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RE: thinking....

You can take the UK situation two ways really.

Decca jumped into LPs straight away, but with variable results. The Gulda Beethoven Moonlight and Sonata 31 (LXT2652 I think) has a very loud hum buzzing away through some fine performances. Despite the FFRR hype not all Decca's early postwar records, 78 and LP do them credit. It took them a while to get it right consistently, and then they got it really right!

In holding back, EMI can be accused of both arrogance or sensibly letting the technology mature before jumping in. IIRC EMI were still recording onto 78 acetate for some popular music singles in 1954 before they went wholly over to tape, guess which sound better.

Their announcement that they would give the trade 6 months notice before issuing records in a format other 78 standard has a typically patrician stance to it. It did them great harm in holding back as their classical music sales in the UK fell away.

It's easy to be critical now, the UK in the late forties was virtually bankrupt and raw material supplies were rationed. Decca's ability to export directly into the US would give them an advantage, as any exporting to bring in foreign currency was actively supported by the UK government. It is said that the EMI archive series of re-releases on 78 was only made possible by exporting to the US. None of these records (Patti, Melba, Caruso etc.) would have re-entered the catalogue if there wasn't an export market for them.

I don't know if they had the Angel US label set up then, and in any event their links to RCA Victor could have made them reluctant to take up Columbia's LP.

I hope you get some sleep Tom, but please keep thinking.


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  • RE: thinking.... - richardz 01/6/0908:01:50 01/6/09 (1)

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