The digital-only platform will implement an artist-first model with all the royalties going directly to the artists
Wigmore Hall Live relaunches as a digital-only platform in partnership with Apple Music Classical as part of the Hall’s 125th Anniversary celebrations this year. Under a new artist-first model, Wigmore Hall will pay the full production costs for every release and will take no share of the recording income, passing on 100% of royalties received directly to the performing artists.
Wigmore Hall Live will release four digital-only recordings per year, developed in close collaboration with artists and drawn from live performances at the Hall. Under a new partnership with Apple Music Classical each new Wigmore Hall Live release will première exclusively on the platform for three months.
The first recording, released on 5 June exclusively on Apple Music Classical, features pianist Boris Giltburg performing Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas Nos. 4, 8, 9, 20 (‘Pathétique’) and 26 (‘Les Adieux’), recorded live at Wigmore Hall in February 2025. The release is accompanied by an artist commentary track from Giltburg offering deeper insight into the repertoire.
John Gilhooly, Director of Wigmore Hall, said, ‘Wigmore Hall Live has always sought to capture something unique – the intimacy and spontaneity of live performance in the Hall, so we are delighted to partner with Apple Music Classical. Its advanced sound quality will allow listeners everywhere to experience Wigmore Hall concerts as close to the live event as possible. Central to all of this are our artists and our new model for Wigmore Hall Live gives us the opportunity to support their recordings and to share their exceptional artistry with audiences around the world.’
