Kim Patrick Clow wrote:

>Nonesuch was started by Jac Holzman I know, but who started Erato? I
>would love to know the history behind this label.

Erato was founded in 1953 by Philippe Loury and Michel Garcin,
musicologist and master of counterpoint and fugue.  Michel Garcin
encouraged the recording of Early and Baroque music from the outset but
he did not neglect the more classical repertoire and had a definite eye
for spotting up and coming composers worthy of every attention - Jolivet,
Messiaen, Landowski and Boulez spring to mind.  He was also instrumental
in putting such musicians as Jean-Pierre Rampal, Maurice Andre and
Marie-Claire Alain on the map and drawing attention to Scott Ross and
Armin Jordan in France.  (Unfortunately, Michel Garcin died in 1995).

I don't know much about Erato, the company itself, except that most
French music-lovers were worried when the 1988 agreement was signed with
Warner Music, WEA International.  People wondered what important parts
of the catalogue might be neglected or even deleted, although the label
continued to exist in name.  In 2001, iirc, when it was suggested the
label would be dissolved, worries increased, in part because there are
so many invaluable or rare recordings of French music in the catalogue.
There has been a recent bid for Warner to reissue the Erato Jolivet
recordings but I don't know how that stands today.

The name, at least, still exists under Warner. I have tried to glean
information from the Erato part of the Warner site but it is down for
the summer. http://www.erato.com

'Hope this little helps...

Regards,

Christine Labroche