Record geijutsu

Record geijutsu (レコード芸術, commonly abbreviated レコ芸 / Rekogei) is a Japanese classical-music media brand devoted to the review and appreciation of recorded classical music. It was launched in 1952 by the music publisher Ongaku no Tomo Sha (音楽之友社), the year after the LP record first went on sale in Japan, and it grew alongside the spread of stereo equipment, the arrival of star conductors such as Karajan and Böhm, and the expansion of the classical record market in the 1960s and 1970s. For decades it was one of the best-known classical record criticism outlets in Japan, alongside the Asahi Shimbun's "Shichōshitsu" column. The magazine's core content was monthly criticism of newly released CDs and DVDs, organized by genre (symphonies and orchestral works, concertos, opera and vocal music, keyboard music, chamber music, and so on), with two critics per section; discs recommended by both were designated "tokusenban" (special selection). It also carried features on performers and composers, overseas listening reports, essays, and concert information. From March 1996 it included a sample listening CD, and from May 2012 a section called "Intermezzo Archive" presented unreleased original live recordings from various orchestras; that supplement was discontinued after the May 2017 issue. The magazine reached its 700th issue with the January 2009 number, added a wind-band (吹奏楽) section from January 2010, and launched a web data archive for subscribers in April 2015. Record geijutsu also organized the Record Academy Award (レコード・アカデミー大賞), described as the most authoritative classical record prize in Japan, announced each January; it was suspended after the 60th award for fiscal 2022. In April 2023 Ongaku no Tomo Sha announced that the magazine would cease publication with the July 2023 issue, released on June 20, 2023, citing years of losses and difficulty cultivating younger readers; music critic Yuji Numano and others gathered some 3,000 signatures in a week in support of its continuation. A crowdfunding campaign run from April 10 to May 24, 2024 succeeded, and on October 1, 2024 the successor web media Record Geijutsu ONLINE (レコード芸術ONLINE) opened as a partly membership-based portal. The online edition continues the brand's review culture — monthly new-release criticism, "double review" digests, interviews, features, and news — while also hosting special pages for labels and distributors such as Tokyo M-Plus and Naxos Japan.

Record geijutsu was founded in 1952 by Ongaku no Tomo Sha, one year after the LP record was first released in Japan. At the time LP players were not yet widespread and most new releases were still SP records; the first Japanese stereo LP appeared from Nippon Victor on August 1, 1958, and during the 1960s separate-component stereo systems began to appear in school music rooms and homes. When classical "1,000-yen records" arrived in 1969, stereo sets spread into ordinary households, major performers such as Karajan and Böhm visited Japan, the classical fan base expanded, and younger readers including junior- and senior-high-school students increased. The magazine's mainstay was criticism of CDs and DVDs released in the previous month, divided into sections such as symphonies/orchestral works and concertos, with two critics per section; discs recommended by both received a special-selection mark and became "tokusenban." Alongside the Asahi Shimbun's "Shichōshitsu," it was one of the best-known classical record criticism outlets in Japan. It also ran features on performers and composers, overseas listening reports, essays on classical music, and concert listings, positioning itself as an information magazine for people who enjoy classical music through records. From the March 1996 issue it began attaching a sample listening CD containing excerpts of forthcoming releases. From the May 2012 issue it added a section called "Intermezzo Archive" — a euphemism for "kura-dashi" (warehouse clear-out) — in which unreleased original live recordings from various orchestras were included in full, about 20 minutes at a time, on the supplementary CD; this supplement was discontinued after the May 2017 issue. The magazine reached its 700th issue with the January 2009 number. From January 2010 it established a wind-band (suisōgaku) section. From April 2015, as a service for subscribers, it launched the website "Record Geijutsu Classical Data Archive." Record geijutsu also organized the Record Academy Award (レコード・アカデミー大賞), described as the most authoritative classical record prize held in Japan, with winning discs and criticism announced each January; it was suspended after the 60th award for fiscal 2022, in line with the magazine's suspension. On April 3, 2023, Ongaku no Tomo Sha announced that the magazine would cease publication with the July 2023 issue, released on June 20, 2023. Takao Otani, director and senior executive officer of Ongaku no Tomo Sha, told the Nikkei newspaper that "this is a problem for the classical world as a whole, but we were unable to cultivate young readers and fell into a severe state (with losses continuing for several years)." Music critic Yuji Numano and others campaigned for the magazine's continuation, gathering 3,000 supporters among fans and musicians within a week. A crowdfunding campaign to launch the successor web media Record Geijutsu ONLINE ran from April 10 to May 24, 2024, and succeeded; the site opened on October 1, 2024. The online edition continues the brand's review culture, publishing monthly new-release criticism, "double review" digests, interviews, features, and news, and hosting special pages for labels and distributors such as Tokyo M-Plus and Naxos Japan.

• 2024

  Crowdfunding (April 10–May 24) for successor web media succeeds; Record Geijutsu ONLINE opens on October 1.

• 2023

  Ongaku no Tomo Sha announces on April 3 that the magazine will cease publication with the July issue, released June 20.

• 2017

  The supplement CD is discontinued after the May issue.

• 2015

  From April, the "Record Geijutsu Classical Data Archive" website opens for subscribers.

• 2012

  From the May issue, the "Intermezzo Archive" section presents unreleased original live recordings on the supplement CD.

• 2010

  A wind-band (suisōgaku) section is established from the January issue.

• 2009

  The January issue marks the magazine's 700th issue.

• 1996

  From the March issue, a sample listening CD is included as a supplement.

• 1969

  Classical "1,000-yen records" appear, helping stereo sets spread into ordinary homes and expanding the classical fan base.

• 1958

  Japan's first stereo LP released by Nippon Victor on August 1, as stereo culture spreads.

• 1952

  Record geijutsu founded by Ongaku no Tomo Sha, one year after the LP record first went on sale in Japan.

Japan's leading classical-music record criticism brand, known for authoritative monthly new-release reviews and the Record Academy Award.

• レコード芸術 monthly magazine

  Monthly classical record review magazine published by Ongaku no Tomo Sha from 1952 until the July 2023 issue.

• レコード芸術ONLINE

  Partly membership-based successor web portal opened October 1, 2024, carrying reviews, interviews, features, and news.

• レコード・アカデミー大賞 (Record Academy Award)

  Classical record prize organized by the magazine, announced each January; suspended after the 60th award for fiscal 2022.

• Sample listening CD supplement

  Supplement included from March 1996, later carrying the "Intermezzo Archive" live recordings; discontinued after May 2017.

1. 1レコード芸術ONLINE official siterecogei.ontomo-mag.com
2. 2レコード芸術ONLINE 特設ページrecogei.ontomo-mag.com
3. 3レコード芸術 - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org
4. 4Record geijutsu - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Ongaku no Tomo Sha magazine pageongakunotomo.co.jp