DECCA PHASE 4 / EMI STUDIO 2 COLLECTION IN NM / EX+ CONDITION

THE COLLECTION COMPRISES 42 DECCA PHASE 4 RECORDS  (39 SINGLE LPs PLUS THE 3 LP BOX SET OF 'SWAN LAKE' WITH RICCI & FISTOULARI)   AND  23 EMI STUDIO 2 RECORDS

THIS SELECTION FEATURES MANY DISTINGUISHED RECORDINGS BY SUCH EMINENT CONDUCTORS AS DORATI / STOKOWSKI / MUNCH /  SILVESTRI / FRUHBECK DE BURGOS / MAAZEL / BOSKOVSKY / FIEDLER / MACKERRAS / BARBIROLLI / FREMAUX / GROVES / ROZHDESTVENSKY & FISTOULARI 

LAUNCHED IN THE EARLY 1960s IN A SPIRIT OF FIERCE COMPETITION, THE UK's TWO LEADING RECORD COMPANIES SOUGHT TO DEMONSTRATE, IN TYPICALLY VIVID AND IMMEDIATE SOUND, THEIR LATEST HI-FI STEREO RECORDING TECHNIQUES. THIS  ADVENTUROUS - AND ADMITTEDLY SHOWY - APPROACH PRODUCED SOME SPECTACULAR RECORDINGS THAT IMMEDIATELY ENDEARED THEM TO AUDIOPHILES.

CUT AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN MOST CLASSICAL RECORDINGS OF THE DAY, AND OCCASIONALLY HIGHLIGHTING INDIVIDUAL INSTRUMENTS, THEY WERE SOMETIMES BERATED BY THE CRITICS, BUT THE PUBLIC LOVED THEM!

NOTWITHSTANDING THE ODD CRITICAL BARB, MANY ISSUES FROM BOTH SERIES ACHIEVED A MEASURE OF  ACCLAIM AND WERE AWARDED PENGUIN GUIDE ROSETTES AND RECOMMENDATIONS IN LEARNED JOURNALS.