György Kurtág

From the outset, Eicher saw himself as a recording producer who actively shaped the artistic process in the studio. His recordings with musicians such as Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Egberto Gismonti, Paul Bley, Pat Metheny, Dino Saluzzi, John Surman, Ralph Towner, Terje Rypdal, Bobo Stenson, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, and others also set new standards in sound aesthetics. By the 1970s, ECM had already become one of the most important record labels in jazz. In 1984, Arvo Pärt's Tabula Rasa marked the first release in the ECM New Series, which is dedicated to written music. Since then, recordings have been made featuring compositions by György Kurtág, Alfred Schnittke, Heinz Holliger, Steve Reich, Meredith Monk, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Heiner Goebbels, Eleni Karaindrou, Giya Kancheli, Tigran Mansurian, Valentin Silvestrov, and others. Notable performers and authors in the New Series include Kim Kashkashian, Thomas Zehetmair, the Hilliard Ensemble, Gidon Kremer, Thomas Demenga, András Schiff, Heinz Holliger, the Keller Quartet, the Rosamunde Quartet, Herbert Henck, Leonidas Kavakos, Dennis Russell Davies, Christoph Poppen, Bruno Ganz, and Jean-Luc Godard. In 1990, Eicher, together with Heinz Bütler, directed the film Holocene, based on a short story by Max Frisch, which was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the Locarno Film Festival. Manfred Eicher's further film work includes musical production and/or conception for films by Jean-Luc Godard (Nouvelle Vague, Allemagne Neuf Zéro, Hélas Pour Moi, JLG, Forever Mozart, Histoire(s) du Cinéma, The Old Place, Eloge de l’Amour, Notre musique), Theo Angelopoulos (The Beekeeper, Landscape in the Mist, The Suspended Step of the Stork, Ulysses' Gaze, Eternity and a Day, The Weeping Meadow), for Xavier Koller's Oscar-winning film Journey of Hope, for Sandra Nettelbeck's Bella Martha, and for Christian Frei's documentary War Photographer with James Nachtwey. The collaboration with Jean-Luc Godard resulted in the multi-volume documentation of the complete soundtrack and text of Histoire(s) du Cinéma, which received the "Jahrespreis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik" (German Record Critics' Annual Award). Outstanding ECM productions have been honored with awards including the "Grand Prix du Disque" (France), the "Edison Award" (Netherlands), the "Grammy Award" (USA), the "Academy Award" (Japan), and the "Jahrespreis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik" (German Record Critics' Annual Award). In 1999, American music magazines Down Beat, High Fidelity Magazine, and Musician Magazine honored Manfred Eicher as "Producer of the Year." Manfred Eicher has received numerous accolades. In 1986, he received the "Ehrenpreis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik" (German Record Critics' Honorary Award), and in 1998, the "Musikpreis der Landeshauptstadt München" (Music Prize of the City of Munich). In 2000, the University of Brighton awarded him an honorary doctorate "in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the development of contemporary music." In 2002, Eicher received a Grammy as "Best Classical Producer of the Year." In January 2005, Eicher was awarded the "Kultureller Ehrenpreis der Stadt München" (Cultural Honorary Award of the City of Munich).