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January 21, 2017

Colorado Symphony Debuts Beethoven Symphony No. 9 “Ode to Joy” Recording; Announces New Independent Record Label

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

 

Media Contact:  

Rachel Trignano, Manager of Public and Community Relations  

404.519.1015 (m) – 303.308.2477 (o)  

 

COLORADO SYMPHONY DEBUTS BEETHOVEN SYMPHONY NO. 9 “ODE TO JOY” RECORDING;  ANNOUNCES NEW, INDEPENDENT RECORD LABEL  

 

ALBUM AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ON ITUNES™ AND AMAZON™ 

 

Jan. 20, 2017 – Denver, CO – Today, the Colorado Symphony debuted the recording Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, the first to be released under their in-house media label, Colorado Symphony Multimedia & Recording. The recording is immediately available for purchase in digital format on iTunes, and on compact disc on Amazon; compact discs will also be available at Denver’s Boettcher Concert Hall in Spring of 2017 at the Colorado Symphony Guild Shop.  

 

The performance was conducted by current Principal Guest Conductor Andrew Litton, who led the Colorado Symphony with a cast of internationallyacclaimed soloists: Rachel Nicholls, soprano; Kelley O’Connor, mezzosoprano; John Mac Master, tenor; and Kevin Deas, bassbaritone.  

 

The piece’s famed “Ode to Joy” was performed by the two hundred-member, world-renowned Colorado Symphony Chorus—celebrating their 30th season with the Symphony at the time of the recording—led by longstanding Chorus Director Duain Wolfe. It was captured at Boettcher Concert Hall in September 2014 during the Colorado Symphony’s Opening Weekend of the 2014/15 Concert Season.  

 

Completed in 1824, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 is his final full symphony and considered one of the most recognized and greatest works within the western canon. While Symphony No. 9 consists of four movements, this recording features the choral finale “Ode to Joy” in a fifth track.    

 

Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 was produced by Grammy® Award winner Leslie Ann Jones and Neumann Microphones President Wolfgang Fraissinet, engineered by Mike Pappas and Duke Markos, and mixed in March 2015 at Skywalker Sound, a Lucasfilm Ltd. Company. It is being distributed by Naxos of America, the world’s leading classical music label, in standard stereo compact disc and digital formats, with a BluRay audio 5.1 surround version slated for release in Summer 2017. 

 

Deemed a “Symphony for audiophiles” by Fraissinet, the recording stands out for its use of a staggering sixty-six microphones—most of which were Neumann digital microphones, with Sennheiser digital microphones and Neumann analog mics—and a German-made Stagetec Aurus digital mixing console, giving this recording performance stand-out depth and detail.  

 

“This is our first recording released on our own label, and its quality was of utmost importance—that’s why we worked with Neumann and Skywalker Sound,” said Anthony Pierce, the Colorado Symphony’s Chief Artistic Officer. “Having an in-house label gives us an unprecedented amount of control over the audio quality and artistic scope of our recordings, and we look forward to releasing more symphonic albums in the coming concert seasons.” 

 

Next week, Music Director Designate Brett Mitchell will conduct the Colorado Symphony while Duain Wolfe leads the Colorado Symphony Chorus in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 on Friday, Jan. 27 and Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, at 7:30 p.m. in Boettcher Concert Hall. Tickets are available for purchase online at coloradosymphony.org/tickets or by calling the box office at 303.623.7876.  

 

RECORDING DETAILS  

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