# Ormandy/PhilidelphiaFranck Symphony in D Minor. Questions



## WhenMusicWasBeautiful (Sep 20, 2010)

I need help finding out the significance/rarity of this specific record.

This is the information I know about Columbia/Columbia Masterworks and the Philadelphia/Ormandy recording of Franck Symphony in D minor.

1. 1946 Columbia Masterworks released Philadelphia Orchestra and Eugene Ormandy Franck Symphony in D minor in an Album Set on 78 rpm (shellac) records. Catalog M-MM-617. Advertised in the September 23, 1946 issue of Life Magazine.
2. 1948 Columbia introduced the first 33 rpm Long Playing Microgroove on vinyl (10" for popular music and 12" for Classical).
3. 1948 Philadelphia Orchestra and Eugene Ormandy Franck Symphony in D minor release on a Vinyl 33 LP. This vinyl was packaged in a Alex Steinweiss Design sleeve made of thin Kraft paper which bore . Catalog # ML 4024 with many re-issues.
4. The first documented release of the
5. 1955 Columbia changed it's logo to the "Walking Eye(CBS)" logo.
6. After 1955 Columbia's promo labels featured both the "Notes and Mike" and "Walking Eye (CBS)" logo BUT the "Notes and Mike" logo was completely phased out by 1958.
7. The Philadelphia Orchestra Association stated in 1999 that the Philadelphia Orchestra recorded Franck Symphony in D minor only 5 times for the following labels RCA 1927/1935 and EMI 1981. The only two conducted by Eugene Ormandy were1953 and 1961 for CBS Inc. In 1953 CBS Inc released on Columbia/Columbia Masterwork labels and CBS Records wasn't founded until 1961 this was only so they could release outside the US.
8. The Academy of Music, New York was were the 1953 recording took place on Christmas Eve. The AHRB (Research Centre for the History and Analysis of Recorded Music) states that the 1953 recording was released on Columbia Masterworks Label Catalog #ML 4939 .

Vinyl Description:
Franck Symphony in D minor, Philadelphia Orchestra; Eugene Ormandy
12" LP 33 1/3 rpm
ML 4939 (x"Lp" 31174)
Matrix Numbers Side 1: XLP31173-1D
Matrix Numbers Side 1: XLP31174-1E
WLP on virgin vinyl 
Did I mention the sound is enchanting!!!!!

My questions are as follows.
Although Promo is not found anywhere on this label, I have read on several websites that the label photographed was exclusively used by Columbia Masterworks as a promotional label. and if the 1953 recording is documented as the 1st of only 2 that Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra's recorded then would it be safe to say the first pressings would be a on WLP?
If this is a first pressing, a first on an LP vinyl and only 1 of 5 recorded by the Philadelphia Orchestra does that make it any more significant?
I know that Ormandy has recorded almost ever genre of classical works some better than others but when I played this record it was breathtaking. 


Side Note: I have only been collecting for only 12 years, I am embarrassed to admit that I have just recently started collecting Classical Records as I was given over 500 of them a year ago. If any of the information I provided is incorrect please let me know. Classical recordings are fascinating and I would like to increase my knowledge base. Tchaikovsky Symphony No 5 by Ormandy is my favorite and if anyone can recommend other great records please let me know.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Hi,
this is a highly specialized question ... Maybe there is a TC-member who can answer it, but I don´t think I´ll be discriminating the TC-site when bringing your attention to the webpages of the record collectors guild. They don´t have a real discussion forum as regards classical music, but there are some true buffs in the field of the technicalities of record-labels and -production there, and they once helped me with a question of covers of the Mercury label ...
Welcome, nice to hear of other "vinylists" ... I tend to look for a (limited) variety as regards collecting several recordings of classical works in that media, and especially obtaining rare instrumental music repertoire. Nice how inexpensive such a hobby can be !

Regards, Joen


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