Haydn - Symphony no 94 "Surprise": 3rd movement

[presbyterosBassI]

I think there were "exclusive" contracts, and people were grabbing work wherever they could. Also, RCA used to sell their old Stowokski and Koussevitsky mono recordings on their "Camden" label cheap. But they didn't want to "cheapen the brand". So they made up names.

[presbyterosBassI]

I find it interesting that forty odd years ago, at least 50 people got together with a conductor, and nobody really knows who they all were. One guy with a piano, yes. But a whole orchestra?

[moltoallegro19]

@presbyterosBassI I know. I can't really see the point in using pseudonyms for an orchestra or a conductor, but obviously people have done so.

[presbyterosBassI]

Sorry moltoallegro19. Didn't mean to be a smarta**. Wikipedia threw me off (I wonder who wrote the entry?). I was hoping someone knew something I didn't know. My librarian wife tells me not to trust Wikipedia.

[moltoallegro19]

@presbyterosBassI Don't worry, it's quite allright, and I think you may be right on Alberto Lizzio, that it's a pseudonym. The only source I've found indicating that there is a conductor behind the name is wikipedia, so who knows?

[presbyterosBassI]

I dunno. I found this when I Googled "Alberto Lizzio pseudonym" :"Alberto Lizzio" and "South German Philharmonic Orchestra" ©2005 Point Classics. Note: No such performers exist. "Alberto Lizzio" was a pseudonym invented by bargain-record producer Alfred Scholz and attached to older performances (often conducted by Hans Swarowsky, Milan Horvat, Carl Melles or himself)."

[moltoallegro19]

@presbyterosBassI But, why did you ask such a question here then, if you already suspected that and could find the answer so easy by googling it? I'm also aware of these anonymous conductors, often very productive and quite common in a larger classical cd collection, since their cd's tend to be quite cheap (I've got quite a few records of this kind myself). When I found Lizzio on wikipedia, however, I assumed he was not one of them. The Mozart Festival Orchestra is a real orchestra, though.

[presbyterosBassI]

Is there really an Alberto Lizzio? Sounds like one of those 1950's supermarket conductors. His CDs sell for about $1.98. And the names of the orchestras always sound phony. "Mozart Festival Orchestra". WHAT Mozart Festival? Sounds like PDQ Bach's "New York Pick-up Ensemble". Which shows you that the modern standard of playing is pretty darn high. This is quite acceptable.

[moltoallegro19]

@presbyterosBassI There WAS an Albert Lizzio (Italian conductor), he passed away in 1999 though. The Mozart Festival Orchestra is a quite renowned orchestra, which performs mostly baroque and classical music, usually in 18th century outfits.

[presbyterosBassI]

Is there really an Alberto Lizzio? Sounds like one of those 1950's supermarket conductors.

[MrPieboy11]

AC/DC=Best band ever