THE founder of a top independent classical music label has died aged 81.

Brian Couzens founded and ran Chandos Records, which is based in Colchester and recognised around the world.

He became interested in music at school and spent his weekends shadowing recording engineers.

He taught himself the trombone and played in dance bands .

After completing national service he got a job with the BBC arranging dance music, and by the early Sixties he wa s working with film composer Rob Goodwin.

He worked with him on a number of famous pieces, including 633 Squadron, Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines and Where Eagles Dare .

In the Seventies he worked as a freelance producer and set up Chandos Productions with his son, Ralph.

In 1979, he started his own record label, and his first album was Bloch’s Sacred Service, with Geoffre y Simon conducting the Zemel Choir, London Chorale, Concor d Singers and London Symphony Orchestra.

Music critic Edward Greenfield said: “Brian Couzens wa s unique in the world o f music and recordings .

“Not only did he found the most important of the independent record labels, he took an active part i n the recording process with the help of his son Ralph.

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