In the depths of my papers I just found an issue of the Record Hunter's
"Masterpieces in the Mail." I would scan it but as far as I know we can't attach
anything to the notes sent to this list. At any rate, quoting from the front
page...
"The MGM's are here, Another exclusive by the Record Hunter Discontinued series
now available for $3.50 a disc....Aware of the continuing interest in this
unforgotten series & encouraged by the response to our 'Rarities Collection'
reissues of Concert Hall gems, the Record Hunter undertook to obtain special
pressings of some of the most coveted M-G-M cutouts. After months of planning
and negotiation the records are here at last!"
Nov. 1962
Karl
----- Original Message ----
From: Donald Tait <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Fri, December 28, 2012 2:59:03 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] MGM Classical Discography?
Thanks for the information!
But might one of the sponsoring participants for the MGM reissue project have
been the Discount Records chain rather than Rose? Until the 1970s Rose Records
was entirely a local, one-store Chicago retailer. From 1959 onward I went to
both Discount's Chicago store and Rose's only one almost every Saturday; I never
saw any of the MGM reissues there, whereas Discount had bins full of them. As it
did of the Concert Hall reissues.
Not an argument, just a thought.
Don Tait
-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Smolian <[log in to unmask]>
To: ARSCLIST <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thu, Dec 27, 2012 5:20 pm
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] MGM Classical Discography?
As I recall, this was a cooperative venture among Record Hunter in NY, Rose
Records in Chicago and possibly others. Rich Markow may know more from the
store buyer's end. There was probably someone in Boston who also ordered
some and a west coast outfit, maybe? At any rate, these issues seemed to
spring from a cooperative order as did the Concert Hall and their derived
repressings. Also Remington and, maybe, Plymouth. I have the Plymouth
Chopin Etelka Freund (scratched!) on an otherwise quiet Gruve Guard RCA
pressing, not a plant Don Gabor would have used.
The one I play most from the M-G-M catalog myself is the Jeanne Behrend
Gottschalk LP. Less spectacular and more musical, I believe, than some
later proponents of these works, though I also favor Ivan Davis in this
repertoire.
Steve Smolian
-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Donald Tait
Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2012 4:42 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] MGM Classical Discography?
(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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