Easy to find Classical Mono LPs that should be in your collection
Notice, I didn’t write ‘cheap’.
Forthcoming, a classical part 2 and matching jazz/popular posts. All LPs are available at Discogs, in good shape and for a variety of prices. Too expensive (Furtwängler/Eroica!)? Use Discogs as a starting point for a search. And, don’t forget garage sales & record shows where mono magic money has not yet reached.
The images link to a Discogs or Ebay for sale post. Audiophilia has no affiliation with Discogs, Ebay or the original for sale posters. Proceed at your own risk. If you search around, you may find some real bargains. I lucked out in my mono search.
If you’ve been here for a while, you’ll have read at length about the qualities of fine vintage mono recordings (pre 1967, those cut on a mono lathe) and talking about my new mono setup.
All LPs are recommended for their outstanding performance, interpretation and recording quality.
Monos available on Columbia (UK, pre EMI), Columbia Records (US), HMV, RCA and Decca had rosters of the world’s greatest artists—singers, pianists, violinists and conductors. They are represented here by French-born, German pianist Walter Gieseking, whose Ravel & Debussy performances have not been surpassed, Swiss pianist Edwin Fischer, not only as a brilliant solo pianist in his beloved Beethoven but as a sensitive accompanist, here, with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. You’d be hard pressed to find two more glorious records of Mrs. Legge singing. Schwarzkopf’s husband was Walter Legge, producer and founder of the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Only 2; very expensive
The Menuhin Beethoven Violin Sonatas album shown below is arguably the finest recording listed in this post. Not only superlative performances but in the most spacious and glorious sound. You’d be hard pressed to say whether mono or stereo, only the immediate musical connection giving it away.
These purchases will sound great if:
Your purchase is accurately described as M- or VG+. Most reputable record shops/sellers offer returns on inaccurate surface descriptions. I’ve had almost perfect luck with Discogs.
You clean your records.
You have a mono switch on your phono stage. If not, you must use a Y Cable (splitter) between stereo phono stage and preamplifier. A mono switch (or splitter) nulls the vertical information in the groove picked up by a stereo cartridge and drops the noise floor considerably.
All 3 ready to go? Great. A dedicated mono cartridge is wonderful to have, but not absolutely necessary. However, I’ll ride & die with my Miyajima Labs Infinity Monaural Cartridge. Many folks on the web say they are not anywhere near as important as a mono switch as many are simply rewired stereo carts. Miyajima (like Ortofon and others) produce true mono carts. They do make a difference. But, walk before you run. The time to invest in a Miyajima or Ortofon is when you get past 100 vintage monos you play regularly.
Many artists preferred the direct musical connection mono recordings can give, especially solo artists. The immediacy these records provide can be emotionally unnerving.
As such, this list is weighted toward solo or duo recitals. Large orchestral works are represented, but they can be difficult to replicate in mono and are often surpassed by spacious and dynamic stereo versions of the repertoire. However, the orchestral LPs in this list are exceptional and give the listener a wonderful perspective of the hall acoustics and the brilliance of the orchestras (note, halls in Vienna, Boston and Amsterdam—still, the three best concert halls).
This mesmeric LP is very expensive; the top mint pressing going for up to $300 on Discogs. Mine cost me $2. Trust me, I’m not smug about it. I’m so thankful the wonderful lady I purchased from sold it to an appreciative home. A historical document that won’t be leaving. If you can find it for cheap, prepared to be bowled over.
Also can be expensive—up to $150 for a mint copy. Not quite as good as his Eroica, but still a superb recording and performance.
And if you’re not familiar with Clemens Krauss, Eduard van Beinum and Josef Krips, it’s a great time to get acquainted with these outstanding conductors.
Old members in the LSO tell stories of Krips. One, during their famous Beethoven Symphony set—the maestro, all business, would jump onto the podium, click his heels together like a Prussian cavalry officer, and begin beating away!
All recordings are from the golden decade of monos, the ‘50s. As such, only sound their best if following the 3 steps listed above. Some of the excellent mono modern reissues, especially jazz/popular records, sound great on your stereo setup because they are cut with a stereo lathe (with identical signals fed into both channels). But the LPs in this list were cut with a mono lathe and have 1.0mm U shaped grooves, with no vertical information. Using a mono switch on your phono stage or receiver is crucial to drop the noise floor. Got a true mono cart? You’ll be in silent surface heaven.
I hope you find your way to mono, sometime, somehow. I eschewed the format for years. As an orchestral player, I wanted impact, spaciousness, the grandeur stereo playback can bring to the repertoire. I was wrong. I’m so glad I heard great mono at my friend Demetri’s place here on the island (triple stacked Quads, Leak/Quad sources, vintage, rebuilt Garrard turntable and the (in)famous London Decca cart in his mono setup; he has an equally fine stereo setup). Demetri is the fellow who alerted me to the mono haul for sale. For that, I’ll be forever thankful.
