# Classical logos



## Sid James

What's your favourite and why?

Are there any that you're not so keen on?

We all know the popular 'garden variety' ones, although I bet some of you will furnish some more obscure ones (go ahead!).

All logos, new and old, are okay.

I quite like Decca. Instantly recognisable and pretty minimalist, and colour combination is good.










I also don't mind Sony Classical, mainly for the symbol.










Of the old ones, love the HMV dog and gramophone one -










How about you?​


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## apricissimus

I only just now realized that the Sony logo is two sixteenth notes! I always just saw it as a couple of red things, and I never paid it much attention.


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## PetrB

It is likely my fondness for the Angel-Seraphim logo is more sentimental vs. being based upon simply liking the looks of a logo... that attachment being to my earlier recollections of first acquiring LPs of great music and fine-sounding performances which thrilled and pleased. As an American, they were also I'm sure a bit 'exotic' via the context they were 'imports' 

P.s. A 'generation indicator' artifact:


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## Sid James

I forgot to include logos of orchestras or other institutions to do with classical music (conservatoires, universities, societies, etc.). So I'm expanding it to that.

Speaking of which, one that I've quite liked since seeing it appear on cd's is the LSO one, just for that flowing calligraphic style:


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## Jos

View attachment 42027




Cheers,
Jos


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## TurnaboutVox

You beat me to it, Jos!


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## Jos

Yeah, sorry about that


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## Jos

And here is another one, from my own town, no less

View attachment 42030


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## bigshot

When I was a kid, I thought the only good LPs had bright yellow on them


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## Jos

View attachment 42036


Correct, well not "only".....

Cheers,jos


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## Jos

And here's one especially for SimonNZ. 
I know from the current listening thread that he is a great fan of these fine recordings. The "nec plus ultra" in recorded music....:lol:

View attachment 42244


Cheers,
Jos


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## brotagonist

I always liked the elegant and classic Deutsche Grammophon logo. They literally became synonymous with classical music for classical and non-classical lovers worldwide.


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## Blancrocher

I've always been impressed by the modest elegance of this logo.


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## elgar's ghost

brotagonist said:


> I always liked the elegant and classic Deutsche Grammophon logo. They literally became synonymous with classical music for classical and non-classical lovers worldwide.


I agree - I think it's without doubt the most iconic and over the years served as its own kitemark. I'm glad it's never had a trendy makeover like so many rock/pop labels.


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## Marschallin Blair

Blancrocher said:


> View attachment 42251
> 
> 
> I've always been impressed by the modest elegance of this logo.


Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. . . That was great.


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## martin BACH

Hi all. I am a new member, a passionate Bach lover from Spain.
What about the hyperion logo? I think it´s one of the most beautiful font type, but I haven´t been able to discover its name. Maybe it´s a calligraphic style just designed by the label. Does anyone know?


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## Jos

Hi Martin,

Welcome to the forum.
About the Hyperion logo; it is very nice indeed. I have a few in my collection.
My hunch is that it is especially designed, but I'm not sure.

View attachment 57712

Cheers,
Jos

Here's another one, a bit more "baroque"


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## Albert7

Personally I am a huge fan of the Decca label... simple and direct graphic.


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## Figleaf

I rather like the naked discus thrower on the old Pathe logo. Yes, I know I made a principled stand against gratuitous nudity on a couple of other threads, but this is Completely Different.  For a start it's ancient Greek and therefore classy. Even the logo itself must be a century old and therefore of legitimate historical interest, and should not be judged by anachronistic modern standards. And is there not something appropriately epic and heroic about the image, given the struggle to play Pathe discs adequately, with the wild differences in speeds, needle sizes and what have you? Yes, this is in no way inappropriate or analogous to Lolita St John and her violin.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I'm surprised this hasn't been posted yet










I really love this one:


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## Nereffid

Figleaf said:


> I rather like the naked discus thrower on the old Pathe logo. Yes, I know I made a principled stand against gratuitous nudity on a couple of other threads, but this is Completely Different.  For a start it's ancient Greek and therefore classy. Even the logo itself must be a century old and therefore of legitimate historical interest, and should not be judged by anachronistic modern standards. And is there not something appropriately epic and heroic about the image, given the struggle to play Pathe discs adequately, with the wild differences in speeds, needle sizes and what have you? Yes, this is in no way inappropriate or analogous to Lolita St John and her violin.


I'm not sure what message they're sending with that _very long_ banner. Why not just the traditional *Figleaf*?


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## Cosmos

Jos said:


> Hi Martin,
> 
> Welcome to the forum.
> About the Hyperion logo; it is very nice indeed. I have a few in my collection.
> My hunch is that it is especially designed, but I'm not sure.
> 
> View attachment 57712
> 
> Cheers,
> Jos
> 
> Here's another one, a bit more "baroque"


Ah, you beat me to Hyperion! And as others have mentioned, Decca and Deutsche Grammophon are iconic.

One of my favorites is the Naxos label:


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## Manxfeeder

I think the logo on Gardiner's Bach Cantatas is cool; Bach's own handwriting.


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## Figleaf

Nereffid said:


> I'm not sure what message they're sending with that _very long_ banner. Why not just the traditional *Figleaf*?


:lol:

They would have to make their tagline more concise in that case! Which reminds me- I wrote 'needle' when I meant 'stylus'. Pathé's USP was the fact that they played with a sapphire stylus and not a metal needle.


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## omega

I like _Harmonia Mundi_'s sort of fossil


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## Xaltotun

The Supraphon and Hungaroton logos!!

Well, not really; they're not that beautiful, actually. But they always give me a good feeling, even make my heart jump, just because I love the labels themselves. 

The point is, it's hard to separate the beauty of the logo from our feeling towards the label itself. 

I'm a contextualist even in relation to logos!


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## elgar's ghost

omega said:


> I like _Harmonia Mundi_'s sort of fossil
> View attachment 58338
> View attachment 58339


Lunasong, Harmonia Mundi have ripped off your avatar...


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## techniquest

I liked Deutsche Grammaphon from when I remember it in my youth when it was DGG not just DG 
I also like the Arte Nova logo and the branding that went with it - minimalist white CD covers with an example of modern art and black text to the right. I also like the Melodiya logo.


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