See Mike's video on the huge classical collection here: • I spent $25,113.00 on ... Curb Your Enthusiasm Wagner gag: • Curb Your Enthusiasm W... cool little documentary about Walter Legge: • Walter Legge Document...
Early EMI Columbia and hmv sound naturally concert hall bcos they were recorded by the legendary tube EMI BTR 3 tape recorder fitted with GEC tubes which made all the diff. Such NOS preamp tubes now go for 500-1k a pair. Further some were recorded by the obscure EMI single capsule stereosonic mike, possibly ribbon with exceptional speed and transparency. The Brit answer to the Telefunken 201 or u47 of dgg recordings. My fave EMI recording is the 1959 hmv handel messiah of sir malcolm Sargent. Nonpareil in terms of performance and realistic sonics, quite unlike the boosted treble of most living presence and decca
The HMV Pop/Jazz Stereo labels from about 56-63 were this lovely green and gold. I’m collecting HMV jazz impulse reissues like Coltrane. They are lovely objects and fearfully expensive. Thanks for your enthusiasm and sharing your collection
Thanks so much, Michael, for your very detailed video about HMV, Columbia, and EMI records and their distinctive labels as well as for your recommendations. You've inspired me to dig through my classical music collection to spot those label variations. :)
Walter Legge was much disliked by musicians. Furtwaengler had his troubles with him; he sarcastically called his company “His Master’s Leg”. The reorganization of the Philharmonia Orchestra as the New Philharmonia, a self-governing orchestra with Klemperer as President, was a triumph over dilettantism -- although, in fairness, Legge taught himself to read music and taught himself German (feats most dilettantes can’t manage). As to the blue-silver label Columbias: yea, they are that good. A little over a year ago, I acquired Klemperer’s complete “Fidelio” in its original 1962 incarnation. It and EMI’s first CD reincarnation of it offer the best sound. The late 1962 blue-label Angel (US) pressings are decent, but wholly lacking in the full frequency and dynamic range afforded by the vintage Columbia LPs. Amazing what we North Americans have been missing over the years!
A clarification, if I may. When EMI set up it's U.S. distribution arm under Dario Soria following the end of its cross-licensing agreement with U.S. Columbia, the first (mono) Angel records were made in the U.K. with an Angel label. As an example, the Dobrowen Scheherazade : U.K. Columbia 33SX 1007 (Matrix XAX 268) = U.S. Angel 35008 (Matrix XAX 268).
The info on UK Decca/London, US Decca, EMi/Angel etc., etc was quite informative- I used to buy these lps used back at Academy Records in NYC and elsewhere about 15-20 yrs ago, but wasn't a serious-enough buyer to learn these things- but it will help if I make any of these purchases going forward, pending my eventually finding reliable sources for these used, as I don't have the time/motivation to seek great copies on my own (& Discogs is a crapshoot with this effort, even when caution is reasonably exercised for used lps).
28:10 It's the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, with the Liverpool Philharmonic Chorus. The latter wasn't awarded the "Royal" title until 1991, whereas the Orchestra had been "Royal" since 1957. (Source: Wikipedia)
Hi Micheal, This was a fascinating presentation full of great information. I was able to find many ASD series records throughout the 80's. The early stuff is so rare. I love the look of the early labels, an art form in itself. Great finds, and a great video! Thanks!
The history you presented is really interesting. I had no idea about any of this. I do remember the Angel Records, because those were ones my Mom would pick up in the equivalent of the dollar bin in the five-and-dime stores. I also remember that they sounded bad even with the gear of the day. (AR XA turntable with Shure V15). I love the recommendations, always!
What a fantastic haul!!! Those 70s EMIs are superb, and I bought many of them as I was growing up. Cristina Ortiz's record of the Shostakovich piano concertos is wonderful. Also, any of the Charles Groves records - he recorded all these lesser-known British works. I've never seen that Messaien/Honegger record - added to the list. Maxim Shostakovich's recording of his dad's 15th Symphony is still to my mind unmatched. Loved those clips BTW!!!
The Thomas Beecham Scheherazade... I do actually have the original Gold label with the stereophonic sticker here, bought for about £16 in the early 90's at a local sports club in immaculate condition. When I started getting into classical music, very much in the vinyl heyday in 1978 I bought a lot of Classics For Pleasure issues and yes many do feature the original HMV or UK Columbia stampers with just a more modern sleeve art so I still have the complete CFP reissues of Cluyten's Beethoven symphonies with the B.P.O before the first DG series conducted by Herbert von Karajan came out in around 1962/3 and fair few others by conductors such as Kletzki. I just love those performances. Classics For Pleasure did make some records of their own. If you like Elgar the London Philharmonic series from the late 70's are worth investigating with fine analogue sound. There are a number of HMV issues from the 70's to around 1984 still here that survived the great vinyl purge of the late 80's from analogue to the EMI/JVC digital system. I tend to prefer that a few seats back of the concert hall sound many of these recordings have, they're not hifi show stoppers for demonstrating at shows but highly relaxing. Regards Christopher/Curiosity of SH.tv, Staffordshire, England.
The Beecham Scheherazade seems to be both revered with cult-like status, and also despised as overrated slop, depending on who you ask. Personally I really enjoy it, it's a window into a playing and conducting style that had completely died out by the 70s. However I don't think it will ever be my go-to listen, the Reiner is far too good...
Suvi Raj Grubb was the assistant and later successor to Walter Legge. He has written an interesting and entertaining book about his work at EMI. I have read the German translation, which has the wonderful title "Kann der Partitur lesen?' fragte Otto Klemperer" (Can he read a score? asked Otto Klemperer). The English title is "Music Makers on Record". It is very moving where he writes about the fate of Jaqulin Du Pré. 35:33 Suvi Raj Grubb wrote in his book that he and his team tricked the management of EMI who wanted quadraphonic recordings. The cover and label said "Quadrophonic", but they were normal stereo recordings!
Thank you Michael for another interesting video. I really appreciate when you show the actual disc labels. I would just say that for me, the reading of the piece is more important than the quality of the recording, given that I first heard the Beatles 1st NYC release of I Want To Hold Your Hand on a 7 transistor pocket radio with a 2 inch speaker, while doing my homework that evening, and that was exciting, and life-changing.
Here in Australia we had the same WRC (World record club), again through EMI. The number of pressings available through WRC with same metalwork as the UK for many hard to find/high priced recordings is amazing. People often don't know what they have because as you mentioned, they always had their own artwork, making them quite unique. I have many and they sound beautiful, often costing just a few dollars. Usually in pristine condition as many people didn't play them, they just had a membership to the club. Great vid, very informative indeed :)
Yes my Father was a member of the WRC, we still have all the records he brought from there Some classical, some jazz. They were around $3 to $4 when new. I also scored 3 boxes of classical records about to be thrown into the skip a few years ago. Many of them are WRC too.
I was just wondering this, because I see Australian World Record Club pressings absolutely everywhere here in Sydney. Were they always pressed using the original UK metals? Or will I have to check matrix numbers?
@@saltech3444 Always worth checking the matrix, but a quick and dirty method is if the matrix is stamped (not hand scribed) you probably have an original stamper, at least with UK EMI pressings. Hope that helps!
@@marktubeie07 Thanks a lot. I just checked my one and only Club pressing, and the matrix numbers confirm that it is indeed original EMI metals, from 1959 (first label). It is Claudio Arrau doing Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto in mono. Still sounds horrible, but now I know what to look out for.
I have a couple of the silver columbia records. I got up at 4am to look for them lol got them last weekend. Some hawaiian hifi album my wife wanted. NM
Most enjoyable! I have a number of these, many acquired from the late lamented Fifth Avenue Records in the 80s, which had a great selection of imports. Beecham’s Schubert 3 and 5 on Concert Classics combines fine performances with holographic sound. (Fifth Avenue Records in Seattle)
Excellent informative presentation, and a good overview of the different eras and variants of EMI/HMV/Columbia pressings. Looks like the original owner of the collection that Mike picked up must have done a lot of digging in the UK, as I spotted a few price labels from the Record & Tape Exchange. This was (and still is) a well known used vinyl store based in Notting Hill, West London. Their price labels are notoriously difficult to remove, but it can be done with some effort.
Michael !! ' Just ran across your contribution 🌟🌟🌟 to the recent visit to Sandy Chase's "THE RECORD COLLECTOR" and was inspired to comment there thusly and thought you might find it humorous or whatever: ================================================================ 1 second ago Gees! Did this posting ever bring back mems from a long-ago past! Good going guys but, there was (is) another side to The Record Collector and Sanders Chase about which I posted just a moment ago as an answer to another's comment, this following, which a wider audience I think might enjoy (or NOT?) Ha! Good old Sandy Chase! I bought classical 78s from he and Henry (knew where 'everything' was!) beginning sometime in the later Seventies. He and Music Man Murray and his wife were my other destination for some really nice finds. (Classical piano 78s and Arthur Lyman exotica and George Wright pipe organ L.Ps.) Sandy played (or plays) some instrument (cello, brass?) in the L.A. Philharmonic. His Mom, forgot her name, had been a student of the mighty Russian pianist Josef Lhevinne's (not Rosina's) at Julliard in New York, and later was a teacher of piano in the Hollywood area. Funny story as attending: Once, after Sandy having heard the news that Music Man Murray had taken me to a modest lunch somewhere, Sandy inquired thus of myself: "Murray took YOU to lunch?" To which I answered innocently in the affirmative plus opined that MMM was really nice guy and seller. Not long after then, GUESS WHAT? It was off to Musso & Franks on the Boulevard (famous eatery in Hollywood started back in the Teens) for . . . a not modest LUNCH! The two were competitors of a sort and each was not going to be bested in any way by the other. I only came to understand this dynamic much later, post having grown-up some. Yeah, Sandy is a prickly character at times but if shown respect and knowledge of what you're doing, want and why, these will prove as KEY to getting along well with him. The GOOD old days of shellac/L.P. Chase-ing and collecting. ===================================================================== Subscribed and belled, dear Michael. J.M.
Thank you for an excellent video. We’re spoilt in the UK and many of the records you show crop up in good condition cheaply, especially cfp . I agree with you and tend to get anything Previn recorded with the LSO during that golden period
Walter Legge was said to be the only record producer who could hold his own with Karajan. There was no question of Karajan interfering with Legge's recordings, which is probably why Karajan's EMI recordings in general sound better than his DG ones. They sound very different from his German recordings. A much less smoothly rounded sound, greater detail, presence and dynamics. I believe some coloured dog stamps came after the black and white ones, as well as predating them.
Excellent reviews, didn’t know much about the EMI labels, as most are repressings in Australia with EMI Australia on them , the early are pretty good, later 70s etc my understanding the vinyl was of poorer quality, appreciate your summary and enthusiasm , the Decca Australia I have heard but have no proof they sent the metal parts and not the tape copies, and SXLA often sound almost as good as SXL , maybe I will do a podcast on them ?
I’ve always preferred Karajan on EMI to the DG. The EMIs always sound more natural, without the unpleasant sonic glaze or glare he insisted on with DG.
U know why? Bcos early emi was recorded by the legendary tube BTR 3 tape recorder fitted with GEC tubes which made all the diff. Further, some are recorded with the obscure EMI single capsule stereosonic mike, possibly ribbon with exceptional speed and transparency.
Great information again. I thank you for posting as I always learn something when I watch your videos. I have to mention, however, that you don't have to say "The Nipper dog" as 'Nipper' was the actual name of the dog from Barraud's painting. So it's like referring to you as 'The Michael person'.
Thanks for the very informative and helpful videos. I've been collecting records for many years but I am fairly new to collecting classical records. I have noticed a label called Esoteric selling titles for $100 each. In your opinion, are they worth the cost?
A lot of times ( most times ) if the artist is from another country, america will get a safety or even 3rd generation ( god forbid )😮 to cut the metal parts from! At least that's how they did it in the "old days"!😊
Karajan on EMI. I’m very fortunate to have Karajan’s Fidelio on EMI…far superior to the Angel, and really a fine recording in every way. If you like Klemperer, but would like things to move along a bit, then Karajan is your guy. If you have both Karajan AND Klemperer, then you’re pretty much set for Fidelio.
@@poetryonplastic The Bernstein is from a live performance and in many ways flawed, but still a work of genius. However, it can never serve as one’s only Fidelio. Rene Kolo is not an ideal Florestan. Janowitz is a lovely voice, but lacks the heroicism of Helga Dernesch, Leonie Rysanek, and Christa Ludwig.
Actually, your German pronunciation isn't bad. "Otto", however, is pronounced like Auto in Automobile, not Oh-to. Thanks for another informative video.
