The German Record Critics' Award

The German Record Critics' Award ("Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik") has been in existence since 1963. It was inaugurated to set the "most rigorous standards for supreme achievement" in the field of recording.

Comprising 114 music critics, writers and editors in the German-speaking countries who are actively involved in the assessment of CDs and DVDs, the association is concerned to provide lovers of all types of music and audio-books with what, to the best of their knowledge and belief, is an honest guide to new releases of true artistic significance. It does not matter whether these have been produced by large or small, domestic or foreign record companies, whether they feature stars or not, or whether they are much-talked-about bestsellers or wallflowers.

In order to ensure that they reached their judgements independent of all commercial interests on the part of the producers, the jury had itself officially registered as a charity in 1988. Not only is it one of the cultural institutions supported by the Minister of State for Culture and the Media but, in the past, has also been supported by the Frankfurt Fair, the Frankfurt Feste and by Frankfurt's Alte Oper as well as the Beethoven Festival in Bonn. Since 2002 the German Record Critics' Award Association has close ties to the Foundation Preussischer Kulturbesitz (Prussian Cultural Heritage) and its State Institute for Music Research with the Berlin Museum of Musical Instruments where every November the Annual Awards ("Jahrespreise") are presented to up to ten outstanding productions and Certificates of Special Merit ("Ehrenurkunden") are given to three artists and producers for their life achievement in the field of recording.

With its Quarterly Critics' Choice ("Bestenliste") the German Record Critics' Award recommends new releases which merit special attention either for the quality of interpretation or creativity, or for their value to the repertoire. These lists provide a candid picture of new releases which, in the jury's opinion, are of outstanding importance when judged on purely artistic grounds. The selected releases come from a continuous observation of the CD and DVD market in the following categories:

1. Symphonic and Orchestral Music
2. Concertos
3. Chamber Music
4. Piano Music
5. Harpsichord and Organ Music
6. Opera I (Cd, DVD, up to 1800)
7. Opera II (CD, DVD, Beethoven and later)
8. Musical and Operetta
9. Choral
10. Baroque and Pre-Baroque Music
11. Lieder and Vocal Recital
12. Historical Recordings
13. Contemporary Classical Music
14. Film Music
15. Spoken Word and Cabaret
16. & 17. Pop and Rock Music (traditional / modern)
18. Chansons and Songs
19. Folk and Folklore
20. Traditional Ethnic Music
21. World Music
22. & 23. Jazz (traditional and Swing / modern)
24. Blues and Blues-related
25. Recordings for Children
26.-27. DVD Productions (Opera & Ballet / Classical Music / Non-Classical)
28. Crossover Productions

In order to qualify for nomination a recording has to be available on the German market and should be sent immediately after the official publication date to each one of the five members of the respective jury panel for evaluation.

Contact

Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik e.V.
Haus der Kultur
Weberstr. 59a
D-53113 Bonn
Germany

Phone: +49 228 854 26 976

For requests please contact: office@schallplattenkritik.de