The Cost of Classical Music

[Brian]

One record label I am especially curious about, economically, is CPO. The sound quality is usually carefully controlled, the notes are written by academics, releases take place 3-5 years after the recording sessions, and of course the repertoire is usually, but not always, the most obscure music imaginable. Despite that obscurity, just about every CPO release from the last 20 years is somehow still available on their business partner, JPC.

Is JPC voluntarily losing money on CPO because of an owner's passion project? Is Oliver Triendl working for free? How does it make any sense?

[hopefullytrusting]

One record label I am especially curious about, economically, is CPO. The sound quality is usually carefully controlled, the notes are written by academics, releases take place 3-5 years after the recording sessions, and of course the repertoire is usually, but not always, the most obscure music imaginable. Despite that obscurity, just about every CPO release from the last 20 years is somehow still available on their business partner, JPC.

Is JPC voluntarily losing money on CPO because of an owner's passion project? Is Oliver Triendl working for free? How does it make any sense?

You ever see the film Goodfellas?

[relm1]

One record label I am especially curious about, economically, is CPO. The sound quality is usually carefully controlled, the notes are written by academics, releases take place 3-5 years after the recording sessions, and of course the repertoire is usually, but not always, the most obscure music imaginable. Despite that obscurity, just about every CPO release from the last 20 years is somehow still available on their business partner, JPC.

Is JPC voluntarily losing money on CPO because of an owner's passion project? Is Oliver Triendl working for free? How does it make any sense?

According to their website, "Since 1991, producer and director A&R Burkhard Schmilgun has been responsible for selecting the repertoire to be released."  Doesn't sound like the releases are based on a business model but personal choice of their programming director.  It is possible they make a lot of money off the core repertoire that offsets losses from most of their releases or also possible there is a government subsidy that keeps them in business.

[CRCulver]

CPO releases are largely from German radio orchestras and radio-recorded ensembles, aren't they? That keeps the cost of recording down, as mentioned previously on this thread.