The Chieftains, Ravi Coltrane and Marianne Faithfull are probably the only BMG Classics artists who can expect to survive the cull. For artists who have seen their talent and ideas discarded like used tissues, this was no consolation. Perhaps the saddest aspect of the sinking of BMG was the absence of surprise. A run of pin-striped MBAs and former wine salesmen was put in charge of classics, only to depart before their signings cut a debut disc. On the rock side BMG flourished, winning a record 24 trophies at this year's Grammy awards.
Classics amount to less than four per cent of turnover.
When the bottom line reddened amid a general classical downturn, the division was swatted by an executive fist, like a flea on a giant's hide. That is the way of the corporate world, and that is what is killing classical recording. For the past quarter-century, six mutinationals have commanded 85 per cent of the classical market. Last year, Universal bought PolyGram , slashing Decca and Deutsche Grammophon to essentials and scrapping the Philips label. In January, EMI and Warner-AOL struck a merger which will, when the dust settles, lay waste to several Warner labels.