CRD - Continental Record Distribution - was founded in 1965 by Graham Pauncefort, who intended it to serve as an importer and distributor of specialist Classical Music recordings from America and Europe. It did so, but in 1973 it progressed to become a record label in its own right. Under artistic director Simon Lawman it established a reputation for high-quality recordings and attractive, distinctive packaging. The distribution side of the company had to go into voluntary liquidation in 1978 ('Music Week' 30th September), but the record company side continued and is still going today (2020). Almost exclusively an album label, CRD made just three forays into the singles market, to no great effect. The first single it released came out in the summer of 1971 and was on the Erato label (q.v.) - presumably it was licensed from that company, as CRD handled Erato's records in the UK at the time. It did however have a CRD catalogue number, CRD-1. According to 'Record Retailer' of the 7th of August 1971 the record in question, the Jean-Francois Paillard Chamber Orchestra's version of Pachelbel's 'Canon In D', had featured in an ITV play 'The Silver Collection' in May the previous year and had provoked viewer interest. According to the article it was 'Britain's first Classical single', but John Williams's rendering of 'The Miller's Dance', on CBS (S-5173), came out in September 1970 and seems to have a better claim.
The first single on the actual CRD label coupled pianist Joseph Cooper's renderings of 'While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks By Night' and 'Jingle Bells' (CRD-2; 10/73), which were played after the styles of Bach and Chopin respectively. The tracks were taken from an album, 'Face The Music' (CRD-1006), which was an offshoot of the BBC TV programme which Cooper chaired. The single was mentioned in 'Music Week' of the 20th of October 1973 as 'launching the CRD label', and was pressed in France. It was mentioned again in 'MW' of the 24th of November as 'a new Classical single', in an article which described the earlier Pachelbel release as 'best selling'. The following year 'MW' of the 9th of November 1974 referred to a Joseph Cooper single coming out 'Probably this month', so it looks as though CRD may have put it out again. The second - and last - single on the CRD label was 'Concorde March' b/w 'Holiday Flight' by Robert Farnon & The London Symphony Orchestra (CRD-3; 7/75). It mentioned in 'MW' of the 26th of June as having been recorded and as being due out on the 1st of July. As they were record distributors, the company handled the distribution of products on their own label themselves initially; after the liquidation of that side of the business Selecta took over the job.
Copyright 2006 Robert Lyons.