Czech Philharmonic and Pentatone announce partnership

The Czech Philharmonic has announced its new partnership with classical music label Pentatone. The agreement allows the label to become joint producers and worldwide distributors for the orchestra’s recordings as well as future releases.

The Czech Philharmonic’s first release with Pentatone will be Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 in G major, recorded in the Rudolfinum, the orchestra’s home in Prague. The recording is the first full Mahler cycle to be released by Pentatone and will be released digitally on 8 April this year.

Czech Philharmonic’s chief conductor and music director, Semyon Bychkov, said: ‘Discovering Mahler’s music is akin to discovering life itself… What emerges from his music, his letters and, the testimonies of those who knew him is the duality of this man.’

Formed in 1896, the Czech Philharmonic champions the work of Czech composers and has a special relationship with Mahler, who conducted the world première of his Symphony No. 7 with the orchestra in 1908.

Pentatone is a classical music label with a diverse catalogue driven by the desire to push boundaries and innovate. The label was named Gramophone Label of the Year in 2019 and ICMA Label of the Year in 2020.

Renaud Loranger, Pentatone’s vice president of artists and repertoire, said: ‘While rooted in the music itself this ambitious new partnership is also a reflection of shared values. It is a commitment to the transmission and celebration of a certain heritage, expertly shaped for our time by the Czech Philharmonic’s family of conductors led by Semyon Bychkov and Jakub Hrůša.’

You can find out more about the Czech Philharmonic here.

You can find out more about Pentanone here.