Don't misunderstand me: I fully share your general concerns, and those which Nick Barnard has aired. In the last 20 or 30 years the small independent labels have been the shining lights in the classical recording industry. But so many of them are owned/led by one individual. It's been a major concern of mine - and, I'm sure, for other record buyers - for a good few years that the eventual exit/retirement of these individuals will produce huge issues. Will those labels survive independently (unlikely) or be absorbed into bigger groups? If the latter occurs what will acquisition mean for the recording strategy that the independents have pursued and, just as importantly, what will happen to the treasuries that are their back catalogues?
With the absorption of Hyperion and BIS into larger entities, I suspect we're now seeing the start of what is likely to be a major shake-up of the classical recording industry in the next few years. This could have huge implications for artists, consumers and, of course, for the employees of the labels concerned.
Record buyers owe a huge debt of gratitude to people like Robert von Bahr and the Perry family, as well as other independent label owners: without them the classical recording industry would look very different - and far less interesting - than is currently the case.
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