|
Jeremy Polmear writes about how he started this CD label in 2002 (written 2003, updated 2009) ![]() Firstly, there is the general malaise in the classical recording industry, where even fairly well-known performers are finding their contracts not being renewed. Oboe CDs have always had a particularly hard time of it - launched with little publicity, languishing for a few years in the 'Instrumental - Collections' section of the record store, and then being deleted. Finally, what about money? The whole process is expensive, especially at the beginning - with no guarantee that I would get my money back, let alone make a profit. But the idea wouldn't go away. I love making CDs of my own, and I know what valuable things they are to have. Maybe I could love creating CDs for others too. I had already designed web sites and sold CDs through them, so I knew how it worked. I've been around a bit and know many players; and I began to see that I was well placed to do it. First I set about creating a look for the label. Howarth of London kindly let me use a picture of their XL oboe to go down that transparent bit on the left hand side of the CD case, and on the left of this web page. I had a logo designed, wrote a slogan ('Celebrating the world of the oboe') and started to map out the kind of CDs I might produce. I stopped when my list got to fifty - there was a lifetime's work there, and I saw what an incredible range of music was possible, using the oboe as a central focus. I wanted my initial release to reflect this variety, so I decided to start with five titles. Three would be of music from different periods - Baroque, Romantic and Contemporary. One would be by an International soloist, and one would be something a bit unusual. But how was I going to find performers to fit these categories? For the fifth, the 'unusual' CD, I listened to tapes of old players - and I mean old, by nearly a century. They included Georges Gillet, and I had high hopes of the playing of someone who could devise such fiendish studies. But I was disappointed. I have to be diplomatic here, and remember that recording conditions and attitudes were in their infancy, that players only recorded relatively popular pieces, and that there were no re-takes - but when Georges Gillet, his colleagues and pupils got to the end of a piece without too many mishaps, you felt relieved that they had managed it, rather than elevated by the musical result. [Note: In 2005 I released a double CD of just such pieces! Geoffrey Burgess has researched the 'historic oboe' recording scene extensively. He came up with such a splendid and varied set of recordings, together with an illuminating commentary, that I can now see the value of them.] I decided early on that the Internet would be an important part of my operations, both to advertise and sell the CDs and also to publish information around them that wouldn't fit on the CD booklet. So for example, the section in this site about Schumann has an article on why we chose the pieces, and how to obtain the arrangements. The section on Paul Goodey's CD has an article by him on his computer compositional techniques, and the one on Han de Vries has him talking about playing styles, reeds, vibrato and the pieces he is playing. Goossens' entry has a memoir of him by his daughter Jennie. Then there are many sound clips too. When I was growing up you could take an LP you were thinking of buying into a little booth and try it out - I wanted to give that kind of background to each CD. So there we are, the initial release of Oboe Classics. I enjoyed putting it together. Like any project there have been ups and downs, but overall it is such a pleasure working not only with other oboists, but with engineers, producers, designers and collectors. But the greatest pleasures lie in furthering the cause of the oboe and the community of oboists; and in the music, exploring and celebrating the rich world of sound and feeling that the oboe opens up for us all. tel: +44 (0)20 7263 4027 email: mail@oboeclassics.com Jeremy Polmear was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. After a science degree at Cambridge University he spent some time with IBM UK before turning to music as a career. He formed a Duo with the pianist Diana Ambache in 1977 for a British Council tour of India, and they have since performed in thirty three countries on five continents. London appearances have included the Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room, and they have made four recordings. They also run sessions for businesses, using the Arts as a management training tool. As a freelance oboist, Jeremy has performed with a number of London's chamber and ballet orchestras, including the City of London Sinfonia, the London Mozart Players, Lontano, English National Ballet and The Ambache. He has also made several BBC broadcasts of chamber music. He is the designer of six web sites - the Polmear Ambache duo, the Ambache Chamber Orchestra, Women of Note, the Ambache Charitable Trust, Week Walks and this one.
|