If the GMG regulars were record label owners

[Brian]

Gurn - HIP Haydn edition with casual, informative essays about each piece
Mirror Image - hundreds of CDs of very serious 20th century orchestral music
Sarge - an entire orchestra of beautiful women playing Bruckner (with a Blu-Ray release for the visuals)
George - diligent remasterings of great mono piano recordings
Todd - scouting out promising young pianists, recording them in German, French, Spanish repertoire
sanantonio - the Liszt Sonata Edition 100 CD box set
Scots John - every CD is a different conductor/orchestra interpreting Hans Rott's symphony
karlhenning - karlhenning

What would you want to record on your imaginary record label?
What would you imagine other GMGers recording on their record labels?
Whose labels would you really want to follow?

I think GSMoeller and I could build really eclectic catalogs spanning most of the centuries. You'd probably find me setting up microphones in the Czech Republic half the time.

[Bogey]

If had a record label it would be exclusively spy/crime music played in movies and television, but played exclusively by bands and orchestras that did not originally record it, but put their own spin on it. 

Believe it or not, Harmonia Mundi tried one recently and I hope they continue to roll them out.



Occasionally I would release a special cd where groups could also record spy/crime music that never was used for tv or movies, but to the unattended ear one would assume that it had been.

[Bogey]

Dave (SonicMan46): Classical or earlier, but with period instruments (or great knock-offs) and at least one instrument featured that the common listener has never heard of.

Half the liner notes would be dedicated to that "rare" instrument including an interview with the player and a mail in order to receive a kit to build one yourself.

[Mirror Image]

Mirror Image - hundreds of CDs of very serious 20th century orchestral music

What would you want to record on your imaginary record label?
What would you imagine other GMGers recording on their record labels?
Whose labels would you really want to follow?

I think GSMoeller and I could build really eclectic catalogs spanning most of the centuries. You'd probably find me setting up microphones in the Czech Republic half the time.

I'm not so sure I would limit my own label to merely orchestral music as I do love chamber music, but I will explain more in your set of questions:

What would you want to record on your imaginary record label?

Of course, Brian had it right in saying 20th Century music. I would encourage and scout talented musicians/ensembles to record orchestral, chamber, solo instrumental, choral, and opera recordings. I wouldn't just limit the genre to orchestral music as I think offering a wide array of music from the 20th Century would help bring in many new listeners.

What would you imagine other GMGers recording on their record labels?

I can't be certain, but I know that those members who love 20th Century music will really enjoy the wide array of composers that will be presented on my label.

Whose labels would you really want to follow?

I'm not really sure what is implied by this question, but if you mean what business model would I model my own label off of, that would be simple: Naxos. Remarkable distribution and I'd love to learn how to expand in this area.

[Bogey]

HIPster (Dave): A label dedicated mainly to recording Handel, but with flashes of rare baroque and earlier pieces. 

However, all of the said recordings would have to take place exclusively in the an L.A. area recording studio in Malibu called "HIP" in front of a live audience.  Tickets to the recording sessions would be sold to only exclusive guests  (his buddies here) and said patrons would be served a catered meal from Gladstones along with receiving a gift certificate to Amoeba records for after the performance. The instruments do not need to be of the period, but would be preferred, and the musicians would be encouraged to play in shorts and t-shirts and mingle with the audience after the session.   

[amw]

Probably a lot of string quartet box sets—Arditti, Artis, Taneyev, Talich, Hagen....

And a lot of obscure 20th/21st century avant-garde composers

[North Star]

I think GSMoeller and I could build really eclectic catalogs spanning most of the centuries. You'd probably find me setting up microphones in the Czech Republic half the time.

Dibs on a complete Martinů opera series!

[Karl Henning]

karlhenning - karlhenning

kh Verlag, baby! 

[San Antone]

Gurn - HIP Haydn edition with casual, informative essays about each piece
Mirror Image - hundreds of CDs of very serious 20th century orchestral music
Sarge - an entire orchestra of beautiful women playing Bruckner (with a Blu-Ray release for the visuals)
George - diligent remasterings of great mono piano recordings
Todd - scouting out promising young pianists, recording them in German, French, Spanish repertoire
sanantonio - the Liszt Sonata Edition 100 CD box set
Scots John - every CD is a different conductor/orchestra interpreting Hans Rott's symphony
karlhenning - karlhenning

Yes; a 100 CDs is a good start.   

What would you want to record on your imaginary record label?
What would you imagine other GMGers recording on their record labels?
Whose labels would you really want to follow?

I think GSMoeller and I could build really eclectic catalogs spanning most of the centuries. You'd probably find me setting up microphones in the Czech Republic half the time.

Besides Liszt, I'd want to have a New Music imprint; if possible commissioning new works for small ensembles.

Que would have a HIP Early Music label, which I would follow with avid interest.

[Brahmsian]

Love this new thread!   

[jochanaan]

Agreed; this is a fine discussion idea. But shouldn't it be moved back to the General Music forum?

I'd do eclectic woodwind chamber music and a new recording of the complete Edgard Varese catalog, with some free-form live jazz and other avant-garde stuff.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Listener would have the only label dedicated to issuing LPs exclusively. And retro-covered LPs at that. Desirability factor through the roof.

Daverz would have a lock on the audiophile market. THE best sounding recordings, his mantra.

Brian's label would be an all-Nézet-Séguin boutique. Definite big sales, here.

Que's label would turn its attention to unearthing every morsel of music set down - in one form or another - before 6000 B.C. Finding authentic instruments might be a challenge, though.

Bruce would be a commissioning fiend: contemporary composers and their revolving "ist" movements would have the perfect platform with his label.

JLaurson: no label per se, just a sympathetic review base and plenty of streaming services to push his GMG friends' recordings.

And Harry...I think it's a given he would never own his own label...he'd just happily buy everything from all our labels!!

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

I would poach some of the genius talent from ECM and issue their stuff with my own photography on the covers.

I would find out who the greatest young talent in pipe organ are, and have them team up to record the complete pipe organ music of J.S. Bach in a new boxed set.

I would have Masayuki Koga--the world's greatest master of the shakuhachi--to play some Bach on that instrument. I would give him free reign.

I would hire Julia Fischer and appointe her "Executive Babe of Music". (Alice Sara Ott and Yuja Wang would be her assistants)

I would issue a bunch of historical recordings that I care about. My hired thugs would make sure YOU care about them too.

I would hire Arvo Pärt to compose a nine hour oratorio in praise of my greatness. It would be released with great fanfare! Everyone on Earth will receive a set (and the bill) unless you mail in the card saying you don't want it.

I would buy myself an expensive watch or twelve (Jaeger? Lange? Patek? Breguet? All of the above?), a Tesla, a nice house in Marin or Mendocino county, and some fine wine once all the profits start rolling in.

And that's just for STARTERS! 

[Henk]

Yes; a 100 CDs is a good start.   

Hahaha.

You might get bigger than Amazon with that commercial shit (Liszt).

[Marc]

First I would win the national lottery and not have to worry about all the costs and losses.

Then, I would reissue both (now OOP) Ewald Kooiman's and Bram Beekman's Bach organ boxsets from respectively Coronata and Lindenberg Music.

[....]
I would find out who the greatest young talent in pipe organ are, and have them team up to record the complete pipe organ music of J.S. Bach in a new boxed set.

Here's a suggestion: https://www.adriaanhoek.nl/media/audio/

I would have Masayuki Koga--the world's greatest master of the shakuhachi--to play some Bach on that instrument. I would give him free reign.

I like the idea.

I would hire Julia Fischer and appointe her "Executive Babe of Music". [...]

You've got my vote.

[prémont]

Then, I would reissue both (now OOP) Ewald Kooiman's and Bram Beekman's Bach organ boxsets from respectively Coronata and Lindenberg Music.

Nice idea.

I would also like Kooiman´s first Bach traversal (LP 1970es) to be released on CD.
And maybe (for historical reasons) Anton Heiller´s early Bach integral (Philips 1950es).

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

The Z7 Company would be one massive commercial belly flop.    I'd keep changing our trademark for every release - no recognition factor at all and any (unlikely) profits would go straight to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office for all the new registrations.

[Ken B]

The Z7 Company would be one massive commercial belly flop.    I'd keep changing our trademark for every release - no recognition factor at all and any (unlikely) profits would go straight to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office for all the new registrations.

Yeah, that's John's strategy too.

[Ken B]

Moonfish -- high-def 64 bit mono recordings

Mookalafalas -- no recordings issued for several years, then a 400 disc box

James -- all recordings issued on Möbius strips.

[Que]

Then, I would reissue both (now OOP) Ewald Kooiman's and Bram Beekman's Bach organ boxsets from respectively Coronata and Lindenberg Music.

Great idea...   Hopefully Brilliant will be smart enough to take that opportunity. 

Q