[78-L] Fun while mastering

[DAVID BURNHAM]

I'm just in the process of copying a fairly rare set of records over to CD.  I came across a point where the record skipped, repeating a revolution a couple of times.  I took it off and cleaned it as well as I could, didn't help.  I tried every different size stylus, adjusted the anti-skate, adjusted the weight, blew on the side of the arm, nothing worked.  Then I noticed two curiosities: first, that it always skipped twice and then carried on and second, (this is where I slap the side of my head and say "duh"), that it was skipping at a rate corresponding to a 33 1/3, even though it was a 78!  Actually it was skipping at a rate considerably faster than an LP but certainly not a 78.  That's when I checked the pitch and found out that the work was not in the proper key, (knowing from my vast store of knowledge that Grieg never wrote a Concerto in B minor.  When I corrected the pitch, (sorry Michael), the period of record skip was exactly that of
 an LP.  So this record was "issued", (I don't think it actually ever was), with the skips included.

For anyone who's not bored yet and is still reading this posting there is an interesting story attached to this recording, (which, by the way, is Grieg's Concerto in A minor performed by Rex Battle with Erno Rapee conducting the Toronto Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, recorded September 30th, 1943).  The opening piano entry and several other points of the recording are full of almost comical mistakes.  I was once describing this recording to a local violinist, Eugene Kash, who exclaimed that he was the concert master at this performance.  When it came to the end of the concert, it was his duty to congratulate the soloist on the performance but knew it was pretty bad.  He walked up to RB and said "Well, Mr. Battle, that was...." and Rex Battle cut him off saying, "Don't say a word.  I learned something tonight - I discovered that you can't play the piano wearing French cuffs."  Apparently these were a fairly new invention in 1943 and every so
 often, the cufflinks would get attached to each other and he couldn't separate them.

Another couple of anomolies about these records - it's a three record set but every record is numbered 10300.  Also there is no company's name on the label.  They were "Processed and pressed by Compo Co. limited, Lachine, Que" but that's all it says.  I know Rex Battle made other recordings on the Apex label and these labels look like Apex labels , (Canadian Decca blue), but without the name.

There's also an interesting, barely readable, note written on the 6th side label in ink the same colour as the label:

"To Herbert - a guy that knows something about music..  With my very best to you.  Rex Battle 1943"

There's also writing on side 1 in the same ink which just says "Herbert (something)".  It's very unclear - looks like he was writing it while the record was playing.

db