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“Streaming rocks!” – Thomas Hampson releases unpublished and exclusive recordings on classical music streaming service Idagio

BERLIN, February 9, 2017: The award-winning American baritone Thomas Hampson announced today the release of unpublished and exclusive recordings on the classical music streaming service Idagio. The recordings, hidden gems from live archive performances, include: Schubert’s Winterreise, op. 89, D 911 (until today unpublished recording with Wolfram Rieger, piano); the never heard before live recording of Lingua Angelorum, which Hampson commissioned by contemporary composer Sylvie Bodorová; and selected songs by Hugo Wolf. Also released today on Idagio are songs based on Des Knaben Wunderhorn by Mahler, Brahms, Mendelssohn and Schönberg ; Schumann’s Kerner-Lieder; and the collection Wondrous Free – Song of America II. The release is accessible now on the Idagio iOS app and with lossless audio on the web app www.idagio.com – and immediately available in over 70 countries.

On the occasion of this release, Hampson commented: “Idagio is the newest exciting platform enlivening the classical music community. I am honoured and excited to now offer my recordings for your streaming enjoyment. Stay tuned for future exclusive releases and never heard before live archive performances. Streaming Rocks! Happy Listening.” Thomas Hampson has received numerous international awards and honours throughout his distinguished career. The baritone maintains an active interest in research, education, musical outreach, and technology. In line with his engagements and interest, Hampson has supported and believed in the work and vision of Idagio, the Berlin-based start-up, from the very beginning. At Idagio’s launch in 2015 at the Salzburg Festival, Hampson expressed his enthusiasm for the new streaming service with a video message stating: “I am thrilled to be part of the new cosmos of Idagio. Idagio is a platform, a network, a meeting place all at the same time. It is operated by experts in classical music.”

Idagio’s founder Till Janczukowicz comments: “Thomas Hampson’s own release on Idagio marks a very important step. Thomas Hampson is not only one of the world’s greatest artists, he is also a great visionary who has shared our mission since day one. We are immensely proud and happy to have him on board!” Furthermore, about Idagio: “Our goal is to build a streaming service that best serves the interest of classical music lovers and artists. With our unique “Idagio search”, music lovers can easily find what they want and musicians can easily share their music with their audiences, with recordings coming both from the artists directly as well as from their labels. As we permanently grow our catalogue, music lovers will soon find all recordings by the artist on Idagio, presented in one structured, easy and aesthetically-designed channel. ” Hampson’s recordings, newly on Idagio, are featured in specially dedicated playlists www.idagio.com/discover. Hampson’s streaming channel is accessible on the baritone’s official Idagio page www.idagio.com/thomas-hampson

ABOUT THOMAS HAMPSON: Thomas Hampson, America’s foremost baritone, hails from Spokane, Washington. He has received many honors and awards for his probing artistry and cultural leadership. Comprising more than 150 albums, his discography includes winners of a Grammy Award, five Edison Awards, and the Grand Prix du Disque. He received the 2009 Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award from the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC, and was appointed the New York Philharmonic’s first Artist-in-Residence. In 2010 he was honored with a Living Legend Award by the Library of Congress, where he serves as Special Advisor to the Study and Performance of Music in America. Hampson was made honorary professor at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Heidelberg and holds honorary doctorates from Manhattan School of Music, New England Conservatory, Whitworth College, and San Francisco Conservatory, as well as being an honorary member of London’s Royal Academy of Music. He carries the titles of Kammersänger of the Vienna State Opera and Commandeur dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of the Republic of France, and was awarded the Austrian Medal of Honor in Arts and Sciences. Thomas Hampson enjoys a singular international career as an opera singer, recording artist, and “ambassador of song,” maintaining an active interest in research, education, musical outreach, and technology. Hampson who was recently inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences has won worldwide recognition for thoughtfully researched and creatively constructed programs as well as recordings that explore the rich repertoire of song in a wide range of styles, languages, and periods. Through the Hampsong Foundation which he founded in 2003 he employs the art of song to promote intercultural dialogue and understanding.

ABOUT IDAGIO: The classical music streaming service Idagio offers access to a constantly growing catalogue of high-quality recordings and thousands of hours of music. Idagio was founded by Till Janczukowicz and Christoph Lange – a duo that combines long-standing experience in the management of classical music stars with knowledge of the dos and don’ts in the founder scene around music streaming services. Through specially developed classical music search functions and curated playlists, coupled with an easy-to-use interface and aesthetic design, Idagio is building the best streaming service for classical music lovers. Idagio is currently available in more than 70 countries around the world on www.idagio.com and the iOS App in the app store (however, not yet in the USA and Canada). Idagio is a Freemium Model and consists of a free service with fee-based premium contents and features. Previous exclusives on Idagio have included Ivo Pogorelich’s release of Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas Nr. 22 and 24, released in November 2016.

Image: Jimmy Donelan