Victory at Sea - original LPs Vs Remastered LP or CD

To me, it all depends. At times the original pressing is better than a ‘remaster’ or ‘reissue’, and sometimes not. I certainly would not discount a reissue if the price is right vs a high cost original. 

There are times when collectors drive up the cost of the original pressing that has nothing do do with sound quality.

Your best bet in possibly making this determination is using Discogs, as the various releases are rated by users, and one may be rated higher than another, and those ratings are typically rated on sound quality vs rarity of an original pressings, and in direct opposition to their worth/value.

First mono where /are iconic in sound and composition .

As the owner of Vols. 1 and 3 of, actually, the Living Stereo REEL TO REEL copies of the Robert Russell Bennett conducted re-recordings RCA issued between 1959-1961: they are in genuine stereo (if these are the same sources you're speaking of and not different ones lifted directly from the soundtrack of the 1952 miniseries?) and are great.  I wouldn't think the originals would be more than $20 per volume in VG+ shape (because, unfortunately, it has been relegated to being called "elevator muzak" thesedays by people that don't respect the artistry of it).

If there's one complaint one might (possibly?) cite about the recordings, it's that: there are A LOT of authentic WW2 sound effects mixed in with the score....in that late 1950s, "ping pong stereo" kind-of-way(!).  Some people might be annoyed by that or find it jarring because there was very little compression used it seems when, for example: there will be an orchestral track THEN -BOOM!- a klaxon horn will scream or a fighter plane will zoom across the speakers(!).  It's gimmicky, but there's a certain "historical" sense of spirit it will evoke upon each listen.

Thank you 4Track. I did not know there were separate records for the soundtrack and for the recording sessions.  The only vinyl I have seen is the two record set RCA VCS-7064. This appears to be the recording session and not a movie soundtrack, which would be most preferable.

I just listened to some of it in remastered stereo on Tidal. It sounded rather good. This is definitely NOT elevator music,* but film score by the composer Richard Rodgers. Like many film scores, whether it can be listened to in isolation, or must be attached to the film for appreciation, is up to you.

*Try the Guadalcanal March in the elevator!