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Bernard Coutaz

Bernard Coutaz, founder and general director of the French record company harmonia mundi, died of a heart attack on Friday 26 February 2010 in Arles, aged 87. He will be succeeded by his wife, Eva Coutaz, harmonia mundi's head of production since the 1970s.

Originally a journalist, Coutaz created harmonia mundi france in the autumn of 1958. Half a century later, this independent group now employs 330 people worldwide involved with record production, label distribution and book publishing. Bernard Coutaz started harmonia mundi uk in 1981 and further harmonia mundi subsidiaries are based in America, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal.

From 1958 onwards, Bernard Coutaz's life was intimately linked with that of his company. Beginning as a classical music label, harmonia mundi soon took its commercial distribution into its own hands and also distributed many other labels. It subsequently diversified further into the distribution of independent book publishers, a sector which now represents some 40% of the turnover in France. In the same spirit of independence, Bernard Coutaz then decided to build up a chain of retail stores which today comprises forty-six shops in France and Spain.

Assembled around Eva Coutaz, the whole harmonia mundi staff will enthusiastically strive to perpetuate its founder's legacy.

Information: www.classicalmusicdaily.com/articles/m/h/harmonia-mundi.htm

Posted: 2 March 2010

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