Recommendation: Gould Well-Tempered Clavier LP set

Are the colours of the label on the records different. I have some Bernstien that are Mono and the lable is grey and some that are stereo and they are red. The stereo disc's have an S and the Mono ones have an M in the catalog number.

note: D3S 733 is Book One, not Book 2.

The WTC's were originally issued as single LP's (recorded between 1962 and 1972), so the 3 lp sets are by definition, reissues. My preference is for the singles. In general early Columbias are preferable to later Columbias. I'd say that if you go with the boxes, stick to the 2-eye version (gray label) for the first set, which again, is D3S 733.

D3M 31525 is Book II, and should be Stereo, it's just Columbia's numbering system changed in the '70's. As far as I know, Columbia's notation for Mono would be the letter L. For example, the Book 1 set in mono would be D3L 733.

The numbers for the first 3 single stereo albums are:
MS 6408
MS 6538
MS 6776

Hope this helps.

So, with the earlier Columbia recordings, were they released in both stereo and mono? For example, Dave Brubeck's Time Out: Take Five, there are two versions, one with stereo at the top and one without. In general, is the stereo version more desirable than the mono? Were there ever albums that were both stereo and mono capable? I guess I'm just trying to figure out how this whole early Columbia, "eye" thing works ;)

Thanks,
-Marc

A suggestion,for what it is worth,remember VOX BOXES?

Harpsichordist Martin Galling recorded the complete keybord works of Bach for Vox.

The first three lp set includes the two part inventions,the three part inventions,and the WTC I.

Ralph Kirkpatrick recorded the WTC I and II for DG,on a clavichord.

In addition to a Gould piano set,a harpsichord set,and a clavichord set are intersting to have to compare similarities and differences---in addition to their musical value as stand alone sets.

A lot of lp's were issued in distinctly different Mono and Stereo versions up until the mid/late 60's. In the case of Brubeck, I'd personally want the stereo since it's an ensemble recording with instruments located across the soundstage. But for a solo piano recording, I'd keep an open mind. Sometimes the Mono versions are better - it varies depending on the recording. The number of "eyes" (which are actually microphones) only indicates the vintage of the pressing, not whether it's mono or stereo.

Here's a link to a good article on Mono:
http://www.enjoythemusic.com/Magazine/music/1104/classical/mono.htm