Artist Greetings

It has been a pleasure to have collaborated with Deutsche Grammophon since 1967. From the start, this experience has been enjoyable: imagine what it's like to begin one’s relationship by recording the Prokofiev and Ravel piano concertos with Martha Argerich and the Berliner Philharmoniker! And now, for more than 40 years, we have maintained this outstanding relationship — based on common aesthetic, artistic, and technical aims. During these four decades, Deutsche Grammophon committed itself to make great recordings with Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler and Schubert cycles — as well as Mozart’s major operas. It is a wonderful opportunity for an artist to record for Deutsche Grammophon, not only because of its unparalleled history but for its artistic excellence. I've witnessed its continual support for both musicians and for outstanding orchestras like the Berliner Philharmoniker, as well as for new orchestras such as the Mozart Orchestra with which we have recently recorded Mozart’s late symphonies and Pergolesi’s sacred masterworks — I have deeply enjoyed working with such passionate professionals, devoted to their cause and sharing common ambitions to serve music, musicians, and repertoire. Happy anniversary Deutsche Grammophon! Happy anniversary, Deutsche Grammophon,

My first recording on the famous Yellow Label was somewhat anachronistic: Luis Mariano. It marked the beginning of a new adventure in my career that crossed over the borders of opera. I arrived on this label with projects that were totally different from anything that I had done until then. And the team at Deutsche Grammophon gave me, and gives me every day, the freedom to carry them out, with their complete confidence. It was in this climate of trust and working harmony that I was able to record the disc The Sicilian, a popular repertoire that no classical, or even pop singer was interested in doing until then. Deutsche Grammophon took the risk with me without hesitation. And I am even happier that, as we’ve seen, these albums have been so enormously successful with the public. This was also the case with the birth of Le Dernier Jour d’un Condamné (‘The Last Day of a Condemned Man’), the opera written by my brothers David and Frédérico, based on Victor Hugo’s novel. The work was premiered in Paris in July 2007, where it was recorded live, and was released in the following months. For me, this commitment is the daily proof of trust and generous support. In popular repertoire as well as in classical, I receive help from a team who are ready to defend my choices. The DVD has always occupied a major place in my discography, and Deutsche Grammophon didn’t hesitate to distribute Alfano’s Cyrano, an opera that was more or less unknown at the time, nor Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. I have also been very honoured that all my recordings from previous recitals have been taken up by this very prestigious company and integrated into its catalogue to be distributed all over the world. Deutsche Grammophon has supported me in all my desires, and has listened to me and given me attention on a daily basis. And the adventure continues. It was in this climate of trust and working harmony that I was able to record the disc The Sicilian, a popular repertoire that no classical, or even pop singer was interested in doing until then. Deutsche Grammophon took the risk with me without hesitation. And I am even happier that, as we’ve seen, these albums have been so enormously successful with the public. This was also the case with the birth of Le Dernier Jour d’un Condamné (‘The Last Day of a Condemned Man’), the opera written by my brothers David and Frédérico, based on Victor Hugo’s novel. The work was premiered in Paris in July 2007, where it was recorded live, and was released in the following months. For me, this commitment is the daily proof of trust and generous support. In popular repertoire as well as in classical, I receive help from a team who are ready to defend my choices. The DVD has always occupied a major place in my discography, and Deutsche Grammophon didn’t hesitate to distribute Alfano’s Cyrano, an opera that was more or less unknown at the time, nor Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. I have also been very honoured that all my recordings from previous recitals have been taken up by this very prestigious company and integrated into its catalogue to be distributed all over the world. Deutsche Grammophon has supported me in all my desires, and has listened to me and given me attention on a daily basis. And the adventure continues.

My first contact with Deutsche Grammophon was a Christmas present I received 18 years ago: Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ Symphony, with Leonard Bernstein conducting the Vienna Philharmonic. I already had a pretty big classical collection when I was a first-year music student, and I soon realized that the recordings I chose and enjoyed listening to most often had a yellow cartouche. That logo told me to expect the highest artistic quality, to expect excitement and emotion from the music on those yellow-labelled records. Today, I am happy and grateful to be one of the Deutsche Grammophon artists celebrating 111 years of its history. This three-digit number is a triple confirmation of the company’s fidelity to classical music, to its professionalism, and to its willingness to share the beauty of art with millions of music lovers all around the world. I also firmly believe that Deutsche Grammophon’s respect for tradition and never-ending quest for perfection will ensure that these words remain true 111 years from now.

Ever since my recording of Parsifal in 1970, Deutsche Grammophon has played a central role in the preservation, promotion and distribution of my interpretations. The disc has played an indispensable role in documenting music spanning the whole of our century. It prolongs the moment of real listening in a concert, or even replaces it, if conditions do not favour a direct encounter with the music. Deutsche Grammophon has played, and continues to play, a fundamental role in the dissemination of 20th-century works, and encourages this repeated link between live performances and recordings, which is so important in gaining familiarity with important compositions of the recent past and present. Without this precious assistance, our culture would be much impoverished. With all my best wishes for a happy future.

In the world of classical music, Deutsche Grammophon’s Yellow Label has long been acknowledged as a symbol of high quality, and it still is today. My own relationship with the company, although not exclusive, has been an extremely productive one, and has been going on for about 40 per cent of Deutsche Grammophon’s 111-year history! As I think back on some of my Deutsche Grammophon recordings, I automatically recall the outstanding conductors I’ve worked with. I have particularly good memories of recording Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Karl Böhm, Turandot with Herbert von Karajan, Die Meistersinger with Eugen Jochum, Oberon with Rafael Kubelik, La Traviata with the unforgettable Carlos Kleiber, Carmen with Claudio Abbado, Samson et Dalila and the Berlioz Requiem with Daniel Barenboim, and Nabucco and Tannhäuser with Giuseppe Sinopoli. Or I think of all the wonderful Deutsche Grammophon Metropolitan Opera DVDs with James Levine – Aida, Otello, La forza del destino, Simon Boccanegra, Manon Lescaut, Turandot – not to mention all the CDs that Jimmy and I have done together for Deutsche Grammophon: Idomeneo, Parsifal… And then there was the special project of recording all of Verdi’s tenor arias, and releasing the set in 2001 to mark the 100th anniversary of the composer’s death. All in all, it has been and continues to be a very fruitful relationship!

Before we became Deutsche Grammophon artists in 1987, and in the 22 years since, we have always thought of Deutsche Grammophon as the pinnacle of achievement in the classical recording industry. We were thrilled when we learned of Deutsche Grammophon’s interest in us; it was an honour to be included among the legendary musicians on its roster. Having recorded a great deal of the magnificent string quartet repertoire, and quintets with such artists as Mstislav Rostropovich, Menahem Pressler and Leon Fleisher, we feel that our relationship with Deutsche Grammophon has represented a major part of our career and will form an even greater part of our legacy. We have several wonderful memories of our longstanding and continuing relationship with Deutsche Grammophon: signing our first contract; winning our first Grammy and our first Gramophone Award for the Bartók Quartets (when Deutsche Grammophon flew us from New York to London and back on Concorde because we had a concert in the US on the same day as the awards ceremony in London); the concert and recording sessions for the Schubert Quintet with ‘Slava’, which were made possible by a partnership between BASF and Deutsche Grammophon; and recording all the Shostakovich Quartets during live concerts at the Aspen Festival, which yielded an additional two Grammys. There are more highlights in our recording career, too numerous to mention, but we have also always enjoyed our visits to company headquarters in Hamburg.

What does Deutsche Grammophon represent to you? A guarantee of quality and a musical family which I feel very close to. What is your best memory of Deutsche Grammophon? My second solo CD, Bel Canto. It was a dream – a fantastic orchestra, conductor and recording team – and there was such a good understanding and positive energy between us all. What do you think is the distinguishing feature of Deutsche Grammophon? Quite simply, Deutsche Grammophon has the finest artists in the world and the best professionals in the recording business. If you have only the very best, then the result will be the best too.

Growing up in a small town in Argentina in the 1960s, I didn’t have the experience of listening to great soloists or orchestras in concert. My earliest musical memories are of my mother playing the piano and the sounds from my parents’ record collection, which consisted mainly of Deutsche Grammophon LPs. Those Deutsche Grammophon records were both my musical training and the gateway to a magic world of possibility in sound and drama. My memories of discovering many masterpieces also include the record covers, the ever-present Yellow Label, and the exact moments where scratches and needle jumps occurred in the music, as well as turning the LP to side B as part of the ceremony. When listening to those records as a child, I was inside the house, in the world, but in another world as well. This form of ritual listening has changed with the arrival of new technologies, but I will cherish it forever, as a key experience of my early life, and one that has also shaped my future as an adult. I feel profoundly grateful for those memories, and honoured that my music is now part of the Deutsche Grammophon world.

As I sit here and reflect on what makes Deutsche Grammophon such a special record company, I realize that it’s much more than an impressive history, tradition and catalogue. I keep coming back to the people at the label who continue to carry the torch into the future so brilliantly and who make up a real family and creative home for so many of today’s musicians. As much as I would sometimes prefer to live in the past, in this case I’m convinced that what makes Deutsche Grammophon so remarkable is how everyone in that team today implements a strong and courageous vision – with total dedication of spirit and commitment to the cause and task at hand; always with great energy, not only physical and mental, but so often emotional as well. For that is truly what makes a difference: they engage their hearts so that the enthusiasm, adaptability and vitality that define their work are not only productive but, most importantly, also create an atmosphere of artistic nurturing – a fertile and inspiring environment for us musicians. Congratulations on this remarkable anniversary and many happy returns.

It is so rewarding to collaborate artistically with a company that has such a legacy of mutual respect and understanding with its artists. I have enjoyed every minute of my part in that legacy, and I’m honoured to be connected with the company’s illustrious name. May Deutsche Grammophon flourish another 111 – or 222 or 333! – years to continue to make history.

There are not many of us, lucky artists of my generation, who were given the extraordinary chance to get ‘married’ to a major recording label so young. I am happy and proud to say that Deutsche Grammophon has been supporting me, challenging me and, as in every long-term relationship, occasionally driving me crazy, since the very beginning of my career. Making recordings became, over these years, an essential part of my work; this is how I met many inspiring musicians and developed some of my most important collaborations (for example with Marc Minkowski and Andrea Marcon and their orchestras). I have always felt complete faith and freedom in everything I was doing, and I also appreciate the fact that, in spite of economically harder times, I was never pushed into a so-called ‘commercial project’. I am grateful for any soul who (surely feeling from time to time like Don Quixote) cares and battles for classical music and its future. Thank you to everyone who makes these unique and special experiences happen. Happy anniversary!

Deutsche Grammophon represents a wonderful tradition of making timeless music accessible to many people and preserving great interpretations for future generations. I admire Deutsche Grammophon because both of these things are of paramount importance to me as a musician and as a human being. In its 111 years, Deutsche Grammophon has managed to find a unique synergy between the traditional and the new. I felt this very strongly in all our collaborations. I salute this amazing label and wish its team continued success and inspiration.

In Summer 1978, Deutsche Grammophon produced my first recording: Mozart’s violin Concertos No. 3 and No. 5 with Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic. This fulfilled a childhood dream for me – after all, the first LP I’d owned had been Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4 with Herbert von Karajan. To date, I have made another 36 recordings, including a whole range of first recordings, of all which represent what makes this label so inimitable – an absolute desire for top quality! During the three decades of our international collaboration, the cultural and economic climate has changed dramatically. Many a great name from former times has disappeared from the CD shelves over the course of this period. In contrast, Deutsche Grammophon is celebrating its 111th anniversary. This is thanks to the ability of its employees and managers not only to react to new developments but also to anticipate them through strong and consistent innovation. For me, Deutsche Grammophon’s anniversary also expresses a particularly successful collaboration between artist and record label. I need a reliable and high-performing partner – not only in terms of production and marketing. It is also absolutely imperative for my survival that I can develop my repertoire in line with artistic criteria without being suffocated by sales figures. I am therefore not only proud of my first recording with Deutsche Grammophon, but also extremely thankful to ‘my’ label. I would like to congratulate the wonderful Deutsche Grammophon team on the occasion of this unrivalled anniversary – may they long continue to make the unheard accessible throughout the world!

To me, Deutsche Grammophon represents everything that is great about recorded classical music. Growing up in Russia, I did not listen to many recordings at first, but once I began training to be an opera singer, I also started listening to recordings, and many of my favourite recordings are part of the Deutsche Grammophon catalogue. When I was asked to join the Deutsche Grammophon family, I felt incredibly honoured and yet aware of the enormous responsibility of being part of that family. I have many special memories of Deutsche Grammophon, but an outstanding moment was surely the recording of Russian arias that we made in St Petersburg. It was wonderful to work with my mentor Valery Gergiev and his orchestra, and being able to show both my home country and my favourite Russian music to my friends at Deutsche Grammophon was a very special experience. What makes Deutsche Grammophon so unique is the amazing teamwork – from producers, technicians and sound engineers to the marketing team. It is their commitment to their artists and their dedication to music that characterizes the entire Deutsche Grammophon team. I am very proud to be a part of celebrating this milestone of 111 years of Deutsche Grammophon – Happy Birthday, Deutsche Grammophon!

To me, Deutsche Grammophon represents a record company that sets the standard for classical music, so it meant a great deal to me when, at the age of 40, I first signed with them. To be accepted by that family of musicians gave me a very good feeling. My best reminiscences of Deutsche Grammophon have to include recording the Schumann Concerto with Claudio Abbado. That was very special. Another special moment was when I signed my first contract in the old Vienna office with Aman Pedersen, and I still think very fondly of the first meeting I ever had with Dr Holschneider, and how he impressed me with his culture and vast knowledge. The quality of the recordings on the Deutsche Grammophon label is always very high indeed. The expertise of the recording teams I have worked with has always been of the very highest order, and I have had the good fortune to work with the same Tonmeister (Helmut Burk) on most of my records. Deutsche Grammophon has always provided excellent conditions in which to work (something not always found in the recording business), and I am most appreciative of the support and understanding I have received from the company during the many years of our collaboration. My best reminiscences of DG have to include recording the Schumann Concerto with Claudio Abbado. That was very special. Another special moment was when I signed my first contract in the old Vienna office with Aman Pedersen, and I still think very fondly of the first meeting I ever had with Dr. Andreas Holschneider, and how he impressed me with his culture and vast knowledge. The quality of the recordings on the DG label is always very high indeed. The expertise of the recording teams I have worked with has always been of the very highest order, and I have had the good fortune of working with the same Tonmeister (Helmut Burk) on most of my records. DG has always provided excellent conditions in which to work (something not always found in the recording business), and I am most appre­ciative for the support and understanding I have received from the company during the many years of our collaboration.

I have recorded for Deutsche Grammophon for nearly 40 years. During this time we have documented a large part of my repertoire, including major works of contemporary music. I have always found the greatest professionalism in the people who collaborate with me – from executives to recording producers and technicians. I shall always be grateful to Deutsche Grammophon for enabling me to work under the best imaginable conditions. Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft in all these years has played a highly important role in producing discs which, along with the most famous titles, also include important works that are not so popular – with a strong presence in chamber and early as well as contemporary music. In the difficult current situation, nearly all the recording companies and concert organizations find themselves confronted with an awkward decision: should they take the easier, more commercial path, based on easily marketable works? In my view, that would be a great mistake. My wish is that the all-important role of these institutions in making all music available will continue in the future. I am convinced that despite the difficulties in the long run that would be the more fortunate choice. Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft in all these years has played a highly important role in producing discs which, along with the most famous titles, also include important works that are not so popular – with a strong presence in chamber and early as well as contemporary music. In the difficult current situation, nearly all the recording companies and concert organizations find themselves confronted with an awkward decision: should they take the easier, more commercial path, based on easily marketable works? In my view, that would be a great mistake. My wish is that the all-important role of these institutions in making all music available will continue in the future. I am convinced that despite the difficulties in the long run that would be the more fortunate choice.

As far as I’m concerned, Deutsche Grammophon is the most eminent label for classical music that exists. Following the recording of Gustav Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn with the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Claudio Abbado, I was offered an exclusive contract, the tenth anniversary of which was on 10 May 2009. This was the fulfilment of a dream for me. The fact that Deutsche Grammophon, a classical record label, gave me the opportunity to release a jazz CD fills me with great joy and immense pride.

What does Deutsche Grammophon mean to you? A fine team of people, who, despite the turbulent economic climate, are committed to producing core classical music recordings of uncompromised quality. At this stage of my life, Deutsche Grammophon is a great partner in my musical life. What is your best memory of Deutsche Grammophon? I have many, but one of them has to be the evening they organized for me in the Yellow Lounge in Berlin. A pioneering idea perfectly executed, and the memory of it will stay with me for a long time! What do you think is the distinguishing feature of Deutsche Grammophon? Tradition, leadership, quality – and no cheap crossovers!

My first recollection of the Yellow Label was a Karajan recording of Sibelius’ Symphony No. 4, which my father bought and proudly brought home one evening on his return from work. I cannot now remember his words exactly, but the gist was that this symphony was so strange and difficult to understand that he wanted to have a performance at a guaranteed high level, and therefore turned to Deutsche Grammophon. Since then, the Yellow Label has been linked to uncompromising quality in my mind. And I’m delighted to say that now, several decades after my father’s purchase (which was significant also for the fact that he usually browsed in second-hand record shops and tried to find bargains, but in this case happily paid the full price), I’ve had no reason to alter my perception of Deutsche Grammophon’s commitment to core artistic values combined with a strong sense of adventurousness. When I think of the label, not only do I think of the great old classic recordings by Karajan and Böhm (still my favourite recording of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7, and the live Tristan from Bayreuth 1966 is unsurpassed), but I also remember the excitement when all those Stockhausen recordings were released. That was a truly important cultural event, and it is inspiring to see that the label has continued its commitment to new music ever since. I have been a professional musician, a performer and a composer for over three decades now, and I thought there were few dreams left unrealized, but when I saw the first Deutsche Grammophon release of my own works it felt special, like some kind of a milestone. To have one’s own music alongside that of the old masters on a label committed to the best is an awesome and somewhat scary privilege.

I was still at the beginning of my career when I made my first recording for Deutsche Grammophon, and not long after that, I signed an exclusive contract. The company and I have always had a wonderful working relationship. We’ve met every couple of months to talk about new projects – no label could be more open to its artists’ wishes. For me, that’s meant doing a huge variety of repertoire, because I try to embrace many musical styles. When I was keen to make a Wagner disc with Claudio Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic, Deutsche Grammophon was only too happy to make that possible. And when I wanted to do an album of Lerner and Loewe, they were with me all the way. One couldn’t ask for more from a record company. I look forward to many more years of this rewarding collaboration and wish Deutsche Grammophon all the best on its anniversary.

My father worked in a recording company when I was a boy, and he used to bring a lot of LPs home with him. The recordings were mostly from the label he was working with (CBS), but occasionally there were also some from other labels. Whenever he brought home a Deutsche Grammophon LP, it somehow seemed to me that it weighed more. What made it heavier? Tradition, quality, art – and something else that I was not able to explain then. I felt that what I held in my hands (and heard in my ears) was not only an LP, but an artistic object, a little treasure. The same elements that gave weight to LPs then continue to be present in the CD of today, but Deutsche Grammophon has also been alert and dynamic, and reacted to the challenges of modernity. It remains the label with the oldest and best tradition, but is also the most modern classical label. Being part of Deutsche Grammophon is a big responsibility and has allowed me to understand that other element that I could not explain as a child: what makes Deutsche Grammophon the label it is are the people working there. All of them are knowledgeable, passionate, adventurous and full of enthusiasm. To all of those who have built the great Yellow Label in these 111 years, I say ‘Congratulations’, and to all of you whom I am lucky enough to work with, I say, from the bottom of my heart, ‘Thank you!’