Bert Bailey wrote:

>Karl Miller wrote about Pierian, his new CD label:
>
>>Our next issues will be American Music from broadcasts of the National
>>Orchestral Association.
>
>What sort of vintage? All from tapes? So ADD or AAD, I assume?

Almost all are from transcription discs. The Lopatnikoff 3rd is from a
tape.

>>Planned issues include Lopatnikoff: Violin Concerto and Symphony No.3
>
>On the strength of the version of his Concertino for Orchestra by
>Bernstein, with the Columbia S.O., I'd be interested in a copy of this
>release.  What's the price?

It depends on where you get them. I only know that we get $7 a disc.

>Going on the Benjamin Lees' symphony on Naxos and SS's very full
>endorsement of this composer, I'd be interested in buying a copy of this.
>
>>No doubt money losers all,
>
>You never know.  Cloistered monks with obscure and unlikely material have
>been surprised...

I was talking on the phone yesterday with Ben.  He has agreed to write the
notes on his piece.  He mentioned that the Albany disc of his piano music
sold less than 300 copies.

>From someone who's just lost a goodly chunk of money on something I
>thought needed doing -- a Canadian Multiculturalism/Human Rights calendar
>(for 1999 and 2000 only) -- I wish you good luck with your venture.  The
>experience will no doubt provide you with invaluable rewards, regardless of
>the outcome.  It sounds most exciting.  (I bet you've made many on
>the List green.)

Well, everyone is welcome to participate. Our rules are simple.

1. Unissued historically signficant performances
   or unrecorded repertoire (especially American Music)

2. Quality level of performance. Sound quality standards vary
   for modern recordings versus older material.

3. No money up front for a recording. We offer contracts which give a
   percentage once we recoup our costs.

4. We will pay mechanical rights and all production costs.

5. Since we are non-profit, if you write a grant or fund your
   project, you start getting a percentage after the first sale.

6. You supply program notes.

Since I handle, art work, mastering, mailings, legal, etc.  it obviously
needs to be a project that interests me, especially since I don't make any
money on the deal.  I am about to dump more of my own money on the CEDAR
modules.

Obviously, I'm not just interested in things that will sell

>>...we don't have a web site yet!
>
>I'd suggest you get on with it.  It's not that expensive.  And, if
>you're willing to trust your clientele by sending out your product
>cash-on-delivery, it shouldn't be problematic to set up an order form:
>this could be extremely useful to you.  Mine (see URL below) cost me under
>$400, _including_ translations.

That's $400 we don't have.  I just spent $350 for dubs of the Lopatnikoff
et all.

>>We also printed our booklets in black and white to save money.
>
>Is this really necessary? Is the cost of colour printing so dear? The loss
>in presentation is considerable, I'd say.  Call me superficial: I think
>it matters.  I'd have thought that one could get a pretty solid 2nd-hand
>colour printer for a song (har), and rid yourself of the shortcoming of
>drab appearance.

Well actually I am quite proud of how the first two issues look in black
and white. I am also pleased how the CD faces turned out.

I also welcome comments on the visual impact of our discs.

>>In short, it can be done on the cheap.
>
>This is good news indeed for music lovers.

While it takes a great deal of time to get it all going, it can be a
do it yourself project. I had to learn photoshop, pagemaker, etc. When I
started I didn't know the difference between a JPEG and an EPS file.
I had never heard of things like a francise tax.

One of the most encouraging aspects of all of this has been the free advice
and encouragement from other owners of labels like Allan Evans of Arbiter,
Fred Maroth of Music and Arts, etc.

Karl