(Sigh) I have, of course with Roger, had to erase his return address and put in ARSCLIST here. But I now realize, as apparently have others here, that this situation seems to be hopeless and Roger simply cannot understand it or how to recitify it. I have resigned myself to it and the extra effort entailed.
I have not heard that anyone has assembled an M-G-M LP discographic numerical listing. It would indeed be interesting. M-G-M might have stopped issuing classical LPs around 1958. I remember no stereo LPs, but would have to check my post-1957 Schwann catalogues. Others might know more and I'd love to learn. The last M-G-M 12" classical LP I own is E3615: music by Gossec, Maldere, Gretry, and Clerambault by the "M-G-M Chamber Orchestra" conducted by Carlos Surinach.
The M-G-M classical catalogue was remarkable. Especially because of the contemporary music it contained and therefore implicitly promoted. Including by Americans. It can't have been a money-maker.
The later re-issues to which Roger referred were produced by New York City record stores after about 1961. Steve Smolian must know the full story. I hope he'll tell it. There were indeed two groups of them: in white thin cardboard sleeves with cut-out circles to just show the labels, and later in pale blue thin cardboard sleeves with the original sleeve-notes printed on the back.The Discount Records store in Chicago had browser-bins full of them for $1.98 each. I bought dozens of them. The pressings were crummy, but they were neat to get. Among the early M-G-M prizes (if one didn't have the original issues) were two LPs conducted by the great Gaston Poulet, one of French music and the other Spanish, re-pressed from British Parlophone; and two LPs by the uniquely marvellous American pianist George Copeland.
There were also other M-G-M LPs, of which I remember all of Grieg's Lyric Pieces played by Menahem Pressler on (I think) 6 LPs, one book per disc, and an LP of Falla's piano music played by Pressler. I seem to have gotten rid of the Grieg records.
Don Tait
-----Original Message-----
From: Roger Kulp <[log in to unmask]>
To: ARSCLIST <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tue, Dec 25, 2012 8:35 pm
Subject: [ARSCLIST] MGM Classical Discography?
Has anyone ever put together a complete discography of all the classical titles
put out by MGM Records? Did they continue to issue new classical titles after
the advent of stereo?Titles in the lower 3500 series are the latest I have
found.This would place them at late 1956,or early 1957.I have maybe 25-30,both
10" and 12".A few are those rereleases from the early 1960s on the black
label,for which there are two cover variations,the generic blue and white
cover,and the "blueback type",with the original liner notes on the front,and a
blank back cover.
Thanks in advance,
Roger
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