Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, announces the acquisition of the renowned British classical music label Hyperion Records.
Hyperion (founded 1980) will join UMG’s portfolio of world-renowned classical music publishers, including Deutsche Grammophon (founded 1898) and Decca Classics (founded 1929), further strengthening UMG’s position as the ultimate home of classical music worldwide.
Hyperion’s unique and distinctive identity will strengthen and enhance UMG’s long-term ongoing commitment to investing in classical music talent and building careers for classical music artists. Preserving and securing its unique identity and legacy at the forefront of classical music, Hyperion Records will continue to be an independent label alongside Decca Classics and Mercury KX within Universal Music UK, the UK’s leading label.
The award-winning independent classical music label was founded by the late Ted Perry MBE and has been managed by his son Simon for over 20 years, who continues as managing director. It is home to distinguished artists such as Marc-André Hamelin, Angela Hewitt, Sir Stephen Hough, Alina Ibragimova, Steven Isserlis, Dame Emma Kirkby, Steven Osborne, and the Takács Quartet, among others. Dedicated to presenting high-quality recordings of classical music of all styles and periods, from the 12th to the 21st century, the repertoire available at the publisher ranges from sacred to secular, choral and solo vocal to orchestral, chamber, and instrumental – a great exclusive part of Hyperion. For 43 years, the label released almost 2500 records.
For over four decades, Hyperion has been a beacon of classical excellence, dedicated to creating often pioneering recordings of immense cultural value and expanding musical horizons for the most discerning music lover. From the groundbreaking album “A Feather On The Breath Of God”, which opened everyone’s ears to the 12th-century beauty of Hildegard of Bingen, the label has been responsible for so many invaluable large-scale projects. These include no fewer than 85 volumes of Romantic Piano Concertos, the complete 99 CD Liszt edition of pianist Leslie Howard, and the 40 CD Schubert edition of all the composer’s songs by many of the world’s finest singers. The level of excellence has been recognized numerous times, including the prestigious Gramophone Record of the Year award four times from 1996 to 2010, as well as Gramophone’s Label of the Year. Hyperion also received the Best Publisher Award from MIDEM’s Cannes Classiques Awards, which are selected by a jury of editors from the main international classical music magazines.
Future Hyperion Records releases include “Sinfonia Antartica” and Symphony No. 9 by Vaughan Williams with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins; the launch of an ambitious series dedicated to the Masses and Magnificats of Cristóbal de Morales; Haydn Opp string quartets. 42 and 77 by the London Haydn Quartet; and Stephen Layton and the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, a typically innovative program of choral works by Ivo Antognini, “Come to Me in the Silence of the Night”.
President and CEO, Global Classics & Jazz, Universal Music Group, Dickon Stainer said, “Hyperion is a gem of a publisher and we are committed to continuing the magnificent work done by the Perry family and to preserving and developing the special place that Hyperion occupies in the hearts of artists and music fans alike.”
Hyperion Records Director Simon Perry said: “I am thrilled to bring Hyperion to Universal Music Group, a company that shares Hyperion’s commitment to bringing the most distinguished and brilliant musicians to the widest possible audience. By being part of UMG, and keeping our artists and crew together, we can continue to build on the legacy of my father and everyone who has been a part of the Hyperion family for the last 43 years. My debt to all of them is enormous and I look forward to leading this incredible publisher into an exciting new chapter.”
Decca Label Group Co-Presidents Tom Lewis and Laura Monks say: “We are very proud that Hyperion has joined Universal’s family of classical music publishers to sit alongside Decca Classics in London. Simon and his father have created a very important catalog that serves a dedicated global audience. And the label continues to work with artists who are the best of the best. We are determined to celebrate the publisher’s legacy and continue its extraordinary history.”
Hyperion pianist Angela Hewitt says: “We started our journey together almost thirty years ago, and you have been the biggest supporters and main ‘creators’ of my career, and for that, I am forever grateful. It’s been a career built on integrity, quality, and inspiration, and with Ted, and then Simon, I’ve felt nothing but respect for myself and music. I’m proud to have been associated with Hyperion for so long and with the catalog we’ve built together. It’s good to know that my cycle of Mozart piano sonatas is coming to an end and that there are other projects going forward as well. I fully understand why Hyperion has changed hands at this time and I am thrilled that Simon Perry will remain a part of the team. Here’s to the next chapter in the life of a brilliant editor!”
Hyperion artist pianist Sir Stephen Hough says: “I started recording for Hyperion when digital technology was just a decade old – in the early 1990s. record dozens of albums, from the most obscure repertoire to mainstream classics and my own music. The fact that Universal wants to bring the publisher under its umbrella alongside DG and Decca is great news, as it will give the greatest possible exposure and support to Hyperion’s back catalog of treasures.”
Hyperion artist, and violinist Alina Ibragimova, adds: “Over many years, Hyperion has been a wonderful artistic team for me, supporting me to discover, experiment and record incredible repertoire exactly the way I wanted. Hyperion became famous for discovering works by lesser-known composers, as well as recording standard repertoire, but in a unique way, always with great commitment and integrity. I look forward to many more years of working with Simon Perry and his team on this new chapter as they join Universal Music Group.”
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