# Changes at Deutsche Grammophon



## FrankinUsa (Aug 3, 2021)

Following is a press release from Deutsche Gramophone. Anyone have any thought?

Do not think of Deutsche Grammophon as exclusively classical.

It is doing its level best to blur the boundaries.

Here’s the blurb…
Deutsche Grammophon introduces the genre-defying Fragments. What happens when some of the most groundbreaking creative talents on the electronic music scene are invited to reimagine works by a pioneer from the past? This intriguing new series holds the answers. Fragments will spotlight the music of a single composer, issuing twelve reworks as e-singles over a period of months, culminating in a full album release. At the heart of the series is a dynamic dialogue between past and present, tradition and innovation, creation and re-creation.
Fragments begins by focusing on the music of eccentric French genius Erik Satie, forefather of modern minimalism and an enduring influence almost a century after his death. The Satie series kicks off in style with a rework by Berlin-based duo TWO LANES, known for music rich in both acoustic and electronic elements. Based on the same work from the composer’s Pièces froides (“Cold Pieces”), their “Danses de travers No. 2” launches the series.

“When we set out to find artists to work on Satie’s music, the idea was met with unanimous enthusiasm,” says Marc Fritsch, Director Special Projects at Deutsche Grammophon. “This has led to an original and eclectic collection of remixes and reworks. Fragments moves between different creative worlds – classical and electronic, online and offline, old and new. It brings together different artforms and gives musicians the opportunity to engage with timeless traditions of making music in ways that are sure to be surprising, stimulating and satisfying, just as Satie’s compositions were when they were new.”


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## FrankinUsa (Aug 3, 2021)

Obviously the main title should be Deutshe Gramophone


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Been there. Done that.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

MarkW said:


> Been there. Done that.


Yep. Does anyone remember The Electronic Spirit of Erik Satie, where his works were processed through a synthesizer?

"The idea was met with unanimous enthusiasm." I'm kind of a Satie fanboy, and I'm neither enthusiastic about this nor unanimous. I'm closer to animus.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

I have heard the Two Lanes Satie, I thought it was not very interesting.


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## fbjim (Mar 8, 2021)

Crossover classical? On a classical record label? What a great idea, I can't believe it's never been done before


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

I honestly think Deutsche Grammophon is having an identity crisis. Thank goodness we have a wonderful catalog of older recordings before they started doing this kitsch.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Neo Romanza said:


> I honestly think Deutsche Grammophon is having an identity crisis. Thank goodness we have a wonderful catalog of older recordings before they started doing this kitsch.


Well, that's the point, isn't it. As long as they continue to re-issue older recordings from their catalog, attempting to cultivate new markets is a different aspect of their business plan.

We have no obligation to follow them down this path, but I suspect there are new audiences out there to mine.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

DG is trying to figure out a new business model. The Berlin Phil now has their own label. DG and the BPO were really closely linked for a long time. And looking at the DG catalog, how many Beethoven, Mahler and Bruckner recordings do they need? They need to find a way to appeal to new buyers and stay relevant. Like Sony, they can probably get by on their legacy for many more years, but then what?


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## Red Terror (Dec 10, 2018)

How about embracing Jazz? That should bring in LOADS of cash! :lol:


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

SanAntone said:


> Well, that's the point, isn't it. As long as they continue to re-issue older recordings from their catalog, attempting to cultivate new markets is a different aspect of their business plan.
> 
> We have no obligation to follow them down this path, but I suspect there are new audiences out there to mine.


Deutsche Grammophon hasn't done anything worthwhile to me in years, so I'm not really sure what the point is, but there you have it.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Red Terror said:


> How about embracing Jazz? That should bring in LOADS of cash! :lol:


Jazz records are a lot more collectable and bring in more cash than classical albums. DG also needs a contemporary look to their album graphics. The old yellow logo accompanying photos of conservative looking musicians isn't going to attract a younger audience.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Red Terror said:


> How about embracing Jazz? That should bring in LOADS of cash! :lol:


They could go the hard rock route. This will surely bring in the cash as well.  If Beavis and Butt-Head approve then we'll know for sure that DG have sold out.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

They already crossed over a number of times in the past decades: Anne-Sofie von Otter cooperating with Elvis Costello (excellent by the way), Tori Amos singing song cycles based on classical themes (also excellent - ymmv), Sting playing Dowland (not keen on hearing this), and Benny Andersson playing ABBA themes on piano in classical style (haven't heard it).


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

Anyone who has bought one of their recordings in recent years knows other things have changed at DG; a prominent one is they subcontract recording to techno agencies. Their classical recordings now feature a bottom (low strings, timpani, etc.) they rarely did before and the higher instruments don't carry like they once did.

Re Satie, here is one of the better Satie recordings I ever heard. It's not crossover but his piano music played by a chamber ensemble of flute, oboe, clarinet and guitar. I don't think it ever made it to CD and good luck finding it in other venues


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Neo Romanza said:


> Deutsche Grammophon hasn't done anything worthwhile to me in years, so I'm not really sure what the point is, but there you have it.


This is what you said that I responded to, "Thank goodness we have a wonderful catalog of older recordings." So apparently they have done something you find worthwhile. If all they do is reissues, their catalog is very deep.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

Seems like they're doing something similar to the Verve Remixed series in the noughties. The Verve label got leading DJs to remix classics from their extensive catalog of jazz and blues artists. They wanted to get people who hadn't heard the originals to listen to the mixed versions. They sold well, and Verve also put out Verve Unmixed which contained the originals.

Here's the first of the series:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lS1ovvKtcyP-B-UwFf3dJSPVVBcPJzX9Y

I think its a good idea, and I'm not surprised Deutsche Grammophon is giving it a try. Many younger people would have experience listening to the work of the DJs working on this project. By inviting these musicians to reconfigure old classics, the label is also opening its doors to their listeners.



Art Rock said:


> They already crossed over a number of times in the past decades: Anne-Sofie von Otter cooperating with Elvis Costello (excellent by the way), Tori Amos singing song cycles based on classical themes (also excellent - ymmv), Sting playing Dowland (not keen on hearing this), and Benny Andersson playing ABBA themes on piano in classical style (haven't heard it).


I wasn't aware they'd already done so much along these lines. I've got the Benny Andersson one, and he doesn't only play ABBA themes but also other original compositions and arrangements, including items from the musical _Chess_. I find it low key, nostalgic and atmospheric. Andersson just went into the studio and played, so its got the feel of him playing in your room.


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

It's interesting that Erik Satie continues to be such a source of inspiration for non-classical musicians of various types. Unlike many serious jazz connoisseurs, I'm a big fan of the late French jazz-classical crossover man Jacques Loussier. Though best known for jazzing up Bach, imo his best work was with Satie, as you can hear from my link. So I can irritate jazz and Satie connoisseurs at the same time.

As for Deutsche Grammophon, good for them for not being starched shirts. I happen to be a big fan of classical music humor as that of Hoffnung, PDQ Bach and today's Igudesman and Joo. In the late 70s DG had the good taste to latch on to the Cambridge Buskers, a flute and accordion duo of Cambridge University students who started out busking with their own arrangements of classical standards on sidewalks and in subway stations, most successfully in Germany, where busking apparently was more legal than in the UK.

So I'm looking forward to whatever new direction DG is willing to try.


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## Livly_Station (Jan 8, 2014)

I find the idea rather interesting... That's the way.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

*Changes at Deutschland Gramophone*



FrankinUsa said:


> ...
> What happens when some of the most groundbreaking creative talents on the electronic music scene are invited to reimagine works by a pioneer from the past? This intriguing new series holds the answers. ...


I'm hopeful that perhaps one of the "groundbreaking creative talents" at DGG will decide to "remix" those garish sounding digital releases championed by Karajan so that I might enjoy them and perhaps finally become a Karajan fan.

I'm hopeful in that hopeless way. Alas....


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

SanAntone said:


> This is what you said that I responded to, "Thank goodness we have a wonderful catalog of older recordings." So apparently they have done something you find worthwhile. If all they do is reissues, their catalog is very deep.


But my response is to the current state of label not what they have done in the past. Anyway, they are coming out with a new Gubaidulina recording next month, so this is rather promising.


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

*Deutsche Grammophon* is now part of *Universal Music Group (UMG) *since its merger with the UMG family of labels in 1999.


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## John Zito (Sep 11, 2021)

pianozach said:


> *Deutsche Grammophon* is now part of *Universal Music Group (UMG) *since its merger with the UMG family of labels in 1999.


Yeah, something I never quite understood is why DG is still even "a thing." Why didn't Universal just boil all of Decca and DG and Philips and Mercury Living Presence and whatever else down to *Universal Classical*?


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

John Zito said:


> Yeah, something I never quite understood is why DG is still even "a thing." Why didn't Universal just boil all of Decca and DG and Philips and Mercury Living Presence and whatever else down to *Universal Classical*?


They have. As a matter of fact a lot of the re-issues very often blur the line about which label originally issued the release. Philips in particular is essentially a dead label. Most, if not all, of the Philips re-issues are now coming out under the "Decca" brand name.


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## John Zito (Sep 11, 2021)

haziz said:


> As a matter of fact a lot of the re-issues very often blur the line about which label originally issued the release.


Yeah, it's sometimes comical how unprincipled it is. Like DG will put out a So-and-So Box with random Philips stuff sprinkled in, or Decca puts out a Complete What's-His-Face on Decca/Philips, and you wonder "why didn't they just throw in the DG stuff too?"



haziz said:


> Philips in particular is essentially a dead label. Most, if not all, of the Philips re-issues are now coming out under the "Decca" brand name.


Right. A better way to ask my question is "why didn't DG just go the way of Philips?" For new releases, why does it still retain its own identity and team of people distinct from Decca Classics?


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)




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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

_Deutsche Grammophon hasn't done anything worthwhile to me in years, so I'm not really sure what the point is, but there you have it._

There are still plenty of big name conductors and big time orchestras making recordings at DG. Here's one


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## fbjim (Mar 8, 2021)

John Zito said:


> Yeah, it's sometimes comical how unprincipled it is. Like DG will put out a So-and-So Box with random Philips stuff sprinkled in, or Decca puts out a Complete What's-His-Face on Decca/Philips, and you wonder "why didn't they just throw in the DG stuff too?"
> 
> Right. A better way to ask my question is "why didn't DG just go the way of Philips?" For new releases, why does it still retain its own identity and team of people distinct from Decca Classics?


Decca and DG presumably had enough value and brand recognition even now. Philips was a wonderful label but presumably UMG decided they didn't need three classical labels.

EMI is gone as a brand too, replaced by Warner. Weirdly Erato is still there- I guess for baroque/early/oddball stuff. And I have no idea what Sony is doing with RCA, which seems to randomly show up on reissues and boxes.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

John Zito said:


> Yeah, something I never quite understood is why DG is still even "a thing." Why didn't Universal just boil all of Decca and DG and Philips and Mercury Living Presence and whatever else down to *Universal Classical*?


I'd really miss the DG logo.


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## John Zito (Sep 11, 2021)

fbjim said:


> Decca and DG presumably had enough value and brand recognition even now. Philips was a wonderful label but presumably UMG decided they didn't need three classical labels.
> 
> EMI is gone as a brand too, replaced by Warner. Weirdly Erato is still there- I guess for baroque/early/oddball stuff. And I have no idea what Sony is doing with RCA, which seems to randomly show up on reissues and boxes.


It's funny you mention Erato. I had them in mind as an example of a sub-label being kept alive as quasi-separate from the parent, and basically making a success of it. I think they consistently put out good new stuff. Much more so than DG.


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

larold said:


> There are still plenty of big name conductors and big time orchestras making recordings at DG. Here's one


Adding these ones from the Orchestral big composers. AAAND these particular ones are on the level of their best years.


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