Unicorn-Kanchana

Unicorn-KanchanaIn Hindu and Buddhist mythology, the female name Kanchana means an Apsara, a spirit of the clouds and waters. is an independent record label.

Originally known as Unicorn Records, it specialised mainly in classical music and film soundtracks. Artists signed to the label included Andrzej Panufnik, Jascha Horenstein, Jennifer Bate, Henry Herford and Peter Maxwell Davies.

The label also released several recordings of lesser-known British composers, including Havergal Brian, George Dyson and Cipriani Potter.

The Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra made the very first commercial recording of Havergal Brian’s music. Symphonies Nos. 10 and 21, conducted by James Loughran and Eric Pinkett respectively, were recorded at the De Monfort Hall, Leicester in 1972. The producer was Robert Simpson and the LP was released by Unicorn Records to great critical acclaim in 1973. A special edition of the television programme Aquarius gave considerable coverage to the recording session(see video links below).

Bernard Herrmann was also a Unicorn artist and released several albums of his own film soundtracks as well as a symphony and his opera Wuthering Heights, based on the novel of the same name.

Horenstein's Mahler recordings (Symphonies 1, 3 and 6) were released by the label, as well as his readings of the music of Carl Nielsen, the recording of the last-named's 5th Symphony being the first recording of the new label.

In 1970, Unicorn recorded Andrzej...
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