Rubbish Covers And Under Represented Women

[joggerjayne]

Classical CDs are not known for their artistic covers.

They frequently feature a photograph of the conductor, or the soloist.

Sometimes it's an old painting. Or a country scene. Marvellous.

I have two copies of the Alpensinfonie. Both of them have a picture of a snowy mountain. Creative genius!

So I'm listening to a CD at the moment ...

Clara Schumann's Piano Concerto.

And, on the cover ... a picture of Clara Schumann (well, I suppose it's her).

Why??

It's like the CD producers are saying ... Yes, it's by Clara Schumann ... yes, the woman ... it's not a typo ... you probably thought it was her husband, Bob ... so we've put a picture on the cover, just to make it clear.

So anyway, why have the girls done so badly in writing classical music?

And why are the CD covers so rubbish?

[Elina]

LOL, you make me howl jj x

[Elina]

Do you feel better for that rant, you're right of course ;0)

[joggerjayne]

I like to get these things off my chest, Elina x

[Buenchico]

Am I the only person who couldn't care less about album artwork? I buy an album for the music, not for the pictures!

Here's a rather nice work by a female composer for you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwiFojetJW0

[jno]

if you had a CD of, say, Carole King covers would it be amazing if the cover depicted Carole King? What exactly should a cover show? Most depict the performer, and this might be an option in this case. But essentially CDs are too small to show anything very detailed - if Sergeant Pepper had been a CD they'd have had to provide a magnifying glass with it. So mug shots are usually going to be the default image. What would you prefer?

As to why there haven't been any... lack of patronage? (Or matronage.) Until the last 100 years or so women seldom did any work outside the home at all.

[joggerjayne]

Thanks, Chris. I hadn't heard that before.

jno ... of course, that must be along the right lines.

[joggerjayne]

Except ...

[joggerjayne]

For most classical music, in it is the composer, not the performer, who is more important.

You might well book tickets to see a performance of Beethoven's 9th, or whatever.

You are less likely to say ... I'm going to see the Royal Philharmonic. I don't really care what they play.

This is in contest with contemporary music. If a modern band are doing a gig, you wouldn't say ... I want to know what they are going to play before I buy a ticket.

[joggerjayne]

Although, to be fair, I did go and see Alice Sara Ott in concert, just because I wanted to see her play.

[Elina]

You're rambling Mrs ! ;0)

[joggerjayne]

Yeah, sorry ...

:o/

[Elina]

We love your ramblings x

[joggerjayne]

At least I hid it away in the Music section.

[Elina]

Yeah, like no one's looking in .. are they .... are they :0? LOL!

[andy-hughes]

joggerjayne - /For most classical music, in it is the composer, not the performer, who is more important. //

I disagree. Since most of the popular works are known to more or less anyone who likes classical music, the interpretation becomes the interest. Otherwise, you would only ever need one copy of any piece - but different musicians and orchestras bring a fresh approach to listen to at home, or in concert.

//You are less likely to say ... I'm going to see the Royal Philharmonic. I don't really care what they play. //

No, but you will be keen to see what a particular conductor has done with a well-known piece to stamp his or her own authority on it.

//This is in contest with contemporary music. If a modern band are doing a gig, you wouldn't say ... I want to know what they are going to play before I buy a ticket.//

But you pretty much do know, if you are a fan - a new single or hit, or a series of hits, or well-known and much-loved album tracks, and some stuff from the new album they are playing to promote.

[joggerjayne]

Hmm, Andy ... maybe that's true ... in some contexts. Does that assume that you have a particular fondness for a piece of music, and think it should've performed a certain way?

There was a bit of Eine Kleine Nachtmusic on Capital FM this afternoon, and I meant to listen out for who was conducting it, because I absolutely hated it. It was full on, arm waving, fanfare blasting stuff. Bit weird, actually.

I have four copies of The Ring, the Solti, the Karjan, the Goodall, and the earlier of the two Furtwanglers. Bought in that order.

The Solti is dramatic, and maybe the definitive recording. I bought the Karajan because I had a period of loving his stuff. But it's too melodic, and tuneful. It's as if Verdi wrote it. I bought the Goodall out of curiosity, because its in English. Is doesn't really work. And it's very plodding. Which brings me to ...

The Furtwangler. The 1950 recording. The sound quality is not great, but ... it has Kirsten Flagstad singing Brunhilde. And so, because of Kirsten, it's my favourite.

So I agree with you in some circumstances.

But most of the time? I'm not sure.