolph) before 1977. Symphony No 30 is most likely an old analogue recording (19 to 21 December, 1970) by the Camerata Rhenania under Hanspeter Gmür.
506.2131, 506.2248, 506.2249
HANDEL: Concerti Grossi Op 6, Nos 1 -12
FD: Not conducted by Hans Zanotelli.
506. 2241
LISZT: Piano Concertos Nos 1 and 2 / Piano Solo Works
FD: Piano Concerto No 2 not conducted by Hanspeter Gmür.
506.2174
LISZT: Symphonic Poems
FD: Not performed by London Festival Orchestra.
506.2213
MENDELSSOHN: Midsummer Night's Dream / Heimkehr aus der Fremde /
SCHUBERT: Rosamunde
FD: Heimkehr aus der Fremde analogue not DDD. Old recording of Nürnberg Symphony Orchestra listed in Bielefelder Katalog before 1980.
506.2234
WAGNER: Overtures and Preludes
FD: The Overture to The Flying Dutchman was recorded by the Nürnberg Symphony Orchester under Hanspeter Gmür in 1968 and is therefore analogue and not DDD. The Parsifal Prelude was recorded by Othmar Maga with the same orchestra at about the same time and is therefore also analogue and not digital.
506.2162
BEETHOVEN: Symphonies Nos 1 and 8
FD: Symphony No 1 was recorded by members of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra under Hanspeter Gmür from 25 to 26 April 1970 and not by the Ljubljana Radio Symphony under Anton Nanut. This recording is therefore analogue and not DDD.
II. FORUM
406 051
BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonatas
FD: Sonata Op 81a (Les Adieux) not performed by Sylvia Capova.
462 075/076
HANDEL: Fireworks Music / Water Music / Concerti Grossi
FD: Not conducted by Hans Zanotelli, as claimed.
462 018
RAVEL * MUSSORGSKY * DEBUSSY
FD: La Mer is analogue and not DDD, as claimed. Recorded by Austrian Radio Symphony under Milan Horvat (not Orchestra Radio-Symphonique, Paris under Loic Bertrand) before 1977.
462 079
SCHUBERT: Symphonies Nos 5 & 8
FD: Symphony No 5 not recorded by London Festival Orchestra.
462 080
SCHUBERT: Trout Quintet / Impromptus
FD: Trout Quintet not performed by Sylvia Capova.
462 060
TCHAIKOVSKY: Serenade for Strings / Violin Concerto
FD: Not conducted by Hanspeter Gmür
472 007
BALLET MUSIC
FD: Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet analogue, not DDD as claimed (recorded before 1980).
462 025
FAMOUS OPERA CHORUSES AND OVERTURES
FD: None of the works on this CD performed by the London Festival Orchestra.
462 062
FAMOUS OVERTURES
FD: None of the works on this CD performed by the London Festival Orchestra.
462 063
FAMOUS OVERTURES
FD: None of the works on this CD performed by the London Festival Orchestra.
472 023
FAMOUS OVERTURES
FD: The London Philharmonic / Batiz recordings are analogue and not DDD, as claimed (recorded before 1980).
462 024
VERDI: Overtures and Preludes (Aida / Rigoletto / Traviata)
FD: Analogue and not DDD as claimed (recorded 1969).
All other FORUM releases suffer from the same problems as CLASSICAL
MASTERWORKS IN DIGITAL. |
