Editing ECM Records (section)

=== New Series and commemorative editions ===
The ''ECM New Series'' was created in 1984 to document Western classical works. It has released works by composers from the early ([[Thomas Tallis]], [[Carlo Gesualdo]], [[Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina]]) to the contemporary ([[John Cage]], [[Elliott Carter]], [[Steve Reich]] and [[John Adams (composer)|John Adams]]). The series was initiated for [[Arvo Pärt]]'s record debut ''Tabula Rasa'', which Eicher recorded and produced in 1977, 1983, and 1984. Since then Pärt and Eicher have built a strong relationship: all works premiere on recordings for the label and all are done in presence of the composer. Keith Jarrett, better known as a jazz musician, contributed together with [[Gidon Kremer]] amongst others to ''Tabula Rasa''. He later recorded several classical works by [[Johann Sebastian Bach|Bach]], [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]], [[Dmitri Shostakovich|Shostakovich]], and others for the series.

The three albums ''[[Music for 18 Musicians]]'', ''[[Octet/Music for a Large Ensemble/Violin Phase]]'', and ''[[Tehillim (Reich)|Tehillim]]'' by Reich were recorded before 1984 (all with the composer performing) and were later moved to the classical department together with some by [[Meredith Monk]], [[Thomas Demenga]] and [[Harald Weiss]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ecmrecords.com/News/Diary/06_new_series.php |title=ECM Records |publisher=ECM Records |access-date=2015-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005070534/http://ecmrecords.com/News/Diary/06_new_series.php |archive-date=2015-10-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Several of John Adams' works from his minimalist period have been released through the label as well, including ''[[Harmonium (Adams)|Harmonium]]'' and ''[[Harmonielehre]]''.

Over the years, many other works by contemporary composers such as [[Valentyn Sylvestrov]], [[Tigran Mansurian]], [[Erkki-Sven Tüür]], [[Heinz Holliger]], [[Giya Kancheli]], [[György Kurtág]], or [[Heiner Goebbels]] as well as the soundtracks of several works by the filmmaker [[Jean-Luc Godard]] have been issued on the ''ECM New Series'' label. Interpreters who released records in classical genres include [[Kim Kashkashian]], [[András Schiff]], [[Gidon Kremer]], the [[Hilliard Ensemble]], [[Thomas Zehetmair]], [[Carolin Widmann]], [[Till Fellner]], Herbert Henck, [[Alexei Lubimov]], [[András Keller]], [[Miklós Perényi]], [[John Holloway (musician)|John Holloway]], [[John Potter (musician)|John Potter]] or most recently [[Patricia Kopatchinskaja]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ecmrecords.com/About_ECM/History/index.php |title=ECM Records |publisher=ECM Records |access-date=2015-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150310140806/http://www.ecmrecords.com/About_ECM/History/index.php |archive-date=2015-03-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ecmrecords.com/Catalogue/New_Series/1200/1275.php |title=ECM Records |publisher=ECM Records |access-date=2015-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109014612/https://www.ecmrecords.com/Catalogue/New_Series/1200/1275.php/ |archive-date=2016-01-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ecmrecords.com/Catalogue/New_Series/1100/1129.php |title=ECM Records |publisher=ECM Records |access-date=2015-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221040732/http://ecmrecords.com/Catalogue/New_Series/1100/1129.php |archive-date=2014-12-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ecmrecords.com/Catalogue/New_Series/1100/1168.php |title=ECM Records |publisher=ECM Records |access-date=2015-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221034803/http://ecmrecords.com/Catalogue/New_Series/1100/1168.php |archive-date=2014-12-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ecmrecords.com/Catalogue/New_Series/1200/1215.php |title=ECM Records |publisher=ECM Records |access-date=2015-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141221034713/http://ecmrecords.com/Catalogue/New_Series/1200/1215.php |archive-date=2014-12-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ecmrecords.com/Catalogue/New_Series/2300/2323.php |title=ECM Records |publisher=ECM Records |access-date=2015-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325125928/http://www.ecmrecords.com/Catalogue/New_Series/2300/2323.php |archive-date=2015-03-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On many releases, the orientations towards jazz and classical music of ECM are combined: For example, Garbarek's ''[[Officium (album)|Officium]]'' (1994) features him playing saxophone solos over the [[Hilliard Ensemble]] singing [[Gregorian chant]], early [[polyphony]] and [[Renaissance music|Renaissance]] works. Garbarek's work with guitarist Ralph Towner continued, and has been influenced by 20th century chamber music as much as by jazz-oriented material. [[John Potter (musician)|John Potter]], formerly of the Hilliard Ensemble, recorded works by [[John Dowland]] with jazz saxophonist [[John Surman]] and others, and Surman's ''Proverbs and Songs'' is a suite of choral settings of [[Old Testament]] texts, recorded in [[Salisbury Cathedral]]. The label has also released unique works that fit into no obvious genre at all (like the records of composer Meredith Monk).

In 2002 and 2004, ECM released a series of compilation CDs titled '':rarum''. Twenty of the label's artists were asked to compile a single CD of their work. (Garbarek's and Jarrett's compilations are double CDs.) Artists who contributed to this series are Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, Chick Corea, Gary Burton, Bill Frisell, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Terje Rypdal, Bobo Stenson, Pat Metheny, Dave Holland, Egberto Gismonti, Jack DeJohnette, John Surman, John Abercrombie, Carla Bley, Paul Motian, Tomasz Stańko, Eberhard Weber, Arild Andersen, Jon Christensen.

After working as a writer for ''Melody Maker'' magazine, Steve Lake first joined the ECM-staff in 1978.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jazztimes.com/articles/19205-ecm-records-manfred-eicher-the-free-matrix |title=Jazz Articles: ECM Records Manfred Eicher: The Free Matrix - By JazzTimes Jazz Articles |publisher=Jazztimes.com |access-date=2015-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208092028/http://jazztimes.com/articles/19205-ecm-records-manfred-eicher-the-free-matrix |archive-date=2015-12-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref> While working predominantly for the writing department he now has also produced more than 40 records which are more in the experimental areas of jazz like ones of [[Evan Parker]], [[Roscoe Mitchell]], [[Hal Russell]], [[Robin Williamson]], [[Joe Maneri]] or [[Mat Maneri]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Steve Lake |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/steve-lake-mn0000752071/credits |title=Steve Lake &#124; Credits |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=2015-11-27}}</ref> Furthermore, he published the book ''Horizons Touched: The Music of ECM'' (2007) with music critic/novelist [[Paul Griffiths (writer)|Paul Griffiths]] and made contributions to the books ''Sleeves of Desire: a Cover Story'' (1996), ''Windfall Light: The Visual Language of ECM'' (2010) and ''ECM - A Cultural Archaeology'' (2012).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ecmrecords.com/Background/Background_1500011_Horizons_Touched.php |title=ECM Records |publisher=ECM Records |access-date=2015-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208184527/https://www.ecmrecords.com/Background/Background_1500011_Horizons_Touched.php/ |archive-date=2016-02-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref>