Point Music

Point Music was an American record label established in 1992 through a joint venture between Philips Classics and Euphorbia Productions, the production company associated with composer Philip Glass and producer Michael Riesman. The label was created at a time when contemporary classical music was increasingly crossing into electronic music, film, popular music, experimental performance, and international musical traditions. Its initial identity was built around modern and unconventional classical releases rather than a conventional mass-market repertoire program. The label's catalog was closely associated with composers and performers working beyond standard concert-hall categories. Releases connected with Philip Glass included the Low Symphony, the Heroes Symphony, Music from the Screens with Foday Musa Suso, and projects involving the Brazilian ensemble Uakti. Point Music also issued work by Gavin Bryars, including The Sinking of the Titanic, Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet, Man in a Room, Gambling, and the Cadman Requiem. Other catalog material represented experimental and cross-genre artists such as Arthur Russell, Bang on a Can, Jaron Lanier, Chris Hughes, Todd Levin, John Moran, and Zoar. Although contemporary Western classical music remained its core area, Point Music broadened its scope during the 1990s. Its releases included world music associated with the Master Musicians of Jajouka and Bachir Attar, Brazilian and international collaborations, rock-classical reinterpretations by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, soundtrack albums, and remixes that connected orchestral or avant-garde source material with electronic and alternative music. Projects such as The LPO Plays the Music of Pink Floyd, Kashmir: Symphonic Led Zeppelin, the Aphex Twin remixes of Philip Glass and Gavin Bryars works, and Angelo Badalamenti's soundtrack for The City of Lost Children illustrate the label's interest in movement between established classical forms and wider contemporary culture. Point Music's corporate distribution arrangements changed after the merger that created Universal Music. Philips was absorbed into the resulting Universal Music organization, and in 1999 Decca Records became Point Music's distributor. This change linked the specialist imprint to one of the major classical distribution networks while leaving the label's catalog centered on contemporary and crossover repertoire. The label was shut down in 2002. Its recordings nevertheless remained relevant as catalog material, particularly for listeners interested in post-minimalism, experimental composition, modern classical music, soundtrack work, and classical-electronic hybrids. In September 2009, Universal Music issued XVI Reflections on Classical Music under the Point Music name. The compilation presented connections between cutting-edge classical music and electronic music, effectively revisiting the aesthetic territory associated with the label. Available reference material does not establish whether the release developed into a continuing compilation series.

Point Music was launched in 1992 as a joint venture between Philips Classics and Euphorbia Productions, the company associated with Philip Glass and Michael Riesman. Its creation reflected the growing commercial and artistic space for contemporary classical music that did not fit neatly into either traditional classical catalogues or popular-music categories. The label's early remit emphasized innovative Western classical work, including modern composition, post-minimalist writing, unusual instrumentation, and projects by artists operating outside mainstream concert programming. Philip Glass was an important presence in the catalog, both as a composer and through collaborations. Point Music released his Low Symphony, inspired by the music of David Bowie and Brian Eno, as well as the Heroes Symphony and Music from the Screens, the latter involving Foday Musa Suso. The label also issued recordings by Gavin Bryars, whose work combined experimental composition, extended forms, and theatrical or conceptual elements. Among the Bryars releases were Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet, Man in a Room, Gambling, the Cadman Requiem, The Sinking of the Titanic, and The Raising of the Titanic. Point Music's catalog soon extended beyond a narrow contemporary-classical definition. It documented the Master Musicians of Jajouka and recordings associated with Bachir Attar, included music by the Brazilian ensemble Uakti, and presented international or cross-cultural projects such as Aquilarco by Giovanni Sollima and releases by Pilgrimage. The label also explored relationships between modern composition and rock repertoire. The London Philharmonic Orchestra albums The LPO Plays the Music of Pink Floyd and Kashmir: Symphonic Led Zeppelin recast well-known rock material in orchestral form. Other releases engaged electronic and alternative production, including remix projects connected with Aphex Twin. The label's scope also encompassed soundtrack and multimedia-related recordings. Angelo Badalamenti's score for The City of Lost Children appeared in the catalog, while artists such as Jaron Lanier, Chris Hughes, Todd Levin, John Moran, and Zoar represented further departures from conventional classical-label programming. Bang on a Can's Music for Airports, based on Brian Eno's ambient composition, likewise illustrated Point Music's interest in works situated between contemporary composition, installation-oriented music, and popular experimental culture. A significant corporate change occurred in 1999. Philips was absorbed into the corporate structure formed through the merger that created Universal Music, and Decca Records became Point Music's distributor. The arrangement placed the imprint within a larger international classical distribution system, but did not change the broad character of its repertoire as reflected in the available catalog. Point Music was shut down in 2002. The end of the label did not eliminate the continuing availability or influence of its recordings, many of which represented important intersections between contemporary classical music, experimental practice, world music, film, rock, and electronic remix culture. In September 2009, Universal Music released XVI Reflections on Classical Music under the Point Music name. The compilation revisited the label's characteristic interest in links between cutting-edge classical and electronic music. Reference material does not establish whether Universal Music intended the compilation to become the first installment of a continuing series.

• 2009

  XVI Reflections on Classical Music is released

  [1]Point Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Universal Music releases a Point Music compilation focused on relationships between contemporary classical and electronic music.

• 2002

  Label operations end

  [1]Point Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Point Music is shut down after operating for approximately a decade.

• 1999

  Decca Records takes over distribution

  [1]Point Musicen.wikipedia.org

  After the corporate merger that created Universal Music and the absorption of Philips, Decca Records becomes Point Music's distributor.

• 1992

  Point Music is founded

  [1]Point Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Philips Classics and Euphorbia Productions, associated with Michael Riesman and Philip Glass, establish Point Music as a joint-venture record label.

A specialist label positioned at the intersection of contemporary classical composition, experimental music, world music, film scores, and electronic or rock crossover projects.

• Recordings · 1992

  Contemporary classical catalog

  Point Music's central repertoire consisted of innovative contemporary Western classical recordings. The catalog included major works by Philip Glass and Gavin Bryars, emphasizing modern composition, post-minimalist techniques, unconventional structures, and performances that reached beyond the standard historical classical repertoire.

• Recordings

  Crossover and orchestral reinterpretations

  The label released projects that connected classical performance with rock and other popular forms. Examples include the London Philharmonic Orchestra's orchestral treatments of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin material, as well as Philip Glass-related works and electronic remixes associated with Aphex Twin.

• Recordings

  World and cross-cultural music

  Point Music broadened its catalog with recordings involving the Master Musicians of Jajouka and Bachir Attar, Uakti, Foday Musa Suso, and other international or cross-cultural collaborations. These releases complemented the label's contemporary-classical focus with global instrumentation and hybrid musical traditions.

• Soundtracks

  Film and multimedia scores

  The imprint also issued soundtrack and multimedia-oriented recordings, including Angelo Badalamenti's score for The City of Lost Children and works by composers whose practices overlapped with theater, film, installation, and experimental performance.

• Compilation · 2009

  XVI Reflections on Classical Music

  Released by Universal Music in 2009 under the Point Music name, this compilation examined connections between cutting-edge classical music and electronic music. It revisited the aesthetic territory associated with the label after its 2002 closure.

• 2002

  Closure of Point MusicOther

  Background

  The label had operated as a specialist imprint spanning contemporary classical, experimental, world, soundtrack, and crossover repertoire.

  Action taken

  Point Music was shut down.

  Aftermath

  Its recordings continued as catalog material, and Universal Music later used the Point Music name for the 2009 XVI Reflections on Classical Music compilation.

  Source

• 1999

  Change of distribution to Decca RecordsStrategy

  Background

  Philips was absorbed into the Universal Music organization following the merger that created Universal Music, requiring a new distribution arrangement for the Point Music catalog.

  Action taken

  Decca Records became the distributor for Point Music releases.

  Aftermath

  Point Music gained distribution through a major classical-music infrastructure before the label was shut down in 2002.

  Source

• 2009

  Universal Music releases XVI Reflections on Classical Music[1]Point Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  Universal Music issued a Point Music compilation exploring relationships between contemporary classical composition and electronic music. Available reference material does not confirm whether it initiated a recurring compilation series.

• 2002

  Point Music is shut down[1]Point Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The specialist record label ceased operations after a decade of releases spanning contemporary classical, experimental, world, soundtrack, and crossover music.

• 1999

  Decca Records becomes Point Music's distributor[1]Point Musicen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Other

  Following the corporate changes associated with the merger that created Universal Music and the absorption of Philips, Decca Records took over distribution of Point Music releases.

1. 1Point Musicen.wikipedia.org