The Art-Music, Literature and Linguistics Forum

I may get beat up here... but, in the past a lot of commentators were somewhat negative on the Naxos catalogue of 20 years ago..however, I have really been impressed with the quality of music coming from Naxos recently ... esp. since they contracted with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Iceland Symphony Orchestra, National Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra, Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Symphony Orchestra and others.. could be the recording equipment has improved dramatically over the years.......  I remember when a person could find them at Tower Records for $3.99 a disc......

Actually I had no problem with the Naxos catalogue of 20 years ago. I have a problem with the Naxos catalogue of the last 2-3 years, however, where they seem to be publishing vast acerages of very unimportant music when (as we know) there are plenty of really good compositions awaiting recording.

yes.. I agree... case in point >>   Lydia Auster:  her piano concerto is lovely, the music from the incidental plays is fabulous and many of her works are worthy of multiple listens...  in particular the music from Light and Darkness and Tiina.  I get tired of all the reissues of Bach, Beethoven and Mozart.... uggghhhhh

They have made some odd choices recently - however, I should point out that they ARE open to suggestions, so DO write to them.

Whom does one write to?

I can understand the frustration at this apparent change of focus, probably, as suggested, due to the current mentality of "Money makes the world go round" (if it were only as fun as Joel Grey....). Sidebar: Having recently watched the purchase of our American government by the Koch brothers and their ilk, I am in despair of what this world has come to be about, but facts is facts, as they say. I must say, though, that if I had billions I would not only give most of it away, but also found a new generation classical music recording company that would never produce anything that had ever been done professionally before. Yes, I'm a fool--fantasies don't cost anything, though.
But, beginning with Marco Polo and all the rare repertoire introduced by them--I have some of their LPs--then the affordability of the early Naxos CD releases, I can't but admire and appreciate the groundbreaking and ear-opening things they contributed. Never minding those who will pick apart the conductors, soloists, orchestras, the 2nd violins, acoustics of this or that hall, does anyone know how most of us would ever have met Laszlo Lajtha, Alexander Moyzes, et al any other way? So, yes, sad that those productions that please our kind of music listener are fewer from Naxos, but a subscription to their online site allows access to hundreds of other labels that are still venturing into unknown territory. I am poor as a church mouse, but that is one monthly expenditure I allow myself, rarely to feel shortchanged, so maybe that site would interest you if you don't know it yet--I'm not their PR guy!! I do hope that Naxos itself can go back more to its roots, but fear the demand is isolated to a very small minority of music listeners. Or perhaps this old fart will just have to have a double ear transplant in order to be able to accommodate to the Justin Bieber world.

Good question, and I don't have the email correspondence with them I used to have any longer. But try customer.service@naxos.com in the first instance, and I'm sure they will put you on to the right guy.

 Klaus.Heymann@Naxos.Com    try this one.

Thanks for the recommendation Shamus!

He is the boss guy, but not, I think, the person I corresponded with about repertoire. Anyway, it's bound to get redirected to the right quarter wherever you send it.

I believe the Hugo label comes from the same house?
They introduced to me the Chinese Western (originally the Hong Kong) Music Scene. They were hard to get and often not of high standard quality.
Here I started to become fond of other Chinese composers, including works played by the 'Chinese' Orchestras.
China: a country rich of music and of musical instruments.

So maybe they could bring us a couple on the Naxos label.

Quality wise not everything on these labels were of high standard, but they brought "new" stuff. And they brought them in a payable range.

Hugo is not a Naxos label - their Chinese labels are Yellow River and Middle Kingdom.

So we blame the Koch Bros??
Apparently Dr. Jonathan Gruber was right.

Shamus is right on point.  "People" like the Koch brothers are destroying our freedoms, the  natural world,  and our cultural world.  Despicable greedy, selfish bastards.   UK has plenty of them too.
BTW I see Donald Trump is single-handedly trying to destroy Scotland.

Like Will Rogers once said..I know it must be true..I read it in the papers.
The best response to this line of "reasoning" is silence.