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What gives? Was EMI merged w/ RCA at some point? Just curious.

The relationship between RCA and EMI is extremely complicated and changed a number of times through the years through various mergers, acquisitions and licensing agreements. There is a pretty good summary on Wikipedia, here.

An interesting bit of trivia. The famous icon was originally a painting called 'His Master's Voice' by an artist called Francis Barraud. It originally depicted the dog, Nipper, listening to an Edison phonograph (which recorded as well as replayed) playing a recording of his deceased master, Barraud's brother's voice. However William Barry Owen, founder of The UK Gramophone Company, bought the painting in 1899 and asked the artist to repaint it showing a gramophone. Since the gramophone didn't record the image no longer really made sense, however it went on to become one of the most recognizable trademarks in music!

Thanks for the info, Struts, very helpful. All in all, I can't believe how cheap great classical LPs can be had in NYC compared to jazz or rock. Right now, I'm listening to the Heifetz/Reiner Brahms Concerto in D, RCA shaded dog. This street seller near Columbia University hawked it to me for a single dollar, and it's sounding phenomenal. Zero surface noise. Really lush-sounding.

I'm jealous. The vinyl market (new and used) is so much smaller here and the prices are way higher. There are probably deals out there hiding in charity shops etc. but with two small kids I just don't have the time. You've got to wonder how some of those stores survive though. A dollar at a time is a hard way to eek out a living!

Wow. Three blocks from my apartment and I didn't know it was there. I'll stop by this week.

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Wow. Three blocks from my apartment and I didn't know it was there. I'll stop by this week.

!!!

You'll love it, especially if you're big into classical recordings... let me know if you want to check it out together. I'm glad that there's something for the UWS crowd. Also, look for street vendors who sell between 110th - 113th on Broadway. Some of them will have great records which are in surprisingly good shape, at any given time.

Yes, you gotta love the availability of all the used classical vinyl. Literally tons for the dollars. From all the best labels - with all the best performances.

I'm not a huge classical fan, but I do listen almost exclusively to a modern similar..which is ambient music. It's tough to find the good stuff.

Most specifically...no vocals. That's key to me. So one can understand where Classical might appeal to me as well, similar designs and sentiments.

I still remember Chip Davis's Comment (American Gramaphone) on what he felt Mozart represented: 17th Century Coke induced Rock'n'Roll.

My understanding with EMI/RCA, is that they shared a lot of classical masters for distribution in other countries, it's cheaper that way..in order to get the record out there to the buying public. A good recording is a known quantity, and therefore can be relied upon to generate sales in what is a limited market. It is also expensive to put together a good recording of an Orchestra. So they shared.

Ok, so I stopped by today (next time we should meet up). It really is a great little store.
That place has tons of classical, a good jazz selection, and action a smaller shelf with rock. They have a great 3 for $1 section, and then some other good stuff in the back, which isn't so cheap. Most things I picked up were in excellent shape.

Sweetness, dude. I ALMOST stopped by again today, but had to drive right on by, hit the Henry Hudson Hwy. Next time.