Chandos Records

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chandos Records is an independent classical music label based in the United Kingdom, founded by Brian Couzens. Their catalog contains a range of classical music - for example, much orchestral, choral and chamber music by such relatively lesser-known British composers as Herbert Howells, Gerald Finzi, Charles Stanford and Arnold Bax conducted by eminent conductors including Richard Hickox, Gianandrea Noseda, Neeme Jarvi and Vernon Handley. They also specialise in early music, with their label Chaconne, with performances by artists such as the Purcell Quartet, Collegium Musicum 90 and Sophie Yates. Chandos is also known for its Movies series, preserving previously lost film scores from the Golden era. In 1990 they launched the Opera in English label, in association with Peter Moores Foundation which seeks to make opera available to a wider audience by presenting the opera in English. A stellar field of soloists and conductors have recorded for the label including Sir Charles Mackerras, Rebecca Evans, Sir Thomas Allen, Alan Opie, Bruce Ford, Christine Brewer, Lesley Garrett and Simon Keenlyside.

In 2005, Chandos Records was the first classical label to offer mp3s on its website. They now run The Classical Shop with over 45 labels on offer, including Naxos, LSO Live, Coro, Avie, Onyx and many rarer European labels, which are not available in physical format in the UK. The service has been designed for the classical user, and as such is very easy to use.

The current managing director of Chandos Records is Ralph Couzens, son of Brian Couzens.

Contents

[edit] Repertoire

includes:

Complete symphonies of Alwyn, Vaughan Williams, Mahler, Arnold, Shostakovich, Bax

Tone Poems of Liszt

Film Music series includes: Shostakovich, Vaughan Willams, Bax, Korngold, Coates, Addinsell, Addison


[edit] Award Winners:

Recordings released by Chandos have won many awards including Gramophone Record of the Year for Vaughan Williams' A London Symphony with LSO, Gramophone Choral Recording of the Year for Hummel Masses, and many many more. In 2008 they received 2 Grammys for Best Opera Recording and for Best Engineered Classical Album in 2008.


[edit] Artists

They have an exclusive recording partnership with the BBC Philharmonic orchestra, conductor Richard Hickox (many times Gramophone winner with Chandos recordings) and pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet.


[edit] See also

[edit] External links