Re: [ARSCLIST] 101 strings collection up for grabs LA area

[Karl Miller <lyaa071@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 26 Dec 2005, Roger and Allison Kulp wrote:

> Karl Miller <lyaa071@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> As I reflect on what seems to be the continuing decline of interest in
> classical music, I sense my 101 strings records might end up being the
> "gold" in my collection. As I think about it...not that I collect to
> impress anyone...if I told someone I have things like a 1930s  NBC Symphony
> broadcast of the music of Johh Hausserman...who will care, but at least with
> 101 strings, you can get some name recognition.
>
> Karl                                                                                                       What on earth are you talkng about? The market for collectable classical records has been growing like an uncontrolled kudzu,for the past 15 years,to the point,where you can get $20-25,for more common classical 78 sets, from the 40s.Never mind,all of the stuff that now sells in the 100s of dollars,like early EMI stereo,that were $40-50 a few years ago.Or are you talikng about new CDs ?If you are,there's a good reason,nooone wants them.They sound like crap,and almost all of the good people are dead.                                                                        Roger
>
Karl

What on earth are you talkng about? The market for collectable classical
records has been growing like an uncontrolled kudzu,for the past 15
years,to
the point,where you can get $20-25,for more common classical 78 sets,
from the
40s.Never mind,all of the stuff that now sells in the 100s of
dollars,like
early EMI stereo,that were $40-50 a few years ago.Or are you talikng
about new
CDs ?If you are,there's a good reason,nooone wants them.They sound like
crap,and almost all of the good people are dead.

To which I reply:

If you can get $20-25 for more common classical 78 sets, please let me
know where. There is a dealer here in Austin with well over 100,000 of
them to sell and has trouble paying his bills.

There are early vocal records which sell for substantial amounts.

While there is still a market for some collector items, a few audiophile
discs, violinists, etc. will bring some decent prices, the market is small
by any measure. But I also believe one has to keep in mind the size of the
market and number of available copies of early recordings in good
condition.

But my point was more towards what is considered to be of "worth" these
days.

Based upon my personal experience, I have seen the collecting habits of
archives shifting from classical music to popular music and jazz, areas
which were historically underserved.

Again, from personal experience, I pointed out to our Library Director and
the Dean of our College of Fine Arts (a well respected pianist and
musicologist) that a change in that our organization was placing a
priority on cataloging commercial recordings...from John Denver to Barry
Manilow over the acquisition and preservation of some unique broadcast
recordings, in particular a group of tapes of Stokowski conducting the
Houston Symphony. When I pointed that out, they showed as much concern as if
I had said that the temperature was going to be 75 instead of 74 degrees
tomorrow. Stokowski will not be aquired and the recordings will remain the
garage where I encountered them, becoming unplayable in a few more years,
but we will have lots of John Denver for the students.

While the following has no statistical signficance, I must admit that I
found it interesting that some jazz recordings recently encountered in the
Library of Congress are well on their way to being issued. Yet when a set
of discs of pianist William Kapell turned up a few years ago, they have
yet to be published. The pianist's widow was eager to have them released
and there was not any rights problems to overcome.

I guess, from where I sit, there just isn't the interest. I can't even
seem to find an institution interested in own collection of broadcasts in
and in house recordings of classical music.

Karl