Time-Life Music Collections

[DaWoofer]

I've got Reader's Digest Box sets as well with quite the mix of music. But I found these Time Life boxs at the Salvation Army for dirt cheap (on purple tag day) and come to find out they are the first major box set released for Time-Life. 1966 was the first time they included music with their book subscriptions type methods. There is a nice write-up at the Time-Life Music story web page (http://www.bsnpubs.com/warner/time-life/time-lifestory.html)They were released as a classical set, in a total of 6 boxs with titles from Baroque to the 20th Century masters. I got lucky because these are absolutely near mint in all aspects. They girl there was surprised they lasted for two weeks. They were in a huge display box with a mix of all types of products. They were not in the LP section with years and years mix of Herb Albert and Friends.
Lets just hope Angle records knew what they were doing in the mastering aspect. These will hit the wash pile before play, although they are very clean. I'll report back on this matter. I've always wanted a nice collection with all the Classic Composers.

 

[Montycat]

I've never bought a classical compilation of that sort, but have quite a number of classical records by the original artists (if such a thing can be said of Mozart??), but I did buy grab a Time-Life Swing Era box set.

I like it because I don't really want to delve too far into music of that period and this gives me a good sampling. It was apparently all done by a cover band, the Billy May Orchestra, but that at least meant more modern recording quality and it was well played too.

http://www.bsnpubs.com/warner/time-life/04swing/04swing.html

I'd like to find the 45rpm floppy promotional single for that Swing set that contained the script in my signature though.

 

[Jedi]

I saw a set at the GW here in Tucson . I almost got it , but I was already at my 20 album limit that day . GW has an outlet store where they only have books , and audio/video media . All albums are fifty cents and box sets are a dollar .

Let me know what you think about the set . Thinking about getting it for my 10 year old .

 

[Sam Cogley]

I've got Reader's Digest Box sets as well with quite the mix of music. But I found these Time Life boxs at the Salvation Army for dirt cheap (on purple tag day) and come to find out they are the first major box set released for Time-Life. 1966 was the first time they included music with their book subscriptions type methods. There is a nice write-up at the Time-Life Music story web page (http://www.bsnpubs.com/warner/time-life/time-lifestory.html)They were released as a classical set, in a total of 6 boxs with titles from Baroque to the 20th Century masters. I got lucky because these are absolutely near mint in all aspects. They girl there was surprised they lasted for two weeks. They were in a huge display box with a mix of all types of products. They were not in the LP section with years and years mix of Herb Albert and Friends.
Lets just hope Angle records knew what they were doing in the mastering aspect. These will hit the wash pile before play, although they are very clean. I'll report back on this matter. I've always wanted a nice collection with all the Classic Composers.

You may have six volumes, but it was more like a 21 volume set. I think my parents have most, if not all, of it.

BTW, your URL got messed up. http://www.bsnpubs.com/warner/time-life/time-lifestory.html

The pressing quality on those Time-Life sets was generally excellent.

Also, the Time-Life publishing company first issued LPs in 1961. The record company became a separate division in 1966.

 

[buffdaddy]

I have a couple of them that I picked up at a thrift store and I must say they were pristine and had great selections of tunes. My ears were enjoying the quality recordings as well. For the money and great selection, I am not sure they can be beat. They seem to sit on the shelf longer not being picked at much which is a bonus.

LOL My bad, I thought we were talking Readers Digest. I'm sure the TL was just as good

 

[Mowgli]

I maybe beating a dead thread but...

I bought an almost complete (17/20 = 85/100) TIME/LIFE Mozart collection for $30.
It's near mint and the 20 or so LPs that I've played from it sound perfect.
I kept the 12 boxes that I want and made $25 back on the ones I sold
A guy in Boston has the 2 boxes (in unplayed condition) that I want that were missing from my initial purchase.
I'll be getting those from him later this week for $10.

All the Mozart I want for $15 sounds good to me.

The LPs are excellent pressings of excellent performances by excellent performers so yeah it's an excellent set.

 

[Cruzah]

I have the time/life Rock and Roll 70's collection and one of the Soul R&B collections.
They sound Great as far as reproductions.
But their all short versions.
I got em at the flea market so I didn't take a loss or anything.
Wow...I think I may listen to them this afternoon.

 

[phatster]

I have gotten several TL 60's/70's rock artist albums that are very nice in material and quality of recordings...if they are in nice condition get em!

 

[Wigwam Jones]

As I've messed around with these Time/Life and Reader's Digest collections, I've discovered that they are a bit of a mixed bag. They are neither all good nor all bad. As mentioned, some are cover bands. Some, however, are original artists - one has to read the labels and not assume. Some are actually rather rare pressings, I'm told.

I am also discovering that there were some other interesting pressings running around out there. Again, mixed bag, but there were some put out by the Longines Symphonette Orchestra Society (not the orchestra, but the society). Fewer of them are worthwhile, but more under the radar you could not imagine.

Also, various stereo makers put out samplers, which contained some really great songs, very well recorded and pressed. Check out the Zenith sampler albums.

I also recently bought a very cheap set of the RCA Victor Encyclopedia of Recorded Jazz - Twelve 10-inch discs - compilations that were a smattering of Jazz greats, not common recordings, though. They were apparently sold originally in grocery stores, but they were all from the RCA vaults, and all pressed and sold by RCA as a loss leader to get people listening to RCA jazz music they were selling at the times.

I'm having a good time in the thrifts. Got a bunch of the Readers' Digest and Time/Life sets, only a few are disappointments.

 

[johnr66]

Not Time Life, but I picked up a couple boxes of records at a garage sale and in it was Reader's Digest Scheherazade 10 record set. To my ears it is beautify recorded and very dynamic even though they are on Dynagroove (which I have no issues with). I walked up to a speaker during a quiet passage to check the surface noise and such and BLAM, they let me have it to the ears with the horns!

I'm impressed that there isn't any splatter or sibilance. I imagine, unlike pop music recordings, these weren't played as often and not on the kiddie's groove shredder.

 

[Wigwam Jones]

Not Time Life, but I picked up a couple boxes of records at a garage sale and in it was Reader's Digest Scheherazade 10 record set. To my ears it is beautify recorded and very dynamic even though they are on Dynagroove (which I have no issues with). I walked up to a speaker during a quiet passage to check the surface noise and such and BLAM, they let me have it to the ears with the horns!

I'm impressed that there isn't any splatter or sibilance. I imagine, unlike pop music recordings, these weren't played as often and not on the kiddie's groove shredder.

I am likewise not having any issues with RD Dynagroove-encoded discs. Seem quite nice to me.

 

[gvalent]

I've never bought a classical compilation of that sort, but have quite a number of classical records by the original artists (if such a thing can be said of Mozart??), but I did buy grab a Time-Life Swing Era box set.

I like it because I don't really want to delve too far into music of that period and this gives me a good sampling. It was apparently all done by a cover band, the Billy May Orchestra, but that at least meant more modern recording quality and it was well played too.

http://www.bsnpubs.com/warner/time-life/04swing/04swing.html

I'd like to find the 45rpm floppy promotional single for that Swing set that contained the script in my signature though.

I picked up the complete set of the TL Swing Era on vinyl. I was really impressed with the music and SQ of these. A great find.

 

[Wigwam Jones]

I picked up the complete set of the TL Swing Era on vinyl. I was really impressed with the music and SQ of these. A great find.

I'm working on exactly that set; only have a few so far. Yep, they're fantastic, and those are the original artists and not some 101 Strings off brand band.

Did you know TL also made 1/2 speed masters of the swing era biggies? Oh yeah, baby. Sweet. Yeah, Time/Life, half-speed masters. Who knew?

 

[gvalent]

I'm working on exactly that set; only have a few so far. Yep, they're fantastic, and those are the original artists and not some 101 Strings off brand band.

Did you know TL also made 1/2 speed masters of the swing era biggies? Oh yeah, baby. Sweet. Yeah, Time/Life, half-speed masters. Who knew?

Wig,
Mine are not the original artists. IIRC T/L made the desicion to put together a stellar band and recreate the original bands/artists music using modern recording techniques.

I don't mind this approach at all, as they sound so much better than original recordings done in '30s and '40s (which I found after picking up the T/L set).

I probably would not have taken the time to really appreciate how cool the Bigband era music is if not for these updated versions.

Addition:
Oops, just opened Montycat's link, it tells the story of LPs that I have.

 

[Mowgli]

Wig,
Mine are not the original artists. IIRC T/L made the desicion to put together a stellar band and recreate the original bands/artists music using modern recording techniques.
I don't mind this approach at all, as they sound so much better than original recordings done in '30s and '40s (which I found after picking up the T/L set).
I probably would not have taken the time to really appreciate how cool the Bigband era music is if not for these updated versions.
Addition:
Oops, just opened Montycat's link, it tells the story of LPs that I have.

I think I had that same Swing Era set. It came with a good sized thick info booklet?

It was The Great Band Era (1936-1945) from RD that got me interested in Swing and Benny Goodman/Fletcher Henderson in particular.

The best compilation box sets I've found are from Franklin Mint.
I have the Franklin Mint 100 Greatest Recordings Of All Time set and some of their Jazz records.
Red virgin vinyl, outstanding performances, great liner notes...

Here's the best link I found for it: http://frankeves.com/tag/franklin-mint/

:thmbsp: Unhesitatingly recommended :thmbsp:

Complete NM sets can be found for less than $200. I paid $100 for my almost complete NM set.

 

[Wigwam Jones]

More good info, thanks!

 

[KentTeffeteller]

At least one of two Reader's Digest classical sets are beloved by audiophiles. And usually they are fine quality. Time Life made good sets as well, and many of their CD era work was excellent. Sessions was excellent.

 

[Mowgli]

I somehow acquired Funk & Wagnall's The Great Composers; Their Lives and Times with Program Notes for the Recordings.
Not the records, just the program notes + the folder for the series.
They are info pamphlets that, I assume, arrived with each installment of a subscription.
I sometimes read them while listening to a relevent work.
They're good compositions of each artist's life/times with program notes about each record's music.
I had some of the LPs and they're no prize but the collection of pamphets is definitely worth the shelf space :thmbsp:

http://openlibrary.org/books/OL23045785M/Funk_Wagnalls_the_great_composers

 

[Renzor213]

Wig,
Mine are not the original artists. IIRC T/L made the desicion to put together a stellar band and recreate the original bands/artists music using modern recording techniques.

I don't mind this approach at all, as they sound so much better than original recordings done in '30s and '40s (which I found after picking up the T/L set).

I probably would not have taken the time to really appreciate how cool the Bigband era music is if not for these updated versions.

Addition:
Oops, just opened Montycat's link, it tells the story of LPs that I have.

That's a good one, as my uncle had this years ago, with a sampler record, comparing the original 78's, to the modern recreations. What a difference, and wouldn't mind having this one myself.