Thursday spins: Decca US pressings

50.125.74.20

Posted on August 27, 2015 at 11:12:59

user510

There was Decca records in the US and Decca in the UK. Typically, and in order to export their records to the United States, the UK Decca changed their label name to "London" in order to avoid whatever litigation would ensue with regard to trademark rights and etc on records sold over here.

This one is Decca United States. No connection to UK Decca.

Anyway, US Decca Lps show up in the used record bins less often than the other major labels. Here's one that turned up in my bin:

Mozart Divertimento, Bel Arte Trio.
This, I suspect, is an early Lp recording. SQ is rather good with excellent sense of presence and ambience.

I cleaned this record a couple of days ago, and then proceeded to put the clean record back into a dusty paper sleeve. My Bad.

Anyway, pretty good Mozart small ensemble music.

-Steve

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Yes, there is a connection

vinyl1

15:20:30 08/28/15

RE: Yes, there is a connection

uwe

00:34:30 08/29/15

RE: Thursday spins: Decca US pressings

rbolaw

18:18:43 08/27/15

2

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Show full thread outline!

Yes, there is a connection

vinyl1

15:20:30 08/28/15

RE: Yes, there is a connection

uwe

00:34:30 08/29/15

RE: Thursday spins: Decca US pressings

rbolaw

18:18:43 08/27/15

2

RE: the Nitsche cover

user510

18:31:21 08/27/15

RE: the Nitsche cover

rbolaw

08:11:23 08/28/15

RE: Thursday spins: Sine qua non pressings

spindoctor

15:54:30 08/27/15

RE: Thursday spins: Sine qua non pressings, posted on August 27, 2015 at 15:54:30
spindoctor Audiophile Posts: 1663 Location: Virginia Joined: December 31, 2002	On a quest for Abravanel and the Utah Symphony and Tchaikovsky... I purchased the Sine Qua Non box set knowing that the overall opinion of this label is not very high. First, as an Abravanel fan, I am delighted with his interpretations of these symphonies. IMHO he's great with Mahler and equally wonderful with Tchaikovsky. The quality of the recordings is excellent in my system. Sim

RE: Thursday spins: Decca US pressings, posted on August 27, 2015 at 18:18:43

rbolaw

Great find. That's not just "pretty good small ensemble music", it's Mozart's wonderful E-flat divertimento, one of his greatest chamber music works.
Another interesting aspect of that LP is the cover, designed like many Decca covers by Swiss graphic designer and artist Erik Nitsche. One of Nitsche's mentors was the great Swiss modern painter Paul Klee, who was a friend of his parents.
Some collectors look down their noses at American Decca, but that's a mistake imvho. A lot of great music and great album covers. Sure, many Deccas are reissues of early DG LPs, and perhaps are not as good sounding, but Erik Nitsche's covers win hands down over DG's boring early covers.

RE: the Nitsche cover, posted on August 27, 2015 at 18:31:21

user510

That cover art really does stand out. I'm thinking it would be nice to have it as a wall hanging. I wonder if the original painting might be larger in size. (just thinking out loud) As it is I can always put this in an album picture frame. I keep those around.

I think the performance of this music offers nothing to complain about. At least not from my(layman's)perspective. And the music itself is entirely pleasing to hear.

While the sound quality does have presence I must also note that it sounds like an older recording.

-Steve

RE: the Nitsche cover, posted on August 28, 2015 at 08:11:23
rbolaw	Yes, you could frame your album cover. Don't count on finding or buying the original, though, I've not seen one for sale. A quick check of ebay does show some nice posters and magazine covers and ads by him for mostly reasonable prices. Below is more of his work.

Yes, there is a connection, posted on August 28, 2015 at 15:20:30
vinyl1 Audiophile Posts: 3948 Joined: October 3, 2001	When Sir Ted Lewis was facing bankruptcy in the 30s, he sold off his US Decca subsidiary in order to stay afloat. He kept the UK Decca company and label, but obviously could no longer use the Decca name in the US. In the 50s, US Decca issued many Deutsche Gramophone recordings. That stopped when DG started importing its German pressings on the familiar yellow label in 1960.

RE: Yes, there is a connection, posted on August 29, 2015 at 00:34:30
uwe Manufacturer Posts: 314 Joined: April 7, 2000	There is another connection. Many Decca US recordings were released in Europe by Brunswick. These records were pressed by Decca UK.

Vinyl Asylum

Thursday spins: Decca US pressings

50.125.74.20