Happy 30^th Anniversary Chandos!

by Greg Pastic, SRI Canada.

The early 1980’s.

Chandos raises the bar.

I began distributing Chandos Records in Canada when they were actually ‘records’. I mean, of course, 12” vinyl Long Play records! It was 1982 and Chandos was just a few years old. Remarkably, Brian Couzens, along with his young son Ralph, had established the company as a major new UK producer of high-quality classical records in a very short time, and their reputation for excellence in every aspect of music production was spreading quickly throughout the classical music world. This young, creative, independent, upstart company was challenging the major record labels by raising the bar to a new level.

Chandos leads the way!

The first Compact Discs.

It was the spring of 1983, I remember quite vividly, the excitement and anticipation around the office when Chandos announced the release of their very first Digital Compact Disc. None of us had even seen a CD player yet! Once again, the Couzens’ were forging ahead with cutting edge technology, and applying it to the service of great music.

Classical music fans and audiophiles, especially, embraced the Compact Disc in a big way, and it wasn’t long before Chandos CDs were being used in Hi-Fi shops around the world as demonstration discs, slowly replacing the venerable LP record.

Truly International.

Not just ‘Steak and Kidney Pie’.

The extent to which Chandos supports British music and musicians simply cannot be described in a few paragraphs. More than any other UK company, Chandos has brought British composers, musicians, singers, and orchestras to a world-wide audience. The incredible depth of the Chandos catalogue, and the steady stream of new recordings, bears ongoing testimony to their unwavering commitment to British music and culture.

But hang on a minute; they’re not just ‘steak and kidney pie’ either! The Chandos catalogue is a veritable treasure trove of the great composers of the world from the Medieval period to the present day. In the summer of 1989 the launch of the ‘Chaconne’ series established Chandos as a major producer of Early Music performed on period instruments, using historical performance practices.

Chandos 30th Anniversary Collection ‘Milestones’

What a great way to celebrate!

What more difficult task could there be than to pour over hundreds and hundreds of great recordings and be limited to only thirty choices! Where do you start; with personal and staff favourites, audiophile blockbusters, award winners? Or do you draw a big circle on the floor, grab a few hundred, throw them in the air and go with the ones that land outside the circle? Whichever way the Couzens’ decided to make their selections, it must have been excruciating to have been forced to leave out so many other superb recordings. But, I can say for certain that the thirty recordings in the ‘Milestones’ set truly deserve the honour of being included in a collection that celebrates such a glorious history, so far!

The world of classical music has a very bright future as long as we continue to be blessed with people like Brian and Ralph Couzens and the many talented people they have chosen to work with these past thirty years. Even in today’s difficult market that has claimed many casualties in recent years, Chandos continues to forge ahead, steadfast and resolute in their commitment to capture great music for the enjoyment of generations to come.

It has been an honour and a pleasure for me to have been associated with the Couzens’ and the many great people at Chandos, by serving as their Canadian distributor since 1982. Each coming year another ‘Milestone’ will be laid to mark the history, and the future, of one of the world’s greatest classical music companies. May we all be there to celebrate each one with you!

Happy 30^th Anniversary Chandos, from all your Canadian fans!

(And now...let’s open up a copy of ‘Milestones’ and really celebrate!)

With deepest respect and admiration,