Accentus Music

Last updated
Accentus Music
Accentus music logo.png
Founded2010 (2010)
FounderPaul Smaczny
Distributor(s)WildKat PR
Presto Classical
Naxos Records
Genre Classical
Country of origin Germany
LocationACCENTUS Music GmbH
Dittrichring 14
04109 Leipzig (DE)
Official website www.accentus.com

Accentus Music is a German classical music record label and production company founded in March 2010 in Leipzig, Germany, where the company is based. [1] The label produces audio recordings (CD) and video (DVD/Blu-ray). [2] [3]

Contents

History

Based in Leipzig, Germany, Accentus Music is a record label, film and audio production company that was founded by film producer Paul Smaczny; he had worked for EuroArts the 20 years prior to founding Accentus. [2] [4] Accentus Music products have become well established in the contemporary classical and music research fields. [5] [6] [7] Directors, screenwriters and cinematographers associated with productions for Accentus Music include Anne-Kathrin Peitz.

The company has its own staff of 12 producers, directors, camera operators, audio producers and editors. Establishing itself as a DVD/Blu-ray label on the classical music market in 2010, Accentus produces concert and opera recordings (audio and video) as well as feature-length documentaries and artist portraits. The DVD and Blu-ray releases include productions featuring artists such as Claudio Abbado, Daniel Barenboim, Riccardo Chailly, Evgeny Kissin, Martha Argerich, the New York Philharmonic, the Staatskapelle Berlin as well as many others. [8] The products include classical music recordings, high-profile concert and opera performances as well as feature-length documentaries. [9] The label has also had a close association with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and the Staatskapelle Berlin. Accentus works closely with major television production companies in Europe such as WDR, Arte, RBB, SWR, ZDF and numerous other broadcasters to produce special shows and documentaries for regularly scheduled programming. [10] [11] The company has over 160 commercial products available to date.

Productions by Accentus are regularly featured and film festivals around the world and have earned them numerous honors such as the 2017 "Czech Crystal", Gramophone Classical Music Award (2017), Label of the Year at the 2015 International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) as well and many others. [12] [13] Reviews of Accentus recordings are consistently featured in classical music publications and major journals including Der Spiegel, Fono Forum, Rondo, Wiener Zeitung, Gramophone Magazine, BBC Music Magazine, the Guardian, Classic FM Magazine, Crescendo Magazine and International Record review. [14] [15] [16] [17] The label has built and manages a YouTube channel which is viewed worldwide. Accentus also uses WildKat PR for their promotion and distribution. [18] The label's recordings and DVD's are offered through numerous sites such as Presto Classical and Naxos Records. [19] In 2020 the label produced a commemorative set of videos to mark their 10th Anniversary. [20]

Productions and distribution (partial lists)

Documentary

Live music video

Awards and honors

Awards for label

YearAward Received
2015

ICMA Label of the Year [22]

Awards for individual CDs, DVDs, documentaries and projects

YearTitle of productionGenreNotesAwards
received
2019The Unanswered Ives -- American Pioneer of MusicDocumentary:
DVD
Produced for WDR/Arte
by Accentus Music
  • Golden Prague Film Festival 2019:
    Czech Crystal – Best Documentary
    Dedicated to Music, Dance and Theater
Mozart: Le Nozze di FigaroPerformance Video (Opera): DVDProduced by Accentus Music
2018Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies5-CD set
2017Szymanowski: Overture op. 12, Lutoslawski: Cello Concerto, Symphony No. 4Concert Video:
DVD
Alban Berg: WozzeckPerformance Video (Opera):
DVD
2016Silenced - Composers in Revolutionary RussiaDocumentary:
DVD
Produced for WDR/Arte
by Accentus Music
  • Golden Prague Film Festival 2017:
    Czech Crystal – Best Documentary
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 7Concert Video:
DVD
Produced by Accentus Music
2015Johann Sebastian Bach: The Art of Fugue
Johann Sebastian Bach: Goldberg Variations
2015Adam’s Passion – Arvo Pärt, Robert WilsonDocumentary:
DVD
Produced for WDR/Arte
by Accentus Music

Available on
DVD & Blu-ray

2015Barbara Hannigan – Concert and DocumentaryConcert/Documentary:
DVD
Produced by Accentus Music

Available on
DVD & Blu-ray

  • Festival International du Film sur l’art (FIFA) 2015: Award for Best Portrait
2014Satiesfictions –
Promenades with Erik Satie
Documentary:
DVD
Produced for WDR/Arte
by Accentus Music

Available on
DVD & Blu-ray

  • Diapason d'Or
  • Documentary and Short International Movie Awards (DSIMA) Jakarta 2015: Platin Award – Best European Documentary
  • Vierteljahresbestenliste der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik 2015
2013Isang Yun - In between North and South KoreaProduced for by Accentus Music

Available on
DVD & Blu-ray

  • Golden Prague Festival 2013: Special Mention for Extraordinary Artistic Achievement
  • Mumbai International Film Festival: Best Documentary (2014)
2012John Cage –
Journeys in Sound
Produced for WDR/Arte
by Accentus Music
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 9Concert Video:
DVD
Produced by Accentus Music
Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 5Concert Video:
DVD
Produced by Accentus Music

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References

  1. Klassik.com. Accentus Music company profile
  2. 1 2 CZECH CRYSTAL - DOCUMENTARY PROGRAMMES DEDICATED TO MUSIC, DANCE AND THEATRE, website
  3. Gramophone Music awards 2017, Wozzeck honored, produced by Accentus
  4. Interview: ECHO Klassik 2013 - Paul Smaczny, CEO of Accentus Music, in conversation with Axel Brüggemann, after receiving the ECHO Klassik Award for John Cage – Journeys in Sound
  5. Scherzinger, Martin. Music in Contemporary Philosophy. Routledge Publishing, 2016, pp. 164
  6. Kleinert, Annemarie. Music at Its Best: The Berlin Philharmonic: from Karajan to Rattle. Books on Demand. 2009, pp. 147
  7. The Guardian, Paul Smaczny profile
  8. Accentus Music, Leipzig, website profile
  9. Clements, Andrew. The Guardian. Review - "Classical album of the week: Mendelssohn: A Midsummer Night's Dream/Tchaikovsky: Manfred Symphony. 5 Jul 2018
  10. Accentus Music, Leipzig, website "Partners"
  11. John Cage - Journeys in Sound, program on ARD TV Germany, 11.08.2017, 21:00
  12. Accentus Music, Leipzig, website "awards and honors"
  13. 2015 ICMA awards
  14. Mandel, Mark. OPERA NEWS. "PUCCINI/HAO: Turandot" RECORDINGS - EDITOR'S CHOICE, MARCH 2017 — VOL. 81, NO. 9
  15. Review. BBC Music Magazine. Poulenc: Figure humaine; Un soir de neige; Sept chansons. Accentus Music. 20 January 2012
  16. BBC Music Magazine. Monthly Choice. Daniel Barenboim conducts Bruckner's Symphony No. 7, Accentus Music. 9 July 2014
  17. Saltzwedel, Johannes Saltzwedel, Review. Der Spiegel. Anton Bruckner: "Symphony No. 1" (Accentus Music). 29/07/2013
  18. ACCENTUS Music at WildKat PR
  19. Marketwired press release about Accentus Music in Roster of Distributed Labels by Naxos, November 08, 2010
  20. Accentus 2020 on Vimeo
  21. D'Arcy, David. review. 'Almodóvar’s Women and a One-Man Pussy Riot'. Observer. 04/07/17 4:13 pm
  22. ICMA Winners 2015, Label of the Year: Aceentus
  23. International Television & Film Awards 2014: The Arts, Bronze Medaille- John Cage - Journeys in Sound
  24. "The 2012 BBC Music Magazine Awards, DVD Award, MahlerSymphony No. 9 Lucerne Festival Orchestra/Claudio Abbado Accentus Music ACC20214". Archived from the original on 2014-11-06. Retrieved 2018-10-03.
  25. 2012 Gramophone Award: DVD performance, Bruckner Symphony No 5, Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Claudio Abbado, Accentus ACC20243