Few contemporary classical music labels acknowledge the relevance of good sleeve design. Spanish label,
Glossa Music, bucks the trend (recent work shown above) but new book, Classique, aims to show that,
since the 50s, there have in fact been many LP designers who realised the strength of a decent sleeve
Is it fair to say that classical music still suffers from a bit of an image problem? If so, this may in some part be due to the kind of sleeve artwork that graces the majority of releases. While contemporary labels like Glossa Music and ECM Records are exceptions to this (the latter uses beautifully minimalist designs, for example) the regular use of a composer’s brooding portrait isn’t necessarily going to entice any new listeners. Which is odd considering classical music’s pedigree in showcasing new design talent, as Horst Scherg’s extensive new book, Classique: Cover Art for Classical Music, reveals…