Sexy Sells Classical

MUSIC | 18.08.2009: Classical CDs are selling surprisingly well in Germany - despite the finance crisis and even without the help of marketable crossover artists. Maybe there's something about the music itself.

Every few years, news breaks that sales for classical music are bucking the trend and rising. This is quickly latched upon as proof that the classical market isn't dead yet, but just as quickly forgotten when the exact numbers show a more sobering picture. Sales figures in classical music have become so small (selling two thousand copies worldwide spells success for an average classical release), that one or two runaway hits can bend any statistic out of shape... (continued at Deutsche Welle)


The CDs behind the Numbers
Top Twenty Classical Sellers
Germany, January-June 2009
Excluding Crossover Artists

№ 1 Chant, "Music for Paradise", Cistercian Monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz Decca .com .co.uk .de .fr	№ 2 Handel, "Handel", Villazon DG .com .co.uk .de .fr
№ 3 Light Arias"Souveniers", Netrebko DG .com .co.uk .de .fr	№ 4 New Year's Concert, Barenboim / WPh Decca .com .co.uk .de .fr
№ 5 "Bel Canto", Elina Garanca / Roberto Abbado / Bologna Oompah Band DG .com .co.uk .de .fr	№ 6 Chopin, Piano Concertos, Lang Lang / Mehta / WPh DG .com .co.uk .de .fr
№ 7 Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto, Violin Sonata, Piano Trio, Mutter / Mutter / Mutter - DG .com .co.uk .de .fr	№ 8 Germanic Romantic Arias, "Sehnsucht", Jonas Kaufmann / Abbado - Decca .de
№ 9 "Duets", nuh-TREHB'-koh & Villazon DG .com .co.uk .de .fr	№ 10 Handel, Keyboard Sonatas, Ragna Schirmer 3CDs - Berlin Classics .com .co.uk .de .fr
№ 11 Moniuszko, I Capuleti di Montecchi, Netrebko, Garanca, Calleja / Luisi / VSO - DG .com .co.uk .de .fr	№ 12 Baroque Oboe Pieces, "In Venice", Albrecht Mayer / Ens.New Seasons - Decca .com .co.uk .de .fr
№ 13 Bach, Violin Concertos, Julia Fischer / ASMF Decca .com .co.uk .de .fr	№ 14 Very touching little songs, "Dennis", Dennis Chmelensky Sony .com .de .fr
№ 15 French Melodies, Opium, Philippe Jaroussky, J.Ducros Virgin .com .co.uk .de .fr	№ 16 Bach, "Chancellor & Pianist", Helmut Schmidt and var. actual pianists DG .de
№ 17 Bach, WTC I, Martin Stadtfeld Sony .com .co.uk .de .fr	№ 18 Haydn, Complete Symphonies, Antal Dorati / Philharmonica Hungarica - Decca .com .co.uk .de .fr
№ 19 Monteverdi, "Teatro d'Amore", Jaroussky et al. / L'Arpeggiata / Pluhar - Virgin .com .co.uk .de .fr	№ 20 Bach, Gubaidulina, Violin Concertos, Mutter / Trondheim Soloists / Gergiev - DG .com .co.uk .de .fr