Re: [ARSCLIST] Westminster Lab Series

[Roger and Allison Kulp <thorenstd124@xxxxxxxxx>]

Universal Classics Reissues Titles from Historic Westminster Label
     Few labels from the dawn of the LP era are recalled with more admiration and affection than Westminster Records. This June, Universal Classics released the first of many planned reissues from the legendary label, most of which will be available on CD for the first time in the U.S. State-of-the-art sonic transfers guarantee the superb fidelity on these new CDs. More titles will follow in the fall.

Created in 1949 by New York businessman and music lover James Grayson, Mischa Naida, owner of New York's Westminster Record Shop, and conductor Henry Swoboda, Westminster's first releases from April 1950 immediately established the label as a pioneer exploring new corners of the classical repertoire. Though many of Westminster's early records were made in Switzerland, its connection to Vienna made Westminster one of the leading "major minor" labels during the 1950s. From Vienna came Westminster's technical team, including Karl Wolleitner, the principal architect of the label's famous single-microphone "Natural Balance" technique.

Westminster was responsible for bringing many new artists before the record-buying public, most notably distinguished conductor Hermann Scherchen. Scherchen's daughter, Myriam, is deeply involved in preserving her father's legacy and describes his passion for his art: "My father preached music like a priest; he saw in music one of the greater means leading to personal freedom and to human maturity."

With the arrival of Dr. Kurt List in 1951 as Westminster's musical consultant, a team was created that rapidly filled Westminster's catalog with records covering the breadth of the classical repertoire, much of it new to LP. The label grew rapidly, and, with the introduction of stereo recording in 1956, began to build an even more dynamic catalog, boasting recordings by Artur Rodzinsky, Maurice Abravanel, Pierre Monteux, Hans Knappertsbusch, pianist Daniel Barenboim, tenor Jan Peerce, and contralto Maureen Forrester, made in New York, London and in Vienna's famed Mozartsaal.

Westminster was acquired in the early 1960s by ABC Records (which initiated a distinguished series of bel canto opera recordings featuring Beverly Sills), and ceased regular operation in 1965, later coming under the umbrella of MCA. Now, with the MCA/Westminster catalogs owned by Deutsche Grammophon, the stage is set for many spectacular re-releases in the years to come from the classical treasures in the vaults.

"We're excited to make these treasured recordings available again ? both for avid collectors, who fondly remember Westminster's legacy, and for the newcomers who will have their first opportunity to discover these truly classic recordings," commented Chris Roberts, Chairman, Universal Classics Group.

Additional Westminster releases planned for this fall include: Beethoven's Eroica and Pastorale Symphonies with Scherchen and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra; classic recordings of I Puritani and Lucia di Lammermoor with Beverly Sills; and Handel's Messiah and Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique with Pierre Monteux and the London
https://iclassics.com/featureArticle?contentId=259


Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: Yes, I'm not so sure about that Universal owns Westminster. Roger, can you list some CD titles that 
definitely come from old Westminster masters? Thanks!

-- Tom Fine

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Lennick" 
To: 
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 10:08 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Westminster Lab Series


> Richard Rodzinski said that a number of his father's recordings had come out on CD but only in 
> Japan, and not for long.
>
> dl
>
> Roger and Allison Kulp wrote:
>> Universal has it now.It has come out on a bunch of labels,including DG,and Tahra.
>>
>>                                     Roger
>>
>> Tom Fine  wrote: Did any of the Westminster stuff ever make it to 
>> CD? Who owns the masters now? I only have a couple of the LPs, but they are so timidly mastered 
>> that the s/n is not good.
>>
>> -- Tom Fine
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "David Lennick" To: Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 3:24 PM
>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Westminster Lab Series
>>
>>
>>> Aren't we all....
>>>
>>> These may be among the few recordings priced the same on LP or tape (per reviews in High 
>>> Fidelity, 1956). $7.50 for an LP running thirty minutes was pretty hefty at that time.
>>>
>>> dl
>>>
>>> Roger and Allison Kulp wrote:
>>>> I'm a couple shy of a complete set.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>                                                  Roger
>>>>
>>>> David Lennick  wrote: Will wonders never cease? I came across a Westminster Laboratory Series 
>>>> LP today whose packaging was intact, the zipper worked (didn't jam at the bottom), and the disc 
>>>> inside the plastic sleeve was in near mint condition. Usually these things show up destroyed, 
>>>> especially since folks would get fed up with the thick plastic outer container and get rid of 
>>>> it, then find that the "album" was just a foldover with no place to protect the disc. Even the 
>>>> pamphlet was there.  (W-LAB 7011, Petrushka, if anyone cares.)
>>>>
>>>> dl
>>>>
> 


       
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