In answer to Roger's question, I have probably found twenty or twenty-five
of the Hadley-conducted Ginn New York Philharmonic Members 78s over the
years. Both 10" and 12". Since my experience with those I owned had been that
I found most to be, as I wrote yesterday, of negligible musical value
(short pieces and snippets) and interpretive quality, I only took them if I got
them for next-to or nothing. Yes, they are interesting curiosities in the
history of records and recording, and that's why I took them. And James
North is undoubtedly correct that the records are rare today; they had both a
limited purpose and limited circulation. But from the standpoint of musical
value, in my opinion they have nothing to offer. Even the few 12" records
I've found of complete works. I seem to remember a Mendelssohn overture
conducted by Hadley, perhaps Ruy Blas. Musically: yawn.
Yes, during the 1960s RCA Victor produced a multi-disc series of LPs
intended for schools and young people featuring Howard Mitchell and the
National (Washington DC) Symphony Orchestra. I have about six of them in my
basement. As I recall, each was directed to one or another grade school level,
with what were thought to be good classical music excerpts for the kids.
Short pieces, excerpts, snippets.Yes, each LP was packaged separately, in a
box. All of mine are mono. Some excerpts from the series were issued on a
Victrola LP during the 1960s in stereo. Given the 1960s origins of the project,
I'd imagine that all or most of the original recordings were made in
stereo.
Don Tait
The other day I brought up the recordings of the New York Philharmonic for the Ginn and Company.The extent of my knowledge of these records comes from James North's 2006 New York Philharmonic discography.Appendix D in particular.I have been monitoring Amazon for a while,and I recently purchased the only inexpensive copy I have seen pop up.I am still waiting for it.Parts of this are up on Google Books.The page in question can be found by Doing a Google Book search for "new york philharmonic" ginn "henry hadley" education.
Mr.North states
"The records are rare today,partial collections exist at the New York Philharmonic Archives,at The Yale Collection of Historical Sound Recordings,at Yale University's Gilmore Library,and at The Library of Congress."
Mr.North then goes on to explain the differences in the performances,sound quality,and works between the Gennet and Columbia recordings,the matrix numbers,and differences in speed,as well as descriptions of the program notes.lesson plans,and instructions for the teacher.Mr.North states there was a 1932 blue shellac pressing,which may be the rarest ones of all.
In this Appendix,he asks for further information about these records.
If someone here has a complete set,and especially the accompanying paperwork,the institutions above would be very interested in hearing from you.I would suggest you make a list of what you have,and offer to donate the ones to Yale,LoC,or NYPO that they do not have.
In the event you have any left,I will GLADLY take them off your hands.
I have a large historical classical collection,somewhere between 5-10000 Lps,78s,and 45s.In nearly 25 years of scouring thrift stores,flea markets,yard sales,dealer auction lists,and eBay.I have found a total of one of these records.G52,with the Goldmark and the Liszt.I have seen one dealer action list that had two Ginn records a few years ago,I was outbid,and do not know what they went for.
I would be curious how many of these Don Tait has found.
Recordings for schools,are one of the least examined,and least known areas,of classical record collecting,especially those that contain unique recordings.I have only found two that fit this bill.One is a set,of 10" 78s,on RCA Victor,from1946,according to the school date stamp,it may be earlier,of instruments of the orchestra,with Malcolm Sargeant.Obviously done for HMV.I ought to pull it out to see if it credits an orchestra.It's on a yellow label.The other is a box set,from 1963,also on RCA,by Howard Mitchell,and The National Symphony Orchestra,of assorted excerpts and shorter works.It appears to have done for about a 5th,or 6th grade level,and the box has a boy and a girl,listening to various 1959-61 Red Seal albums,in mono.My set is mono,too.Stereo copies exist,but I have yet to see one.The records are aon the black RCA popular label.
Roger
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