Inquisitive Quest

Arturo Toscanini – Nine Beethoven Symphonies – 78 rpm recordings.

.  Gary’s friend Hank Ball on the phone,  disclosing he had just bought his first 45  records.  Gary was impressed,  the last record he had purchased was a Bill Haley and the Comets 78 r pm recording of Rock Around The Clock for use on the families 78 rpm  record player.   Gary immediately on his way to join Hank, gazing for the first time at a 45 rpm  record. His best friend having bought the current hit,  Don’t Be Cruel by the upcoming  singer of heartbreak Hotel, Elvis Presley.   The boys finding it hard to believe Elvis actually had two hit songs in the top ten on one record, Don’t be Cruel and the flip side, Hound Dog.  Hank having even a bigger surprise, Gene Vincent’s,  Be-Bop-A-Lula,  the song rumored to have that forbidden F word in the lyrics.  Both  teens listening  intensely, and with acute affirmation,  agreeing they heard the word, or so the two surmised.

.  Gary convincing his parents, they needed a phonograph that could address the new 45 and 33 1/3 rpm records.  Gary’s Dad giving an approval,  purchasing a new record player, Gary somewhat disappointed because that was just what it was, a no frills player, a small  manual portable with a 3 speed turntable and a unimpressive five-inch speaker, not very dynamic but it was a beginning.  The new player giving Gary a reason to visit the Castle Music Shop on MacArthur Blvd,  the youth  returning with his first 33 1/3 rpm album,  Fat’s Domino’s latest album  “Rockin’ N Rollin with Fats Domino” containing all his past hits including   “Ain’t It A Shame”,  but not his latest,  “Blueberry Hill”.   The Teen concluding,  with advent of the 45 , 33 1/3 rpm and High Fidelity the era of the 78 rpm recordings was coming to a conclusion.

.  Gary’s extensive collection of 78’s included many classical recording belonging to his cousin Bud O’Toole, who had left them in his possession for safe keeping during his varied military post in the Army.   With his cousin Bud’s and Gary’s parents record library he soon added an additional listening realm to a world that could transport you beyond reality.  He took satisfaction in experiencing Beethoven’s Nine Symphonies conducted by Toscanini,  works by Tchaikovsky,  Wagner,  Richard Strauss and completely applauded Respighi’s  The Pines and Fountains  of Rome.   Music was like his piano, a friend, visiting him on records or the radio, always a promising and fulfilling companion.  Listening to the strains of the Wayward Wind endorsed by Gogi Grant,  Little Richard’s Long Tall Sally or a rendition of the jazz hit Lullaby of Birdland,  music emitting all the compassion and emotion for those who understood its language and were receptive to its invitation

.  The San Francisco television station KPIX  having flaunted it all week, a demonstration of Stereophonic Sound.  Gary was curious to how they could broadcast such  a sound considering most television sets  had just one small speaker.  The night of  the exhibition having arrived,  the announcer instructing the viewers to retrieve a radio, tune it to their affiliate radio station KSFO and place it across the room from the television,  the station proceeding to demonstrate the enhancement of stereophonic sound with various music selections,  a person could distinguish between the two communicators and could hear the separation of the instruments.  Gary was aware of the principle of stereophonic recording,  knowing it would be just a matter of time when this new technology would be readily available.

.  Mike and Kathy Marquardt are twins and classmates at Castlemont having attended  six years of Burckhalter Elementary School and three at Frick Junior High with Gary.   He would  occasionally address Mike at school, but like many of his past classmates their studies and social paths seldom crossed, especially now with upwards of three thousand students at Castlemont.  Gary just happened to overhear a conversation that drew his attention, Mike was speaking about his new high fidelity stereo system.  The conversation stirring  an inquisitive interest,  Mike taking notice of Gary’s interest, recognizing his curiosity, inviting him to experience the sound of his new acquisition. Gary accepting the invitation, arriving at Mike’s residence, bringing a new 33 1/3  rpm recording of Respighi’s,  The Pines of Rome, anxious to listen to it on Mikes  new system.

.  It became apparent Mike was curious why Gary brought the recording , the visitor explaining that Respighi and especially the Pines of Rome’s finale was stupendous,  with the orchestrated sound of marching legions,  bellowing of the French horns, trumpets and the cascading drums and bass and would provide a great demonstration of the stereo.   Not hesitating Gary asking Mike to play the finale with some volume,  the results were unbelievable,  it was discernible Mike didn’t give his system justice,  the sound literally shook the house,  reverberated to a point that his room’s closed-door began to open.   The door was slightly ajar when it burst completely open to reveal an imposing figure standing poised with a look that could have silenced an explosion,  it did silence the music,  it was Mike’s Mother with a message concerning the volume.

.  Unknown to Gary until after his arrival was that Mike’s old phonograph system was for sale,  immediately  Gary’s interest peaked.  Mike reeling out his old system,  situated in and on a 3 ft. high red metal cabinet on rollers.   Beneath the vacant top of the stand was a shelf containing the biggest amplifier Gary had ever seen  and below  inside was a large speaker enclosure.   Mike explaining,  the vacant top was where his turntable use to resided,  having kept it to use with the new system.   He further explained the amplifier had come from  a Wurlitzer Juke Box as was the mounted 15 inch  JBL speaker.   He went on to explain,  the amplifier would require a Shure Cartridge and Needle installed in Gary’s old turntable arm and that  it was inexpensive and  easy  to install.   Mike Marquardt’s Wurlitzer system having found a new home.

.  Gary’s new Wurlitzer Super-heterodyne amplifying acquisition with its four high-powered 6L6 push-pull pentode  tubes had animating results.   When the system was placed on the porch outside his room,  facing Mountain Blvd.,  he could turn up the volume,  the sound  would reverberate through the 15 inch speaker with it 3 1/2 inch voice coil, cascading across the Mountain Blvd toward the hills, then the phone would ring,  his mother answering, then making her appearance, relaying a neighborhood request, to turn it down.  Gary reasoned, with the advent of stereophonic high fidelity, certitude has been  brought to the world of music.

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