Bernard Coutaz
Encyclopedia
Bernard Coutaz was a French musical publisher, founder of the Harmonia Mundi
label.
Coutaz was born into a working class family and studied at the Salesians of Don Bosco
, but was asked to leave in 1945, during his novitiate
, for having organized a Marxist study group. In the 1950s he became a journalist with Groupe Bayard, then Témoignage chrétien. During this period Coutaz published four novels and was an editor at Éditions ouvrières.
At some time during this period Bernard Coutaz met Rudolf Ruby, a German sharing Coutaz' interests first in books, later in music. In 1958 Coutaz founded Harmonia Mundi (France), an independent label specializing in classical music in Paris with 26,50F in the bank. In the same year, or 1959, Rudolf Ruby founded Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (DHM) in Freiburg-im-Breisgau. The name Harmonia Mundia was shared and each distributed the recordings of the other. The link was maintained until first BASF, then EMI, bought into the German label, then finally (after Ruby retired in 1993), DHM became part of BMG and then Sony.
In 1962 Coutaz relocated to Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire
in Provence. The label's first recording was of Slavonic liturgy sung by French monks. This was followed by a series dedicated to historic organs, for which Coutaz toured France, Spain and Germany with his recording equipment in his Citroën 2CV
. A significant breakthrough occurred after hearing Alfred Deller
in concert at Avignon
. In a much recounted story Coutaz drove Deller to his farm, and after a night of music, wine and goat's cheese, by dawn Deller was convinced to join the Harmonia Mundi label. Deller's account of their first meeting, shows Coutaz' initial approach to artist management.
The success of Deller's recordings, and the artist-first management style of Coutaz and his wife Eva, attracted other loyal recording artists among them Philippe Herreweghe
, René Jacobs, and the Ensemble Clément Janequin
. Coutaz also published the early recordings of Les Arts Florissants
of William Christie
. Many of Konrad Junghänel's first recordings were with Harmonia Mundi, to whom his Cantus Cölln came from DHM-BMG in 1997. Andreas Scholl
was another artist to start with, then return to, Harmonia Mundi.
Harmonia Mundia U.S.A. was set up in 1982 to distribute and later record and manage artists in North America, among them Anonymous 4
. Harmonia mundi Ibèrica performs a similar role in Spain and Portugal, as distributor and producer of local recordings such as Toldra's Catalan zarzuela El giravolt de maig. Éditions Bernard Coutaz publishes music books and fiction.
Bernard Coutaz was made Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
in 1993 and officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
. In 2009 he was awarded a Special Award by Gramophone Magazine.
Journalism:
Significant recordings:
Harmonia Mundi
Harmonia Mundi is an independent music record label founded in 1958 by Bernard Coutaz in Arles . The Latin phrase means "world harmony"....
label.
Coutaz was born into a working class family and studied at the Salesians of Don Bosco
Salesians of Don Bosco
The Salesians of Don Bosco is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in the late nineteenth century by Saint John Bosco in an attempt, through works of charity, to care for the young and poor children of the industrial revolution...
, but was asked to leave in 1945, during his novitiate
Novitiate
Novitiate, alt. noviciate, is the period of training and preparation that a novice monastic or member of a religious order undergoes prior to taking vows in order to discern whether they are called to the religious life....
, for having organized a Marxist study group. In the 1950s he became a journalist with Groupe Bayard, then Témoignage chrétien. During this period Coutaz published four novels and was an editor at Éditions ouvrières.
At some time during this period Bernard Coutaz met Rudolf Ruby, a German sharing Coutaz' interests first in books, later in music. In 1958 Coutaz founded Harmonia Mundi (France), an independent label specializing in classical music in Paris with 26,50F in the bank. In the same year, or 1959, Rudolf Ruby founded Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (DHM) in Freiburg-im-Breisgau. The name Harmonia Mundia was shared and each distributed the recordings of the other. The link was maintained until first BASF, then EMI, bought into the German label, then finally (after Ruby retired in 1993), DHM became part of BMG and then Sony.
In 1962 Coutaz relocated to Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire
Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire
Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.-Observatory:Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire is host of a national observatory. The best European low-altitude observatory in function. There is also an astronomy center for educational purposes...
in Provence. The label's first recording was of Slavonic liturgy sung by French monks. This was followed by a series dedicated to historic organs, for which Coutaz toured France, Spain and Germany with his recording equipment in his Citroën 2CV
Citroën 2CV
The Citroën 2CV |tax horsepower]]”) was an economy car produced by the French automaker Citroën between 1948 and 1990. It was technologically advanced and innovative, but with uncompromisingly utilitarian unconventional looks, and deceptively simple Bauhaus inspired bodywork, that belied the sheer...
. A significant breakthrough occurred after hearing Alfred Deller
Alfred Deller
Alfred George Deller CBE , was an English singer and one of the main figures in popularizing the return of the countertenor voice in Renaissance and Baroque music during the 20th Century....
in concert at Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
. In a much recounted story Coutaz drove Deller to his farm, and after a night of music, wine and goat's cheese, by dawn Deller was convinced to join the Harmonia Mundi label. Deller's account of their first meeting, shows Coutaz' initial approach to artist management.
- "Then in 1967 the [Deller] Consort was giving a concert in Avignon and Bernard Coutaz, head of Harmonia Mundi, came up afterwards and said he'd really like to record us. We arranged things so as to start a small company within a company, Deller Records. I would be the artistic director, Coutaz would handle the business..."
The success of Deller's recordings, and the artist-first management style of Coutaz and his wife Eva, attracted other loyal recording artists among them Philippe Herreweghe
Philippe Herreweghe
Philippe Herreweghe is a Flemish conductor.In his school years at the University of Ghent, Herreweghe combined studies in medical science and psychiatry with a musical education at the Ghent Conservatory, where Marcel Gazelle, Yehudi Menuhin's accompanist, was his piano teacher...
, René Jacobs, and the Ensemble Clément Janequin
Ensemble Clément Janequin
The Ensemble Clément Janequin is a French early music ensemble founded in 1978 and specializing in the chansons of the Renaissance and early Baroque.The founder, and leader, is the countertenor Dominique Visse...
. Coutaz also published the early recordings of Les Arts Florissants
Les Arts Florissants (ensemble)
Les Arts Florissants is a Baroque musical ensemble in residence at the Théâtre de Caen in Caen, France. The organization was founded by conductor William Christie in 1979. The ensemble derives its name from the 1685 opera by Marc-Antoine Charpentier. The organization consists of a chamber orchestra...
of William Christie
William Christie (musician)
William Lincoln Christie is an American-born French conductor and harpsichordist. He is noted as a specialist in baroque repertoire and as the founder of the ensemble Les Arts Florissants....
. Many of Konrad Junghänel's first recordings were with Harmonia Mundi, to whom his Cantus Cölln came from DHM-BMG in 1997. Andreas Scholl
Andreas Scholl
Andreas Scholl is a German countertenor, a male classical singer in the alto vocal range. He is noted as a specialist in Baroque music.-Childhood:...
was another artist to start with, then return to, Harmonia Mundi.
Harmonia Mundia U.S.A. was set up in 1982 to distribute and later record and manage artists in North America, among them Anonymous 4
Anonymous 4
Anonymous 4 is a female a cappella quartet, based in New York City. Their main performance genre is medieval music, although they have also premiered works by living composers such as John Tavener and Steve Reich...
. Harmonia mundi Ibèrica performs a similar role in Spain and Portugal, as distributor and producer of local recordings such as Toldra's Catalan zarzuela El giravolt de maig. Éditions Bernard Coutaz publishes music books and fiction.
Bernard Coutaz was made Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
in 1993 and officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
. In 2009 he was awarded a Special Award by Gramophone Magazine.
Works
Novels:- 1952 Les dents agacées. Éditions de Témoignage chrétien (Paris)
- 1953 Quand les ventres parlent. Éditions de Témoignage chrétien (Paris)
- 1955 Civilisations, je vous hais! Éditions de la Table ronde.
- 1956 La Peur du gendarme. Éditions ouvrières.
Journalism:
- 1956 Des "filles" vous parlent. Colette Coutaz, Bernard Coutaz, André Malary.
Significant recordings:
- 1958 Chants de la Liturgie slavonne: Choeur des Moines de Chevetogne - Dom Grégoire Bainbridge, O.S.B., dir. Harmonia mundi HMO 30.567 LP, mono.
- 1959- Orgues historiques d'Europe. Organists including Francis Chapelet, Michel ChapuisMichel ChapuisMichel Chapuis is a French sprint canoer who competed in the early 1960s. He won the silver medal in the C-2 1000 m event at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.-References:*...
and René SaorginRené SaorginRené Saorgin is an organist who was born in Cannes in 1928. He began his musical studies at the Nice Conservatoire and then went to Paris to study composition with Maurice Duruflé and Noël Gallon at the Paris Conservatoire. Benefitting from the revival of the classical organ between 1955 and 1960,...
. - PurcellPurcellHenry Purcell was an English composer.Purcell may also refer to:*Purcell, Indiana, an unincorporated community in Johnson Township, Knox County, Indiana*Purcell, Missouri, a city in Jasper County, Missouri, United States...
King Arthur. Alfred Deller - Series: Harmonia Mundi Les Nouveaux Interprètes - debut recordings of young artists.