Picking LPs to sell: The weakest link

The WFMU record fair is approaching on November 3 - 5, and I'm picking out records to sell to fund the weekend binge. Also, with the house up for sale, it really doesn't make sense to put all the records into storage, so I'll be shopping a few boxes of LPs and CDs around the local stores soon.

This collection has been refined over the past 20 years, with regular pruning and refining, so the inventory gets stronger, and it gets harder to find titles to sell. That said, I find the process of assessing which records to sell really helpful for critical listening. And who knows, I may open up enough space to get the current loose stacks actually onto the overstuffed shelves.

1. Dimitri Tiomkin - Giant: Soundtrack [Capitol grey label mono]

The copy is crackly, despite grading well visually. The top seam split all the way. The music is charming. A classic sountrack that evokes fond memories of the James Dean Western. I love the warm, rich, tubey sound of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, George Shearing and Judy Garland titles on the original mono Grey label. That makes the label itself appealing as a signal of great sound. But since I put an end to ten years reviewing soundtracks, I've appreciated a few without listening to movie music. And in some ways it feels like work. Giant won't get much play, so this one is out for being a soundtrack, and too crackly.

2. Peter Nero - Piano Forte, The Magnificent Piano of Peter Nero [RCA Living Stereo LSP 2334]

The instrumental "Over the Rainbow" is full of classical pomp, but actually a fun orchestration, and suddenly switches to jazz. Nero's first RCA LP, released 1961, but this pressing looks mid-60s if you compare it with the RCA labelography (7f). The stamper is A1 I 8s, so early, and the sound is fine, if occasionally crackly. The first side has actually been an unexpected pleasure, particularly "My Funny Valentine". What a playful, effusive style. Shame about the occasional distortion, although that may clean up. This is a keeper, and in fact, I'll look out for more Nero.

3. James Newton - Romance and Revolution [Blue Note Digital DMM 1986]

Digitally-sourced vinyl, Direct Metal Mastering, on jazz from within the last 30 years. Three strikes. You're out. But hold on, 4.5 stars from Allmusic. A Mingus composition. A well-constructed artist site. And the dead wax reveals that this was cut at Masterdisk by "TD" (not sure which mastering engineer that would be, not Mike Moran who handled recording)

But all in all I can't get past not really liking jazz from the past 30 years. Or more importantly, preferring jazz pre-1975, and with limited space, and the off-chance that given that this is on Blue Note, and IIRC the Beastie Boys sampled him, it may be worth a few bucks. Its gone.

4. Mario Lanza - Love Songs and Neapolitan Serenade [RCA LM 1188]

A shaded dog reissue of early Lanza. There's a background feedback hum, perhaps a snafu in the mastering. And this is excruciating on various levels. The opinions published on EnjoyTheMusic about RCA monos on any label after the plum are spot on. And somehow I have two copies.

5. Jussi Bjoerling - Jussi Bjoerling in Song [RCA LM 1771]

Like the Lanza, this came in a Nagaoka anti-static record sleeve No. 102. Never seen that sort of sleeve before, but I liked the Japanese audiophile touch, and it signalled that both titles probably had the same owner at one point. No more though. Bjoerling stays. Lanza is out.

Sonically, sure there's crackle, but the rich, full sound overpowers any complaints. Surely the early, all-red, red seal label is a consistent winner.

The Swede, Jussi handles Schubert with grace and vigor, at home with the German and Scandanavian (Sibelius) arias. The "zum ersten kuss" of Liszt's "Es musss ein Wunderbares sein" is particularly moving.

I hadn't realized that the New Orthophonic process dated back this far (the label is 1951-1954).

6. Robert Shaw Chorale - A Mighty Fortress [LM 2199 shaded dog]

The photo, as with all my photos is swiped from someone else. My copy is mono.

"Glorious things of thee are spoken" reminds me of my own choir-boy years [I actually performed at the Royal Albert Hall on one occasion]. But US accent of the choir just don't have the solemn magic for my taste. I'll stick with the Argo UK series. This is gone.

7. Elizabeth Schumann [LCT 1126]

A 1953 reissue of 78s. Her voice has a vulnerable feel, but also great conviction on these lieder from Schubert. But she doesn't hold my attention, or really win me over. Gone.

8. Ten Tenors Ten Arias [LM 1202 plum shaded dog]

Two strikes. Its a reissue, and an opera compilation with various singers. Its hard to master transfers of 78s and the mish-mash of sources with any consistency. And there's Lanza. Strike three.

9. Vladimir Horowitz / Arturo Toscanini - Tchaikovsky Concerto No. 1 [RCA LM 2319 shaded dog]

This poses a problem. Two titans captured in 1943 at Carnegie Hall, and unreleased until 1959. But the sound is poor, and smothers the fierce performance. The Penguin Guide prefers Horowitz's 1941 performance, giving it a rosette despite being transferred from 78s. Gone.

10. Humperdink - Hansel and Gretel [RCA LM2457]

I'm capped out on classical right now, and can't find a good reason to ditch Hansel and Gretel.