“Deutsche Grammophon has just announced an exclusive contract with the high-profile Chinese conductor Long Yu and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra,” writes Martin Cullingford in Thursday’s (6/7) Gramophone (U.K.). “In recent years China has experienced a massively expanding audience for classical music, while a number of its leading young soloists have achieved immense international prominence, not least the pianists Lang Lang, Yundi Li and Yuja Wang.” The Shanghai Symphony’s “first album under the new partnership, due for release next year to mark the orchestra’s 140th anniversary, will feature both Chinese and Russian repertoires. This ambition to draw on both Western and Chinese culture runs as a thread throughout the statement issued this morning. ‘Shanghai’s profile as an international city … makes it the ideal place to explore fresh ideas and look at ways of bringing together the best of Chinese and western culture,’ said Long Yu…. Long Yu has served as SSO Music Director for a decade, and is also artistic director of the China Philharmonic Orchestra and the Beijing Music Festival … music director of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra … and principal guest conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra…. DG will also release previous recordings from the SSO’s catalogue.”
Posted June 7, 2018
