Re: [ARSCLIST] Two questions about Deutsche Grammophon

[George Brock-Nannestad <pattac@xxxxxxxx>]

From: Patent Tactics, George Brock-Nannestad


Hello, Roger wrote:
> 
> This is all very interesting.Is there a book that covers the history of the
> company ? Especially the first fifty years.

----- regarding the Gramophone Company, there is the very informative 
centenary book by Peter Martland "Since Records Began. EMI. The first 100 
years", Amadeus Press, Portland OR 1997 (359 pages 8" x 12" ca.). As far as I 
know he is going to bring another, with much more documentation.

There is another book that has a number of misplaced captions but a huge lot 
of images of original documents and photographs, and that is much earlier:

Russell Miller and Roger Boar (Jaques Lowe, Editor): "The incredible music 
machine", Quartet/Visual Arts Books, London 1982 (288 pages 8" x 10" ca.)

Regarding Deutsche Grammophon as such I am only aware of German-language  
publications, and then the "false" commemorative books based on 1898 (my 
special take on their origin).

> 
> I am aware of the dogless label,and I own two of these records.One is a Vasa
> Prihoda, with semicircular Polydor labels glued over the top half of each
> label. I have also had a couple of "Opera" label records that I sold in the
> past.I once read the history of this label, somewhere,but I've forgotten
> it.
> 
> As with the US scroll Victor,and Blue shellac Columbias,Deutsche
> Grammophon/Polydor 78s are loved and prized by collectors worldwide,for
> their sound and surfaces.Especially the early electrical classical records.I
> have a few dozen of these myself.

----- yes, they are good and less prone to humidity problems that beset the 
British pressings. However, French and Italian Columbia (and many post-merger 
Voix de son Maître/ Voce del Padrone) were made in the old Columbia factory 
in these countries, and they used a sandwich construction: coarse material 
covered in a velvety surface material. If kept dry these are fabulous.
> 
> I thought Electrola's start coincided with the first RCA/HMV electricals of
> 1925.That black Electrola "globe" label is quite scarce.I have one each by
> Coates,and Stokowski.

----- absolutely, that was the reason for creating Electrola. 

> 
> I have two copies of the same DGG 78,by Herbert Von Karajan.One is on the
> blue label with Nipper,the other on a tulip label.The 1951 date sounds a
> little late,though,for them to still be using Nipper.

----- Karajan recorded during WW2, but a number of 1930s and wartime 
recordings were later issued on the Tulip (pre-Variable Micrograde). I can 
only think of Heinrich Schlusnus for the moment that I have in both versions.

> 
> I know of Historic Masters,and if they put out records of nonoperatic
> classical,I would save up the insane prices they charge for their records.
> 
> I did buy this when it came out though:
> 
> http://www.cool78s.com/Cool_200602.html ; 

----- I checked, it is a Cliff Richard vinyl "re-issue" on 78,  CASB 007. 
They claim "Cruisin' accurately reproduced the look and feel of the original 
1958 acetate", which would only be true if it had a metal core. The record 
simply does not weigh enough. But all replica records are great fun - I have 
a few Japanese 10" LP replicas of 1950s French chansons

> 
> Oh,and the price for this is now in the £75 and up range.It might even be
> higher. According to popsike.com,a copy hasn't come up on eBay since 2004.

----- vinyl is a nice material. However, I would recommend playing it out of 
the fridge if it is a 78.

Kind regards,


George