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Record label founded by EMI in 1990
EMI Classics
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|
Parent company
| |
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Founded
| 1990
; 34 years ago
(
1990
)
|
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Defunct
| 2013
; 11 years ago
(
2013
)
|
---|
Status
| Defunct
|
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Genre
| Classical music
|
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Country of origin
| United Kingdom
|
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EMI Classics
was a
record label
founded by
Thorn EMI
in 1990 to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogues for internationally distributed
classical music
releases. After Thorn EMI demerged in 1996, its recorded music division became the
EMI Music Group
.
[1]
Following the
European Commission
's approval of the takeover of
EMI Music Group
by
Universal Music Group
in September 2012, EMI Classics was listed for divestment.
[2]
The label was sold to
Warner Music Group
, which absorbed EMI Classics into
Warner Classics
in 2013.
Classical recordings were formerly simultaneously released under combinations of
Angel
,
Seraphim
,
Odeon
,
Columbia
,
His Master's Voice
, and other labels, in part because competitors own these names in various countries. These were moved under the EMI Classics umbrella to avoid the
trademark
problems. Prior to this,
compact discs
distributed globally bore the Angel Records recording angel logo that EMI owned globally. Releases created for distribution in specific countries continued to be distributed under the historical names, with the exception of Columbia, since EMI had sold the Columbia name to
Sony Music Entertainment
. The red logo harkens back to the Red Seal releases, introduced by EMI predecessor the
Gramophone Company
in 1902: HMV classical releases were issued with red labels. EMI Classics was also responsible for managing
Pye Records
' classical recordings acquired by Thorn EMI in 1990.
EMI Classics also included the
Virgin Classics
label, both of them were formerly managed under
The Blue Note Label Group
in the U.S. until 2013.
With the sale of
EMI Music Group
to
Universal Music Group
in 2012, European regulators forced
Universal Music Group
to divest itself of EMI Classics, which was operated with other European EMI assets to be divested as the
Parlophone
Label Group.
[3]
In February 2013,
Universal Music Group
sold the
Parlophone
Label Group, including EMI Classics and
Virgin Classics
, to
Warner Music Group
.
[4]
The
European Union
approved the deal on May, and
Warner Music Group
took control of the label on 1 July.
[5]
It was then announced that the EMI Classics artist roster and catalogue would be absorbed into the
Warner Classics
label and
Virgin Classics
would be absorbed into
Erato Records
.
[6]
[7]
Artists
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Composers
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Conductors
[
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Chamber ensembles
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Choirs and vocal ensembles
[
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Orchestras
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Instrumentalists
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Piano
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Violin
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Cello
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Trumpet
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]
Guitar
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]
Oboe
[
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]
Clarinet
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]
Flute
[
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]
Organ
[
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]
Sitar
[
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]
Singers
[
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]
Soprano
[
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]
Mezzo-soprano
[
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]
Contralto
[
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]
Countertenor
[
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]
Tenor
[
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]
Baritone
[
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]
Bass
[
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]
Crossover acts
[
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]
Catalogue series
[
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]
- 100 Best (6-CD budget series)
- 20th Century Classics series (2-CD)
- American Classics
- Black Boxes (Virgin Classics 5-CD budget series)
- British Composers
- Debut (developing artist series)
- Encore (1-CD budget series)
- EMI Masters
- EMI - The Home of Opera
- Gemini (2-CD mid-price series)
- Great Artists of the Century
- Great Recordings of the Century
- Historical (series of public domain recordings)
- ICON series
- The Karajan Collection
|
- The Klemperer Legacy
- Legend (CD+DVD series)
- Maria Callas Edition
- Opera Series (budget opera series without libretto)
- The Perlman Edition
- The Platinum Collection (3-CD budget series from EMI UK)
- Recommends Series (Gramophone / Penguin Guide recommended series from EMI UK)
- References (historical series from EMI France)
- Rouge et Noir (2-CD mid price series from EMI France)
- The Classics (Virgin Classics budget series)
- Triples (3-CD budget series)
- Veritas (Virgin Classics original instrument recordings)
- Virgin de Virgin
- Virgo (Virgin Classics budget series)
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See also
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]
References
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]