From today's Andante news briefs:

   A scaled-down Warner Classics - incorporating the international
   business of the former Warner Classics International - comes into
   effect from 1 January 2002, Warner Music UK has announced.

   The new division (which replaces Warner Classics International) will
   operate "alongside the specialist classical divisions within Warner
   Music International affiliates around the world," according to Nick
   Phillips, Chairman of Warner Music UK.  As expected, the division is
   to be headed by Matthew Cosgrove and is to be based in the London
   offices of Warner Music UK.

   Cosgrove, general manager of Warner Classics UK for the past six
   years, is not yet giving press interviews.  But in an official
   statement he said the company would "continue to record and market
   new recordings of classical music to international markets whilst
   aggressively extending our catalogue management activities.  All of
   which is good news for the classical record collector."

   It is less good news for staff, however.  Up to ten more employees
   will be leaving the company as a result of the restructuring, although
   a spokesman for Warner emphasised that not all were redundancies.

   "Some people have turned down posts," explained Brian Southall, head
   of communications for Warner Music International.  The team which
   Cosgrove heads will "consist of seven to eight people," he added.

   Southall also denied rumors that the Teldec and Erato labels - whose
   Hamburg and Paris offices were closed in March, with the loss of 60
   jobs - were to cease issuing new product.

   "When we did what we did last March, they [Teldec and Erato] became
   labels rather than operating companies," Southall said.  "But they
   will continue with their musical specialisms, Teldec as a more Germanic
   label and Erato with an emphasis on French artists and repertoire.
   And there will be new product on the labels.  There is no change."

"Dick Claeys" <[log in to unmask]>