Gimell Records

The label was named after the technique “gymel”, a corruption of the Latin word “gimellus”, meaning a twin, which was found in Tudor manuscripts where a part is twinned with another part. Phillips explained, "You have to understand that in those days the music wasn't written in score; it was written in parts, so you'd only see your part. If you were singing your part and you saw the word ‘gimell’ it had to be decided in rehearsal that some of you singing that part would have to look elsewhere on the page, or even pick up another book and find your part."{{cite web|url=http://www.musicweb-international.com/SandH/2010/Jan-Jun10/gimell_interview2.htm |title=The Tallis Scholars' and Gimell Records' 30th Anniversary: Peter Phillips and Steve Smith in conversation with John Quinn (JQ) |website=Musicweb-international.com |date=1980-03-23 |access-date=2016-02-05}}

Steve Smith, a music and sound recording student on the Tonmeister course at the University of Surrey, met Peter Phillips, a student at St John's College, Oxford, when Smith recorded The Tallis Scholars as part of a student project at the Chapel of Merton College, Oxford in 1976.{{cite book |date=2017 |last=Insert |first=insert |title=Know-It-All Classical Music:The 50 most significant genres, composers and forms |publisher=Wellfleet Press |location= New York, USA |page=43 |ISBN= 9781577151500}} After graduation, and unable to find a suitable recording contract for a Tallis Scholars' album – Phillips had unsuccessfully approached Deutsche Grammophon, Philips and EMI{{cite news |date=1999-10-20 |work=Calgary Herald |author=Eric Dawson |title=Renaissance music is reborn |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/484804045/?match=1&terms=%22gimell%20records%22 |page=74 |location=Calgary, Canada }} – Phillips and Smith set up their own company, Gimell Records.{{cite news |date=2002-10-08 |work=Aberdeen Evening Press |author=Roddy Phillips |title=Byrdsong |url= https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000445/19901130/125/0006 |page=6 |location=Aberdeen, UK }}{{cite news |date=1996-03-18 |work=The Jerusalem Post |author=Michael Ajzenstadt |title=Making Renaissance all the rage |url= https://archive.org/details/TheJerusalemPost1996IsraelEnglish/Mar%2018%201996%2C%20The%20Jerusalem%20Post%2C%20%2319228%2C%20Israel%20%28en%29/page/n3/mode/2up?q=%22gimell+records%22 |page=5 |location=Jerusalem, Israel }} Of this Phillips said, "Not only were the big labels not interested in us – which I can understand because we were very new at the time – but also it was clear that they had no interest in the repertory that we wanted to do."{{cite news |date=1992-03-04 |work=Los Angeles Times |author=Susan Reiter |title=Devotee of Sacred Renaissance Choral Music |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/177279393/?match=1&terms=%22gimell%20records%22 |page=310 |location=California, USA }} The choir's first LP was recorded at Merton College in March 1980.{{cite web |url=https://www.classicfm.com/music-news/latest-news/gimell-records-celebrates-30th-anniversary/ |title=Gimell Records celebrates 30th anniversary

|author= |website= classicfm.com |access-date=2024-06-21}} They would continue to record there until 1987, returning in 2005.{{cite magazine |date=April 2010 |author=Peter Phillips |title=Diary |magazine=Gramophone |location=London, UK |publisher=Mark Allen Group |page=21}}

In mid-1996, Philips Classics, part of Polygram Classics, acquired a majority share of Gimell Records.{{cite news |date=1996-07-07 |work=The Atlanta Constitution |author=Heidi Waleson |title=Renaissance Rebirth |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/403268751/?match=1&terms=%22gimell%20records%22 |page=L5 |location=Atlanta, USA }} This was just before Philips Classics was "subsequently swallowed up by industry giant, Universal".{{cite magazine |date=Spring 2000 |author= |title=Recording News |magazine=The Musical Times |location=insert |edition=Vol. 141 No. 1870 |publisher=The Musical Times Publications Ltd |page=4}} Tallis Scholars' recordings were temporarily removed from the catalogue, but Phillips and Smith regained control and re-established Gimell in 2000.{{cite news |date=2000-06-23 |work=The Gazette |author= |title=Classical music briefs |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/425401858/?match=1&terms=%22gimell%20records%22 |page=52 |location=Montreal, Canada }} Its first new issue after this hiatus was in 2000, Missa si bona suscepimus by Cristóbal de Morales.{{cite book |date=2004 |last=MacTaggart |first=Garaud |title=The Omnibus Essential Guide to Classical CDs |publisher=Schirmer Trade Books |location=New York, USA |page=615 |ISBN= 0825673070}}

Gimell's founding coincided with the rise of the compact disc{{cite news |date=2002-10-08 |work=Aberdeen Evening Press |author=Roddy Phillips |title=Byrdsong |url= https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000445/19901130/125/0006 |page=6 |location=Aberdeen, UK }} and Phillips and Smith "recognised early on how the clarity of the digital sound could benefit Renaissance choral music."{{cite news |date=1994-02-06 |work=Chicago Tribune |author=John von Rhein |title=Better early than never |url= https://www.newspapers.com/image/241536157/?match=1&terms=%22gimell%20records%22 |page=10 |location=Chicago, USA }} In 1984 Gimell was the first label to place a commercial order with a British CD manufacturer.{{cite web |url=https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/olw.asp?ol=4 |title=Gimell |author= |website= hyperion-records.co.uk |access-date=2024-06-21}}

Gimell re-launched its website in 2007. It was only the second website globally to sell high resolution downloads. The following year the site was the first to sell FLAC surround sound downloads.{{cite web |url=https://slippedisc.com/2017/03/early-music-label-shuts-down-its-website/ |title=Early music label shuts down its website |author=Norman Lebrecht |website= slippedisc.com |date= 2017-03-15 |access-date=2024-06-21}} In 2017 Gimell announced it would stop selling CDs and downloads from its website, which resulted in an immediate spike in sales, exceeding sales for the entire previous year.{{cite web |url=https://www.gramophone.co.uk/blogs/article/the-tallis-scholars-embrace-the-sonic-beauty-of-pure-audio-blu-ray |title=The Tallis Scholars embrace the sonic beauty of Pure Audio Blu-Ray |author=Andrew Everard |website= gramophone.co.uk |date= 2013-11-19 |access-date=2024-06-21}}

In 2013 the group's 2007 recording of Allegri's Miserere was one of the first albums to be released on Pure Audio Blu-Ray. In 2022 Smith re-mastered the same recording with Spatial audio for Dolby Atmos.{{cite web |url=https://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/article/the-tallis-scholars-go-surround |title=A classic album is remastered with Dolby Atmos for Spatial Audio |author= |website= gramophone.co.uk |date= 2022-03-02 |access-date=2024-06-21}}

In 2012 E. L. James published her best-selling novel Fifty Shades of Grey which referenced Thomas Tallis's 40-part motet Spem in alium.{{cite web |url=https://www.classicstoday.com/50-shades-of-tallis/ |title=50 Shades of Tallis |author=David Vernier |website= classicstoday.com |access-date=2024-06-21}} As a direct result, sales of Gimell's 1985 album Spem in Alium "outsold even the tenor Luciano Pavarotti", putting it at number one in the British UK Classical Charts.{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/jul/16/fifty-shades-of-grey-tallis |title=Fifty Shades of Grey sends sales of Thomas Tallis's Spem in Alium soaring |author=Charlotte Higgins |website= theguardian.com |date= 2012-07-16 |access-date=2024-06-21}} The subsequent release of Fifty Shades of Grey: The Classical Album by EMI later in the year saw Gimell at the top of the charts once more.{{cite web |url=https://www.classicfm.com/artists/tallis-scholars/news/fifty-shades-keeps-tallis-scholars-classical-chart/ |title=Fifty Shades keeps Tallis Scholars in Classical charts |author= |website= classicfm.com |date= 2012-10-09 |access-date=2024-06-21}} James was quoted as saying "I am delighted to have introduced so many of my readers to this amazing 16th century piece of music... the recording from the Tallis Scholars is particularly special.”{{cite web |url=https://www.classicfm.com/artists/tallis-scholars/news/tallis-scholars-top-after-50-shades-grey-effect/ |title=Tallis Scholars on top after 50 Shades of Grey effect |author= |website= classicfm.com |date= 2012-07-16 |access-date=2024-06-21}}

{{Awards table}}

|-

| 1987

| Recording of the Year for Josquin's Missa Pange lingua and Missa La sol fa re mi

| Gramophone Awards{{cite web |url= https://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/article/gramophone-publishes-free-digital-magazine-celebrating-the-tallis-scholars-at-50 |title=Gramophone publishes a free digital magazine celebrating The Tallis Scholars at 50 |author=James Jolly |website= gramophone.co.uk |date=2023-11-21 |access-date=2024-06-21}}

| {{won}}

|-

| rowspan="2"|1989

| Diapason d'Or de l'Année for Lassus's Missa Osculetur me

| rowspan="2"|Diapason d'Or

| {{won}}

|-

| Diapason d'Or de l'Année for Josquin's L'homme armé masses

| {{won}}

|-

| 1991

| Early Music Award for Palestrina's Missa Assumpta est Maria and Missa Sicut lilium

| rowspan="3"|Gramophone Awards

| {{won}}

|-

| rowspan="2"|1994

| Early Music Award for Rore's Missa Praeter rerum seriem

| {{won}}

|-

| Classic FM People's Choice Award for Rore's Missa Praeter rerum seriem

| {{won}}

|-

| 2001

| Best Small Ensemble Performance for Morales's Missa Si bona suscepimus

| Grammy Awards

| {{nom}}

|-

| 2005

| Early Music Award for music from the Eton Choirbook by John Browne

| Gramophone Awards

| {{won}}

|-

| 2009

| Best Small Ensemble Performance for Josquin's Missa Malheur me bat and Missa Fortuna desperata

| rowspan="2"|Grammy Awards

| {{nom}}

|-

| 2010

| Best Small Ensemble Performance for Victoria's Lamentations of Jeremiah

| {{nom}}

|-

| 2012

| Diapason d'Or de l'Année for Josquin's Missa De beata virgine and Missa Ave maris stella

| Diapason d'Or

| {{won}}

|-

| rowspan="2"|2021

| Record of the Year for Josquin's Missa Hercules Dux Ferrarie, Missa D'ung aultre amer, and Missa Faysant regretz

| BBC Music Magazine

| {{won}}

|-

| Early Music Award for Josquin's Missa Hercules Dux Ferrarie, Missa D'ung aultre amer, and Missa Faysant regretz

| Gramophone Classical Music Awards{{cite web |url=https://www.gramophone.co.uk/awards/gramophone-classical-music-awards-2021/early-music |title=Josquin masses |author= |website= gramophone.co.uk |access-date=2024-06-21}}

| {{won}}

|}

• Live in Rome: Celebrating Palestrina's 400th Anniversary – DVD (1994)
• Playing Elizabeth's Tune: The Tallis Scholars Sings William Byrd – DVD and SACD in conjunction with BBC (2004)
• Francisco Guerrero: Missa Surge propera – SACD (2006)
• Allegri's Miserere and Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli – Blu-ray (2014)

In 1999, during the brief period when it was a part of Philips Classics, Gimell produced Acantus' Sacred Songs of Medieval Italy and Anúna's Deep Dead Blue.{{cite magazine |date=Summer 2000 |author= |title=News |magazine=The Musical Times |location=London, UK |edition=Vol. 141 No. 1871 |publisher=Musical Times Publications Ltd |page=4}}

{{Reflist}}

Category: Record labels established in 1981

Category: Independent record labels

Category: British independent record labels

Category: Early music record labels

Category: Classical music record labels

Category:The Tallis Scholars