"A Charlie Brown Christmas" CD remaster.

Concord was supposed to use the "corrected remaster" in all future copies of the currently available version, as per the announcement after the snafu. Alas, there appears to be no way to tell which version is inside the package, based on looking at the sealed copies on the shelves in 2007.

As most of us know, retailers are notorious for putting out the same backstock of Christmas CDs for years on end if it hasn't been taken out of print. For example, there are still versions of the copy-controlled version of Clay Aiken's Christmas CD on the shelves, though a non-DRM version came out in 2006. So right now, it's a crapshoot which version you get.

 

Thanks for the info, Tim.

I wonder if I bought it directly from Concord on their web site (they running a sale right now) would I get a corrected version?

 

Thanks very much for that. My L&L is 3:05. I guess I have the "wrong" version. It's fun to have a rarity (so to speak), but to be honest, L&L on this CD sounds strange and out of place, so I think I would like to hear the "right" version.

Edit: Whoops, I misread -- I guess I have the "right" version. Okay, now I want to hear the "wrong" version.

I wonder too. If I get the ambition to investigate, I'll report back.

 

It may sound strange because these are remixes and they're pretty horrible, IMPO (in my professional opinion ).

 

Matrix code on my "wrong" CD: 65389AM-03 FCD-30066-2 082506-11
In EAC, the track "Linus and Lucy" starts at 10:48.49 and clocks in at 3:08.06 and has a very annoying hum right from the intro. It's like the piano mic'ing the bass notes was hitting the strings.

Matrix code on the corrected Madacy CD: DIDX-134777 2
In EAC, the track "Linus and Lucy starts at 10:46.06 and clocks in at 3:05.06. The "hum" is slight, but still there.

For reference, on the original Fantasy CD, EAC has the track "Linus and Lucy" starting at 10:46.42 with a time of 3:06.57.

BTW, both of these new re-masters fixed that annoying grunge in the right track of "Christmas Time Is Here (vocal)". I always hated that. It sounded like the tape was falling apart. I almost ordered Steve's LP version to see if he got rid of it but I was pleasantly surprised to find it gone on these new CDs.

 

Steve used a different tape (I believe it was the original 2 track master) and not the "mixed" damaged stereo master that's been used all these years. The difference in fidelity is astounding!

 

The "wrong" remaster is available on iTunes: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=197151313&s=143441 so it'll be around for years to come

 

I hear ya. I've read the all differing opinions throughout this thread -- but I am not at all familiar with this album (just the tunes, in a general way, from the TV show) so of course I have an entirely neutral opinion for now. I will, however, keep an eye out for the original Fantasy CD, and if I get it, I will be very interested to listen and compare!

 

The original Fantasy CD mastering does remain in print as well as the remaster.

 

Just curious - I have never heard this recording, but ya'll make me want to hear it badly. Is it that good?

Dave

 

It's one of my all time favorite albums and is one of the very best Christmas albums ever recorded. Once I hear the opening notes of O Tannenbaum I'm immediately put in the Christmas spirit. It's a true classic album.

 

is the original fantasy master the 1997 one, that hasn been repackaged for Starbucks the past few years?

 

The original CD mastering came out in the 1980s.

 

OMG my copy is coming tomorrow! I can't wait. 45 RPMssssssss

 

Still have my old Fantasy CD from back in the day...

"Skating" is my favorite.

 

It's one of maybe 3 Christmas albums I can stomach.

Yes, it's that good.

 

If inclined, please list the other two albums. Thanks.

 

Elvis' Christmas Album (the 1st one)
Phil Spector

 

So, having just received this the other day, I finally had a better listen on the home stereo. Having (apparently) confirmed that I have the "correct" version of the latest remaster, it still seems like Linus & Lucy sounds unlike all other songs... it just seems to have an extra layer of hiss over most of it (except for the piano break/solo in the middle). The rest of the tracks sounds great to me, very clean and natural. This one track just stands out in an awkward way. Is anyone else hearing this on L&L?

As I said earlier, I don't have any history with this album, so if that's the way it's always been, that cool. It's just a little strange to me.

 

I found a large inventory at Wal-Mart. Is there anyway to tell if these might be the corrected masters by looking at the cover/bar code?

 

Yea I still have my original and have listened to it two days running. Great holidazy music. I saw an used original at Amoba in SF yesterday too. I should have given it as a gift or passed it on . Oh Well

 

I am listening to it right now. My wife bought it recently and I am uncertain if I have the "mistake" copy or the "corrected" copy (I wish someone would please provide matrix numbers on both so I can be sure), but a couple of things stand out to me. I also don't have any other version for comparison and am not intimately familiar with the solos to know from ear if these are originals or alternates.

First, there are (as I hear it) several spots where the recording goes from ensemble to solo piano. It sounds to me like at those points the drum and bass tracks are being turned down/off in the mix. This could be mistaken as NR by some (most noticeable a few bars in on L&L). I'm not a big fan of mixing it that way, as it changes the ambiance, but it is an artistic choice made when doing a remix.

Second, it seems to me that the endings have very hard fades which could also give the impression of NR.

Third, I've read at least twice where the label claims that only Fur Elise used NR, but I find it really difficult to believe that NR (and a good amount) wasn't used on Hark the Herald Angels. It just has that "swishy" artifact that is so telling of broadband NR. There is also a very strange noise at about 32 seconds.

Last, there seem to be several tape dropouts on Christmastime Vocal.

In spite of all of this, I would have a hard time describing the release as awful or anything like that. I'm just having a hard time swallowing the notion that there is no NR on Hark

 

Mine says 1988 Fantasy, Inc. Mastering George Horn. I purchased it new 2 years ago so it must have been in production for quite a while. Sounds great to me.....

 

Please, would anyone who has both versions post the matrix numbers for the "mistake" copy and the "corrected" copy?

Thank you very much for your effort.