Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #52)

I have been building up my SACD collection for a number of years but was not able to play the SACD layer until I bought my first universal player about eighteen months ago.

 

I have him in recordings by the Bach Aria Group on Vox 78s, made in the immediate post-WW II era. He also recorded chamber music for Vanguard/Everyman LPs with various distinguished partners including Peter Serkin.

 

...and for me, at least (I know this is heresy in an audiophile venue) it's the music that counts, not the medium in which it is fixed. I've heard wonderful recordings in all formats. And bad ones. And sometimes the ones with the most musical impact are by no means sterling examples of the recording engineer's art (a telling example: Oskar Fried's dim, Soviet-'30s-era-aircheck quality account of the Symphonie Fantastique).

But then, I'd admit to having a greater tolerance than most for primitive sonics....

 

I think some people equate good sound to good performance, which unfortunately is not true ...

 

Thank you so much David for giving us some much needed perspective.
You're right, it's all about the message, and in the end the method of delivery is irrelevant.

 

No apology necessary. Your comments were well-made and utterly respectful. But these discussions can get heated quickly - as other threads in this forum (and worse - other audio forums) have shown.

 

His son Erik Smith produced many recordings for Decca & Philips.

 

Now Listening To

La Boheme. Pavarotti, Freni, Karajan. Decca UK.

 

Now listening to Disk 6 from Volume 6 of the Anthology of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - The Live Radio Recordings (1990-2000)

Richard Wagner – Overture Rienzi — Mariss Jansons
Maurice Ravel – Ma Mere l'Oye — Bernard Haitink
Alexander von Zelinsky – Symphonische Gesange Op.20 — Williard White, baritone — Riccardo Chailly

 

Is the following set supposed to be one of the best Complete Beethoven String Quartets out there?

 

That box cover really belongs to the English Decca released edition if La Boheme with Renata Tebaldi & Carlo Bergonzi .........not the much later Pavarotti/Freni version. It was also my first record purchase.... around 1962.

 

Absolutely!

 

This will only be set #5 for my Beethoven String Quartets. So I am far from being out of control here.

Thanks George.

 

You're right. I had played both of them not far apart in time and just crossed them up. Thanks.

 

Welcome back!

 

Now Listening To

Dvorak. Symphony 8. Colin Davis, Concertgebouw Orch. Philips Holland

 

Good, very smooth version. Szell/Cleveland has some amazing playing.

 

Now enjoying some wonderfully imaginative Beethoven playing by Ernst Levy.
More info about this superb pianist (and the complete liner notes of this release) can be found here: http://www.marstonrecords.com/levy2/levy2_liner.htm

 

Now playing the following SACD on my universal player and mid-sized rig for a first listen ...

 

He did a particularly good Hammerklavier. If memory serves, his records originally appeared on the Kapp LP label.

 

Placed an order with Presto Classical for the following recordings this evening ...

 

Now Listening To

Sibelius. Symphony 5. Gibson, LSO. Decca UK SPA (World of ..) pressing. Penguin Guide dissed this somewhat for reasons I do not agree with, i.e. tempos. A fine performance and recording.

 

Because the marketing didn't quite jibe with the reality. Most of the SACDs I have bought have been very disappointing.

 

Indeed. I have owned that very record for decades. You speak the truth.

 

I think it was my first one on CD, although my packaging looks a lot diferent