Chandos Records

• Name — Chandos Records • Founded — 1979 • Founder — Brian Couzens • Genre — Classical • Country — United Kingdom • Location — Colchester • Url — http: www.chandos.net

Chandos Records arose from a band music publisher Chandos Music, founded in 1963, and Chandos Productions, a record production company which produced LPs for Classics for Pleasure, and, especially, RCA's work in the UK. Its first record was Bloch's Sacred Service (ABR1001). Important early recordings were made with Mariss Jansons, Nigel Kennedy and the King's Singers – before they moved to bigger contracts with EMI. 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, Alpha and many rarer European labels, which are not available in physical format in the UK. The name "Chandos" refers to James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos (1674–1744), at whose Palladian-style house, Cannons, the composer Handel was engaged as a composer-in-residence for a year (1717–1718). In addition to the eleven Chandos Anthems, Handel also wrote other works, including Acis and Galatea, at Cannons. The company originally had its office in Chandos House, Chandos Place, London SW1, the street name derived from the Duke.

Soloists and conductors who have recorded for the label include Sir Charles Mackerras, Rebecca Evans, Jennifer Larmore, Julian Lloyd Webber, Sir Thomas Allen, Alan Opie, Tasmin Little, Bruce Ford, Barry Banks, Christine Brewer, Lesley Garrett, Horacio Gutiérrez, Neeme Järvi, Simon Keenlyside, Hideko Udagawa, Alexandre Naoumenko and Safri Duo. They have recording partnerships with, among others, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and pianists Jean-Efflam Bavouzet and Louis Lortie. The late conductor Richard Hickox was many times a Gramophone winner with Chandos recordings.