Fia Maxwell <[log in to unmask]> suggested, as far as Anne-Sophie Mutter's
cover picture was concerned, that:

>>Perhaps this is how SHE likes to be portrayed?

To which DL added:

>[Most artists have little if any input into the artwork and booklet that
>accompany their releases.  Most performers get to see the artwork for
>the first time when it's already a done deal.  -Dave]

Sorry to disagree ; this is not my experience at all with more than half
the artists having cover approval written into their contracts and where,
as a result, early sketches are submitted in order to save money.  Where
a photo is being used the artist is nearly always closely involved in
choosing it and one may safely assume that A-SM did so on this occasion and
that she must like it - or have been persuaded of its marketing advantages.

This becomes infuriating when dealing with at least two American divas
(worldwide there must be hundreds more with equally inflated egos).  On one
occasion (a photo of a Carmina Burana line up) I had selected along with
the art dept.  what was quite obviously the *best* photo for the release.
The "diva" then rejected it.  The best one of her was the one with the
tenor obscured and sitting down - and we had to go with it.  Nobody else
mattered.  The tenor was too well brought up to complain!

But artists, generally, do not involve themselves with the booklet
contents.  Many would not be qualified to do so (pace Alfred Brendel!).

John G. Deacon
Home page: http://www.ctv.es/USERS/j.deacon
Campobello: http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/campobello