Fia Maxwell wrote:

>I find all this speculation of the record company attmepting to "Sell"
>Anne-sophie Mutter quite interesting.  Without knowing her personally, how
>do we know that this is not her choice? Perhaps this is how SHE likes to be
>portrayed? Just a thought.

Mutter has never been glamor-averse.  The famous "flying hair" photo is
still used in promotional material, even though it's 15 years old.  Some of
her gowns have -- ahem -- excited comment re decolletage.  Perhaps Mutter,
now a widowed mom in her mid-30s, just wanted to prove that she still has
what it takes to make men crawl over broken glass.  Or maybe she thought it
was a hoot.  In any event, pace Dave, Mutter is surely a top-echelon artist
who would have the clout at DG to veto any photo or package she doesn't
like.

More symptomatic of the phenomenon would be the Helene Grimaud CD of Brahms
late klavierstucke on Erato.  She looks the epitome of high fashion glamor,
with heavy makeup and elaborately teased hair (the stylist gets a credit in
the booklet!).  But the gal on the cover is essentially unrecognizable,
since in concert Grimaud wears severe black pantsuits and flat shoes, with
her hair pulled back straight & little or no makeup (she's still a Major
Babe, however . . . and a wonderful Brahms player).  The Erato cover
undoubtedly stands as an example of the promo department overruling the
artist's wishes.

Onward to full frontal nudity!

Art Scott
Livermore, CA