Multifarious composer and Radiohead co-founder Jonny Greenwood has launched a new contemporary classical music label, Octatonic Records.
Greenwood was inspired to start the label after befriending fellow film composers over the year, in an announcement on the label’s site, he wrote, “Since doing my first soundtrack [2003’s Bodysong], I’ve become friends with lots of these remarkable musicians, as well as more familiar with the music they play. It’s a whole world out there.”
Multi-talented instrumentalist, composer and Radiohead co-founder Jonny Greenwood has launched a new contemporary classical music label, Octatonic Records.
The multi-talent says he was inspired to start his own classical label to capture the “remarkable musicians” he’s met as a film composer, “playing the pieces they love, both contemporary and ancient.”
He adds, “I stand in awe of classically trained UK musicians: a 20-something carrying a cello case will always be more impressive than someone with a guitar. It’s just harder to do. It takes more commitment, and the sounds they make are so limitless—for all that the instruments they play are ‘traditional’. ”
Greenwood has composed scores for multiple films, including several Paul Thomas Anderson-directed films, such as 2007’s There Will Be Blood and 2017’s Phantom Thread, the score for which earned him Golden Globe nomination in 2018.
Octatonic Records will release soloists and small groups – “and as it’s my party,” Greenwood writes on the site, he’ll include “some of my own small ideas that have never been recorded, like ’88’ (for solo piano), and ‘Miniatures from Water’ for piano, violin, string drone and tanpura.”
Nestled under Council Records, the imprint has announced two releases, Volume 1 contains Daniel Pioro playing Bach’s Partita No. 2, while Volume 2 includes Michael Gordon’s Industry on the A-side and Greenwood’s own Water on the B-side. Octatonic releases will also stream, the website notes, with the first two arriving on services on the 24th of September.
Radiohead posted a short trailer for Octatonic Records’ first releases on their Twitter, saying “Today, @JnnyG has launched @OctatonicRecs geared towards championing contemporary classical music. Limited pressings of Volume One and Two are available to pre-order now.”
Today, @JnnyG has launched @OctatonicRecs geared towards championing contemporary classical music. Limited pressings of Volume One and Two are available to pre-order now. Click here to find out more: https://t.co/f7Jqiz6LKr pic.twitter.com/Yd5fUXxw3r
— Radiohead (@radiohead) September 17, 2019
Limited pressings of Volume One and Two are available for pre-order here.
