"We release six titles every two months,” mentions Kaikoo Cavas Lalkaka whose Switzerland based music recording company Guild GmbH has scheduled a CD release on January 2, 2013 of their recording
with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. The piano and violin concerto by the Swiss composer Volkmar Andreae will be played by the Orchestra under the baton of Andreae’s grandson Marc Andreae. Pianist Fali Pavri has specially played for this recording, adds Lalkaka taking pride in his cousin’s prowess on the piano, more so since he has been recently appointed Professor of Keyboard at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow.
Their website elaborates on the three branches of CD music recording to which they give equal attention: Guild, Guild Historical and Guild Light. "Guild’s vast catalog includes ground-breaking recordings by Swiss composers and artistes — yet standard repertoire is also included, with many outstanding issues of established masterpieces receiving universal praise.” Included in the long list are Romance for Violin and Organ, Poetry in Music — Piano Music by Schuman, Kirchner, Huber, Liszt, Favourite Hymns for all Seasons… Guild Historical focuses on "incomparable commercial recordings of the past, many previously unissued, alongside broadcasts by great 20th century musicians, complete operas by legendary casts, recitals — all long unavailable but lovingly restored by excellent modern technology.”
Around 20 recordings of Toscanini feature in this list, with even a Toscanini Memorial Tribute 1938-54. Among the others are The Blue Danube Waltz and Music for Strings by Stokowski, Parsifal… Guild Light presents "the cream of the vast light music repertoire of yesteryear — original recordings by the composers or by artistes associated with them. The originals have been outstandingly transferred,
enhancing their unique qualities.” Featured here are four volumes of Light Music While You Work, Melodies for Romantics, Melodies for The Starlight Hours, Four Decades of Light Music…
Their Light music labels "would be ideal for Parsis, dot on,” believes Lalkaka whose "niche market” extends from Europe to America, Canada, Japan and Australia but has "not been able to penetrate India. Speaking to Parsiana during a brief halt in Bombay in October 2012, the rotund and jovial Lalkaka mentioned that 100 percent of their business is generated online. Usually it is his wife Silvia who handles the sales and accounts. Their music discs with a play time of less than 80 minutes cost £ 15-17 (Rs 1,300-1,480) or € 15-17 or 37 Swiss Francs or $ 11. "She sees that the money is there,” mentions Kaikoo whose own domain extends from "negotiating with the repertoires, ensuring that the quality is up to our standard. Until the recording is done, it is my responsibility.”
Initially Guild labels showed only choral music or the Church of England music. Once the Lalkakas took over they introduced instrumental, chamber and even orchestral music. "But not big names like Zubin Mehta as they are very expensive.” He is equally candid in admitting, "I don’t understand jazz. We would need to find a whole new set of distributors (to promote jazz).” "Music’s power in uniting people, enriching their lives forever is the moving force behind each of Guild’s releases,” declares the website that carries a wealth of information
on musicians and composers besides an introduction to rare and interesting videos and CDs.
"Many recordings originate from Switzerland. We work very closely with the University Library in Zurich and have done over 50 recordings for them,” states Kaikoo. Production and marketing is "all done in England.” As a practice they produce 1,000 CD copies of each new title of which 100 are sent as promotion to reviewers and periodicals and broadcasting channels like Gramophone, BBC, Music magazine and International Record Review.
To ensure that there are no copyright violations they have to register with SUISA which is a cooperative society of music authors and publishers in Switzerland that collects royalties to which its members are entitled for the public use of their works in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. SUISA issues licences authorizing its clients — concert organizers, record producers, broadcasting companies and other users — to perform, broadcast, disseminate and reproduce music. SUISA though can only guard against plagiarism from other recording companies, not when copies are made by individuals, explains Kaikoo.
"I was always listening to classical music,” says Kaikoo whose interest was aroused from the time he was a young child at school at St Paul’s in Darjeeling where the mornings started with prayers in the form of church songs. He learnt the accordion and although he has not played it in the last two decades, he keeps it in his cellar. Silvia plays the piano.
For the last 50 years Switzerland has been home to 66-year-old Kaikoo who jests that their surname, Lalkaka, almost sounds like Lal caagraa (red crows). When his father Cavas who was working for the Birlas was transferred to Switzerland in 1962, the family that included
mother Roshan, Kaikoo and their white bull terrier, Schnee, relocated there. Kaikoo had then just completed his ISC (Indian School Certificate) examination from the Cathedral and John Connon School and could speak a little German because his maternal grandmother was a German. After settling down there he was required to get a good foundation in German, did an apprenticeship for a forwarding agent, later studied textile engineering, joined another forwarding firm but went through a difficult time when he was made redundant.
Hope for him came through a vision of his paternal grandmother Tehmina whose big portrait painted by his paternal grandfather Jehangir Lalkaka, the famous artist, adorns their home in Ramsen, a small village with a population of barely 1,200. "Sudreh kusti péhr, badhoo theek thasé (wear the sudreh-kusti;
everything will be fine),” he recalls Tehmina telling him. "When you are in trouble you are willing to clutch at straws,” he continues. Once his fortunes started turning, his faith was restored and he has thereafter been religiously wearing the sacred garments although knowledge of prayers only extends to Ashem Vohu and Yatha Ahu Vairyo.
In 2007 he undertook global distributorship of Zarathustra by Sina Vodjani, a professonal photographer and musician of Iranian and French descent. The 230-page volume included a music CD and a DVD embedded in its cover for a better appreciation of visuals of Iran (see "Global distributorship,” Zoroastrians Abroad, Parsiana, September 21, 2007).
His son Leo from his first wife did at one time show an interest in Zoroastrianism "but that faded.” The son though requested Kaikoo to bring big transparencies of Asho Farohar during his recent trip to Bombay. Successfully running a creche in Switzerland, Leo who is a father of four is "very spiritual,” and enjoyed going to temples and mosques when he was in India, reports Kaikoo. "Whether others join the religion is not important,” believes Kaikoo. "As awareness increases, we are getting to be known and respected.”