Label news: DG signs influencer
NewsDeutsche Grammophon’s new partnership with the French violinist Renaud Capuçon cashes in on the best contacts book in the business.
The press release tells is that Capucon ‘will record and curate a wide range of repertoire with DG. He is set to collaborate with the Yellow Label on a multi-year series of projects, comprising both audio and audio-visual releases. Recordings stemming from his work with young artists and composers will be produced by a special company co-owned by the artist and released by DG.
‘The joint initiative marks a significant development in the relationship between an artist and a major record label, opening up space for innovative creative thinking. It will encapsulate Renaud Capuçon’s role as performer and influential musical figure with new recordings of landmark violin repertoire, as well as reflecting his activities with leading organizations such as the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne, of which he is Artistic Director, and the Aix-en-Provence Easter Festival, of which he is founder and Artistic Director.’
Let’s see how that plays out.
What’s “special” about his company? (I managed to get past “curate” once I could see the point.)
The vocabulary of publicity, sheesh.
Is there anything different to this deal than other musicians/directors?
As I read it, it says mostly that he gets to record as a soloist, as an orchestra leader, and that DG will record concerts/performances from Aix.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin – though first a conductor – does the same, no? He records across his orchestras with DG, and also video Beethoven symphonies with the COE, Mozart operas from Baden-Baden, and during the pandemic he added solo recordings that are online-only.
We are drowned in words, but very seldom in genius.
IS he an influencer? Ubiquitous, yes. But influencer?
In France he’s now the most famous personality in classical. Outside of France and Switzerland he’s not very famous. DG will help him.
His recording of Bartok 2nd violin concerto (with LSO) is masterful
You’re right, Jan.
I heard the Capucon brothers play a duo recital a few years back in San Francisco. Both are absolutely top-drawer musicians and artists, and they played like angels together.
Congratulations to Renaud!
Do two great artists need all this semi-literate hype?
He appears several times in a Martha Argerich box. I find his tone unacceptably scrawny.
Heard him play more than once. Heard Isaac Stern play more than once.
Hard to believe it’s the same violin.
With Isaac it really was a del Gesu, with Renaud it’s an Amati.