Teldec

Teldec, formally Telefunken-Decca Schallplatten GmbH, was a German record label and recording-media company based in Hamburg. Established in 1950 as a cooperation between the German electronics company Telefunken and Decca Records, the company took its name from the first three letters of each partner: Telefunken and Decca. Its manufacturing facility was located in Nortorf near Kiel. The business initially produced shellac records and later vinyl records. Much of the material manufactured by Teldec was issued under the Telefunken or Decca names rather than under a visibly separate Teldec imprint, making the company important both as a production organization and as a label operation. From the 1950s, Teldec and Telefunken released recordings across classical music, popular instrumental music and other repertory. Its classical catalogue included work by major German and European orchestras, conductors and soloists. The label also became associated with recordings by artists such as Klaus Wunderlich and violinist Joan Field, as well as with a major series of Anton Bruckner symphonies in their original versions, conducted by Eliahu Inbal with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony. Teldec developed a particularly influential position in early music through its Das Alte Werk sub-label, introduced in 1958. Das Alte Werk promoted historically informed performance practice and became closely linked with Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Concentus Musicus Wien and Gustav Leonhardt. Its most ambitious undertaking was a complete recording of the Bach cantatas, made between 1970 and 1989 by Harnoncourt's Concentus Musicus Wien and Leonhardt's Leonhardt-Consort. The catalogue also included reconstructed versions of Monteverdi operas, including L'Orfeo, Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria and L'incoronazione di Poppea, recorded in connection with a Zurich Opera cycle under Harnoncourt. Beyond conventional audio records, Teldec participated in the development of Telefunken's TeD video-disc system during the early 1970s. The system used a flexible vinyl disc, a piezo-electric pickup and a mechanically sampled, frequency-modulated PAL audio-video signal. Although the format was commercially short-lived, related work contributed to Teldec's Direct Metal Mastering technology. DMM transferred the groove signal directly into a copper-plated master rather than first cutting a lacquer master, and subsequently became an important vinyl-record manufacturing technique. Telefunken and Decca withdrew from Teldec in 1983. The company was sold to Time Warner in 1988. Time Warner planned to close the remaining compact-disc production facility at Nortorf in 1997, but a management buyout led to the creation of OK Media, which continued CD production. After the AOL and Time Warner merger, Teldec itself closed in 2001. Its historical significance survives through the recordings issued under Teldec, Telefunken, Decca and Das Alte Werk, and through the continuing influence of its early-music catalogue and DMM manufacturing technology.

Teldec was founded in 1950 as a joint undertaking between Telefunken and Decca Records. Its legal name, Telefunken-Decca Schallplatten GmbH, supplied the shortened brand name Teldec. The company operated from Hamburg, while its principal manufacturing facility was in Nortorf near Kiel. Its early business centered on the production of shellac records, later shifting toward vinyl as recording formats changed. In its first decades, Teldec functioned both as a manufacturing organization and as a record-label operation. Records made at its facilities were frequently released under the Telefunken or Decca labels and did not necessarily identify Teldec prominently. The catalogue covered classical recordings and other musical repertory. Classical projects involved orchestras including the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic and Hamburg State Philharmonic Orchestra, along with ensembles from other European countries. Conductors connected with the catalogue included Joseph Keilberth, Artur Rother and Franz André. Klaus Wunderlich recorded Hammond-organ and early Moog-synthesizer material for Teldec and achieved substantial commercial recognition, while Joan Field recorded several violin concertos for Telefunken. A major element of Teldec's identity was its commitment to early music. In 1958 the company established the Das Alte Werk label, which became a significant home for historically informed performance. Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Concentus Musicus Wien were among its central artists, later joined in major projects by Gustav Leonhardt and the Leonhardt-Consort. Between 1970 and 1989, Teldec recorded the Bach cantatas as a joint project involving the two ensembles. The undertaking became one of the label's defining achievements, although it did not become the first completed recording cycle of the works. Das Alte Werk also documented reconstructed versions of Monteverdi's operas in a Zurich Opera cycle conducted by Harnoncourt. In the 1990s the label recorded newer groups, including Tragicomedia and Chanticleer, but new projects largely ceased after Teldec became part of Warner's classical-music structure. Teldec also participated in an ambitious technical experiment outside ordinary audio records. During the early 1970s, it worked for Telefunken on the TeD, or Television Electronic Disc, system. The TeD player used a diamond stylus mounted in a piezo-electric pickup to mechanically read thousands of concentric grooves in a thin, flexible vinyl disc. The disc carried a frequency-modulated, PAL-encoded audio-video signal and rotated on an air cushion at high speed. A 210-millimetre disc provided a maximum playing time of approximately ten minutes. The format was an early consumer video-disc approach and was eventually overshadowed by more successful optical systems. A lasting technical consequence of the TeD work was Direct Metal Mastering, or DMM. Instead of cutting the audio signal into a lacquer coating on an aluminium master, the DMM lathe engraved the signal into a copper-plated master disc. The technique reduced steps in the traditional electroforming chain and was associated with improved preservation of groove modulation during mastering. DMM later became an important process in the manufacture of high-quality vinyl records. Telefunken and Decca withdrew from Teldec in 1983. The company was sold to Time Warner in 1988, reflecting the increasing consolidation of recorded music and physical-media businesses. Time Warner announced plans in 1997 to close Teldec's remaining compact-disc production facility in Nortorf. A management buyout prevented an immediate end to the site and created OK Media, which continued CD production independently. Teldec itself closed in 2001 after the AOL and Time Warner merger. Its recordings and imprint history remain relevant to classical and early-music discography, while DMM remains the company's most notable technological legacy.

• 2001

  Teldec closes

  [1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  Teldec closes after the AOL and Time Warner merger.

• 1997

  Nortorf facility becomes OK Media

  [1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  A management buyout follows Time Warner's plan to close the Nortorf CD facility, allowing production to continue under OK Media.

• 1988

  Time Warner acquisition

  [1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  Time Warner acquires Teldec.

• 1983

  Founding partners withdraw

  [1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  Telefunken and Decca leave Teldec.

• 1975

  Telefunken TeD video disc reaches release

  [1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  The TeD video-disc player is released after development work in which Teldec participated.

• 1970

  Bach cantata recording project begins

  [1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  Teldec starts its long-term complete Bach cantata project involving Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Concentus Musicus Wien, Gustav Leonhardt and the Leonhardt-Consort.

• 1958

  Das Alte Werk begins

  [1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  Teldec launches its Das Alte Werk sub-label for early music and historically informed performance.

• 1950

  Teldec is founded

  [1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  Telefunken and Decca Records establish Telefunken-Decca Schallplatten GmbH, known as Teldec, in Germany.

A German heritage record label and recording-media manufacturer distinguished by classical repertoire, historically informed early-music performance, physical-record production and technical innovation.

• Physical recording media · 1950

  Shellac records

  Teldec initially manufactured shellac records after its establishment in 1950. These records formed part of the company's early physical-media business and were commonly issued through the Telefunken or Decca labels rather than always carrying prominent Teldec branding.

• Physical recording media

  Vinyl records

  The company later produced vinyl records as the industry moved from shellac to the newer format. Teldec's vinyl activity supported classical, early-music and other recordings and provided the manufacturing base for later work in Direct Metal Mastering.

• Record label imprint · 1958

  Das Alte Werk

  Das Alte Werk was Teldec's early-music imprint, launched in 1958. It became known for historically informed performances, including major recordings by Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Concentus Musicus Wien, Gustav Leonhardt and the Leonhardt-Consort. Its catalogue included Bach cantatas and reconstructed Monteverdi operas.

• Record-manufacturing technology

  Direct Metal Mastering

  Direct Metal Mastering, developed as a technical spin-off from Teldec's TeD work, cuts the audio groove into a copper-plated master rather than a lacquer-coated disc. The process was designed to simplify parts of record mastering and preserve groove information, and it became an enduring vinyl-production technology.

• Video-disc system · 1975

  TeD video disc

  The TeD system used a thin, flexible vinyl disc carrying a frequency-modulated PAL audio-video signal. A piezo-electric pickup and diamond stylus mechanically read the vertically recorded grooves. Teldec contributed to the manufacturing technology for Telefunken's player, although the format was short-lived.

• 2001

  Teldec closes after AOL–Time Warner mergerOther

  Background

  The company was affected by the corporate restructuring that followed the AOL and Time Warner merger.

  Action taken

  Teldec was closed.

  Aftermath

  The label's historical recordings continued as catalogue material, while the Nortorf production operation had already been transferred to OK Media.

  Source

• 1997

  Nortorf CD facility is separated through management buyoutStrategy

  Background

  Time Warner planned to close Teldec's remaining compact-disc production operation in Nortorf.

  Action taken

  Management acquired the facility and continued CD production through the new company OK Media.

  Aftermath

  The manufacturing site continued operating, although Teldec's own corporate operation later closed in 2001.

  Source

• 1988

  Time Warner acquires TeldecM&A

  Background

  Following the withdrawal of Telefunken and Decca, Teldec entered a new ownership phase.

  Action taken

  Time Warner purchased Teldec.

  Aftermath

  Teldec became part of the Time Warner media group until its closure in 2001.

  Source

• 1983

  Founding partners exit TeldecStrategy

  Background

  Telefunken and Decca Records withdrew from the company after more than three decades of cooperation.

  Action taken

  The original joint-venture ownership structure was ended.

  Aftermath

  Teldec was subsequently sold to Time Warner in 1988.

  Source

• 2001

  Teldec closes after the AOL–Time Warner merger[1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy · Other

  Teldec closed following the merger of AOL and Time Warner.

• 1997

  Nortorf compact-disc facility continues after management buyout[1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  After Time Warner planned to close the remaining compact-disc production facility in Nortorf, a management buyout created OK Media, which continued CD production.

• 1988

  Teldec sold to Time Warner[1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Teldec was sold to Time Warner, bringing the German label and manufacturing business into the American media group.

• 1983

  Telefunken and Decca withdraw from Teldec[1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  The two founding partners withdrew from the company, ending the original ownership structure.

• 1975

  Teldec develops technology for Telefunken's TeD video disc[1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  Teldec acted for Telefunken in developing disc-manufacturing technology for the TeD video-disc player released in 1975.

• 1958

  Das Alte Werk sub-label introduced[1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Teldec began marketing early-music recordings through Das Alte Werk, a catalogue that later became strongly associated with historically informed performance.

• 1950

  Teldec established as a Telefunken–Decca cooperation[1]Teldecen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Telefunken and Decca Records created Teldec, which combined record manufacturing with a label and catalogue operation in Germany.

1. 1Teldecen.wikipedia.org