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December, 2007 MusicWeb International Recordings Of The Year 2007 - 18 Lyrita Titles Selected For the full list of selected releases click here. February 24th, 2007 Opening the vinyl treasure chest A full page article on the Lyrita catalogue in the Saturday Telegraph, Review section, by Simon Heffer. To read the full article click here. July 28th, 2006 The Lyrita Release Plan Between August and December 2006 the initial 37 titles listed on this site will be presented to our international distribution network. During this introductory period no new material will be issued. We apologise for the inevitable frustration this will cause to those of you who have been waiting patiently for the Lyrita catalogue to appear on CD for so many years. However, to whet your appetite, and to give you confidence that Lyrita's treasures will appear, here is a selection of the CDs that already exist as finished master tapes, ready to issue - some digital transfers from analogue masters, some original digital recordings.
Also two volumes of Ireland orchestral works, a compilation of Butterworth, Warlock and Howells, two volumes of Moeran orchestral works, two volumes of Lennox Berkeley orchestral works and the Scott Piano Concerti. Whilst this list is neither complete, nor in order of priority, we hope it will serve to indicate the considerable amount of preparatory work that Richard Itter and Wyastone Estate have already done to start the process of restoring the Lyrita catalogue to the marketplace. July 17th, 2006 U.K. classical independent Lyrita returns to the international marketplace One of the most respected independent labels, Lyrita Recorded Edition, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2009, has concluded a comprehensive license deal with Wyastone Estate Limited. The agreement calls for the reintroduction of the entire Lyrita catalogue over the next 18 months. Wyastone will undertake the digitisation of Lyrita’s original analogue masters, most of which have never been available on CD, and anticipates that the catalogue will then exceed 130 titles. There have been few (if any!) independents that have specialised in British music to the extent and with the devotion and flair that Lyrita has. The consistent approach and high standards of its founder, Richard Itter, has produced a remarkable catalogue which includes many world premieres and composer-conducted recordings. His pioneering efforts on behalf of Arnold, Alwyn, Bax, Finzi, Foulds, Holst, Ireland, Rawsthorne, Rubbra and Wordsworth, (to name only the most familiar) set a benchmark for technical quality and musical judgement. In order to satisfy international demand for the label, Wyastone and Lyrita have agreed to introduce simultaneously physical product, which will be widely distributed, available directly and via the Internet, and a downloading facility. CDs and booklets will be made using Wyastone’s short-run manufacturing operation (which already supports several labels including Nimbus, Saydisc and Quartz); the domain name lyrita.co.uk will be reactivated and the Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA) will support the downloading service. Richard Itter says: "I am proud of the Lyrita recordings. I have been privileged to work with the most wonderful orchestras, conductors, soloists and instrumentalists and incredibly dedicated producers and engineers. They all became deeply involved in this marvellous, neglected, forgotten or unknown music and breathed vibrant new life into it. With this new agreement many of you will be able to discover this for yourselves. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do." Antony Smith and Adrian Farmer, Directors of Wyastone Estate Limited, have known and worked closely with the Lyrita catalogue for many years. This new agreement is for them the fulfilment of a long-held ambition to restore a truly magical catalogue to its rightful place.
For more information on any of these stories contact Wyastone Estate Limited |