OMG! I found my Wagner "Die Walkure" 78rpms! Can anything be better?

[Rabrrrrrr]

I mean, seriously, is there anything in life that can posibly be better than Wagner Ring Cycle 78rpms?

It's an "orthophonic" recording, whatever that is.

And, oddly enough, after a quick check of 5 or 6 of 16 or so discs, I counted two orchestras: some Berlin orchestra and also the LSO, and also two different conductors.

Must have parcelled out the recording to different orchestras and singers to get it done quicker, is all I can imagine.

[Dr Fate]

1. I dont collect classical- but I'm a vinyl freak too...

I dont know what Orthophonic means- probably a fancy word for mono.

Happy listening- nothing beats the black crack!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Oh that sounds wonderful, my dear Rabrrrrrr!

I can just bet you'll be doing the total immersion with these for awhile!

Enjoy......

:bounce: :bounce:

[Rabrrrrrr]

5. If my turntable had a 78rpm option, I would...

sadly it doesn't. :cry:

[Radio_Lady]

16. They still sell them. Go to:

http://www.kabusa.com/slbd78.htm

KAB SL-BD 78
33 45 78 RPM SEMI AUTOMATIC
3 SPEED TURNTABLE

Truly one of the best values in 3 speed turntables today.
The SL-BD78 3 speed turntable will play all of your favorite records. And because you have a separate cartridge and stylus for LP's / 45's and 78 rpm records, the best sound possible is assured from each record format.

Nothing extra to buy, Includes everything to play Lp's, 45's and 78 rpm. Superb T4P tonearm requires no adjustments or settings. Setup is easy. Just attach the drive belt, plug in a cartridge and start playing records.

All necessary cables are supplied including a superb owners manual. A tinted acrylic, hinged dust cover is included.
Your turntable is carefully packed, double boxed and shipped UPS to you.

Note that the SL-BD78 has a Hi Fi Offset tonearm with very low distortion. Do Not Confuse This With A DJ Straight Tonearm. KAB Does Not Sell The DJ Straight Tonearm Turntables.

[Aristus]

3. John Culshaw, in his fascinating book "Ring Resounding",

which chronicles the first ever stereo recording of the Ring operas, also talks about the tangled process of compiling a complete "Walkure" from at least three and possibly as many as nine different recordings on 78rpm. In several places, orchestra, conductor and principles change, disappear, re-appear with other combinations of orchestra, conductor, etc. On at least on "side" of a 78rpm Walkure scene, orchestra, conductor, principles, engineers and all are anonymous!

Interesting stuff. Congrats on your recordings, Rabrrr! Rare find!

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. Thanks for the info!

I wish I knew more about what these records are and when recorded. They have no dates on them, and each disc only gives the conductor's name and the orchestra, and sometimes one or two of the singer's names - and oddly enough, none of the ones I looked at give the name of the singer of Brunnhilde; it's always the other roles.

:shrug:

[jrandom421]

6. Yard Sale Find

All of Otto Klemperer's Mozart cycle from 1956-1965 in excellent condition. $4.50
Almost all of Adrian Boult's Ralph Vaughn Williams Cycle from the 30's on 78's in good condition $1.00

[redqueen]

7. Wow... rare stuff...

glad you found it!

:toast:

[nytemare]

8. It could be worse.

If you had nothing to play it on, that is.

:D

[Rabrrrrrr]

10. Sadly, I DON'T have anything to play it on...

my turntable doesn't do 78. I'd rather it did 78 than 45. I mean, for crying out loud, who listen's to 45s? I don't even have any - well, actually I have 15 or 20, but I couldn't give a shit about them.

[nytemare]

11. Oh no!

Sounds like you may need to ebay!

[madrchsod]

18. ebay or if you are in a big city

there are shops that sell what you need. i`ve got a collection of 78`s and i`m looking at several turntables on ebay

[Deep13]

9. orthophonic=true to life sound

No hyperbole there. I'm sure listening to a seventy-year-old record is just as good as being at the concert.

[Archae]

12. I used to have a 78rpm of Haydn...

But I dropped it, and then it was Baroque. :P

[Radio_Lady]

15. Very funny! LOL!

Frankly, I'm on a different wavelength. What is the lure of opera on 78 shellac records? Maybe Enrico Caruso (because there's nothing better for him, at least). Sure, we had tons of records when I was a child -- classical, popular.

78 RPMs were miserable, scratchy, and most ended up broken. 45s were fun for a while and made a BIG, colorful stack on the spindle. Saving vinyl 33 1/3 records I might be able to understand, although I did manage to sell all of those while people still had turntables and hadn't tried to put them in the sun (they warped pretty badly when heated in a garage or home). Never got into eight-track, thank goodness, and still have literally hundreds of cassettes which I will play until I get another car. CDs have only lasted a few years, but there's nothing to compare to MP3 players -- don't have to drag anything around anymore -- just one little gadget with gigabytes of memory! Amazing!

"Be not the first by whom the new is tried,
Nor yet the last to set the old aside."

I can't seem to remember who said this. If you know, please respond!

[Pale Blue Dot]

13. I didn't know Jack Wagner covered "Die Walkure"!

Did he perform that on General Hospital?

:loveya:

[Brigid]

14. Wow!

I'm sure you would never part with them, but I'll bet they're worth some serious cash! What singers are featured?

[Radio_Lady]

17. Rabrrrrrr, could you PLEASE look for my LOST high school yearbook?

You might find it near where you located your 78s. That book's got to be SOMEWHERE!

It's the 1956 North Miami (Florida) High School "Original Pioneers" -- our school colors are green and gray!