by Alison Mackay
Click here to view Tafelmusik’s complete discography
A soloist playing one of the most difficult passages in a Mozart concerto has just achieved perfection only to be told that airplane noise overhead has ruined the "take". The words "One more time and we have it," spoken with a German inflection, are then heard in the room. Over many years these calming and encouraging words were spoken so often by Sony record producer Wolf Erichson to Tafelmusik that they have entered the parlance of our day-to-day rehearsal life.
Making CDs with Tafelmusik combines the best of two worlds - you have to play your best AND you get to wear your most comfortable clothes. Our 65 recordings have taken us on some amazing artistic journeys. In the early days we were blessed with the collaboration of some of the "stars" of the early-music scene who wanted to help out our fledgling orchestra by associating with us. You can imagine the thrill it was for us to record (LPs in those days) with Emma Kirkby and Anner Bylsma.
These recordings helped bring us to the attention of Wolf Erichson, who had produced many of the landmark LPs we all listened to in our student days. It was a dream come true when we went on to make 50 CDs with Wolf on the BMG and Sony labels. These projects, usually coordinated with concert tours, took us to the gorgeous medieval monastery of Benediktbeuren in Bavaria (Beethoven Piano Concertos); to the secret Mennonite church in Haarlem in Holland (Mozart Horn Concertos), chosen for its gorgeous acoustic and for its high walls, which protect it from street noise; and to the resonant parish church in the German spa town of Bad Tölz, (Mozart Requiem). These venues all had something in common - perishing COLD. Centuries-old damp walls and the turning off of potentially noisy heat sources prompted many hurried shopping expeditions for extra layers of wool.
Making CDs takes an orchestra into unique territory. It is highly stressful and demands intense concentration, since time is limited. During Tafelmusik recording sessions the orchestra is always given the chance to go to the recording booth to hear a "soundcheck take" so that we can comment on the sound quality and balance, and know where our playing needs improvement. Then, in many repetitions, it is the job of Jeanne and the record producer to keep the artistic standard and the morale high.
In our past association with Sony, our longstanding partnership with CBC, and now in our exciting collaborations with Analekta, we have had the gift of 67 opportunities to share our performances with music lovers around the world. CDs do more than spread our name, however. Their permanence challenges us to develop a unique artistic "voice" and to strive for a high level of excellence which affects every subsequent Tafelmusik performance - at home, on tour, or over the airwaves.
Tafelmusik's recordings have received a host of international awards. As a Canadian orchestra and choir we are most proud of our 26 Juno nominations and 5 Juno awards. The recent film documentary Mozart Noir: Reviving a Legend added five Gemini nominations, a Rose d'Or nomination (Switzerland), and a Banff Rocky Award to our list of accolades.
Bravo Analekta!
Tafelmusik is thrilled to be recorded on the Analekta label and to have become a part of the Analekta family. Founded in 1988 by Mario Labbé, Analekta has become the largest independent classical recording company in Canada. Analekta has earned a reputation of excellence on the international music scene, and is now considered a benchmark within the Canadian music industry and a true champion of Canada artists. Over the past five years, Tafelmusik's partnership with Analekta has resulted in seven CDs, including a special Silver Anniversary compilation CD entitled Baroque Delights. Tafelmusik looks forward to a successful recording partnership with Analekta well into our next 25 years!
CBC and Tafelmusik: A 25-Year Friendship
On its Silver Anniversary, Tafelmusik salutes CBC Radio, Television and Records for a remarkable 25-year friendship. CBC has brought Tafelmusik into the homes of millions of Canadians via radio broadcasts, television broadcasts and recordings. "Cleopatra with Isabel Bayrakdarian" is a microcosm of this special relationship - the concert is being recorded for broadcast by CBC Radio, a studio taping is being filmed by CBC Television for its acclaimed Opening Night series, and the repertoire will be recorded by CBC Records for release on CD. This special concert was the brainchild of CBC Producer Neil Crory, who has been both a friend and champion of Tafelmusik throughout our history.
As we look to our next 25 years we look forward to continuing our work with CBC - and would like to take a moment to thank Neil, CBC Records General Manager Randy Barnard, our radio producer Franz Lehrbass, and the many technicians who have brought our music to radios, televisions and CD players across the country.
