# Great Classical Album Covers



## Tapkaara

It is my opinion that, all to often, classical music cover art is very bland. Would more people buy classical recordings if it had cool cover art? Or should cover art for classical albums be a sterile, tasteful but unassuming wallpaper affair?

Do you think classical ablum covers could be more artistic and interesting? Or do plainish covers suite classical music well?

Also, what are some of your favorite covers?

The Berlioz is an example of a disc from my collection whose cover are it dull, dull dull. The Sieblius cover is pretty cool, I think:


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## phoenixshade

Great thread, Tapkaara. I was following the discussion on the other one and wanted to post some of my own, but didn't want to add to the off-topic congestion...

I have to admit that I've flipped right past CDs with covers that look like your first example, especially before the internet, when I couldn't get recommendations for specific recordings.

Here are two recordings that I've bought of the same piece. The first I bought because the cover appealed to me, and I was quite naïve when it came to classical. The second is one I bought some time later, after hearing samples on the internet.

















Now, I wouldn't call Mata's recording a _bad_ rendition, but nonetheless the one with less "curb appeal" is of generally higher quality.

These guys need to work on their marketing skills. Seriously.


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## Rondo

Like I said previously, I have seen some "interesting" album covers. However, none of those in my collection would I call a favorite. Some speak for the music, while others are just aesthetically pleasing--aside from the music. Here are my top three.


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## Elgarian

Here's my astonishing boxed set of Bantock, from Hyperion, quivering with late Victorian decadence:


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## Elgarian

And here's the simply fabulous CD of Massenet arias sung by Rosamund Illing, courtesy of Melba records:

Here's the cover:










It opens like a book, with the CD on the left, and a booklet, fixed in place, on the right:










So it's an integrated whole. Inside the booklet:










and again:


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## Weston

The first thing that came to my mind (not surprising) was the incongruous:










Of course some would argue this is a classical crossover album, I would disagree.

I will think of more later, I'm sure.


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## Guest

*Weston*, why can't I see the picture, just an empty box with a red cross, what have you done


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## SPR

a classic. (Switched on Bach)

"Trans Electronic" (laugh) a classic, and still one of my favorites.

Walter Carlos:









from the box set, released a few years ago...


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## Weston

Andante said:


> *Weston*, why can't I see the picture, just an empty box with a red cross, what have you done


Sorry, I don't know . . . ? SPR saw it okay. Anyway, just about everyone knows what the Switched on Bach cover looks like.

SPR, I have that box set too. It's a joy.


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## SPR

No, I couldnt see it either - but I looked at your link and saw the reference. The site probably does not support remote links.

Image here... amazon works.


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## World Violist

This is probably among my favorite album covers, and it's also one of my favorite CDs... so it's somewhat of an all-around winner.


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## Weston

World Violist said:


> This is probably among my favorite album covers, and it's also one of my favorite CDs... so it's somewhat of an all-around winner.


That LiViNg StErEo banner is priceless! The design is appealing though. Seems like I once had a similar cover for Reiner and the CSO's _Also Sprach Zarathrustra _. Those were the days when I could actually see the cover without progressive bifocals.

What I don't care to see are the artists grinning foolishly at me from the cover, or looking like they're practising their best serious artist pose in the mirror - or both:










(I hope that one came through at least.)


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## Guest

Is Perlman still active ??, I have a few of his CDs and like his playing very much, I just have not heard his name come up recently


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## Weston

Andante said:


> Is Perlman still active ??, I have a few of his CDs and like his playing very much, I just have not heard his name come up recently


Last time I saw his name was on the soundtrack to "Memoirs of a Geisha" a couple of years ago (?) But I don't get out much.


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## Harold Adrian

http://bp2.blogger.com/_thlFYTjJbmQ/SAOfKOKh2AI/AAAAAAAAFDo/cFoDz3rvlIM/s800-h/IMG_1082.JPG

And it's my favorite

http://bp3.blogger.com/_thlFYTjJbmQ/SAOg-eKh2FI/AAAAAAAAFEQ/29h6gNh9txI/s800-h/IMG_1060.JPG


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## World Violist

Andante said:


> Is Perlman still active ??, I have a few of his CDs and like his playing very much, I just have not heard his name come up recently


He played at the inauguration of Obama today... he looked like a shell of his old self, especially with Yo-yo Ma sitting across him. Age is not being so nice to him at all, I'm afraid.


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## confuoco

I like this one, it is progressive and contemporary. I like its abstract design, not just some vague photos of nature or statues.


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## vavaving

*Authentic bullet holes...*


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## nefigah

vavaving said:


> *Authentic bullet holes...*


From a .22, I presume? At what range?
And do you not care for Renaissance music?


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## vavaving

*Authentic bullet holes...*

Ha Ha, here is the caption from the liner notes.


> The anonymous painting on the front is reproduced by courtesy of the Museum der Stadt, Regensburg, and has at some time since c1789 been used as a target


This next one incorporates a photo by Daniel Frasnay: The troop of the "Blue Bells" making grimaces in their cabin in the Lido, 1952.

The other is from an album of arrangements where the composers are depicted as centaurs in a circus, signed C.Paillard.

The third one I put together.


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## Aramis

Beethoven is stunning.


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## World Violist

Aramis: the Mozart one I find especially apt, though all the rest are very good as well.


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## StlukesguildOhio

The Massenet packaging is so marvelous I'm sold on it on that alone. A number of Cecilia Bartoli's recent releases are equally marvelous with fold out books etc... Here's a particularly striking image on a disc I have just been playing:


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## Fergus

The Oceana cover brings home for me more than any abstract discussion the importance of good cover art. This cover art inspired me to want to hear the album, which I am streaming right now through Napster. It sounds so good, I am now torn between letting it play or going to sleep, as I had previously planned.


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## Kevin Pearson

I have to admit that cover art today, for the most part, is flat and unappealing. Why these record companies would think anyone would buy an album based on the artwork is astounding. I think that classical music artwork in the late 70s and 80s was of a much better quality. Even if many of the covers were of the artists they still had a general appeal and aesthetic quality that made you pick them up and at least read the cover. I can't say that about any of today's covers. I have to just ignore them and hope the music is good.

Kevin


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## Conor71

Heres a selection of artwork, from my own collection, that I think looks good:







































Anything from the Originals or EMI's Great Recordings of the Century series automatically look good in my opinion 
Im not keen on artwork which feature big pictures of the Artist/s striking a pose such as is popular at the moment on DG!


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## haydnguy

One that was kind of like one mentioned earlier:









Least liked:









One for good measure:


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## StlukesguildOhio

I'm actually amazed at just how bad... or just plain boring... a great majority of the art on classical CDs is. When I consider the artistic talent that exists in staging concerts and operas I wonder just how this has been allowed to continue for so long. Here are a few exceptions:










THis was a classic that was so weird looking... _Mozart Meets the Mad Brain_... in fluorescent fuchsia... that I just had to buy it... and of course I'm glad I did as no one surpasses the marvelous Dennis Brain.

Here's another great retro-horror flick styled cover:










Or the beautiful Maria Callas as a kabuki ghost under black-light:










Of course it's not that hard to come up with an image that grabs one's attention. Just a pretty face... well photographed:



















continued...


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## StlukesguildOhio

Im not keen on artwork which feature big pictures of the Artist/s striking a pose such as is popular at the moment on DG!










This one worked for me... again sex sells... but they can't even do something this simple most of the time. too often this is the crap we get:










Pathetic!


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## StlukesguildOhio

Anything from the Originals or EMI's Great Recordings of the Century series automatically look good in my opinion

As a visual artist I must say that those are about as bland as you can get. If they want to ever get beyond the notion that classical music is for stodgy old farts they need to work a bit on the image they present it with. Certainly there is a great effort and great talent that goes into staging classical concerts in beautiful halls or decking out an opera with the proper lighting, costumes, and stage sets.


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## SenorTearduct

Hey MI I need your opinion on a neo classical work, you don't have private messaging so i was wondering if i could email the work to you...

Thanks


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## Mirror Image

I've never been particularly impressed with classical covers. Most of them seem dull and lifeless, but here are a few that have caught my eye:


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## SenorTearduct

MI im bumping my previous message because i know u probably didnt see it


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## Mirror Image

SenorTearduct said:


> MI im bumping my previous message because i know u probably didnt see it


I saw your message now. You need my opinion of a piece of music? Why don't you just post here on TC, so everyone could hear it? I don't like giving my email address out. Thanks.


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## nickgray




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## SenorTearduct

ok fine ill post it on my thread


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## PartisanRanger

None of these really grab my attention. Perhaps it's because the publishers are worried about taking creative license with the packaging of dead composers' music, but these are really dull compared to some of the great rock covers.


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## Rondo

PartisanRanger said:


> ... but these are really dull compared to some of the great rock covers.


I'm anxious to see the response to that.


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## SenorTearduct

Just wondering, what is your favorite, modern popular album cover?

and please god don't say dark side of the moon by Pink Floyd...


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## jhar26

I always liked the cover of this Janis Joplin album.


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## SenorTearduct

That, odly, remindes me of the stones album "Some Girl"


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## Mirror Image

SenorTearduct said:


> Just wondering, what is your favorite, modern popular album cover?
> 
> and please god don't say dark side of the moon by Pink Floyd...


I think rock music has the best covers. Here are some of mine:


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## Mirror Image

Here are a few more rock and jazz covers I like:


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## Kevin Pearson

Aren't the last few posts getting way off topic? Perhaps a rock and jazz album cover thread would be appropriate?

Kevin


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## Mirror Image

Kevin Pearson said:


> Aren't the last few posts getting way off topic? Perhaps a rock and jazz album cover thread would be appropriate?
> 
> Kevin


Oh come on Kevin. You and I both know that there haven't been many creative classical album covers.

Anyway, I suggested some classical covers earlier and it seems people thought they were boring.


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## Kevin Pearson

Mirror Image said:


> Oh come on Kevin. You and I both know that there haven't been many creative classical album covers.
> 
> Anyway, I suggested some classical covers earlier and it seems people thought they were boring.


Oh I agree with you but I just think that since the title of this thread is "Great CLASSICAL album covers" then maybe a separate thread for rock and/or jazz would be more appropriate. I have always loved the Relayer cover by the way! YES was and perhaps still is, one of my very favorite rock bands. They had a huge influence on me as a teenager getting into classical music.

Kevin


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## StlukesguildOhio

Love that Lee Konitz album, by the way, MI.


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## Mirror Image

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Love that Lee Konitz album, by the way, MI.


Actually, it's a Kenny Wheeler album.  But yes, it's quite good. One of my favorite Bill Frisell sideman sessions.


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## SenorTearduct

My personal favorite..

Yes, I just broke out the Zepp


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## andruini

StlukesguildOhio said:


> The Massenet packaging is so marvelous I'm sold on it on that alone. A number of Cecilia Bartoli's recent releases are equally marvelous with fold out books etc... Here's a particularly striking image on a disc I have just been playing:


I love that one! As well as this other one:










I also love this one:










I think covers triumph when they make it about the music.. Those Golijov covers really capture the feeling of the music, and the Messiaen one is also a painting of what the music describes.. I hate it when the covers make it about the performer/conductor..


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## StlukesguildOhio

Actually, it's a Kenny Wheeler album. But yes, it's quite good.

Perhaps... but I bought it for Lee. I believe he's still alive and performing.


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## Mirror Image

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Actually, it's a Kenny Wheeler album. But yes, it's quite good.
> 
> Perhaps... but I bought it for Lee. I believe he's still alive and performing.


There is no perhaps. It's a Kenny Wheeler-led album. Here's Wheeler's discography:

Discography

Windmill Tilter, 1968
Humming Bird, 1970 (with Paul Gonsalves)
Song For Someone, 1973
Gnu High, 1975 (with Keith Jarrett, Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette)
1976, 1976
Deer Wan, 1977 (with Jan Garbarek, John Abercrombie, Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette)
Around 6, 1980
Double, Double You, 1984
Walk Softly, 1987 (with The Guildhall Jazz Band)
Flutter By, Butterfly, 1988
Music For Large & Small Ensembles, 1990
The Widow In The Window, 1990
Kayak, 1992
Touché (with Paul Bley), 1996
All The More, 1997
*Angel Song*, 1997
Live at the Montreal Bistro (with Sonny Greenwich), 1998
Siren's Song, 1998
A Long Time Ago, 1999
One More Time (with Norma Winstone and UMO Jazz Orchestra), 2000
Moon (with John Taylor), 2001
Ordesa (with Stan Sulzmann and John Parricelli), 2002
Dream Sequence, 2003
Island (with Bob Brookmeyer), 2003
Where Do We Go From Here (with John Taylor), 2005
What Now?, 2005
It Takes Two!, 2006
Other People, 2008
Nineteen Plus One (with Colours Jazz Orchestra and Diana Torto), 2009

Anyway, Lee Konitz is a good alto saxophonist. I always liked Paul Desmond, who was obviously influenced by Lee, much better, but Konitz is definitely more adventurous, but Desmond had a better style and tone I think.


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## SenorTearduct

MI what are your thoughts on Duke Ellington?


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## Mirror Image

SenorTearduct said:


> MI what are your thoughts on Duke Ellington?


I love the Duke. I'm not particularly crazy about everything he wrote or performed, but there are a few recordings of his I charish like these:


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## SenorTearduct

I was introduced to him through NPR they had a special on his composing life, it was great... They have it as a podcast on ITunes if you would like it..


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## Mirror Image

SenorTearduct said:


> I was introduced to him through NPR they had a special on his composing life, it was great... They have it as a podcast on ITunes if you would like it..


I don't hardly ever listen to radio, but thanks. I'm already familiar with his music and have been for 20 years.


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## SenorTearduct

Oh, I love NPR its good stuff. And ya I know, this is not like a podcast to point out his good works. It was more a life story.


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## Mirror Image

SenorTearduct said:


> Oh, I love NPR its good stuff. And ya I know, this is not like a podcast to point out his good works. It was more a life story.


As I said, I've been listening to Duke Elington for 20 years. I think I know a little something about his music and life.


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## Mirror Image

As I have said, most classical covers are boring and dull. Once in a while EMI, Chandos, DG, etc. will come up with something pretty cool looking, but classical is a music that's not very well marketed and for good reason. Putting the conductor or musician on the front cover, back cover, inside booklet is very distasteful I think. It seems like to me the record companies care more about who the artists are rather than the composer. I don't think there's anything wrong with showing a picture of the conductor/soloist inside of the booklet, but when you have them plastered on the front, back, and inside covers. It's just a little bit much for me. I mean it's like who's ego are we stroking here?


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## Fergus

StlukesguildOhio said:


>


I think the context matters. While this cover moves me as the cover for a classical album, it does not move me as much as the cover of a jazz album. This album strikes me as having a very classical aesthetic, suggesting classical vocal music about the sea, which is what it is. As the cover of a jazz album, it gives me less of a clue of what to expect.


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## StlukesguildOhio

The original photograph used in the Golijov and the Bill Evans albums (as well as several other albums) is entitled _Weeki Wachee Spring_ by the photographer Toni Frissell:










The strength of the Golijov cover comes from the fact that the designer(s) chose a fantastic work of art (in this case a photograph) which was perfectly suited to the theme or mood of the music. The graphics and the lettering and the coloration of the original photograph all add to the mood. Personally I feel the image works well for the Bill Evans LP as well considering the title _Undercurrent_ and the mood it seems to evoke.


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## Fsharpmajor

This is my favourite classical cover, sorry about the terrible photography:


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## haydnguy

If you want to see some funny album covers from "way back when", go to http://www.flikr.com and search for "album covers". Not all classical, of course, but there are tons of old ones out there that are just hilarious. 

The best way actually is to go to one of the groups, like here:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/record_collective/


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## andruini

http://www.zonicweb.net/badalbmcvrs/

That's the site to visit.. It's hilarious!
A gem:


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## World Violist

And so... over a year later I'm gonna resurrect this thread too. Because I think it's a good thread to resurrect.

Despite the dull standard Naxos livery, I like the art on this one:










and I like this cover quite a bit:










Naive Records has some fascinating and elegant album covers; this one in particular I quite like:










And I like this one's simplicity... there isn't even a stupid banner across the front of the package!


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## djmomo17

Here's a striking cover of Beethoven Cello Sonatas:









Actually I have a kind of jokey blog post about album covers here:
http://lvbandmore.blogspot.com/2010/08/86-album-covers-again.html
and here
http://lvbandmore.blogspot.com/2010/07/probably-not-version-of-piano-cto-3-to.html


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## Conor71

StlukesguildOhio said:


> I'm actually amazed at just how bad... or just plain boring... a great majority of the art on classical CDs is. When I consider the artistic talent that exists in staging concerts and operas I wonder just how this has been allowed to continue for so long. Here are a few exceptions:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> THis was a classic that was so weird looking... _Mozart Meets the Mad Brain_... in fluorescent fuchsia... that I just had to buy it... and of course I'm glad I did as no one surpasses the marvelous Dennis Brain.
> 
> Here's another great retro-horror flick styled cover:


Yes these are great! - especially like the trippy Dennis Brain design .


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## Conor71

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Im not keen on artwork which feature big pictures of the Artist/s striking a pose such as is popular at the moment on DG!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This one worked for me... again sex sells... but they can't even do something this simple most of the time. too often this is the crap we get:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pathetic!


Yes - I agree sex sells and certainly a beautiful image of Maria Callas, Anna Nebretko or Patricia Pettibon gets my attention pretty quickly! :lol:.
I guess I just like the more traditional cover designs better even if they are not as exciting - I even like the Duo cover you posted .


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## djmomo17

Some great Rite of Spring covers...


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## Serge

This one worked for me pretty nicely. Music wasn't too bad either. 










Edit: Still can't figure out how to work pictures here. And too lazy to refresh the html course. 

Oh well... Here it is as an attachment:


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## Steve M

Massanet Arias CD cover and booklet above is quite nice. Sacred/Profane is an unusually descriptive delineation, and strangely compelling...


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## Sid James

I agree with World Violist, Naxos do have some good album cover artwork:










Their whole Malipiero series has very colourful and modern covers like this:









Ditto their Villa-Lobos releases:









& two of their cd's with Idil Biret playing Ligeti & Boulez have some cool paintings by one of my favourite abstract artists, N. De Stael:



















& some of their covers for American music in particular are beginning to get away from their old format:


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## Xaltotun

I have a feeling that the desire of some listeners for classical music to be "abstract" and "absolute" disencourages the publishers from trying to find fitting or good covers. On the other hand, it's understandable. Most symphonies have no visual subtext, perhaps a single word at most, and usually even that word is given by someone else than the composer.

But should the arguably abstraxt nature of classical music prevent publishers from giving their records nice covers? I think not. While they would be images chosen by a vision of somebody who is not the artist (and thus they could never even dream of the thematic and artistic unity that exists between rock records and their covers), they would enhance the overall presentation. And the fact that not EACH and EVERY listener will envision, say, a bunch of cloudberries when hearing, say, Sibelius 5th, perhaps some will, and even if they don't, it doesn't follow that it's a bad cover then.

A shame, really. I would like bold covers with striking images for my classical albums.


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## haydnguy

Another one that took imagination:

View attachment 1207


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## Aramis

Brilliant cover of brilliant recording:










Btw, have you heard the news? Paganini was great composer. His style is new but the face is the same as it was so long ago, but from his eyes, a different smile like that of one who knows.


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## Vaneyes




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## Ravellian

Glad to see you're back Aramis!


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## Schnowotski

I must say that this is a topic that has quite often crossed my mind. It seems that with a minimal amount of work many classical CD covers would be much better - many graphics students would do better work for free. I don't want to cause bad mood to anyone - if the designer happens to read this - but one of the most disastrous would be the recording of Schnittke's piano concerto with Virtuosi di Kuhmo:

http://image.allmusic.com/00/acg/cov200/cl200/l280/l28073mv60k.jpg

I don't even know what to say. To quote James Rolfe: "What were they thinking?"

I'm aware that this topic is about GREAT covers but I just have to point out another bad design since it has been boggling my mind so long: Deutche Grammophon and their affection for confetti. I have the Complete Webern and Complete Mahler box sets and both of them have confetti on their cover.

http://boxset.ru/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/boulez_complete_webern.jpg
http://i05.s2.imagehosting.ws/2010-07-20/380217/0015c299_medium.jpeg

I maybe can see what they're going after: maybe the confetti on the Webern box set alludes to his fragmented musical idiom; and on the Mahler set it perhaps refers to the confilcting musical and ideological elements in his music. And on the Webern set I can bare the confetti since the colours are quite nice, but on the Mahler box the colours are just so bright that they scream against the stylishly grey background, and to make matters even worse: every side of the box is of different colour - and of course the same bright screaming colours are used.

I actually am a bit embarassed to keep the Mahler box on my shelf - it looks so much like a box set containing "the best of circus music" or something alike. If they had to have a different colour for the sides they could've used the red - it actually has quite nice tone and it goes well with the light grey. I'm sorry for complaining about such small thing in such a great length but it is frustrating since it would've been so easy to make it better, they should've remembered just one thing: keep it simple.

Since I like happy endings, I must, of course, point out a few good ones too. The earlier cited "Ocean" (or something like that, I read that post a few hours ago) by Osvaldo Golijov is really beautiful and enigmatic picture and, I believe, fits well with the music. I also like the one-colour arditti quartet covers on this page. They look very bland in pictures, of course, but I once borrowed the Anton Webern CD from library and I must say that in real life it is very stylish and elegant - and maybe a little grotesque too - in its simplicity.

At least they don't give you that "What were they thinking" feel.


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## Fugue

I just love this cover and the Larghetto in No.3 just makes me weep.










This is nice too. I love the idea of Bach on a bus.


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## Stasou

I find this one to be kind of strange.














Santa Claus!


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## Couchie




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## Lunasong

My favorite cover and inside art is the Borealis Wind Quintet _A La Carte_:

The cover:









In the liner notes, one sees the meal is in progress:









By the end, the horn has been completely devoured!


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## regressivetransphobe

Edit: what's with Boulez and nice art? I barely even noticed he conducts both.


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## beethovenian

Vaneyes said:


>


May i know the album label of these beautiful minimalistic cover?


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## LordBlackudder




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## kv466

only one of my favs along with masterful keyboard work


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## Meaghan

A friend of mine just moved into a rental house where the previous inhabitants had left behind a cardboard box full of classical records from the 70s. She called up the lady who lived there before her and was told "Oh yes, we don't want them. You can have them if you like." (what?!) So she took what she wanted and let me pick a few as well and she's donating the rest to our school's music library. It's not every day you get free records. Here are a couple of the more interesting covers, which are very much of their time. I have photographed both sides of the (trippy-looking) Mahler album.


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## Meaghan

And a couple more. I like the cathedral one in particular. The Levine Mahler one (two sides) is interesting.


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## regressivetransphobe

Meaghan said:


> A friend of mine just moved into a rental house where the previous inhabitants had left behind a cardboard box full of classical records from the 70s. She called up the lady who lived there before her and was told "Oh yes, we don't want them. You can have them if you like." (what?!) So she took what she wanted and let me pick a few as well and she's donating the rest to our school's music library. It's not every day you get free records. Here are a couple of the more interesting covers, which are very much of their time. I have photographed both sides of the (trippy-looking) Mahler album.


Grateful Toten


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## Argus

Beethovenian said:


> May i know the album label of these beautiful minimalistic cover?


Montaigne.

I think everyone can agree that this is one area where pop and rock albums far surpass classical. There is too much information to show, detailing the performers, piece, composer, conductor, for their to be a nice open picture, and the artists don't normally have the lettering blend in as much as on pop albums, it's like they want it to stand out.

The label makes the biggest difference. Some have a consistent style on all their covers, and if it works then the whole range will be class.

Anyway, here's a couple cool classical ones:

Branca - The Ascension










Niblock - YPGPN


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## Meaghan

regressivetransphobe said:


> Grateful Toten


HaHA, clever.


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## jurianbai

Bought this mainly for its appreciation to chess....









http://amzn.to/WjQ0lM









http://amzn.to/V3LfKF

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF you ever saw a classical disc with chess theme, like to collect them.


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## norman bates

jurianbai said:


> PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF you ever saw a classical disc with chess theme, like to collect them.


http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/dmitry_kabalevsky/24_preludes___sonata_no__3__shcherbakov_/
http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/bohuslav_martinu/echec_au_roi___the_revolt__ballet_in_1_act__prague_symphony_orchestra___jiri_belohlavek_/

probably if you do a reasearch on the lists on rate your music you will discover some more.


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## elgar's ghost

I can't offer a pic right now due to technical hassles but one of my favourites is the sleeve of Dvorak's Cello Concerto with Rostropovich and Karajan, both sat fairly close to each other, with the Berlin PO in the foreground during a recording session. It may only be a photo but as soon as I saw it I got the impression that great music was being made there - a real 'time in a bottle' moment.


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## Vinski

Something impressive.


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## Noak

Edition RZ have some wonderful covers.
View attachment 11188

_Christian Wolff-Kompositionen 1950-1972
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_Jakob Ullmann-Fremde Zeit Addendum_
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_Josef Anton Riedl-Klangregionen 1951 - 2007_

etc


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

My all time favourite


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## aleazk




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## Ralfy




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## Ralfy




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## Ralfy




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## Ralfy




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## Ralfy




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## Ralfy




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## Ralfy




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## Ralfy




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## Ralfy




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## Ralfy




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## Ralfy




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## Ralfy




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## starthrower




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## SixFootScowl

Always loved this Ivo Pogorelich album cover and find the cover strikingly similar to this Bob Dylan album cover.


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## shangoyal

Frank Zappa is so inimitable!


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## Aramis




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## DGatsby

Johann Strauss, a man at one with nature.


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## Couac Addict

Aramis said:


>


...movie poster for the next Jack Black film?


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## Vesteralen

...........................................................


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## Ralfy

....................


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## Ralfy

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## Ralfy

...............


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## Art Rock

You posted the same one on the previous page - but it IS a beauty.


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## DrKilroy

Best regards, Dr


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## realdealblues

I always loved this one...it just seemed to fit for me. It was also the first Mahler CD I bought.



I also really the shapes of the mountains in this one. The way they look in Black & White is just cool and I just love their different shapes. It reminds me of an old movie background from the 1930's or something.


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## Aramis




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## Mahlerian

This whole series has excellent and very fitting covers.


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## HaydnBearstheClock

Aramis said:


>


This looks somewhat like a Manowar album cover, hehe. As to album covers, I really like this one:









and also these:


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## Pip

I am very disappointed that I could not find any reference to one of the greatest record covers of all time.
It was Beethoven Piano concert 5 with gould and Stokowski.
Pictured on the cover was the inside of a cab of a large truck being driven by Stokie and gould as the co-driver. It was tremendous.
I have the feeling that it has been politically excised from the back catalogue. I am not imagining this, I used to own this LP with this cover, but even when googling images of this, all that comes up is the sterile photo of Glenn at the piano with Stokie leaning over. maybe someone on TC also remembers this.


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## adoeblin

I don't think there are more dissatisfying album covers in classical music than in any other, quite the opposite. Most ECM New Series, Hyperion and Chandos covers are indeed cool.

A few ECMs:





















[It's just a pity that some ECM albums display worthless "arty" leaflet pictures rather than liner notes]

My favourite Hyperion one (ex aequo with that of the Walton viola concerto, already posted a few pages before):









Many Chandos albums devoted to a single composer display an attractive and coherent design, for instance those of Lutoslawski, Casella or d'Indy, just to name a few.









Even the quality of the low cost Naxos covers has improved dramatically lately (just take a look at the Casella series).


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## Aramis

This cover was obviously created by darwinist:


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## spradlig

This LP (my father's) turned me on to classical music when I was young. I also loved SOB2.



Weston said:


> The first thing that came to my mind (not surprising) was the incongruous:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Of course some would argue this is a classical crossover album, I would disagree.
> 
> I will think of more later, I'm sure.


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## spradlig

Thanks for the link. I have 3/4 of these albums in LP form, but I can't play them because my record player doesn't work, and if I fixed it, it would still be inconvenient to use. I may acquire this set.



SPR said:


> a classic. (Switched on Bach)
> 
> "Trans Electronic" (laugh) a classic, and still one of my favorites.
> 
> Walter Carlos:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> from the box set, released a few years ago...


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## Donata

I love the 60s design.


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## echmain

spradlig said:


> Thanks for the link. I have 3/4 of these albums in LP form, but I can't play them because my record player doesn't work, and if I fixed it, it would still be inconvenient to use. I may acquire this set.


Unfortunately these Wendy Carlos reissues (on the East Side Digital label) are all out of print. This box set goes for hundreds.


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## GioCar

This is the joy of playing together:


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## Alfacharger

I always liked this cover, so blue.










I also like this cover for Raff's 5th.


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## Vinyl

I do prefer the simple ones. There are so many classical records with horrible covers that I land on nominating the old Archiv albums like this one:


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## MagneticGhost

Just found this one that I quite like..
No Idea what the music is like though


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## Guest

Call me shallow.

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