Bruno Labate (1883-1968) was an Italian-born oboist and conductor who became principal oboe of the New York Philharmonic. He was one of the leading orchestral wind players in American musical life during the early twentieth century.

In the Pristine catalogue he appears with Willem Mengelberg and the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York in Bach and other repertory from the late 1920s.

Labate’s importance lies in the orchestral principal’s art: distinctive tone, security and the ability to give character to the woodwind choir from within the ensemble.

Such players rarely receive the public fame of conductors or soloists, but they shape the sound captured on historic records. Labate’s page gives one of those essential inner voices its nameplate.