At the end of the fifties Karl Merseburger, owner of the Tonkunstverlag in Darmstadt, founded the label Cantate. Nearly at the same time Karl Vötterle (Bärenreiter Publishers) in Kassel started Bärenreiter-Musicaphon. Intention in both cases was to release parts of the own published catalogue on soundcarriers. After Merseburger had to terminate his Tonkunstverlag in 1963, Bärenreiter took over the label Cantateand made it together with Musicaphon part of the distribution company Vereinigte Schallplattenvertriebsgesellschaft Disco-Center, founded in 1965. In 1994 the musicologist Dr. Rainer Kahleyss (Kassel) bought both labels, in 1996 also the distribution company, now known as Klassik Center Kassel, from Bärenreiter. Since then is released on Cantete sacred music, on Musicaphon mundane music from early Baroque up to our time. Elder but important releases from the back catalogue are also newly edited on CD continuously. This company is member of CLASS Association of Classical Independents in Germany e.V. (Rondo DB)

Labels
Country Germany
Started 1965
Official website http://www.cantate-musicaphon.de/