Gestalten

Classique introduces 777 of the most inspiring classical LP covers from their heyday, documenting groundbreaking art work and cover culture that is typical for the epoch. In the same way that an attractive cover lures you into buying a record, Classique entices readers, taking them on a journey through the magnificent evolution of record cover art. Ranging from romantic motifs, naturalism, abstract art, psychedelic and surreal experimentation to supernatural artwork and pure unadulterated kitsch, the diverse examples of classical cover design assembled in the book are immense.

Compiled by avid record collector Horst Scherg, the cover art featured in this book is taken from his substantial collection and presented in fifteen chapters. Each chapter is dedicated to the stylistic approaches significant to each decade from the 1950s to the 1980s, the variety and characteristic trends for countries such as the US, England and Russia, the different musical genres, the graphic mediums practised from illustration, poster art and photography and the record companies of the times including Deutsche Grammophon, Decca and Capitol. Classique also gives an overview of record producers with information on their repertoires even including those sought-after record labels for the audiophile classical collector.

Because design for music has always served as fertile grounds for experimental work and developments in graphic art, this book is not only for aficionados and creatives. but also for everyone interested in visual culture.