IS THIS WHAT YOU'VE BEEN MISSING?

A Fanfare for the New Fanfare

By Joel Flegler, publisher

The first issue of Fanfare was printed and published in 1977, and it looked like it had come from someone’s garage. The second issue was done by a professional printer, and when I saw it for the first time, it was the biggest thrill I’ve ever had when seeing a new issue. Until, perhaps, the September/October issue.

For almost 50 years Fanfare was a hybrid: half magazine, half book. Its digest size had reviews and interviews across every page without any divisions, and most of the paper used in every issue except for the last one was non-coated. No more. Starting with the September/October issue, the size has been upgraded from 6” x 9” to 8” x 11”, which are the standard specs for most magazines regardless of their content, and every page has been printed on coated (aka gloss) paper. All the texts are divided into three columns, the standard layout for almost all magazines. Not only is the magazine more readable, but it’s also more attractive to advertisers, especially with ad rates not increasing in the near future. The content of the September/October issue is identical to what would have been published had it been printed in a digest-size format, including a record number of more than 20 interviews and a memorable group of “Music Matters” articles, including several devoted to the decline of pop music.

For a long time many labels have perceived Fanfare as “the little engine that couldn’t.” In addition to its smaller layout, it couldn’t compete against Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine with their higher circulations. Although Fanfare might never have as large a circulation as these other magazines, it should be noted that our readers probably buy more new classical releases per capita than any other publication, and it won’t hurt that the format of each issue now enters the mainstream.

Welcome to the “new” Fanfare!