Re: [ARSCLIST] 1953 Coronation, formerly Reel-to-reel tape

["Copeland, Peter" <Peter.Copeland@xxxxx>]

Dear All,
    David Lennick is right. The Coronation was on 2nd June 1953, and EMI
(who made the set of three LPs in Britain) changed their equalisation
methods on or about 17th July 1953. (This latter fact was obtained from
the British Library's microfilms of EMI's "Recording-sheets" -
contemporary vocabulary for documenting the Cutting Of Master Discs).
Therefore one would expect the initial sales to be made to the old
standard, and later remasterings to what was later called "RIAA". I am
still researching this matter, and may be able to say something definite
in a week or two; but I have stumbled upon an unexpected fact.
    The BBC would normally have done an important broadcast in duplicate
- two sets of mikes, two mixers (capable of working off batteries as
well as mains), two landlines, etc. And I find some LPs don't match
others. I would guess that the two separate broadcasts went along two
landlines as far as EMI's Abbey Road studios; but contemporary BBC
documentation does not mention this possibility. In fact, the 1955 BBC
Yearbook says that only one person was responsible for the mix. That may
have been true for the broadcast as transmitted; but it cannot have been
true for the backup, which must have had another mixing engineer.
    However, it does seem that some EMI LPs are different from others. I
have a CEDAR azimuth corrector, and with a good deal of luck I might be
able to get something approaching stereo from parts of the Coronation
service.
Peter Copeland
Former Technical Manager
British Library Sound Archive
<peter.copeland@xxxxxxxxxx>

-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of David Lennick
Sent: 26 September 2005 04:13
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] reel-to-reel tape

People, believe me..it was 1953, not 1952. George VI died in 1952. The
coronation was the following year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/june/2/newsid_2654000/2
654501.stm

dl

Rod Stephens wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Well, back then on June 2nd of 1952, we here in America were also
> fascinated by the pomp and glamour of an attractive young princess
> taking her place on the British Royal throne.
>
> One of my prized possessions is a three LP set on "His Master's Voice"
> from the Gramophone Company Limited (ALP 1056, 1057 and 1058)
"recorded
> by direct line from the B.B.C. transmission".  My only complaint was
> that the commentators, John Snagge and Howard Marshall, talked over
some
> of the glorious choral music.
>
> Yes, those were happier and kinder days!
>
> Rod Stephens
> Family Theater Productions

**************************************************************************
 
Experience the British Library online at www.bl.uk
 
Help the British Library conserve the world's knowledge. Adopt a Book. www.bl.uk/adoptabook
 
The Library's St Pancras site is WiFI - enabled
 
**************************************************************************
 
The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended for the addressee(s) only. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete this e-mail and notify the postmaster@xxxxx : The contents of this e-mail must not be disclosed or copied without the sender's consent. 
 
The statements and opinions expressed in this message are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the British Library. The British Library does not take any responsibility for the views of the author. 
 
**************************************************************************