New Release: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
January 2008

Anniversary Season Concerts
Experience the highlights of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra's anniversary season with Zubin Mehta. This specially-priced selection showcases many classical favourites.
 
The next two releases in the Decca Concerts series will both come from Gewandhausorchester and feature firstly a magnificent Brahms Gala selection with Herbert Blomstedt and secondly Riccardo Chailly conducting a supreme performance of Mendelssohn and Brahms' 4th Symphonies. These recordings are due to be released in March 2008.

New Release: Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
27th November 2007

Strauss and Varèse
The latest release in the Decca Concerts series is our very first with the Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Berlin under the guidance of Ingo Metzmacher and features a dazzling programme of Strauss' Ein Heldenleben and Varese's Ameriques.

Decca Concerts new release
September 2007

Schiff and Schubert
Andras Schiff leads the Philharmonia orchestra in an all-Schubert programme featuring Symphonies No. 2 and 5 and also at the Piano for Sonata D664

Decca Concerts new release
August 2007

The Latest release in the Decca Concerts series celebrates the anniversary of Sir Edward Elgar with a stirring performance of Symphony No. 1, the Enigma Variations and Alassio - recorded expecially for Decca Concerts and featuring the Philharmonia and Sir Andrew Davis.

Decca Concerts new release
February 2007

Decca is pleased to present the next release from Decca Concerts and our first with the PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA from London. This release reunites a legendary Decca pairing - CHARLES DUTOIT and Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique.

Maestro Dutoit's account of Symphony Fantastique remains one of the endearing jewels in Decca's CD catalogue and this vibrant live performance with the Philharmonia represents a quality addition to the ongoing Decca Concerts series.

Maestro Charles Dutoit, who conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra's first release on Decca Concerts, says: "I am delighted to be working with my friends at Decca again. We have made so many wonderful CD recordings together and I'm very pleased to be exploring the future of music-making in the digital era with them, in this exciting new Decca Concerts initiative."

Online Classical Concert Series Successfully Launched At Virtual Press Conference
December 11th 2006

DECCA CONCERTS, the new online concert series presented by the Decca Music Group, was launched on Monday 11th December with a live and interactive online press conference hosted by Maestro Riccardo Chailly.

The launch, held at www.decca.com/deccaconcerts, attracted music lovers from all over the world. Participants submitted questions to the expert launch panel - Maestro Riccardo Chailly, Gewandhauskapellmeister (Music Director of the Gewandhausorchester); Professor Andreas Schulz, Director of the Gewandhaus; Bogdan Roscic, Managing Director of the Decca Music Group and Jonathan Gruber, Vice President, New Media, Universal Music Group International Classics & Jazz - creating a global online conversation about the classical music recording industry in the digital age.
 
Decca Concerts is the new digital concert series bringing performances from the world's great music cities to a global audience via digital music stores and with the shortest possible delay after the actual concert has taken place. Participating orchestras will see a minimum of four concerts per season presented to a global audience.

The orchestra inaugurating the Decca Concerts series is Leipzig's Gewandhausorchester with Maestro Riccardo Chailly, who has been its chief conductor since September 2005. The release, available now, is an all-Schumann programme from the Leipzig Gewandhaus, featuring legendary pianist Martha Argerich performing Schumann's beloved Piano Concerto – a tribute to the 150th anniversary of the composer’s death from the city so central to his oeuvre.
 
Maestro Riccardo Chailly says: “I'm delighted to be working with Decca to present our Leipzig Gewandhaus concert series online. The classical music recording industry is changing by the moment - to think how audiences can now access concert performances at the click of a mouse was unthinkable as recently as a decade ago”. 
 
This debut release marks the first online partnership between a European orchestra and a major recording company. Decca and Deutsche Grammophon have established this initiative as a virtual global concert hall. Via online music stores, the series offers music lovers from around the world the best seat in the house to subscription concerts from the world's greatest orchestras performing in their home venues.
 
At the launch, Decca also announced the new orchestras participating in Decca Concerts. These hail from France, the UK, China and Israel, highlighting the global nature of the series:

PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA, LONDON.
The first recording with the Philharmonia will be the second Decca Concerts release, and will be available later this month, featuring Maestro Charles Dutoit.

ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA with Musical Director, Maestro Zubin Mehta.

ORCHESTRE NATIONAL DE FRANCE with Musical Director, Maestro Kurt Masur.

ORCHESTRE PHILHARMONIQUE DE RADIO FRANCE with Musical Director, Maestro Myung-Whung Chung.

The label is also proud to announce it is preparing its Decca Concerts collaboration with CHINA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA under its Musical Director, Maestro Long Yu. The orchestra is at the very center of the astounding development that China’s musical life has taken in recent years and Decca is thrilled to be able to bring that to a worldwide audience.

Maestro Charles Dutoit, who conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra’s first release on Decca Concerts, says: “I am delighted to be working with my friends at Decca again. We have made so many wonderful CD recordings together and I’m very pleased to be exploring the future of music-making in the digital era with them, in this exciting new Decca Concerts initiative.” 

Maestro Zubin Mehta, Musical Director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, says: “After having recorded on all possible systems since the mid-sixties, I now welcome the latest innovation with Decca Concerts. I hope that the result of this new initiative will be that hundreds and thousands of new music lovers will be able to enjoy concerts by the world’s foremost conductors and greatest orchestras.”

Notes to editors:
Decca Concerts releases are now available online, via local digital music retailers and globally via the iTunes Music Store.

For more details about Decca Concerts and to read the complete transcript from the recent online press conference, go to www.decca.com/deccaconcerts.
 
Decca is one of the world's longest-standing classical recording companies, renowned for its outstanding recordings and long-standing relationships with the world's great classical artists. Current stars signed to the label include Cecilia Bartoli, Renee Fleming, Valery Gergiev, Juan Diego Florez, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Alfred Brendel; other celebrated Decca artists include Pavarotti, Dame Joan Sutherland and Benjamin Britten.
 
Repertoire in the first Decca Concerts release:
1. R. Schumann - Genoveva Overture Op. 81
2. R. Schumann - Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor Op. 54 (with Martha Argerich)
I. Allegro affettuoso
II. Intermezzo (Andantino grazioso)
III. Allegro vivace
3. R. Schumann - Symphony No. 4 in D Minor Op. 120 (arranged by Gustav Mahler)
I. Andante con moto - Allegro di Molto
II. Romanza: Andante
III. Scherzo: Presto
IV. Largo - Finale: Allegro vivace.

Decca Concerts launches with Online Interactive Press Launch on 11th December

Inaugural Release features Riccardo Chailly, the Gewandhaus Orchestra, Leipzig with Martha Argerich in an all-Schumann spectacular

Decca Concerts, the digital concert series bringing concert seasons from the world's great music cities to a global audience, will be launched by Maestro Riccardo Chailly in a live and interactive online press launch on Monday 11 December, 5pm CET. At the launch Decca will exclusively reveal other orchestras in the global Decca Concerts series.

The orchestra inaugurating the Decca Concerts series is Leipzig's Gewandhausorchester with Riccardo Chailly, its chief conductor since September 2005.

The first Decca Concert is an all-Schumann programme from the Leipzig Gewandhaus, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Romantic master's death from the city whose musical tradition is so closely linked with his work.

Legendary pianist Martha Argerich performs Schumann's Piano Concerto, and the release also features Mahler's arrangement of Schumann's Symphony No.4 and the Schumann Genoveva overture, performed in the historic city of Leipzig.

This debut release marks the first online partnership between a European orchestra and a major recording company, in a harmonious marriage of tradition and innovation. Decca and Deutsche Grammophon have established this initiative as a virtual global concert hall. Via online music stores, the series offers music lovers from around the world the best seat in the house to subscription concerts from the world's greatest orchestras performing in their home venues.