Best looking CD/LP for sleeve & artwork

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

[71 dB]

The Giltburg/Petrenko LvB PC 3 & 4 CD I ordered last week landed today and I discovered it (and it seems, the other two CDs in the seried) uses a different cover image than the standard soloist-and-conductor-together image used for the listings at Amazon, Presto, etc.

The image on my copy is a mountain landscape photo attributed to Giltburg himself.
I don't see it on the web now, but I did find this one for PCs 1 & 2.

I hate how Naxos does these cover arts that are not the original "white" ones. They are not very good at them and against the initial style. It is like selling out, selling your soul and identity. I wish they had continued doing the classic style (yes, it is classical music, so classic cover art is proper!). The classic early style had the composer name on golden bold Times New Roman (I believe) font all capital.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I hate how Naxos does these cover arts that are not the original "white" ones. They are not very good at them and against the initial style. It is like selling out, selling your soul and identity. I wish they had continued doing the classic style (yes, it is classical music, so classic cover art is proper!). The classic early style had the composer name on golden bold Times New Roman (I believe) font all capital.

@KevinP said otherwise. 

The Dorati cover doesn't do much for me; however, I really like the Naxos and think it's hurt by the Naxos design, i.e., occupying less than half of a CD cover. If I had that painting as a full-sized LP cover, I might hang it on my wall.

(Not sure it actually says, 'Bartok' to me, but that's another matter.)


Anybody know the painter?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I do indeed. Three of them. All signed.

Nice! 

PD

[71 dB]

@KevinP said otherwise. 

I don't need to agree with anyone about what is good cover art style. The original Naxos style I advocate suites in my opinion to Naxos alone. It is their thing/style, but they have been gradually abandoning it. Maybe they should abandon classical music too, and start releasing pop music instead? Dua Lipa sells so much better than yet another recording of Beethoven's Piano Concertos 1 & 2...

I don't need "big" art. The good thing about the original Naxos cover art style is that it emphasises the composer name/works on the CD compared to the "painting." it is good compositing. The new "bigger cover art "eats up/surrounds the composer name. It is worse compositing that makes the composer look secondary to whoever made the cover painting.

[Todd]

Eloquence needs to do a Koeckert series. 

[Symphonic Addict]

Some cool cover arts featuring Sibelius:

[Brian]

The slap-a-painting-on-it cover is a common thing, but this cover painting choice is both apt for the music, and interesting because the painter is none other than playwright August Strindberg.



And these are good because the painter is the composer Mendelssohn himself! (The painting on the piano trios album cover is reversed for graphic design effect; the rest of the painting continues onto the back of the CD booklet.)

[Papy Oli]

Oh I love that Trios cover 

[Florestan]

Speaking of Mendelssohn's paintings:

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Everything on this album just blew me away!  The playing is dynamite.  This is a keeper!  I'll have to listen to Faust on A Soldier's Tale.  These might be purchases.  Funny enough this represents a period performance.

Strauss: Die Drau Ohne Schatten [Böhm]




Having recently listened to Act 1, I am currently listening to Act 2.

[pjme]

Theodora (Ravenna / 6th century) - indeed an empress,  meets Gloria Swanson...! 

[Brian]

Speaking of Mendelssohn's paintings:

He really was quite talented. It seems this was one of his diversions while traveling and holidaying.

BIS has used one of those as well, which I forgot to include:

[Florestan]

He really was quite talented.

Indeed.

[Jo498]

Some cool cover arts featuring Sibelius:

I dislike the font in the newish DG issues. They were not consistent in the past but this font simply does not fit with the classic yellow "cartouche".
Interestingly, they apparently picked the worst Karajan cover for the Originals reissue (of the LP of the 5th), it has nice colors but a silly drawing of a rein or other deer. The nicest cover of the older ones seems the one with the shorter works

[Brian]

During the "4D" era in the early 1990s, someone at Deutsche Grammophon really cared about cover art and selected some of the most consistently striking images any label has done (in my opinion). I know some are reproductions of pre-existing art, but at least a few of them are originals commissioned by the label.



(Inspired by the Rachmaninov composer thread)

[Papy Oli]

I knew Anna Lapwood was an organist but even without that fact, this is a clever, simple but arresting cover.




(she's also director of Music at Pembroke College, Cambridge - appointed at the age of 21 !!  ) 

[Jo498]

During the "4D" era in the early 1990s, someone at Deutsche Grammophon really cared about cover art and selected some of the most consistently striking images any label has done (in my opinion). I know some are reproductions of pre-existing art, but at least a few of them are originals commissioned by the label.

Yes, they were usually quite good and in any case distinctive. I am not fond of some of the fonts but the pictures are good. The worst and most boring covers for me are usually the artist photos with them often staring awkwardly in the camera or overly narcissist stagings/posings or just boring.

[Papy Oli]

Another one that caught the eye:



Almost a shame about the Chandos logo...

[Florestan]

These are not bad, methinks: