James Levine and the Boston Symphony Orchestra announced the conductor's plans for the 2009-2010 season today, including a complete performance of Beethoven's symphonies over four weeks. But the big news of the Symphony Hall press conference was the release of Levine's first recordings with the orchestra on the new BSO Classic label.
Two performances on CD or full-length digital downloads and two available only as downloads are now available through bso.org and at the Symphony Hall store. Eight more releases are planned through the end of the year. Release on iTunes and other services is coming in March, but BSO Managing Director Mark Volpe made clear that the BSO hopes to control its own destiny by doing the bulk of sales through its own site.
Nodding along and bouncing in his seat as excerpts were played, Levine said he's excited because the live concert recordings capture the unique qualities of the BSO playing in Symphony Hall "to an alarming degree." And - on the high-end surround sound system rolled out for the press conference anyway - the difference was audible.
The CD-or-download offerings are Ravels' Daphnis and Chloe, recorded Oct. 5 and 6, 2007, with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, and Brahms' "A German Requiem," from Sept. 26 and 27, 2008, with the chorus and soloists Christine Schafer and Michael Volle.
The download-only offerings are Mahler's Symphony No. 6, recorded Oct. 10, 11 and 14, 2008, and William Bolcom's Eighth Symphony, a BSO commission recorded in performances on Feb 28 and 29 and March 1, 2008, with the chorus. The Bolcom recording also includes his lyric concerto with soloist James Galway, from Sept. 29 and 30, 2006.
All downloads are available as "standard definition" MP3s for $8.99 or "high-definition" WMAs with the surround sound information encoded for $12.99.
Levine emphasized that the performances were chosen not from "the artificial desire to do this or that repertoire…or the old aesthetic of studio recording," but were instead picked for the excitement inherent in the performances, even if there were also imperfections. "Fix it and you fix 20 to 30 percent of the excitement right out of the concert," he said.
The BSO launched a download service on its web site in December. Volpe said BSO.org may be the busiest arts organization site on the web, with more than $45 million in e-commerce transacted since it launched.
Levine declined the reveal the additional eight recordings, in part because the list could change before they are released, four at the beginning of the season in the fall and four more closer to the holidays. The 12 together should provide a sufficient sample to tell if they are choosing the right repertoire, although Levine there are some performances that should just be out there regardless of commercial considerations. The three rounds of releases will also help the BSO decide the CD/downloads question, he said.
As for the coming season, Levine's sixth with the orchestra, the highlight for some patrons will be the complete cycle of Beethoven's symphonies in four consecutive programs in October and November.
Neither Levine nor the orchestra have ever done the cycle in quite this way, he said. And surprisingly, at age 65, there is still one Beethoven symphony I've never conducted - the Fourth."
But Levine seemed to be most looking forward to the opening program, with which the BSO will also open Carnegie Hall's season soon after. The Sept. 23 Symphony Hall opener features retiring BSO principal harpist Ann Hobson Pilot performing the world premiere of John Williams' On Willows and Birches, written for her. Soloist Evgeny Kissin will perform Chopin's Piano Concert No. 2. The program also includes Debussy's La Mer and the Roman Carnival Overture from Berlioz.
Only Levine's conducting programs for next season were released today.
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