Your First Tchaikovsky record.

[Dave2002]

We had that one, too.

62.5p seems like a lot, in old money

Full price LPs were about 32s6d IIRC. Some might even have been £2. Around 1970 you could get several gallons of petrol for a few shillings, until it went up to around 30-35p per gallon about the time of 'the oil crisis". Mind you my first job, which was a few years before that only paid around £6 per week, and in the 1970s renting a room was something like £3-5 per week. The cheaper LPs were indeed about 12s6p - equivalent to 62.5p decimal.
Ace of Clubs were about £1 and of course there were Pye Golden Guineas for £1/10p. I used to pick up LPs without covers or remaindered LPs for low prices - perhaps 5-10 shillings. Quite a lot of Sagas, but also some Messiaen organ music, and other strange things on unusual labels. One of my first Tchaikovsky LPs was Mravinsky conducting the Leningrad PO in Symphony 4 (DG), and I also found a Dorati record of ballet music including some of Sleeping Beauty - probably another reduced/remaindered LP, which I attempted to listen to in Hafler "surround" sound.

[gradus]

c 1959, Swan Lake in RCA Living Stereo - ROH orchestra under Jean Morel.

[makropulos]

The Pathétique Symphony on Saga with the Bolshoi Orchestra conducted by Alexander Melik-Pashaev. I remember finding it very moving, and loved the sound of a Russian orchestra.

[Beef Oven!]

Players No.6 coupons were a cheap way to buy goods.
The going-rate was (IIRC) 27/6 per thousand from one seller ('Beaumont') in 'Exchange & Mart'...got some from him (obviously uncounted; bundled-up in knicker-elastic) as well as from school - worked out @ ~50% saving on shop prices..
Retail profit margin on cigarettes was just 8.5%.

And don't forget Green Shield Stamps (and Pink)!

[BBMmk2]

I think mine was 1812 Overture and Cap Italien with Deems Taylor commentating about how they did the canon effects etc.... Antal Dorati conducting the Minneapolis SO?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

c 1959, Swan Lake in RCA Living Stereo - ROH orchestra under Jean Morel.

- I had the "highlights" version of that one, too - on its later MfP reissue (bought from Bolton ASDA!): a wonderful selection that gave a real overview of the sweep of the ballet - and a superb performance of the Finale & Apotheosis.

[Bax-of-Delights]

1812 overture, Sleeping Beauty and Marche Slav.
Not sure of the orchestra but almost sure it was Flash Harry conducting. Bargain label. c1963.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

1812 overture, Sleeping Beauty and Marche Slav.
Not sure of the orchestra but almost sure it was Flash Harry conducting. Bargain label. c1963.

Still available, BoD:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tchaikovsky-Marche-Slave-Juliet-Overture/dp/B00KINL4AO/ref=sr_1_sc_3?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1403031457&sr=1-3-spell&keywords=malcolm+sargent%2C+tchaikovsky%2C+1812%2C+marche+slav

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The Pathétique Symphony on Saga with the Bolshoi Orchestra conducted by Alexander Melik-Pashaev. I remember finding it very moving, and loved the sound of a Russian orchestra.

That was my first Pathetique too. A superb interpretation marred by a recording gaff in the 3rd movement. The final playing of the big tune suddenly becomes muffled and stays that way until the end of the movement. But the finale that follows is quite magnificent.

[Beef Oven!]

Can someone summarise the story of the swapping of the scherzo and finale around in #6? (or whatever they did).

I know it was to make it all end in a jolly fashion, as a Tchaikovsky symphony ought to, but that's all I can remember.

[CallMePaul]

I bought the Mravinsky/ Leningrad Pathétique following a Record Review BaL from John Warrack. It remains my favourite version even though the sound is thin by today's standards. The sudden jump from pppppp tofff in the first movement still makes me jump out of my seat over 40 years after I bought it and over 50 years since it was recorded. I also have the same artists' No4 but missed out on No5, of which I am less fond. Unfortunately the CD transfer of these great performances splits No5 across 2 CDs, which I find off-putting.

[Petrushka]

Predictably, 1812 Overture which was included on an MfP LP of overtures with the Philharmonia Orchestra under Nikolai Malko. It was actually my brother's record but I collared hold of it and had fun trying to gently drop the stylus at the point where the final part begins.

I came relatively late to the rest of Tchaikovsky and waited until June 1974, 40 years ago today I think, before I bought Karajan's BPO disc of the Pathetique on EMI then followed that in short order with the Mravinsky 4, 5 & 6 on three Privilege LP's.

[Madame Suggia]

Giulini's Pathetique on EMI

Another tape played to death on the stereo of my yellow mini.

[Beef Oven!]

I came relatively late to the rest of Tchaikovsky and waited until June 1974, 40 years ago today I think, before I bought Karajan's BPO disc of the Pathetique on EMI

Birthday money/voucher?

[visualnickmos]

This was the piano concerto (No 1) on Decca's 'World od of Classics' I think it was called, played by Peter Katin, and if I'm not mistaken, Sir Adrian Boult conducting. I can't remember the 'B' side except the piece which was Concert Fantasia.

Tomorrow I will dig out this record, and may even give it a spin.