When the Berlin Philharmonics decided to fully embrace the 21st century with their Digital Concert Hall, I was eager to see what the other major players would do to keep up – would there be similar solutions (live streaming), or would they come up with something completely different?
Alan Gilbert, the New York Philharmonic’s new musical director, has been a keen supporter not only of contemporary music, but also of using modern technique to reach out to new potential listeners.
Now, the New York Philharmonic has announced the world’s first subscription series of live orchestral recordings for download, available exclusively from iTunes. More than 50 works will be added during Alan Gilbert’s inaugural season for a total cost of $150.
Not only will more people have the chance to hear how the New York Philharmonic sounds like nowadays, but I think the discussion about Gilbert’s capabilities as a conductor will be brought into focus as well. This will be very interesting.
