The full package

[hautbois]

I am from a younger generation of classical music enthusiasts and have almost no idea what has been the norm in the good ol' days, but after reading posts mentioning the lack of good programme notes (lack of libretto in sets) and checking out Rolf's weekly LP transfer site (http://homepages.ipact.nl/~otterhouse/), i realised that the days of LPs and the early days of CD had superbly creative and stunningly crafted covers that seems to be a lost art in what i think is a full package.

Although some might argue that what is important at the end of the day is the recording itself, i wouldn't mind having a really good cd cover to accompany that. There was a moment some time ago when i realised that i couldn't recall a good recording that i had because the cover didn't leave me a good mental image of it's existence. Sounds rather absurd, but it's my opinion of what i think is an artistically full package, a time when people cared about these things, a time when people made everything perfect in every slight detail, when buying that cd or lp was really an experience in itself, not like the current trend of downloading at 99cents with nothing else intact, no fast food mentality yet in any existence. I find that currently ECM, Non Such, Channel Classics etc are some of the lables that are in a way producing such "full packages" - fantastic covers, great programme notes, great sonics and of course great artists. Any thoughts on this?

There was a thread of favourite cd covers, which is not my point here, but i'll post a few i really like anyways that depicts what i define as a full package (there are so many of course!):

Greatest hits. Netherlands Wind Ensemble. (Philips)

After Mozart, Various composers. Gidon Kremer, Kremerata Baltica. (NonSuch)

Rachmaninov, Works for solo piano. Francois-Joel Thiollier - piano. (RCA)

Music for oboe and orchestra.  John de Lancie - oboe, Andre Previn, London Symphony Orchestra. (RCA Red)