Classical music goes pop with celebrity endorsement

Classical music has turned to the stars of sport, media and the theatre in an attempt to use celebrity appeal to propel it into popular culture.

Classical music has turned to the stars of sport, media and the theatre in an attempt to use celebrity appeal to propel it into popular culture.

The Olympic rower James Cracknell, the Tory politician Michael Portillo and the actress Joanna Lumley are among six well-known faces hoping to boost classical music CD sales by championing the finalists in the Gramophone awards, the classical music honours. They are joined by the actor Simon Callow, the BBC's John Simpson and the breakfast presenter Natasha Kaplinsky who have also been drafted in to eulogise about the six shortlisted discs contending to become Record of the Year. It is the first time in the 30-year history of the awards that celebrities endorsements have been part of the process.

James Jolly, the editor of Gramophone magazine, admitted that the stunt, inspired by the hugely successful book club presented by television's Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, could be viewed as "cynical", but said that if it inspired people to buy classical music CDs it would be worthwhile. "I thought if we can't beat them, join them, he said. "Let's find six people who have a genuine interest in classical music and bring them in to champion the records. The bottom line is if someone out there is wavering and thinking 'I'd like to sample some classical music' and then they hear Joanna Lumley championing a record they might be encouraged to buy it. You don't have to be a pointy-headed university don to appreciate classical music."

The six discs to have made the short list - The Marriage of Figaro conducted by René Jacobs, Gibbons' Consort of Viols, performed by Phantasm, Bax's Symphonies conducted by Vernon Handley, Grieg Schumann Piano Concertos played by Leif Ove Andsnes, Vivaldi's Vespri Solenni conducted by Rinaldo Alessandrini and Gérard Souzay's French Song Recitals - were chosen from an initial 500 entries.

Each of the successful six - chosen via three rounds of voting - was then allocated a celebrity to promote it. The overall winner will be announced at a lunchtime ceremony on 1 October.

Fresh from winning an Olympic gold medal in Athens, Cracknell explained that he uses music to relax before competing. "Music is a powerful instrument to achieving many things," he said. "Ten days ago I was using music to relax me the night before the Olympic final and to relax me one hour before." He is backing the Grieg/Schumann piano concertos.

Michael Portillo, who is promoting Bax's symphonies, said: "There is a broader debate about whether classical music is being dumbed down and whether that's appropriate. I'm pretty clear that anything that's done to lower the barriers to access to classical music is justified."

Previous winners of the Gramophone Record of the Year award include Schumann's string quartets played by the Zehetmair Quartet (2003), Puccini's La Rondine conducted by Antonio Pappano (1997), Anne Sofie von Otter singing Grieg (1993) and Nigel Kennedy's rendition of Elgar's violin concerto (1985).

THE RECORDS AND THEIR CHAMPIONS

The champion: Michael Portillo
The record: Bax Symphonies, BBC Philharmonic/ Vernon Handley (Chandos)
The music: The conductor Vernon Handley has devoted more than four decades to promoting often neglected the music of Bax. The symphonies represent a journey, from the tragedy of the First into an enchanting Third, a darker Fifth and Sixth and the calmer Seventh.
The champion's case: "The box set of Sir Arnold Bax's seven symphonies represents a piece of recording history."

The champion: Simon Callow
The record: Vivaldi, Vespri Solenni, Concerto Italiano/ Rinaldo Alessandrini (Naïve Opus 111)
The music: Vespri Solenni per la Festa dell'Assunzione di Maria Vergine is two-and-a-half-hour-long selection of a variety of Vivaldi's sacred music, including choral and solo pieces and concertos.
The champion's case: "Alessan-drini's dazzling set is a revelation, both in terms of performance and context. The performances are fervent, direct, joyful. Inspiring."

The champion: John Simpson
The record: Gibbons' Consort of Viols, Phantasm (Avie)
The music: Orlando Gibbons, who died in 1625, aged 41, wrote music for the Church of England as well as keyboard works, madrigals and consort music. This recording by Phantasm won the Gramophone Award for best baroque instrumental recording in 1997.
The champion's case: "An exquisitely scaled performance which brings out the intricate yet robust qualities of Gibbons' writing."

The champion: Natasha Kaplinsky
The record: Gérard Souzay French Song Recitals (Testament)
The music: The French bass-baritone enjoyed a distinguished 43-year recording career before his death on 17 August. This disc features songs by Debussy, Duparc, Chausson and Ravel recorded between 1950 and 1955. The songs range from Ravel's drunken knight in Don Quichotte à Dulcinée to Chausson's anguished love songs.
The champion's case: "How sad that Souzay didn't live to receive this award but how wonderful to be reminded of the art of one of France's greatest singers. He brings these poems so vividly to life you forget he recorded them 50 years ago."

The champion: Joanna Lumley
The record: Mozart, The Marriage of Figaro, Réne Jacobs (Harmonia Mundi)
The music: Mozart's comic opera Le Nozze di Figaro, adapted from Beaumarchais' satirical play about the folly of love and the class system, tells the tale of Count Almaviva's lust for his wife's maid, Susanna, who is betrothed to his valet Figaro. Réne Jacob's lively recording features a period instrument orchestra, the Concerto Köln and stars Véronique Gens as a youthful countess, Patrizia Ciofi as Susanna and Angelika Kirchschlager as the amorous page Cherubino.
The champion's case: "A glorious production of one of my favourite operas. The performances were simply stunning and it showed yet again, though its darkness and light, that Mozart was a genius."

The champion: James Cracknell
The record: Grieg Schumann Piano Concertos, Lief Ove Andsnes; Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra/Mariss Jansons (EMI)
The music: Grieg and Schumann's piano concertos in A minor have long been considered natural partners, and Leif Ove Andsnes is considered one of the greatest pianists of his generation in his native Norway.
The champion's case: "What great piano concertos - especially when performed by one of the most exciting young pianists."