[78-L] Columbia Add-A-Part records.

[David Lennick]

That's what they were, an early Music Minus One series. There were enough of 
them to take up 5 pages in the 1945 catalog (although they were probably all 
from around 1940). The highest album number I see is S-60. There were "easy", 
"medium" and "difficult" gradings, single discs and sets, and various 
instruments missing..violin, first violin in a quartet, clarinet etc. Although 
for the life of me I can't understand their listing symphonic works like 
Beethoven's 5th and the Carmen and Peer Gynt Suites under "piano part missing". 
Did they just put out the Weingartner and Beecham recordings of these things 
and charge 50% extra for the missing non-existent piano parts? Wish I'd thought 
of that.

I'd like coffee with no cream.
I'm sorry, we're out of cream, you'll have to take it without milk.
Ba-dum-bum.

dl

Royal Pemberton wrote:
> What is the story behind the Add-A-Part series of records Columbia
> offered?  For years I've seen them listed among the different series
> or records, and the prices per disc, on a handful of sleeves or albums
> from the 1940s.
> 
> I have one of them.  Early 1940s blue (a la Masterworks) label.
> Catalogue number 65116:  it's Strauss's BLUE DANUBE (in two parts)
> performed by 'Members of the Rothschild Ensemble'.  The labels state
> 'Piano missing/EASY', which leads me to believe the A-A-P series were
> precursors of Music Minus One and such like educational products.
> (There is no information on the labels as to what special piano sheet
> music or instructional literature may have been designed for use with
> this record.)
> 
> Both sides have a brief outer track with a violinist playing an A
> natural, which ends in a locked groove.  The music tracks include two
> baton taps before the ensemble begins playing, as a cue to the
> pianist.
> 
> Matrix number for side 1, 021991; no lead in spiral.  Leadout spiral
> ends in a concentric groove like some 12" Telefunken 78s I have (and
> whose matrix numbers appear to be in the same series).
> 
> Matrix number for side 2, XCO 25954 (dub).   Tuning track has lead in
> groove.  Music track has no lead-in groove, and has typical machined
> leadout with mechanical eccentric end typical of US Columbia records
> of the 1940/1941 period.
> 
> Any information on this record, or the series as a whole, greatly appreciated.
> _______________________________________________