Sony acquires Supraphon

[Brian]

https://www.sonymusic.com/sonymusic/supraphon-acquisition-czech-republic/

Sony says that the Czech label's current leadership team will remain in place.

[Madiel]

Hmm. I wonder why they sold.

Supraphon is perhaps the best known and best established of any of the "national" sorts of labels. So I wonder exactly what the motivations were. It could be they were struggling, or it could be they thought being part of a larger label was an opportunity.

Either way, I really hope Sony don't muck them up.

[Roasted Swan]

Suddenly all those "big" CBS/RCA boxes will get bigger still.  The worry is the cherry-picking of the back catalogue rather than continuing developing future releases/artists......

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Suddenly all those "big" CBS/RCA boxes will get bigger still.  The worry is the cherry-picking of the back catalogue rather than continuing developing future releases/artists......

This is a concern of mine as well. I guess I'm lucky to own as many Supraphon recordings as I do since their future is uncertain right now. Hopefully, they'll be able to go about business as usual. It doesn't seem like Apple acquiring BIS or UMG acquiring Hyperion has hurt either label.

[Roasted Swan]

This is a concern of mine as well. I guess I'm lucky to own as many Supraphon recordings as I do since their future is uncertain right now. Hopefully, they'll be able to go about business as usual. It doesn't seem like Apple acquiring BIS or UMG acquiring Hyperion has hurt either label.

Obviously its coloured by my own personal tastes in repertoire - but both of those labels' release schedules since take-over have been less interesting from my perspective - and quite a few of the more ambitious projects were already "in the can" when the labels were sold.  The real test will be over the next 3-5 years....

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Obviously its coloured by my own personal tastes in repertoire - but both of those labels' release schedules since take-over have been less interesting from my perspective - and quite a few of the more ambitious projects were already "in the can" when the labels were sold.  The real test will be over the next 3-5 years....

It's certainly a wait and see scenario for sure.

[Brian]

The only change I have noticed is a decrease in the quality of the graphic design for the BIS covers; they've moved toward slapping generic PC fonts onto artist photos moreso than before and with less of a sense of spacing/negative space.

Ah well. That's fine. Time will tell how the programming is affected. My guess would be that without an opinionated central figure, the repertoire may be more driven by what the labels' longtime associated artists themselves want to record.

[CRCulver]

My guess would be that without an opinionated central figure, the repertoire may be more driven by what the labels' longtime associated artists themselves want to record.

I assumed that that had already been happening with BIS (and other labels) for a long time: what gets recorded is whatever performers want to get on record for self-promotion purposes, and are able to assist in the financing, and the label head just exercises a veto over such proposals.

[Brian]

This may end badly and quickly, as there are now reports that Sony Classical had large-scale layoffs and eliminated Robert Russ among others. Russ is the box reissue specialist who did the complete Reiner, Monteux, Mitropoulos, Walter, Serkin, etc. boxes, Rubinstein giant box, Horowitz Live box...

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

This may end badly and quickly, as there are now reports that Sony Classical had large-scale layoffs and eliminated Robert Russ among others. Russ is the box reissue specialist who did the complete Reiner, Monteux, Mitropoulos, Walter, Serkin, etc. boxes, Rubinstein giant box, Horowitz Live box...

This is not good news...

The only large conductor boxes I own are the Pierre Boulez Complete Album Collection on Sony and Klemperer Complete Recordings of Symphonic Works on Warner. Oh and that Stravinsky Complete Album Collection set on Sony as well. I think that's about it. All of the other sets I own are more composer-oriented.

I know some people on other forums whose collections of classical music pretty much only constitute these mega box sets. Quite frankly, even the few that I own, I find them overwhelming. Anyway, I wonder where this leaves these people? I guess they'll have to finally listen to what they own.

[Daverz]

This may end badly and quickly, as there are now reports that Sony Classical had large-scale layoffs and eliminated Robert Russ among others. Russ is the box reissue specialist who did the complete Reiner, Monteux, Mitropoulos, Walter, Serkin, etc. boxes, Rubinstein giant box, Horowitz Live box...

Ugh, I guess we may never see big Fiedler or E. Power Biggs box sets.

I hope this doesn't effect the Ormandy RCA box that already has a release date.

[Kalevala]

This may end badly and quickly, as there are now reports that Sony Classical had large-scale layoffs and eliminated Robert Russ among others. Russ is the box reissue specialist who did the complete Reiner, Monteux, Mitropoulos, Walter, Serkin, etc. boxes, Rubinstein giant box, Horowitz Live box...

K