Latest haul of RCA shaded dogs

Mario Lanza sings Caruso Favorites (RCA LM 2393) sealed. Once again, I'm being lazy and this is someone else's photo. My copy, bought yesterday, is still sealed by the original 1960s mail order company "Bee Gee", with the $4.98 tag on the shrink, and then mark-down $3.87 sticker over that. And now $0.50 over them all. This is the first sealed golden era RCA LP I've ever found. I'm breaking it open as I write. I'm disappointed to discover its a Rockaway pressing, later stamper, but still a shaded dog label. But it is cool to imagine picking it up new in 1960 and being the first to see the pristine RCA instructional inner sleeve, and fresh vinyl. The sound is rich, and voice (which I'm hearing for the first time) powerful and expressive. Although the Italian orchestra backing Lanza is cheesey, and the vinyl crackly - probably Rockaway poor quality control, or a symptom of 46 years sealed.

My obsession with the RCA label is beginning to pall, as I become more open to the less explicitly "audiophile" labels. I'm picking up a lot of "safe" performances on RCA, and am looking forward to experimenting with the less collectible options (DG Archiv, Phillips, London, Bis, Vanguard, Angel, Parliament, Everest, Westminster). I've been caught up in the reissue mania for Decca SXL, RCA Living Stereo, Mercury Living Presence, and it is time to focus more on performance than engineering.

Yesterday's haul from the $0.50c bin, more RCA shaded dogs:

Best of Mario Lanza (RCA LM 2748)

Jussi Bjoerling in Song (RCA LM 1771)

Mario Lanza Love Songs (RCA LM 1188)

Jan Pierce Hebrew Melodies (RCA LSC 2498). This is prime era RCA Living Stereo from 1961, this copy unfortunately warped, with a crackle despite a VG++ visual grade (so much for RCA "Miracle Surface"). Playing this right after the Lanza/Caruso, the sound is much clearer (thank you engineer Ernest Oelrich), the orchestra (uncredited) powerful, and Pierce's delivery and emotion compelling.

And, non-RCA finds:

Villa-Lobos conducts Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 (Columbia 6 eye WLP). $3

Stravinsky conducts Stravinsky ballet (Columbia 2 eye mono) $0.10. This ones for my daughter Maddie, the ballet diva.

Martinon and London Phil. Strauss Le Beau Danube (FFRR mono) $0.10. As above, another budget ballet.

Britten Phaedra (Decca SXL 6847 narrow band) $2. Probably the most exciting find - late period Decca from 1977, but fantastic material.

Carl Nielsen - 12 Songs (Mercury mono) $1. I have the stereo and am curious about the mono.

Bach Cantatas / Kurt Thomas (HMV mono) $1