Complete 24 Vol Basic Library of the World's Greatest Music 33 RPM Vinyl Records
$
28
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Description
Offered is the complete 24 record library from 1958, the "Basic Library of the World's Greatest Music".
The Basic Library provides a great introduction to Classical Music on vinyl. The selection of music is designed to be easy to enjoy, and the documentation provides background to help you to appreciate the music.
The "Basic Library of the World's Greatest Music" was copyrighted in 1958 by the Standard Reference Works Publishing Company (TSRWPC), which also had marketed the infamous Funk & Wagnalls multi-volume encyclopedia also sold in many grocery stores, one volume per week. This library of recordings was made for Kroger and Safeway chains to sell.
The record set consists of 24 individually packaged recordings with an integral 8-page illustrated booklet that included biographies of the composers, as well as background on the individual works.
The Listener Guides were written under the supervision of Joseph Laffan Morse Sc.H., LL.B., LL.D, editor of the New Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia.
Here are the composers by record. The numbering of the sides may seem odd, but are numbered such so that a stack of records could be played (ordered by side and stacked on a spindle), then flipped, put back on the spindle and played without having to reorder the discs.
Album #1:
- Side 1: BIZET, RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
- Side 48: RACHMANINOFF, DUKAS
Album #2:
- Side 2: RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
- Side 47: RACHANINOFF
Album #3:
- Side 3: RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
- Side 46: DVORAK
Album #4:
- Side 4: DEBUSSY, LISZT
- Side 45: DVORAK
Album #5:
- Side 5: TCHAIKOVSKY
- Side 44: STRAVINSKY, SIBELIUS
Album #6:
- Side 6: TCHAIKOVSKY
- Side 43: BRAHMS
Album #7:
- Side 7: GRIEG
- Side 42: BEETHOVEN, BRAHMS
Album #8:
- Side 8: GRIEG
- Side 41: SCHUBERT (there is a handwritten note on the front of the booklet for this LP which says "defective". I played it in its entirety and found no sonic defect. I do not know why this was written there. See photo.)
Album #9:
- Side 9: WAGNER, BORODIN
- Side 40: BEETHOVEN
Album #10:
- Side 10: CHOPIN
- Side 39: BEETHOVEN
Album #11:
- Side 11: CHOPIN
- Side 38: SCHUBERT
Album #12:
- Side 12: LALO
- Side 37: SCHUMBERT
Album #13:
- Side 13: TCHAIKOVSKY
- Side 36: STRAUSS
Album #14:
- Side 14: TCHAIKOVSKY, BERLIOZ
- Side 35: BRAHMS
Album #15:
- Side 15: MENDELSSOHN
- Side 34: BRAHMS
Album #16:
- Side 16: MENDELSSOHN, FRANCK
- Side 33: BACH, VIVALDI
Album #17:
- Side 17: MOZART, ROSSINI, BEETHOVEN, BERLIOZ
- Side 32: BEETHOVEN
Album #18:
- Side 18: TCHAIKOVSKY
- Side 31: BEETHOVEN
Album #19:
- Side 19: TCHAIKOVSKY
- Side 30: BEETHOVEN
Album #20:
- Side 20: TCHAIKOVSKY
- Side 29: MEDELSSOHN, SMETANA
Album #21:
- Side 21: DVORAK, SCHUMANN
- Side 28: HANDEL
Album #22:
- Side 22: SCHUMANN
- Side 27: HANDEL
Album #23:
- Side 23: HAYDN
- Side 26: MACDOWELL
Album #24:
- Side 24: LISZT
- Side 25: MOZART
As to condition... The covers, while in exceptional condition considering their 60 years of age, do show signs of wear. Some of the corners are worn or split. Overall, the set is in very nice shape. It is by NO MEANS anywhere close to a pile of falling apart mess like many such sets that are offered for sale.
I did a visual inspection of each record and when I saw what looked like it might be a flaw, I played that section on my turntable. The worst I ever heard was a single "pop" (that only once on 24 records), the rest maybe a few clicks here or there. Please understand, I did NOT play and/or listen to all 48 sides. I looked for visual flaws and played those areas alone. I encountered absolutely NO skips, and of the records look and sound like they have never been played.
I have not cleaned the records, I will leave that to you if desired. I will say that a number of the discs, on the front facing side (in the cover, usually the "A" side), show a pattern of discoloration. Best I can figure it is a light mildew, which, as you know, will clean right off.
One item of full disclosure. The edges of the boxes have the same printing on them. In all but the last photo I have rotated them on my bookshelf so that a nice side is facing out. Just so you can see, the final photo shows them with the hinged side facing towards you. A handful of them do not have their best side on the hinge... "shelf wear".
That's about it, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
The shipping cost is based on the US Postal service actual shipping rate for a 24 pound box by Media Mail.
Bongos not included, sorry. Gotta' have my bongos. ;>)
HOMELEARN has been selling on eBay since the 90's. I try my best with photos and descriptions so you know exactly what you are buying.
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