G&S Discography: The Monaural Era

In the ten-year period from 1927-1936, the D'Oyly Carte issued fifteen complete and abridged sets on electrical 78rpm records. In the twelve-year period from 1937-1948, they issued none. The difference was first a depression, then a war (during which the Company toured a vastly reduced repertory, with the now-forgotten Grahame Clifford replacing Martyn Green), then war's aftermath and rebuilding.

When the Company finally returned to the recording studio, a new technology was there to greet them: the long-playing record. Where an electrical recording of The Mikado took eleven double-sided 78 RPM discs, an LP recording took only two and sounded a lot better to boot. The time was ripe for the operas to be recorded afresh.

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