I found the Mozart Piano Concertos are great to listen to just before bedtime and will start doing just this ...
I actually have a good number of recordings by Masur but they are probably all CD's. He was one of those East German conductors I discovered after CD had taken over the world ...
Thanks, I don't have an issue with CD-R (I rip to FLAC) if the alternative is expensive or the only way to get the music. The CD I'm looking for sells for around Arkiv's price when it comes up used, so just some collector OCD in me would prefer the factory pressed CD in that case
What do you think of the following box, which I bought not long ago? There are a few CD's with Paul van Kempen ... It is by some German label. You are some serious vinyl diehard!
Another label of the German Membran Entertainment Group, which also owns the Documents label. I haven't heard the above set, but the sound quality of the CDs I have heard is hideous, unpleasant with lots of noise reduction. Membran Entertainment Group GmbH
An absolute bargain for that, especially to find it in such great condition. I love the production quality of the DG, Archiv, and Telefunken box sets from that period: Sturdy cases, large & informative booklets, impressive art & photos, and the vinyl pressing quality was equal to the individual LP issues -- at least in my experience. Although I don't have your fine Kempff/Beethoven Concerto mono set (w/Paul Van Kempen), I do have Kempff's stereo remake (early '60s) with Ferdinand Leitner, which DG compiled in this box set: By this time, the artist name was prominently displayed on the spine: A pic of Kempff and Leitner from the enclosed booklet:
Going on the turntable this late afternoon... Haydn Symphonies 82 and 83, performed by the New York Philharmonic led by Leonard Bernstein. This is a Columbia 2-eye LP from 1965; I've had it for years, but have not played it in a long time. Immediately I'm struck by the incredible energy that Bernstein stirs up (opening movement of No.82), yet the recording has a treble emphasis that I'm taming with tone controls.
How cool is that!! Never seen that photo before. I actually prefer the stereo set, despite the fact that many say that 50s Kempff-Beethoven is better than 60s Kempff-Beethoven. There is for instance a clunker during the introduction of the 5th concerto (a wrong note) in the mono set that they didn’t bother to re-take. And the sound is not that good compared to other mono DG recording from the period. I actually found that DG was very consistent in terms of pressing quality and mastering. Everyone goes on about „tulips” but I have compared early 60s pressings with later repressings from the 70s and 80s, and even CD remasterings. The sound was surprisingly consistent for the recordings I tested between the mediums. The differences were barely noticeable. I guess the credo was to deliver what was on the tape instead of tweaking stuff in mastering. That is why early DG vinyl until the early 70s has the initials of the sound engineer and not those of the mastering engineer in the deadwax.
First listen to new arrival, CD 1 from "Witold Malcuzynski - The Polish Master Pianist" on Warner. CD 1 - Waltzes / Piano Sonata No. 3
It is the only medium (for me) that is worth collecting anymore, because LPs represent a direct connection to the era of those older recordings. Especially if they’re in good condition (and most classical I find over here is) then they represent a time capsule to that era. As @Wes H said, the quality of production was amazing. And holding in my hand those big, heavy boxes with that lovely typography makes me happy. Especially knowing that it was these very boxes that the original conductors and artist had brought out. That feeling is totally lost on CD reproductions. I have a few CDs as well, but most of them I gave away or resold. My digital collection is on a hard drive now.
Yes. A very good mastering, too. Better than my LPs. They brought out these recordings later on again, on the following set, but they didn’t remaster them, they’re exactly the same transfers: Both sets can still be had for little money. The second one contains more recordings, not only Beethoven. However, the earlier set contains as a bonus Kempff‘s 1950 recording of the 2 Rondos for piano, which I believe weren’t reissued since except in the big Kempff box.
My advice would be to avoid all Membran/Documents and affiliated label releases despite the relatively low prices and get the releases on the original/official labels when and where possible.
I've not done comparisons with DG "tulips" pressings and later repressings, but it doesn't surprise me that there is very little difference.
I have quite a few of these large DG LP boxes purchased back in the day - between the mid 70's to the mid 80's except I do not play them often since my preferred playback medium is still CD. I have the Karajan 1977 Beethoven box, the Kubelik Complete Dvorak Symphonies, Kempff Complete Schubert Piano Sonatas, Jochum Haydn Symphonies, all of which you are probably familiar with ...
