The 1st Vinyl 12" LP Produced - Columbia NATHAN MILSTEIN ML 4001 Excellent + The 1st Vinyl 12" LP Produced - Columbia NATHAN MILSTEIN ML 4001 Excellent + Description

Offered is the very 1st 12" Vinyl 33 1/3 RPM Long Play Microgroove Record issued. It would not be an overstatement to say that this LP marked a Historic moment in the development of Recorded Music.

Carrying Columbia's first Long Play 12" ML-4001 catalog number, Mendelssohn's Concerto In E Minor For Violin And Orchestra - featuring the superb talents of Violinist Nathan Milstein - was the beginning of a spectacular new era - The Age Of Vinyl.

Here is a passage from Wikipedia about this release:


"Microgroove and vinyl era
 

"After World War II, two new competing formats entered the market, gradually replacing the standard 78 rpm: the 33+1⁄3 rpm (often called 33 rpm), and the 45 rpm.

The 33+1⁄3 rpm LP (for "long-play") format was developed by Columbia Records and marketed in June 1948. The first LP release consisted of 85 12-inch classical pieces starting with the Mendelssohn violin concerto, Nathan Milstein violinist, Philharmonic Symphony of New York conducted by Bruno Walter, Columbia ML-4001."

Experimentation with the improved sonics of Microgroove Vinyl 33 1/3 RPM technology had begun some years before by RCA Victor - with less than successful results. RCA Victor believed "long play" to be the important feature. While Columbia later used the improved sonics to record new performances - RCA Victor focused largely on producing previously recorded pieces (and sold on already existing shellac records).

In the case of our offered ML-4001, Columbia Records began experimentation with Cover marketing as well, producing cardboard covers with different colors for the now familiar "Tombstone" Cover (please see our Gallery Photos). This included Yellow, Green, Red, Beige and two shades of Blue. 

There is some considerable debate over which of these ML-4001 issues represented the "first" pressing. Columbia Records was partly restructured in the 1980's, and then was sold to Sony in 1988.

We have listed the Matrix Identifiers for this one, which you can see at the bottom of the page.

Both the Cover and the LP here are in fabulous Investment Grade condition:

 

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy / Nathan Milstein / Bruno Walter / Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Of New York






Concerto In E Minor For Violin And Orchestra Op. 64





Label :  Columbia Masterworks - ML 4001

Format :  12"  33⅓  RPM  Analog Vinyl Record and Album Cover

Country :  United States

Released :  1948 - 1951

Genre :  Classical

Style :   Violin Concerto 






THE VINYL : EXCELLENT +

EX+ :  Lightly played with minimal evidence of spindlewear, both sides of the LP retain all of their original gloss. Manufactured with a heavy 210 gram vinyl stock.
 
Bright, undamaged, Blue and Silver Columbia Masterworks labels (please see photos).


Evident are some light marks, including sleevewear from the original paper inner sleeve, and a few shallow hairlines. There are no deep marks, and the tracks play cleanly with no skipping or sticking.

We completed a Playgrade on this ML-4001, and aside from some of the recording equipment imperfections (please see "A Note About The Recording Technology:"  just below), the playback (and Nathan Milstein's performance) is amazing. 

We tried to put ourselves in the frame of mind of someone (in the 1940's) who knew only the playback of shellac "macrogroove". The historic importance of the microgroove technology with the far superior listening experience became clear.

Oh, we shouldn't forget the "nonbreakable" (as opposed to unbreakable?) moniker appearing on these early vinyl labels. A promising feature to the many who had their hearts broken when their favorite shellac recordings (brittle) cracked into pieces.
 
This ML-4001 record has been carefully handled and  infrequently played.



A Note About The Recording Technology:

In the early 1950’s, the invention of Vinyl Records (33 1/3 RPM) was a new technology that became more commercially popular than the existing 78 RPM shellac recordings. While these early Monos are Great Treasures, they often playback with what we modern music listeners call "noise". 
Improved mono recording methods later pioneered by Rudy Van Gelder (and others), and then Stereo in late 1950, reduced this noise problem.
 
Our grading evaluations examine the record condition as a result of use after it was manufactured. 






THE COVER : EXCELLENT +

EX+ :  Please see photos / well-stored with some minor scuffing, and some age-related yellowing visible in the white background areas / bright front cover colors / all of the seams, including the spine, are intact / no writing, paper loss, paper tears, dirt, or stains.

If you examine one of the back cover photos in our Gallery, you can see (faintly) a record store stamp Louis's (or Louise's?) "Music Shop". Note the 4 digit phone number listed on that stamp. Some people might find it hard to imagine that there was a time when you could put 4 numbers into a phone and actually reach the right connection!



We have placed the record and the cover into separate, protective plastic sleeves.





Tracklist And  Musicians:

Please see the photos in our Gallery.  

Dead Wax Run Out Matrix Identifiers (Actual) :  


Side A -   (Stamped) :   X L P  2 7 6    6   1B    

Side B -   ​(Stamped) :   X L P  2 7 7    4   1B    



Please Note :    There may be an additional character stamped on Side A & B. It is difficult to read. It may be a Pressing Plant mark, or something from the early LP manufacturing equipment.
                                                
                                          




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  Be sure to check the records section in the Darbyncoates store for other great titles!!

                    

SHIPPING:
 

We pack our records VERY CAREFULLY and will combine shipping for multiple purchases. For multiple purchases, please do not pay until you have received the combined item invoice. Additional records sent through USPS Media Mail are always free.

We have one day shipping service, and once into the hands of the transit providers, a tracking number will be added to the item in your purchases section on ebay.
We are located in California, and our free shipping service is through USPS Media Mail.

If you are located in close proximity to California, Media Mail can be reasonably fast. If you want added certainty in quick shipping, please select the Priority Mail Option on your invoice while checking out.

International shipping charges have gone up greatly, and so we do not ship outside of the United States. However, if you have a U.S. address (family or friends)- we will ship to it through media mail for free.

                                    
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RECORD GRADING DESCRIPTION:

THIS RECORD IS SIGHT-GRADED ONLY UNDER A BRIGHT LIGHT, ACCORDING TO THESE DEFINITIONS:

SEALED: RECORD IS WRAPPED IN PLASTIC & UNOPENED.

NM-: RECORD HAS LITTLE OR NO INDICATION THAT IT HAS BEEN PLAYED.

EX: MINIMAL SIGNS OF USE (LIGHT SCRATCHING/PAPER SCUFFS), BUT IN ALL A RECORD THAT HAS BEEN WELL-CARED FOR.

VG+: LESS CARE THAN EX, LIGHT SCRATCHING OR SCUFFING IS MORE EXTENSIVE. STILL VERY PLAYABLE & WILL LIKELY PROVIDE A QUALITY SOUND.

VG & BELOW: WHILE PLAYABLE, THIS RECORD HAS BEEN AROUND THE BLOCK. OBVIOUS SIGNS OF WEAR & SHOULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE IN A LOW GRADE.  A RECORD GRADED BELOW VG MAY HAVE A VALUE BASED UPON ITS RARITY OR UNIQUENESS.

WE  RECOMMEND THAT YOU CLEAN THIS RECORDING BEFORE PLAYING. RECORDS THAT ARE  DECADES OLD CAN ATTRACT & ACCUMULATE DAMAGING FOREIGN MATERIAL THAT REDUCES SOUND QUALITY. THIS IS NORMALLY EASILY CORRECTED WITH A GOOD CLEANING.

EBAY HAS DESCRIBED SOME OF THE MORE WELL-ACCEPTED CLEANING METHODS, & YOU CAN FIND THESE AT:

 

Returns: 

Accepted, see details under Shipping tab. Most items are covered by the Ebay Buyer Protection Program.

It is important to us that you are pleased with your purchase and our service, and that you give us positive feedback. We want to resolve ANY problems so that you are satisfied with your purchase and feel that you can honestly leave us positive feedback, and we are happy do the same for you.

 

Darbyncoates Policies:

Payment must be made within 3 days of purchase, using ONLY  PAYPAL in accordance with Ebay policies. Nonpayment by winning bidder will result in item re-listing & notification of nonpaying bidder with Ebay.
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