Gramophone, the world’s most influential classical music magazine, is to create an exciting new website that promises to transform the classical music industry. The magazine, started in 1923, today announces its commitment to a bold two stage plan.
By September every word ever printed in Gramophone will be available for free as a fully searchable online archive – that’s hundreds and thousands of reviews, articles and interviews, by far the biggest archive of its kind.
This will provide an invaluable guide through the classical music jungle, suggesting recommended recordings, giving information on works, composers and performers and featuring pieces written by some of the greatest names in music history – from Stravinsky to Simon Rattle.
Musicians too have welcomed the news, with violinist Nicola Benedetti commenting “Gramophone magazine is the oracle for most of the classical music world, the idea of it turning its focus to creating an online resource for anybody interested in classical music to satisfy their needs will be a unique event for classical music in our time.”
Leading conductor Marin Alsop adds: “I’m very excited by Gramophone’s new site and feel it’ll give both newcomers and regulars to classical music an invaluable guide to making informed purchases. Gramophone has always been a leader in its field and a peerless resource for people looking to access quality recordings.”
Gramophone magazine editor, James Inverne, commented: “The world of classical music is an incredibly exciting one but it can be difficult for newcomers to find their way around. We are delighted to provide a definitive web resource which will guide them to some of the very best music ever composed. It will be a great service to our readers and to music lovers everywhere.”
The new website, Gramophone.net, will be created in two stages. The first, the creation of the archive, will live alongside this existing website from early September. The start of 2009 will then see the creation of an all-new state-of-the-art website – where downloading, internet mail order and ticket-buying services will be linked to editorial – so visitors will be able to read reviews and features, listen to music samples and then if they wish, buy CDs or book tickets to live events.
Source: Gramophone news
