Worst looking CD/LP artwork

[Peter Power Pop]

Okay, maybe this isn't really among the worst, but several things bug me:
1. Where is the orchestra? This concept could be interesting, but for it to work, I think it needs to be clear what the conductor is doing. Bernstein here appears to be moving into the "choke" signal.
2. The lighting and depth of field draw my attention towards the ornate column in the background.
3. I'm not crazy about this combination of all-caps normal width with mixed-case compressed at the same height, though I might not have noticed if the photo hadn't gotten me in such a critical mood.

I'm with you.

Plus:

The double bass lying on its side tells me the orchestra has gone home, which leads me to the question:

Just who is Lenny looking at, if there's no-one there?

[Madiel]

Oh come on guys, he's reminiscing. Nothing wrong with that.

Anyway, why does a double bass mean they've gone home, rather than arriving? Or having a tea break? Who leaves their double bass lying around afterward, does it just stay there until the next concert?

[Peter Power Pop]

Oh come on guys, he's reminiscing. Nothing wrong with that. ...

It's nice to reminisce.

Anyway, why does a double bass mean they've gone home, rather than arriving? ...

That's what I imagined when I saw it there.

... Or having a tea break? ...

Maybe everyone's having a cup of tea at the same time.

...Who leaves their double bass lying around afterward, ...

It's a superstar bass player, and they have a roadie who carries their bass for them.

... does it just stay there until the next concert?

I reckon so. It'd be guarded. (Superstar bassists have bass bodyguards, don't they?)

[Pat B]

Oh come on guys, he's reminiscing. Nothing wrong with that.

That makes sense, I just don't get it from the photo. I can't really see his eyes or mouth, just his hands, nose, blown-out hair, and the column. The bass, not terribly out of place and visually almost blending into the background, doesn't bother me too much. But the more I look at this photo, the more I fixate on that damn column.

Of course you don't have to agree, and I get that this thread tends to be hypercritical, but this photo bugs me. Maybe I think the concept deserves better execution.

[Parsifal]

Okay, maybe this isn't really among the worst, but several things bug me:
1. Where is the orchestra? This concept could be interesting, but for it to work, I think it needs to be clear what the conductor is doing. Bernstein here appears to be moving into the "choke" signal.
2. The lighting and depth of field draw my attention towards the ornate column in the background.
3. I'm not crazy about this combination of all-caps normal width with mixed-case compressed at the same height, though I might not have noticed if the photo hadn't gotten me in such a critical mood.

To call this "worst cover art" strikes me a bordering on the absurd. It is a photograph of the conductor in a pensive mood on the stage where a performance is soon to take place. The bases on the stage before hand is a very familiar sight. The ornate column is an organic part of it, since it appears to be the Wiener Musikerein, the home hall of the Wiener Philharmoniker, which has a long history with this music. The cover evokes all of the reasons I might be inducted to buy this recording (although I won't because because I am not particularly optimistic about Lenny's way with Bruckner).

And if you are going to take issue with the combination of all caps with a normal font, you are taking issue with a large fraction of the DGG catalog.

[kishnevi]

That makes sense, I just don't get it from the photo. I can't really see his eyes or mouth, just his hands, nose, blown-out hair, and the column. The bass, not terribly out of place and visually almost blending into the background, doesn't bother me too much. But the more I look at this photo, the more I fixate on that damn column.

Of course you don't have to agree, and I get that this thread tends to be hypercritical, but this photo bugs me. Maybe I think the concept deserves better execution.

To me it looks like he's taking off his scarf, pure and simple.

[André]

To call this "worst cover art" strikes me a bordering on the absurd. It is a photograph of the conductor in a pensive mood on the stage where a performance is soon to take place. The bases on the stage before hand is a very familiar sight. The ornate column is an organic part of it, since it appears to be the Wiener Musikerein, the home hall of the Wiener Philharmoniker, which has a long history with this music. The cover evokes all of the reasons I might be inducted to buy this recording (although I won't because because I am not particularly optimistic about Lenny's way with Bruckner).

And if you are going to take issue with the combination of all caps with a normal font, you are taking issue with a large fraction of the DGG catalog.

The WP does not have that long a history with the 9th. First recordings were in the 60s (Mehta and Schuricht). Same with the 8th (Solti and Schuricht). Granted, that's still a long time in the orchestra's musicians' life.

One of my friends who is a good case study for acute bruckneritis has produced an excel spreadsheet with lists of all Bruckner concerts by the Wiener Symphoniker and the Philharmoniker in the 20th Century (concerts, not recordings). He came out with rather startling findings: Bruckner concerts in Vienna pre-1960 were mostly the result of the WS, with well over double the number of the WP output. It took a long time before the Philharmoniker programmed Bruckner, with many years with no performance.

But that is beyond the point. I just wanted to plug this curiosity. Maybe I should have done so in the in the Bruckner Abbey 

[Parsifal]

The WP does not have that long a history with the 9th. First recordings were in the 60s (Mehta and Schuricht). Same with the 8th (Solti and Schuricht). Granted, that's still a long time in the orchestra's musicians' life.

One of my friends who is a good case study for acute bruckneritis has produced an excel spreadsheet with lists of all Bruckner concerts by the Wiener Symphoniker and the Philharmoniker in the 20th Century (concerts, not recordings). He came out with rather startling findings: Bruckner concerts in Vienna pre-1960 were mostly the result of the WS, with well over double the number of the WP output. It took a long time before the Philharmoniker programmed Bruckner, with many years with no performance.

But that is beyond the point. I just wanted to plug this curiosity. Maybe I should have done so in the in the Bruckner Abbey 

I don't know enough about the subject to comment intelligently on the WPO's early history with Bruckner.  The oldest Bruckner recording I have is Knappertsbusch Bruckner 5, WPO from the mid 50's.  I have the impression that before the Bruckner revival in the latter part of the 20th century no orchestra was playing much Bruckner. 

One question about the WPO vs WS stats. How many orchestral concerts did the WPO give, compared with the WS? The WS was a full time performing orchestra, the WPO is a side-gig by the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera. Is the fact that WS has more Bruckner performances explainable by their giving more concerts overall?

[Pat B]

To call this "worst cover art" strikes me a bordering on the absurd. It is a photograph of the conductor in a pensive mood on the stage where a performance is soon to take place. The bases on the stage before hand is a very familiar sight. The ornate column is an organic part of it, since it appears to be the Wiener Musikerein, the home hall of the Wiener Philharmoniker, which has a long history with this music. The cover evokes all of the reasons I might be inducted to buy this recording (although I won't because because I am not particularly optimistic about Lenny's way with Bruckner).

And if you are going to take issue with the combination of all caps with a normal font, you are taking issue with a large fraction of the DGG catalog.

I didn't realize it at first, but my problem with the photo is almost entirely in lighting. The bass never bothered me, and the column does only because it's so much better lit than the subject.

As for the typography, yes, DG often use all caps + mixed, but rarely in this mix of widths (the banners on his Beethoven 5 and Brahms 1 look much better IMO, in their own ways). But it's not as bad as the photo.

Anyway, people have posted covers that I like in this thread (e.g. almost anything on Soli Deo Gloria; some of the Westminster stuff -- even their bad puns are well shot), so I know the feeling. A couple pages back you posted an out-of-focus Melodie Zhao cover that, to me, is not particularly good but nowhere near "worst." So, to each his own. I think this Bernstein cover is bad, but I welcome your disagreement.

[Wendell_E]

Not awful-looking, but I'd think an disc title "verismo" might have a more "realistic" cover.  I guess it's supposed to be Turandot as an angel of death?

[Peter Power Pop]

Not awful-looking, but I'd think an disc title "verismo" might have a more "realistic" cover.  I guess it's supposed to be Turandot as an angel of death?

"Verismo", eh? Maybe that's what Anna wears when she's hosting a dinner party.

[TheGSMoeller]

Not awful-looking, but I'd think an disc title "verismo" might have a more "realistic" cover.  I guess it's supposed to be Turandot as an angel of death?

I loved her in Power Rangers.

[André]

I don't know enough about the subject to comment intelligently on the WPO's early history with Bruckner.  The oldest Bruckner recording I have is Knappertsbusch Bruckner 5, WPO from the mid 50's.  I have the impression that before the Bruckner revival in the latter part of the 20th century no orchestra was playing much Bruckner. 

One question about the WPO vs WS stats. How many orchestral concerts did the WPO give, compared with the WS? The WS was a full time performing orchestra, the WPO is a side-gig by the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera. Is the fact that WS has more Bruckner performances explainable by their giving more concerts overall?

The whole thing is incorporated into John Berky's website. Graph, charts, lists 
https://www.abruckner.com/editorsnote/listsanddata/houlegilles/

[jlaurson]

One question about the WPO vs WS stats. How many orchestral concerts did the WPO give, compared with the WS? The WS was a full time performing orchestra, the WPO is a side-gig by the orchestra of the Vienna State Opera. Is the fact that WS has more Bruckner performances explainable by their giving more concerts overall?

Nah, they give about the same amount of concerts, give or take a few. It's just that Bruckner wasn't 'establishment' enough for the WPh to touch; it's an orchestra that likes to groom its prejudices. :-)

[André]

Very well put. It's a matter of the WP (a self-gorverning entity, immune to trends, therefore prone to arch-conservative tradition) picking up on repertoire that's been given respectability after years of exposure through its non-official 'laboratories', such as the ORF, WS, Linz, Graz and other provincial austrian lesser orchestral bodies.

Oftentimes, the WP needed to be shaken by the seat of their pants to sit up and finally take notice.

[Autumn Leaves]

Latest find:



Apologies if this has been posted here before - made me
Note the name of the record label too

[North Star]

Clearly it's referring back to Man Ray's Le Violon d'Ingres

[Autumn Leaves]

Clearly it's referring back to Man Ray's Le Violon d'Ingres

Possibly its a tribute...
Heres another one of "Urania"'s recordings:

[Autumn Leaves]

Another...



I see a theme developing...

[Madiel]

I can't see how any of them qualify as bad-looking artwork. And I'm not sexually attracted to women so I'm not making the kind of comment that often gets made on this forum about the sex appeal of women on album covers.