What record labels series do you miss ?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I would agree with this. In fact Decca through its main label and reissue labels kept a large proportion of its output almost continuously available. I now, however, find it somewhat disconcerting that the Philips labelo has been dropped and now see Decca labels on reissues of Brendel, Colin Davis et al which should have Philips on them. It is however good to have them avaialable!

Philips as a record label is being phased out. This is understandable as it is no longer part of the Dutch Philips electrical company, having become part of Polygram, Seagram and Universal.

[barber olly]

Philips as a record label is being phased out. This is understandable as it is no longer part of the Dutch Philips electrical company, having become part of Polygram, Seagram and Universal.

I know, so the trademark has to go, but Philips, Decca and for that matter DG always had different sounds - cf LSO Rowicki and Kertesz Dvorak Symphonies, similar vintage, great performances each but a distinctive sound. I mentioned DG - Kubelik, although different orchestra same applies. At least Australian Eloquence is continuing the tradition of bringing us a reasonably broad-based reissue label.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

At least Australian Eloquence is continuing the tradition of bringing us a reasonably broad-based reissue label.

It's very much the label of the moment as far as reissues are concerned. Many of those fine Decca recordings of the 60s & 70s have been reissued on Eloquence for the first time.

[Alison]

Yes I too regret the passing of the old Philips label.

There was something unflashy and musical about it with a recording quality to match.

[Ferretfancy]

I would be very sorry to see the Philips chamber music recordings disappear. The label must surely be the finest for this genre, with the Italians, the Beaux Arts Trio, Grumiaux, Haebler etc. etc. I snapped up as many as I could in those Duo releases. I quite agree about the recording quality.

[Chris Newman]

Ferretfancy reminds us of the Heliodor label, Philips's cheapo wonder label. They had some wonderful Ferenc Fricsay and Karl Bohm.

[Bryn]

Ferretfancy reminds us of the Heliodor label, Philips's cheapo wonder label. They had some wonderful Ferenc Fricsay and Karl Bohm.

Um, by "Philips", I take it you intended "DGG". Fontana was the Philips cheapo, I think you will find..

[makropulos]

Um, by "Philips", I take it you intended "DGG". Fontana was the Philips cheapo, I think you will find..

Indeed. Heliodor was DG. Philips had a couple of bargain labels: as well as Fontana there was also that one with white borders (was it called Philips Great Classics or some such? I remember the Monteux Eroica rehearsal and the Böhm mono Figaro on that label, and a few other good things too.)

For me the best bargain label of the lot - at least for a couple of weeks each year in WHSmith's sale in the large branch near me - was Supraphon. It was possible even on modest birthday/Christmas money to buy armloads of wonderful things when they had the whole Supraphon catalogue marked down to 6/11 reach (a notch under 35p a record).

[makropulos]

Correction - it was called Philips Classics Favourites - there was some good stuff in that series. I remember my Dad had the Griller Quartet playing Mozart string quintets, as well as things like the Monteux and Böhm records that I had myself.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Ah yes, those Philips Classics Favourites were very distinctive. They also included reissues of CBS recordings, so there were Beecham and Bruno Walter recordings of Mozart which were rather good.

Taling of Fontana, I still have some of their 10 inch LPs.

[Bryn]

Talking of Fontana, I still have some of their 10 inch LPs.

Ah yes. I have but one, Van Otterloo conducting Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony (Hague Phil). I bought it in Orléans, on a school Easter exchange.

[Chris Newman]

Um, by "Philips", I take it you intended "DGG". Fontana was the Philips cheapo, I think you will find..

I stand corrected, Bryn. But they were good.

Makropoulos's reminder of Supraphon in Smith's sales brings back memories of getting "The Bartered Bride" for a £. Box set, 3 LPs and libretto.

[Ferretfancy]

The other very good Philips series was Universal, and I still have quite a few of those.The only snag was that the sleeves had nothing about the music, instead they had a brief history lesson about what was happening in the World when the music was being written, interesting but hardly relevant. Incidentally, I was always wondered why Philips pressings were usually reliable, but Decca were not. I soon found out why when Decca started having their pressings done in Holland.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Pye Golden Guinea LPs often had very sharp and rough edges. Philips, on the other hand, were beautifully smooth.

[Mahlerei]

Classics for Pleasure is the bargain label I remember most from my early teens. The LPs had a habit of ending up in bargain bins at my local supermarket and selling for almost nothing. And what about the Decca HEAD series? I'm almost certain Preston and Dorati's classic Messiaen set was first issued on that. I used to love the EMI Angels as well; one of my first buys on that label was Barbirolli's Verdi Requiem.

As for Collins, their finest hour was surely Gillian Weir's Messiaen cycle.