# Restructuring at Warner Classics



## Klassik

I came across this link today:

https://slippedisc.com/2017/06/biz-news-warner-classics-gets-a-new-boss/

Warner has created a new Arts Music division operating out of New York. The leader will be the former head of Universal Classics US (Decca/DG), Kevin Gore. Alain Lanceron will continue to operate the Warner Classics division out of Paris, but now he will report to the Arts Music boss instead of being somewhat autonomous it seems.

I like what Warner Classics has been doing lately since the buyout of the EMI/Virgin Classics catalogs. Hopefully this won't disrupt the good things, but we'll see. Perhaps we'll see more new recordings from Warner, but I'm not sure what to expect.

Any thoughts on the situation?


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## Nereffid

Given the description of the "Arts Music" brief - "This new repertoire centre will focus on signing, developing, and marketing artists and releases across a spectrum of genres, including classical, musical theatre, jazz, children’s music, film scores, and other fields generally outside the pop mainstream" - it sounds suspiciously like "Arts Music" is a euphemism for "let's just lump together all the stuff that doesn't sell well".


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## Triplets

It's hard to imagine the EMI catalog dropping off the face of the Planet...but I won't expect a lot of new releases


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## wkasimer

Triplets said:


> It's hard to imagine the EMI catalog dropping off the face of the Planet...but I won't expect a lot of new releases


As long as they keep issuing their back catalogue, I'll be satisfied (if they provide better sonics than some recent debacles, like the Schnabel Beethoven set). Frankly, most of their new releases have been disappointingly unnecessary.


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## Pugg

Triplets said:


> It's hard to imagine the EMI catalog dropping off the face of the Planet...but I won't expect a lot of new releases


Never, it's the only good thing they've ( Warner) got, the rest is poor.


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## Klassik

Pugg said:


> Never, it's the only good thing they've ( Warner) got, the rest is poor.


Warner's old Teldec label has some interesting performances. Having said that, some of their popular conductors aren't always my favorites (Harnoncourt and Barenboim) and they often record live performances. I'm not a big fan of that. Nonetheless, I do have some Teldec CDs. They also own the performances of labels like Finlandia and the original Erato in their archives.


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## Triplets

Is the former Erato catalog part of Warner?


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## Pugg

Triplets said:


> Is the former Erato catalog part of Warner?


Yes it is, now they have the Virgin part under their wings.


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## Klassik

Triplets said:


> Is the former Erato catalog part of Warner?





Pugg said:


> Yes it is, now they have the Virgin part under their wings.


Yes, Warner brought Erato in the early 1990s. They then shut the label down at some point, but they brought back the name recently to use on Virgin Classics re-releases and other things. They still have the original Erato masters in their collection though because I brought a recently released Erato Satie set that has a combination of music from the original Erato, EMI, and relatively newly recorded stuff.


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