Incorrect about DGG. The first digital record, as stated on their own website a few years ago (I
think they took down that nice history/timeline they used to have), is Kremer, violin / Maazel /
Berlin Philharmonic - Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. DGG used the 3M system in their early days (I
finally found a British pro-audio magazine article confirming this).
DGG was late to the party, but Philips was last. I incorrectly stated Philips' first digital
recording in my ARSC Journal article, and the answer was hiding in plain sight! The first Philips
digital record was "Pops In Space!" by John Williams and the Boston Pops. It was recorded on the
Soundstream system and a Decca engineering crew handled the job. I don't think any other Philips
records were made using the Soundstream system, and no Decca records that I know of were made with
Soundstream. Decca had their own digital recorder by that time, but may not have had a machine
available for Boston on the date of the session. Or, Philips may have opted for Soundstream in any
case.
When I did my ARSC-NYC presentation on Thursday, one of the highlights for me was being able to
discuss Soundstream and RCA's extensive use of it with Jon Samuels, who had first-hand knowledge. I
wish Jon would do a presentation summarizing RCA's entry into digital, and take it up through how
they did the first Living Stereo reissues and then how the subsequent Living Stereo SACD's were
done. The whole topic is interesting and I give RCA and BMG a lot of credit for experimenting with
many different systems and methods.
Regarding the Ormandy red LP, just buy a copy on eBay. They are plentiful. Pablo red LPs are also
plentiful and non-valuable as collectables.
I should submit and addendum to the ARSC Journal because I did uncover a few new facts and got
corrections for two factual errors in my article. That said, it's a somewhat obscure topic. Final
salient fact -- the music business has been digital more than half the timespan since the LP
debuted.
-- Tom Fine
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger Kulp" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2013 5:41 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] RCA red vinyl for digital
I have never seen a first pressing on red vinyl,only the later issues on black vinyl.It was a
special thing,but no other label did it that I know of. I do know that I have the first Deutsche
Gramophon digital record.It was a Mozart opera by von Karajan,Zauberflote I think.It came with a
special bonus record,a 12" 45 RPM single of HVK's first recording for Deutsche Grammophon,another
Mozart overture,but I forget which one off hand. Those late digital vinyl issues for classical,circa
1989-92,go for serious money nowadays. Did Columbia do anything special for their first digital
record? I don't think Philips and Decca/London did. I have a few British Decca rock
records,analogue,from 1980-81,and they were still pressed in England,unlike the digital classical
titles that were pressed in Holland by Polygram.But British Decca also pressed the first few digital
London titles,so they clearly could do it.It is kind of confusing. Roger > Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2013
16:24:10 -0500> From: [log in to unmask]> Subject: [ARSCLIST] RCA red vinyl for digital>
To: [log in to unmask]> > RCA Red Seal (classical front-line label) pressed its first digital
record -- Ormandy/Philly Bartok > Concerto for Orchestra -- on red vinyl. Does anyone know for sure
if they did any other first-issue > digitals on red vinyl?> > Pablo also did their first series of
digital records on red vinyl. I suspect RCA was doing the > pressing, although by that time Pablo
was saying "Manufactured by Pablo Records" on their LPs. The > early Pablo records said on the label
that they were manufactured by RCA. I suspect that Norman > Granz got that changed once the label
got established, but probably kept RCA doing the pressing > until Pablo was bought by Fantasy
Group.> > Anyway, was anyone else using red vinyl regularly in that time period -- 1978-1980?> > --
Tom Fine
|
