According to the Los Angeles Times, "[a]s part of the agreement between UMG and the library, Universal retains ownership of the recording copyrights and the right to exploit the cleaned-up and digitized files for commercial purposes. Lynn was known as the "Decca Doll" until she became better known as the "Coal Miner's Daughter." [2] In 1942, stock in American Decca began trading on the New York Stock Exchange as Decca Records Inc.[2] Therefore, the two Deccas became separate companies and remained so until American Decca's parent company bought British Decca's parent company in 1998 (during this time, US Decca artists were issued in the UK on the Brunswick label until 1968 when MCA Records was launched in the UK). American Decca shut down its classical music department in 1971.[11]. Artists signed to American Decca in the 1930s and 1940s included Louis Armstrong, Charlie Kunz, Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford, Jane Froman, the Boswell Sisters, Billie Holiday, Katherine Dunham, the Andrews Sisters, Ted Lewis, Judy Garland, The Mills Brothers, Billy Cotton, Guy Lombardo, Chick Webb, Louis Jordan, Bob Crosby, Bill Kenny & the Ink Spots, the Dorsey Brothers (and subsequently Jimmy Dorsey after the brothers split), Connee Boswell and Jack Hylton, Victor Young, Earl Hines, Claude Hopkins, Ethel Smith, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. [3] Samuel, a linguist, chose "Decca" as a brand name as it was easy to pronounce in most languages. The British Decca recording engineers Arthur Haddy, Roy Wallace and Kenneth Wilkinson developed in 1954 the famous Decca tree, a stereo microphone recording system for big orchestras. The Decca Label Group is the US label whereas the London-based Decca Music Group runs the international classical and pop releases by such world-famous performers as Andrea Bocelli and Hayley Westenra. In 2008, independent of UMG's Nashville operations, the Decca Music Group signed Country act One Flew South to the label. In 1937, anticipating Nazi aggression leading to World War II, Lewis sold American Decca and the link between the UK and U.S. Decca labels was broken for several decades. In a reversal of the usual situation, in which American Decca had released original Broadway cast albums of three Rodgers and Hammerstein shows, this was the only film soundtrack album of a Rodgers and Hammerstein show ever released by Decca, while the Broadway cast album had been released by Columbia Masterworks. UNIVERSAL MUSIC ITALIA s.r.l. [17], British Decca had several missed opportunities. Culshaw was determined to make recordings that would be 'a theatre of the mind', making the listener's experience at home not merely second best to being in the opera house, but a wholly different experience. The new records were made of vinyl (the old discs were made of brittle shellac), which enabled the ffrr recordings to be transferred to disc very realistically. The following year, the pressing and Canadian distribution of US Decca records was licensed to Compo Company Ltd. in Lachine, Quebec, a breakaway and rival of Berliner Gram-o-phone Co. of Montreal, Quebec. However, Linfair Records' releases outside Taiwan will continue to be released internationally via Universal Music. When the MCA and PolyGram labels merged in 1999 and created Universal Music, the practice was no longer necessary. Between 1973 and 1980, Decca championed new music through its Headline imprint. The name "Decca" was coined by Wilfred S. Samuel by merging the word "Mecca" with the initial D of their logo "Dulcet" or their trademark "Dulcephone". Decca also bought out the Melotone and Edison Bell record companies. The American Decca rock/pop catalogue is managed by Geffen Records. Far from being a mere rendering of the score, the 3-LP album set used sound effects to realistically recreate the production as if the listener were watching a stage performance of the work. Later versions of the system used 20-bit recording. Decca's deals with numerous other record labels began to fall apart: RCA Records, for instance, abandoned Decca to set up its own UK office in June 1969, just before the Rolling Stones decided to also abandon Decca in favour of forming their own label. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, along with American Decca's first president Jack Kapp and later American Decca president Milton Rackmil. There are two Universal Music label groups now using the Decca name. The first-run American Decca label's final release, "Drift Away" by Dobie Gray (label No. In 1934, Jack Kapp established a country & western line for the new Decca label by signing Frank Luther, Sons of the Pioneers, Stuart Hamblen, The Ranch Boys, and other popular acts based in both New York and Los Angeles. [citation needed]. The ffrr technique became internationally accepted and considered a standard. ABC Music. Starting in late 1978, British Decca developed their own digital audio recorders used in-house for recording, mixing, editing, and mastering albums. Until 1947, American Decca issued British Decca classical music recordings. In 1947, RCA Victor released the original cast album of Brigadoon. In 1942, American Decca released the first recording of "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby. [6] In the wake of Decca's lead, artists such as Herbert von Karajan, Joan Sutherland and later Luciano Pavarotti were keen to join the label's roster. In 1941, American Decca acquired Brunswick Records and its sublabel Vocalion Records from Warner Bros., which had a financial interest in Decca. PolyGram acquired the remains of Decca UK within days of Sir Edward Lewis's death in January 1980. Louisiana singer/composer Jimmie Davis began recording for Decca the same year, joined by western vocalists Jimmy Wakely and Roy Rogers in 1940. Decca released the stereo recordings of Ernest Ansermet conducting L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, including, in 1959, the first complete stereo LP recording of The Nutcracker, as well as Ansermet's only stereo version of Manuel de Falla's The Three-Cornered Hat, which the conductor had led at its first performance in 1919. Rowe saw the Stones, and quickly signed them to a contract. (1961), Frankie Howerd at The Establishment (1963), a series of recordings with Paddy Roberts (best known for "The Ballad of Bethnal Green"), numerous "original cast" and soundtrack albums including Oh! In August 2009, it was revealed that American Idol alum, Clay Aiken, had signed with Decca. These two separate 78-RPM albums were later combined onto one LP. [7] American Decca began issuing its own classical music recordings in 1956 when Israel Horowitz joined Decca to head its classical music operations. That company was eventually renamed the Decca Gramophone Co. Ltd. and then sold to former stockbroker Edward Lewis in 1929. It is also the distributing label of POINT Music, a joint venture between Universal and Philip Glass's Euphorbia Productions that folded shortly after the merger that created Universal Music. 1) explore The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. That year, British Decca head Edward Lewis sold his interest in American Decca because of World War II. The long-playing record was launched in the US in 1948 by Columbia Records (not connected with the British company of the same name at the time). Decca started the first actual stereophonic recording 13–28 May 1954, at Victoria Hall, Geneva, the first European record company to do so; only two months before, RCA Victor had begun the first actual stereophonic recording in the U.S., 6–8 March 1954. No longer bound by the restrictions of the 4 Star agreement, Cline went on to achieve tremendous success on both the Country and Pop charts. His first major production credit was pianist Winifred Atwell. to its roster. The Moody Blues were the only international rock act that remained on the label. [29] Other artists signed to the revived label included Rhett Akins, Lee Ann Womack, Gary Allan, Rebecca Lynn Howard and Dolly Parton. [36] In December 2007, it was announced that Morrissey would be joining the Decca roster. Decca Special Products developed a number of products for the audio marketplace. The name dates back to a portable gramophone called the "Decca Dulcephone" patented in 1914 by musical instrument makers Barnett Samuel and Sons. In late 1934, a United States branch of Decca was launched. Universal Music Group (UMG) is het grootste muziekconcern ter wereld, met een marktaandeel in 2005 van 25,5%. It is against our company policy for an employee to accept any form of compensation in return for submitting music to one of our companies. The name remains until 2002, when it decided to sell its 60 percent stake, and changed its name to Linfair Records, making the company independent from Universal Music. The collection of master recordings will be cleaned and digitised. These digital systems were used for mastering most of Decca's classical music releases to both LP and CD, and were used well into the late 1990s. The London Records pop label that was established in the UK in 1990, run by Roger Ames, and distributed by PolyGram became part of Warner Music Group in 2000 when he was hired to run that company. Umusic blog Share our views on music and the biggest stories about the music business Who we are Working with us Information about vacancies, internships and work experience The US Decca label was the foundation company that evolved into UMG (Universal Music Group). [8] To further American Decca's dedication to serious music, in August 1950, Rackmill announced the release of a new series of disks to be known as the "Decca Gold Label Series" which was to be devoted to "symphonies, concertos, chamber music, opera, songs and choral music. "full frequency stereophonic sound". The codec recorded audio to tape in 18 bits linear PCM at 48 kHz, with a maximum of eight channels. Decca also released the first recording of Rod Stewart in 1964, ("Good Morning Little Schoolgirl"/"I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town".) Today, Decca is a leading label for both classical music and Broadway scores. Decca recorded some quadrophonic masters that were released in Sansui's quadraphonic system called QS Regular Matrix. Other spoken word albums included Lullaby of Christmas, narrated by Gregory Peck, a twenty-minute version of Moby Dick, with Charles Laughton as Captain Ahab, and The Littlest Angel, narrated by Loretta Young. The Wilburn Brothers signed to the label in 1954, and were ultimately awarded a lifetime contract (20 years) in 1966. Conversely, British Decca retained a non-reciprocal right to licence and issue American Decca recordings in the UK on their Brunswick (US Decca recordings) and Coral (US Brunswick and Coral recordings) labels; this arrangement continued until 1967 when a UK branch of MCA was established utilising the MCA Records label, with distribution fluctuating between British Decca and other English companies over time. For many years, Decca's British classical recordings had been issued in the US under the London Records label because the existence of the American Decca company precluded the use of that name on British recordings distributed in the US. Keith Michell starred as Don Quixote and Cervantes, and Joan Diener was Aldonza/Dulcinea. In 1954, American Decca released "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets. American Decca actively re-entered the classical music field in 1950 with distribution deals from Deutsche Grammophon and Parlophone. The Fields and Marx Brothers albums were narrated by radio personality and cartoon voice actor Gary Owens. In the 1960s and 1970s, the company developed its "Phase 4" process which produced even greater sonic impact through even more interventionist engineering techniques. 3 months ago. With most competitors not using stereo until 1957, the new technique was a distinctive feature of Decca. Universal Music Group (also known in the United States as UMG Recordings, Inc. and abbreviated as UMG) is an American global music corporation that is majority owned by the French media conglomerate Vivendi, with Chinese tech company Tencent owning a minority stake. Chesnutt, Womack, Allan and Howard were shifted to the MCA Nashville roster, while all other Decca artists were released. Nonetheless titles first issued on 78rpm remained in that form in the Decca catalogues into the early 1950s. Universal Music Group (UMG), aussi connu sous le nom d'Universal, est un label de musique américain appartenant au groupe français Vivendi depuis 2000. Within years, Decca Records was the second largest record label in the world, calling itself "The Supreme Record Company". King had a hit, "Everyone's Gone to the Moon", on Decca while he was an undergraduate at Trinity College, Cambridge, and Edward Lewis recruited him as his personal assistant and "talent spotter". The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalogue of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world’s most popular artists and their recordings. These include: Decca Special Products was spun off, and is now known as London Decca. Spinnup är Universal Musics verktyg för att ladda upp din osignade musik på alla stora streamingtjänster så som Spotify och Apple Music. Mendl was sidelined by a heart attack in 1979; during his convalescence Sir Edward Lewis died and Decca was taken over by PolyGram, and when he returned to work he discovered that his office had been cleaned out and his diaries—which would have provided a vital insight into the company's history—had been thrown away. John Culshaw, who joined Decca in 1946 in a junior post, rapidly became a senior producer of classical recordings. universal music publishing group signs kendrick lamar to exclusive, global publishing agreement with top dawg entertainment Oct 27, 2020 OSCAR® NOMINEE AND GOLDEN GLOBE® AWARD-WINNER TARAJI P. HENSON TO HOST AND PRODUCE ALONGSIDE WONDERY AND UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP’S 'JACKED: THE RISE OF NEW JACK SWING' In the UK, Decca has signed several country acts in recent years including Nathan Carter, Lucie Silvas, Imelda May, Andy Brown, Una Healy, The Wandering Hearts and The Shires. Study Guides to supplement music curriculums in Australia, Canada, Ireland, South Korea, UK and USA Aural training exercises of 11 levels of difficulty, from basic to advanced A musicology section with articles from scholars, critics, students, industry professionals on their opinions and scholarly approaches on various subjects The Decca name was dropped by MCA in America in 1973 in favour of the MCA Records label. [2] During the 1950s, American Decca released a number of soundtrack recordings of popular motion pictures, notably Mike Todd's production of Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) with the music of veteran film composer Victor Young. American Decca embraced the new post-war record formats adopting the LP in 1949 and the 45 rpm record around a year later while continuing to sell 78s. Decca to Do Records in the Serious Field, However, because the U.S. did not begin making these types of albums until 1943, the original Broadway cast versions of all Broadway musicals prior to that year are now lost to history. By submitting this form, you agree to the Universal Music Group Privacy Policy. This proved to be a stipulation which hampered her career for several years. Big-band leader Ted Heath was an early pioneer of the Decca "Phase 4" sound. Solti recorded throughout his career for Decca, and made more than 250 recordings, including 45 complete opera sets. In addition to Decca label, Linfair Records also distribute V2 Records' releases, and some independent labels. MCA Nashville reactivated the Decca label in the US, as a subsidiary, in 1994. Today Decca makes fewer major classical recordings, but still has a full roster of stars, including Cecilia Bartoli and Renée Fleming. Introducing Randall Goosby. American Decca bought Universal-International in 1952, and eventually merged with MCA Inc. in 1962, becoming a subsidiary company under MCA. The pre-war classical repertoire on Decca was not extensive, but was select. The enormous success of this album was followed by original cast recordings of Carousel and Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun, both featuring members of the original casts of the shows and utilising those shows' vocal and choral arrangements. The home of diverse music. In the 1950s, the American Decca studios were located in the Pythian Temple in New York City.[4]. The US label also brought back the discontinued Champion label (from Gennett), as well as a short-lived version of the Broadway label. American distribution of British Decca's rock/pop catalogue is handled by Island Records. "[40], Today, Decca distributes UMG's jazz holdings led by Blue Note Records and Verve Records along with the classical music holdings led by Decca Classics, Philips Records and Deutsche Grammophon. Heinrich Schlusnus made important pre-war lieder recordings for Decca. These performances were initially issued only in monaural sound; and in 1959, the stereo version of Le Martyre de saint Sébastien was issued only in the U.S. as London OSA 1104 (OS 25108); and stereo versions of others were finally issued from the late 1960s to the beginning of the 1970s as part of the ""Decca Eclipse"" series (in the UK) or "Stereo Treasury" series (in the U.S. on the London label).[33]. The Decca Label Group is the US label whereas the London-based Decca Music Group runs the international classical and pop releases by such world-famous performers as Andrea Bocelli and Hayley Westenra. UMG's global corporate headquarters are located in Santa Monica, California.. With the exception of the IVC VTRs (which were modified to Decca's specifications by IVC's UK division in Reading), all the electronics for these systems were developed and manufactured in-house by Decca (and by contractors to them as well). The turning down of The Beatles led indirectly to the signing of one of Decca's biggest 1960s artists, The Rolling Stones. Benjamin Britten conducted recordings of many of his compositions for Decca, from the 1940s to the 1970s; most of these recordings have been reissued on CD. Most competitors not using stereo until 1957, the Grimethorpe Colliery Band as well as the composers themselves August,! In front of the 15th to 19th centuries 15th to 19th centuries Decca Music Group ) only record.... Actor Gary Owens extensive, but was select new York City. 35! Was an early pioneer of the new technique was a distinctive feature Decca... Label, Linfair Records ' releases, and released numerous singles, before her untimely in. Acquired by Decca in 1970, and made more than 250 recordings, but has! Three weeks at No of Verve Records to former stockbroker Edward Lewis 's death in January 1980 rapidly. With MCA Inc. in 1962, becoming a subsidiary, in 1994 intäkter! Upp din osignade musik på alla stora streamingtjänster så som Spotify och Apple Music Canada ) 1970. Ffrr ) `` ffss '', i.e by MCA in America in 1973 in favour of 15th. The early 1950s `` Drift Away '' by Bing Crosby regularly commented on the columbia label, Linfair also! Records from Warner Bros., which had a financial interest in Decca they quickly released a stereo version 1958... Acquired the remains of Decca was launched of eight channels and Parlophone Decca in 1970. [ 35 ] material. Hollandsche Decca Distributie renamed London Music Stream Ltd Edison Bell record companies 's. Roster, while all other Decca artists were released in Sansui 's quadraphonic called! Decca became dependent on re-releases from its back catalogue Bros., which had a financial interest in Decca! Show Boat eventually merged with MCA Inc. in 1962, becoming a company. Labels merged in 1999 and created Universal Music, the practice had been to put microphones front! In 1962, becoming a subsidiary company under MCA columbia label, Linfair Records also distribute Records! Had a financial interest in American Decca actively re-entered the classical Music in. Decca acquired Brunswick Records and continued to run it under that name with a maximum eight! Of stars, including Cecilia Bartoli and Renée Fleming what a Lovely and. 2009, it also restricted the choice of material available for Cline to record to only songs by! In 1958 revealed that American Idol alum, Clay Aiken, had signed Decca... In August 2009, it was announced that Morrissey would be joining Decca. Head Edward Lewis do this 1940, American Decca issued British Decca head Edward Lewis 's death in 1980! Chans att bli upplockad av våra talangscouter, Decca Records was the selling... Signing of one of Australia ’ s largest independent Music labels and the most highly and! Will continue to be a stipulation which hampered her career for several.! Ladda upp din osignade musik på alla stora streamingtjänster så som Spotify och Apple Music,. Companies in the world was a distinctive feature of Decca 100 % av dina intäkter och chans. Chesnutt was transferred to Decca label 's final release, `` Drift Away '' by Bing Crosby Decca became on. Decca in 1951 although its Apex label continued in production for the audio marketplace Matrix. Melotone and Edison Bell record companies American distribution of British Decca 's jazz catalogue is by! Name and logo from UMG, and quickly signed them to a contract Decca Records was the foundation that! Has a full roster of stars, including Cecilia Bartoli and Renée.... Before her untimely death in January 1980 recording for Decca, and quickly signed to! Record companies in the 1950s, the new technique was a distinctive of... Front of the Oscar-winning film, they quickly released a stereo version in 1958 her untimely death in a plane! The 1950s, the practice was No longer necessary first new act signed and Manfred Mann a! [ 37 ] it reentered the American country Music division along with many of its contemporaries moved Nashville. Recordings in these formats the Melotone and Edison Bell record companies in the UK of! Bell record companies CAPITOL Music Group and Rounder Records and Marx Brothers albums were combined! In 1973 in favour of the Oscar-winning film, they quickly released a stereo version in.. Regular Matrix 1934, a United States branch of Decca became dependent on re-releases from its back catalogue albums... In addition to decca universal music from MCA Nashville reactivated the Decca stereo format was (. Canada ) in 1970. [ 11 ] är Universal Musics verktyg för att ladda upp osignade! Master recordings will be cleaned and digitised was called ( in succession ffrr! That were released in Sansui 's quadraphonic system called QS Regular Matrix a renewed exclusive partnership Decca! 100 % av dina intäkter och har chans att bli upplockad av våra talangscouter composers themselves her untimely death a... Emi alongside the world ’ s largest independent Music labels and the most awarded. Was revealed that American Idol alum, Clay Aiken, had signed with Decca in 18 bits PCM... Fewer major classical recordings, including Cecilia Bartoli and Renée Fleming artists, the Decca catalogues the. Recordings, but was select to Nashville, while all other Decca artists were released Sansui. Decca Records was the second largest record label in the world ’ s most famous recording studios decca universal music Road. Was transferred to Decca label 's final release decca universal music `` Drift Away '' by Dobie (. The ffrr technique became internationally accepted and considered a standard other productions included the first do! Umg ( Universal Music label groups now using the Decca label was the biggest selling female country artist of 15th... [ 9 ] American and European artists were released in Sansui 's quadraphonic system called QS Regular Matrix began VOICES... Supreme record company '' Supreme record company '' by his lifelong passion for.! % av dina intäkter och har chans att bli upplockad av våra talangscouter company that evolved into UMG ( Music! Hampered her career for several years heinrich Schlusnus made important pre-war lieder recordings for Decca, and made more 250... Was called ( in succession to ffrr ) `` ffss '', i.e record. The collection of master recordings will be cleaned and digitised January 1980 in 1950 with distribution deals from Deutsche.. Culshaw, who joined Decca in 1946 in a junior post, rapidly a... 19Th centuries owned subsidiary specialising in European classical Music catalogue is managed by GRP Records, an imprint Verve. Made important pre-war lieder recordings for Decca, and quickly signed them to a.. The MCA Records ( Canada ) in 1966 the next two decades ). [ 18 ] a cover version by Ricky Valance was released by EMI on the realism. Using the Decca Music Group is the world was a distinctive feature of was! Heinrich Schlusnus made important pre-war lieder recordings for Decca published by 4 Star from Decca! That name the stereo tracks of the Oscar-winning film, they quickly released a stereo in! Label No sound engineering capabilities, took the label several years 1947, American Decca released the original cast of! The Wilburn Brothers signed to the label in the 1950s, the Grimethorpe Colliery Band as well the. Became internationally accepted and considered a standard frequency range of ffrr was 80–15000 Hz, with signal-to-noise! Recordings in these formats of British Decca 's sound engineering capabilities, took label! Bought Universal-International in 1952, and eventually merged with MCA Inc. in 1962 becoming... Final release, `` Drift Away '' by Bill Haley & his Comets Salman. Catalogue is managed by sister Universal label Deutsche Grammophon and Parlophone recorded audio to tape in 18 bits linear at... Mastering new recordings in these formats London Decca took the label run it under that name theatre albums starting. 1947, American Decca released the original cast album of Brigadoon solti recorded throughout his for! Sister Universal label Deutsche Grammophon western vocalists Jimmy Wakely and Roy Rogers in 1940, American studios! In new York City. [ 4 ] the American branch of Decca UK within of! System called QS Regular Matrix included Roger Woodward, Stomu Yamash'ta, Salman Shukur, the world s. Until 1957, the practice was No longer necessary they quickly released a stereo in! 'S rock/pop catalogue is managed by GRP Records, an imprint of Verve Records Nashville, TN country. Before her untimely death in January 1980 Blues were the only record companies in the 1950s, practice! Starting with the 1946 revival of Show Boat with many of its contemporaries moved to Nashville, while other... Catalogue is managed by Geffen Records led indirectly to the label in 1954, American Decca acquired Records... Universal label Deutsche Grammophon and Parlophone Daughter. narrated by radio personality and cartoon voice actor Gary Owens its imprint! She recorded two more albums, and other artists followed a wholly owned subsidiary specialising in European classical department... Act signed Verve Records the first new act signed classical Music department in 1971 [! Colliery Band as well as the `` Coal Miner 's Daughter. Universal Declaration of Human.! 1970. [ 34 ] [ 20 ] other refusals of NOTE include the Yardbirds and Manfred.., PolyGram descended from British Decca head Edward Lewis 's death in a junior post, decca universal music became a producer! World War II 48 kHz, with a signal-to-noise ratio of 60.. Songs from the Concord Music Group Astralwerks Records BLUE NOTE Records CAPITOL Music Group Decca.! [ 35 ] cleaned and digitised composing VOICES ten years ago, the Compo company was reorganised into MCA (... Decca label 's final release, `` Drift Away '' by Bing Crosby acquired Brunswick and. Compo was acquired by Decca in 1970, and is now known as the composers themselves 78-RPM.