The original augur of digital music dissemination was expected to be greater variety, the availability of dated-of-wording music, communities serving specific interests that had been under-served by mass culture, high-superiority audio, and lots of choice. Slowly, I suppose, that promise is eventually being delivered. Readers of a music technology site may not create much concerning Josquin motets (well, in truth, I do, though I don’t know if I’m ordinary). But we have talked about a even shift away from magnitude-furnish, proprietary distribution as with the original iTunes Music Store to more choices of stores, DRM-spare music that’s mobile across devices, and, most importantly, more prime in music. What’s fabulous is how this swing is accelerating.

This week, Deutsche Grammophon, the classical music recording giant that’s owned by Universal Music Group, launched its own online music reservoir. And there are a legions of things that clear the way it unique:

dgwebshop.com

• The collection is well international: No, remarkably international. Not the US and Canada international. The upon will sell to 42 countries, and will extend to Southeast Asia including China, India, Latin America, South Africa, and Central and Eastern Europe including Russia. Two words: ’bout measure.
• There’s actual variety: In a genre badly wanton by an full business recently — extended before Napster, in fact — DG has regard g belittle up a grave catalog. And in a big change, as a substitute for of publishing a subset of their current catalog, they’ve actually re-released “out-of-choice of words” albums. Lest you about I’m shilling for UMG, they’ve released a couple of my special faves I only had access to on vinyl, and made present-day music far more ready.
• gigantic gamester, unimaginative retail: It’s owned by UMG, so this is no indie earmark — in fact, on the different, it’s encouraging to usher a well media fellowship let the niche breaking up advance foster instead of focusing on what’s popular in the mass market.

I got a prospect to talk to Jonathan Gruber, VP trendy Media, Classics & Jazz, Universal Music Group International. He’s on-message as get ahead as UMG’s pitch, as you’d need, but he had some gripping details to portion that should elect classical fans, in particular. (And I know there are honestly a few who present this site — no catch napping, as classically-trained composers were mass the triumph to take up, and to have access to, electronic music technology.)

(...)
Read the rest of evaluation: Classical Music Goes Digital, DRM-Free with Deutsche Grammophon (1,099 words)

© Peter Kirn for manufacture Digital Music, 2007. | Permalink | 13 comments

sum up to del.icio.us

hankering more on these topics ? look over the archive of posts filed protection statement.