Telarc, the first label to issue a digital release, has ceased production. The founder, Robert Woods, will leave this month, along with the chief recording engineer, Michael Bishop. Half the workforce has been laid off - that's 26 jobs - and the backlist becomes heritage. More details here. Telarc had first call, as local patriots, on the superb Cleveland Orchestra and the quality of its sound was an audiophile's delight. The label won 40 Grammys over the years and … [Read more...]
The final reckoning
March 2, 2009 By Norman Lebrecht
The sackings have started at Decca. Out of 32 staff at the London headquarters, just six are being retained. That is one to manage the office, one to answer the phone and open the mail, two to look after the royalty accounts and two more to deal with whatever instructions come down from corporate headquarters. One thing is clear: there is nobody left at Decca to make records. Classical artists, including the now-celebrated Tutula Bartley, are being transferred to … [Read more...]
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