Harmonious Collaboration: Apple Music Classical and Wigmore Hall Join Forces

Apple’s classical music service is embarking on a new partnership that will showcase live concert recordings on Apple Music Classical, with all royalties going directly to the performing artists. London’s prestigious Wigmore Hall, known for hosting world-class chamber music concerts, is rebranding its label, Wigmore Hall Live, as a digital-only platform, exclusively teaming up with Apple Music Classical for streaming.

As Wigmore Hall commemorates its 125th anniversary and two decades of releasing recordings under its label, it introduces a new artist-first model. This approach covers all production costs for each release, ensuring that 100% of streaming royalties go to the artists. Apple Music Classical will have a three-month exclusivity period for new releases on the platform.

The inaugural recording under this collaboration, featuring pianist Boris Giltburg performing Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas live at Wigmore Hall, will be released on June 5. An artist commentary track by Giltburg will accompany the release, offering deeper insights into the repertoire. The pre-release album is already accessible on Apple Music Classical with a preview available for streaming.

Director John Gilhooly expressed excitement about the partnership with Apple Music Classical, highlighting the platform’s advanced sound quality for a close-to-live concert experience. Apple Music Classical, established in 2023 after Apple’s acquisition of Primephonic, provides a dedicated space for classical music enthusiasts with curated playlists, composer biographies, and more.

Apple Music Classical’s unique features cater to classical music fans, offering a comprehensive experience beyond just music tracks. With its focus on organizing works by movements, tracks, orchestras, conductors, soloists, and instruments, it stands out as a specialized platform for classical music aficionados.