What record labels series do you miss ?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

....and the prices in the '60s fluctuated depending on the government of day's use of Purchase Tax.

We record collectors were among the few who welcomed VAT.

[Ferretfancy]

There are lots of happy memories on these threads! One thing I do notice is that many contibutors seem to be listing favourites without saying if they still own the LPs. Is this because they have abandoned vinyl altogether? I have a big CD collection, but there are still about 1500 LPs on my shelves including quite a few that have been mentioned, they are far too good to lose and still sound good on my Linn Sondek. Now that dates me doesn't it?

Re prices. When I started out, 78s were very expensive items compared with books, and the LPs that followed were even pricier, taking up quite a slice of weekly income if you succumbed to temptation too often. We are incredibly fortunate now, even if we pay for premium labels.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

My LP collection is diminishing, but I keep all those I don't have on CD. The biggest Albratross is the Philips Mozart Edition, which I have on CD, but without certain treasured performances, such as Haebler's set of the piano concertos.

[Roslynmuse]

I still have all my LPs although I rarely listen to them. I suppose I treat my CD/ cassette (!!!)/ LP/ downloaded music collection as a library resource and have come to accept that, unlike my formative years when I knew every snap, crackle and pop on every LP I owned, I doubt if I shall listen to every note I have in the years to come, but am aware I have them when the need arises! Regarding LPs specifically - I love the art work and often find the notes valuable still - and I like the feel and smell of LPs too! :)

[barber olly]

Although I do not listen frequently to LPs I would hate to be without the facility for playing them, there are those vinyl masterpieces that have avoided silver transfer to date! My collection of LPs has dwindled as I have replaced with CDs and I do use my playing deck to transfer LPs to MD or CD, but I have difficulty in seeing a box of albums in a charity shop or car-boot sale and not thumbing through to see undiscovered gems or more often than not have that moment of nostalgia in seeing an 'old friend'.

[Barbirollians]

I abandoned LPs in the early 80s as there were so many poor pressings and have far too many cassettes that languish unplayed in the attic .

Tonight , however, I dug out the Kletzki Scheherazade on tape as I do not have it on CD. What a wonderful performance that is - Hugh Bean surely unmatched in the violin solos and such lovely playing from the Philharmonia .

[MickyD]

There was also a budget price series of LPs called, if I remember correctly, Camden Classics that one found in vast quantities in Woolworths and Smiths. They were, I think, trying to ape DG by having a masthead on each cover but unfortunately in screaming bright orange and an 'old master' reproduction underneath which was nearly always historically wildly inappropriate to the work(s) on the LP.

[Nick Armstrong]

There was also a budget price series of LPs called, if I remember correctly, Camden Classics that one found in vast quantities in Woolworths and Smiths. They were, I think, trying to ape DG by having a masthead on each cover but unfortunately in screaming bright orange and an 'old master' reproduction underneath which was nearly always historically wildly inappropriate to the work(s) on the LP.

Micky yes! http://www.vinylsearcher.com/Labels/...-classics.aspx Awful, weren't they?!

But serious content: http://www.avidvinyl.com/pic/DCP_8348.JPG Fritz Reiner/Chicago in the Pathetique - plus 'wildly appropriate' artwork!!

[MickyD]

Thanks Caliban, a real whiff of nostalgia there! A Tchaikovsky symphony illustrated with a 17th century Dutch painting...who on earth was responsible for that "artwork"?

[umslopogaas]

Phew, a lot of posts here that had me scurrying to my shelves. I've got around 7000 LPs and am making it a retirement project to play through the whole lot: after about four years, I'm a bit over half way. I do have CDs too, but find I never play them, except occasionally in the car when I dont like what's on R3.

One HEAD LP, HEAD 5, Gerhard's 'The Plague' is on the TAS 'Best of the Bunch' list and a decent copy will set you back a lot of money. Sadly, I dont have it.

Mahlerei #30, the Decca Headline LP series is popular with collectors, I think there was a time when it was not available on CD (maybe still isnt?). HEAD 1 and 2 is a two disc set of Messiaen (La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jesus Christ) by the National SO of Washington DC, conducted by Dorati. No mention of Preston though: the soloists include Yvonne Loriod no less on piano, but it doesnt feature an organist.

MickyD #67, I have a couple of Camden LPs, they were RCA Camden, manufactured by Decca (confusing, isnt it?) and appear to be re-issues of the RCA 'Living Stereo' series, so probably were at a lower price than the originals. Mine were second-hand and I dont know the original price. One is a recording of Brahms symphony 1 with the Oslo PO conducted by Odd Gruner-Hegge (who? Apologies, should be an umlaut on the u, but I dont know how to do it). Its a long time since I played it, but I dont recall anything wrong with the sound, RCA are usually pretty good. And there's nothing amiss with the cover, its a rather boring black and while photo of a field of daffodils. The sleeve appears to be dated 1960, if I've interpreted the printing code correctly.

[Thomas Roth]

To be a bit more recent, I miss The Originals from DG and Decca. One or two surface every once in a while. But where are the Karajan Bruckner 9 (first) and his Bizet L´Arlesienne (first again)? The Abbado Tchaikovsky 4 with VPO. They badly need more careful remastering than the previous releases on CD.
Have you noticed that clasiical music is the only genre where record companies change the covers every time they re-release a CD. You will never see a Beatles album with a cover that differs from the original.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Mahlerei #30, the Decca Headline LP series is popular with collectors, I think there was a time when it was not available on CD (maybe still isnt?). HEAD 1 and 2 is a two disc set of Messiaen (La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jesus Christ) by the National SO of Washington DC, conducted by Dorati. No mention of Preston though: the soloists include Yvonne Loriod no less on piano, but it doesnt feature an organist.

Perhaps the inclusion of Simon Preston on the "billing" refers to his recording of La Nativitè which was added on the CD release on DECCA Enterprise?

Some of the Headline recordings were also reissued on Explore (including the Gerhard Plague); NOT, alas, the only recording (so far) of Ferneyhough's Transit - oft promised for re-release, never yet delivered.

Best Wishes.

[MickyD]

Phew, a lot of posts here that had me scurrying to my shelves. I've got around 7000 LPs and am making it a retirement project to play through the whole lot: after about four years, I'm a bit over half way. I do have CDs too, but find I never play them, except occasionally in the car when I dont like what's on R3.

One HEAD LP, HEAD 5, Gerhard's 'The Plague' is on the TAS 'Best of the Bunch' list and a decent copy will set you back a lot of money. Sadly, I dont have it.

Mahlerei #30, the Decca Headline LP series is popular with collectors, I think there was a time when it was not available on CD (maybe still isnt?). HEAD 1 and 2 is a two disc set of Messiaen (La Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur Jesus Christ) by the National SO of Washington DC, conducted by Dorati. No mention of Preston though: the soloists include Yvonne Loriod no less on piano, but it doesnt feature an organist.

MickyD #67, I have a couple of Camden LPs, they were RCA Camden, manufactured by Decca (confusing, isnt it?) and appear to be re-issues of the RCA 'Living Stereo' series, so probably were at a lower price than the originals. Mine were second-hand and I dont know the original price. One is a recording of Brahms symphony 1 with the Oslo PO conducted by Odd Gruner-Hegge (who? Apologies, should be an umlaut on the u, but I dont know how to do it). Its a long time since I played it, but I dont recall anything wrong with the sound, RCA are usually pretty good. And there's nothing amiss with the cover, its a rather boring black and while photo of a field of daffodils. The sleeve appears to be dated 1960, if I've interpreted the printing code correctly.

Hmm, Camden were obviously around a lot earlier than me, then; the ones I was talking about dated from the 70s and 80s...but it doesn't sound as if the artwork was anymore inspired in the 60s either!!

[Nick Armstrong]

who on earth was responsible for that "artwork"?

Mind-boggling

[umslopogaas]

#72 fernehoughgeliebte, ah, of course, thanks for that, I always forget that when LPs are reissued as CDs there is often room to squeeze in some more music. I have actually got the HEAD LP of Ferneyhough's 'Transit', I must have another go ... as I recall, easy listening it isnt!