Monday, November 20, 2006

downsizing classical music

Whoa!

"Late last week, Sony BMG Music Entertainment underwent a major downsizing. Among the casualties were the key staffers in what has come to be called Sony BMG Masterworks – encompassing Sony Classical, Columbia Masterworks, BMG Classics, RCA Red Seal, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi and pretty much every other classical or classical-related label under the legendary companies once known as CBS Records and RCA Records."
Read the rest.

According to a statement from Sony, "“This will make the label leaner, more responsive and more effective in adapting to the new realities of reaching the classical music consumer." (link)

Huh? I just don't get it.

3 comments:

Shablagoo! said...

In English: "We're cutting costs, releases and jobs to focus on cod-classical 'music' by acts such as 'The Choirboys' and buxom, lacklustre female sopranoes"

As the market shrinks and the older generation of executives who cared about having comprehensive Classical archives and labels dwindles it would seem this is inevitable.

Anonymous said...

Sony/BMG can do whatever they like because thankfully we still have the likes of Naxos, Hyperion, Chandos, et al, who aren't beholden to an insatiable desire for the next, big, top-10 blockbuster crossover/rubbish compilation.

Danielle said...

Hello Bart,

I am a producer for Open Source, a daily radio and web conversation hosted by Christopher Lydon, out of Boston. While doing some research for our Thanksgiving show about (and with!) Daniel Barenboim, I came across your blog, which I found to be very entertaining and well written. I thought that you might like to hear the show, which can be found here: http://www.radioopensource.org/daniel-barenboim-sound-thought-activism/ (simply click on the link that says "Click to listen to the show", and I invite you to get involved in the conversation taking place right now on our website about it.

I hope you do enjoy the show, and if you have any suggestions for improvements or fuure show ideas, I would love to hear back from you. Until then, take care!

Danielle Bennett

Producer, Open Source

www radioopensource org

danielle radioopensource org