[78-L] Classical 12 inch 78 albums

[J. E. Knox]

Greetings from FixitLand!

Dan Van Landingham wrote:

> I once owned a Victor 12 inch of the Bach-Gounod arrangement of  
> "Ave Maria" with Schubert's "Ave
> Maria" on the reverse.As I recall,the orchestra was a Victor studio  
> group called "Victor Salon Orchestra"
> and the conductor on that particular recording date was Rosario  
> Bourdon.The particular pressing I had
> dated from between 1938-41 as it was issued on Victor's popular  
> series which was
> in the 3000s.This recording had to have dated from somewhere in the  
> mid to late '20s as I had a
> few other Victors that had "Victor Talking Machine Company" in the  
> familiar scroll pattern.I am
> thinking of emailing Bill McLoughlin at WFMT as he once did a  
> programme on the Bach transcriptions by
> Stokowsky on his "Exploring Music" series some months ago.I would  
> love to find another copy of it as it
> was one of my favourite recordings.

There are some confusing things here.

A Victor 12-inch issue of the two compositions of "Ave Maria" makes  
sense. The recordings being by Victor Salon Orchestra makes sense.  
Being between 1938 and 1941 makes sense.

BUT:

Victor never had a 12-inch popular series in the 3000s. If indeed  
between '38 and '41, we're talking 36000s -- above 36200, actually.  
This, if true, would point to your record being either a black-label  
12-inch single or part of one of the Concert Series albums.

And you mention the Scroll label. You are referring to other records,  
correct? By 1938 the Scroll label had been discontinued in the US.

Ty Settlemier's Online 78rpm Discography turns up this possibility:  
Victor 36029 "Ave Maria" (Gounod) by the Victor Concert Orchestra, mx  
CVE 55669, 4 Sept. 1929. Ty doesn't list the flip side. If this was  
in fact your record, and if pressed in the 1938-41 time frame, it  
would have gold Rings labels rather than Scroll. But earlier  
pressings would be Scrolls. Problem -- this is the Victor CONCERT  
Orchestra, while you state the Victor SALON Orchestra (not that  
there's much difference)...

I will peruse some catalogs and see what turns up.

Take care,


J. E. Knox "The Victor Freak"