RCA tape cartridge: SMS MAGAZINE-LOADING TAPE CARTRIDGE: BRUCKNER - SYMPHONY #7 (EXCERPTS) / ROSBAUD

ANTON BRUCKNER -

Symphony #7 (excerpts)

Hans Rosbaud/Symphony Orchestra of the Southwest German Radio, Baden-Baden

SMS C-11

Magazine Loading Tape Cartridge (not an open-reel tape; not an 8-track cartridge; see notes below)

Stereo; 4-Track; 3 3/4 ips

I regret that I cannot listen to this tape (see below), since I am fascinated by how one choses "excerpts" from this work! Of course, the entire work was recorded, and in its LP issue (initially on Vox in the United States), the whole symphony was included and the total timing was a little over 60 minutes. The label on the cartridge here indicates a playing time of 40 minutes, but who knows which 20 minutes were excised? A real collectors' item!

The tape is guaranteed to be in excellent condition (I cannot audition this tape since I do not have a player for it, but it is physically fine; if it proves defective upon playing, of course it may be returned for refund). The box shows only very minor shelf wear.

Magazine Loading Tape Cartridges

In the fall of 1958, at about the same time as the first releases of stereophonic LP's, RCA Victor spearheaded the introduction of this new tape format. It turned out to be a commercial failure, but it also foreshadowed the eventual development of the compact cassette (which was introduced in the 1960's and became truly successful in the 1970's with the introduction of Dolby noise reduction). These early cartridges were designed as an improvement over the two-track stereo tapes of the day, since they did not require nimble fingers to thread tape onto a reel, and also since they were more compact: running at 3 3/4 inches per second instead of 7 1/2 i.p.s., and utilizing four tracks instead of two, they reduced the amount of tape required for a given amount of music by 75%. Various factors apparently contributed to the failure of the format, from problems with the quality and availability of the new machines required to play them, to the limited availability of titles(very few labels besides RCA issued material in this format, but this SMS issue is one of the rare examples). But I expect the principal factor which doomed them was simply the wide-spread enthusiasm for stereo LP's. And tape fans proved much more receptive to the four-track open-reel tapes which began being produced around 1960. Whatever the reasons, the format was abandoned by 1964, and these cartridges are now rare and obscure collectors' items. (Note: it is possible to dismantle a cartridge carefully, spool the tape onto a reel, and play it on an open-reel machine which accommodates the 3 3/4 i.p.s. speed.)

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Notes regarding shipping:

All shipping fees INCLUDE insurance.

If you win more than one item from this auction, please wait for me to send you an invoice with individualized calculation of discounted shipping fee for a parcel including multiple tapes. The cost to ship each additional tape reel in the same parcel is $1.00 in the U.S. For foreign shipments, the additional shipping cost for each extra reel is $7.00 ($5.00 if shipping to Canada).

Overseas buyers are responsible for the payment of any and all customs fees which may apply to shipments from Polyphonyclassics.

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Polyphony has been selling rare recordings (mostly classical) worldwide since 1978. We hope to make many new friends with these listings on eBay!

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