[78-L] Columbia album sets

Thu Feb 17 02:34:50 PST 2011

I have a feeling that the GEMS OF MELODY waltzes were the Johann Strauss III issues, and the rest were the Columbia Concert (or Symphony) Orchestra under Robert Hood Bowers.  PC
________________________________________
From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com [78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com] On Behalf Of samhopper at mail.com [samhopper at mail.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2011 12:56 AM
To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
Subject: Re: [78-L] Columbia album sets

The Modern Music set No.4 was (believe it or not...!):

COLUMBIA GEMS OF MELODY
(Unnamed soloists and performers)
10 Sides., Modern Music Album Set No.4 (MM-4)
50028-D; 50054-D; 50066-D; 50084-D; 50077-D
Details of recording:
Espana Waltz                        50028-D
Estudiantina Waltz (Waldteufel)             50028-D
Voices of Spring-Waltz              50054-D
Enjoy Your Life-Waltz (J. Strauss)      50054-D
Gioconda: Dance of the Hours (Ponchielli) (2 parts)     50066-D
Blue Danube Waltz (J. Strauss) (2 parts)    50084-D
In a Monastery Garden               50077-D
In a Persian Market (Ketelbey)          50077-D

Regarding Set 286.
Not a big seller - but from what I can figure out from research - it appears to have been available in standard "M" and "MM" sets only - not "AM". The 1940 catalog does not list the item in any form and the pianist isn't listed either. It appears to have been short lived and withdrawn early. It was not part of the short lived Modern Music Album series either.

The details for Set 286:

CONCERTO IN G / upon Chinese Themes and Rhythms / (for piano and orchestra) (Aaron Avshalomov)
Gregory Singer (piano) / Aaron Avshalomov conducting Shanghai Municipal Symphony Orchestra
8 Sides., Set M-286
68867-D - 68870-D
[Possible numbers for MM] 68871-D - 68874-D
Recorded: 1936
Matrix numbers: A 3074 to A 3081
Matrix numbers (Details - Takes)
A 3074-1 - First movement: Allegro non troppo (first part)
A 3075-2 - First movement: Allegro non troppo (second part)
A 3076-1 - First movement: Allegro non troppo (third part)
A 3077-2 - First movement: Allegro non troppo (completion)
A 3078-1 - Second movement: adagio (first part)
A 3079-2 - Second movement: adagio (completion)
A 3080-1 - Third movement: Finale (first part)
A 3081-2 - Third movement: Finale (completion)

A note on the composition:
The Piano Concerto in G was written during the summer of 1935 at Hangchow, a renowned beauty spot, of which the Chinese say, "Above there is heaven; below there is Habngchow and Soochow." Living in a peasant cottage and using a small harmonium, Avshalomov completed the composition in six weeks, doing the orchestration subsequently in Shanghai. Gregory Singer, to whom the scores is dedicated, gave the premiere in Shanghai with great success. On that occasion the slow movement was played twice, once as on this disc, and a second time in special orchestration for Chinese instruments. The Pathe recording was recorded - 1936 (?).

SAM

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm a member of the 78rpm Collectors Community - Like FaceBook - but for collectors - www.78rpmcommunity.com
Upload photos, music and videos, create a blog, join our forum or one of our many interest groups...
Connect with like-minded friends or simply comment on what others are saying and doing...

-----Original Message-----
From: David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
To: 78L <78-L at 78online.com>
Sent: Thu, Feb 17, 2011 2:29 pm
Subject: [78-L] Columbia album sets

Did someone want to know all of the MODERN MUSIC set numbers and their new
numbers? I've just come across them in a small undated catalog, pre-CBS (but
not by much).

Interesting that none of these was pressed in auto sequence, while just about
every album surrounding them WAS, including what must have been a huge seller,
Avshalomoff's Piano Concerto (whaaa?!) with someone named Singer at the piano
and the composer conducting the Shanghai Municipal Orchestra. Never even heard
of that one, let alone seen it (Set 286/AM286).

Okay, here are the renumbered "Modern" sets.

278 Haubiel: KARMA (formerly Modern Music 1)
279 Atterberg: SYMPHONY #6 (formerly Modern Music 2)
280 Gershwin: CONCERTO IN F..Bargy/Whiteman (formerly Modern Music 3)
281 Roy Harris: CONCERTO Op. 2 (formerly Modern Music 6)
282 Roy Harris: TRIO (Modern Music 7)
283 Salzedo: CONCERTO FOR HARP & 7 WIND INSTRUMENTS (formerly M.M. 8)
284 Glazounov: THE SEASONS (formerly Modern Music 5)

Wonder what Modern Music 4 was? And I wonder what on earth anyone was thinking
in putting the Glazounov in that series? Roy Harris's Symphony 1933 had a
better claim to be in there but it wasn't (it was Set 191).

The 1934 catalog lists Modern Music sets 1, 2, 3, 5 & 6 so Set 4 was a mystery
even then (or an unused number). And the Gramophone Shop's 1931 catalog lists
Modern Music sets 1, 2 and 3, so that's how early that series was in use.

dl

_______________________________________________
78-L mailing list
78-L at klickitat.78online.com
http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l

_______________________________________________
78-L mailing list
78-L at klickitat.78online.com
http://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l

This email message and any attachments may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are prohibited from using the information in any way, including but not limited to disclosure of, copying, forwarding or acting in reliance on the contents. If you have received this email by error, please immediately notify me by return email and delete it from your email system. Thank you.