Orchestral choral music and recordings

[Addicted to hifi]

Great symphony I love it.

 

[tima]

I'm going to nominate a symphony: Mendelssohn's Symphony No.2 in Bb major.

Andrew - always nice to have a catalog number. I'm guessing this is not an LP?

 

[sharik]

Prokofiev 'Ivan The Terrible' needs be mentioned, it comes in a film score and then a cantata:

 

[Andrew S.]

Andrew - always nice to have a catalog number. I'm guessing this is not an LP?

Good morning Tim,

I hope this finds you well.

First off - may I say I really, really like your system. Monaco - Lamm - Wilson Alexia: I know the Monaco & Wilson's, have heard Lamm, and can only imagine how well they all sound. Kudos.

I stream these days so, unless otherwise stated, it should be assumed all of my referenced material is digital. I have a few LP's I kept when I exited vinyl, but no means to play them. They are for keepsake, or gifts or in one case a bequeath - a sealed copy of this ?? Keeping that puppy for a really good system to hear it on.




I listen in 16/44 on PrimePhonic, so again - assume that is the format available - though most labels do HiRez downloads these days as of course you know.

The LSO album was recorded natively in DSD, originally in 2016 as a stand alone, then compiled into this cycle in 2018/2019.

It was released, I understand on SACD, BluRay, CD, and of course the usual hi rez etc downloads.

So without further adieu:

LSO Live – LSO0826-D (Sept 21 2018)

Previously released on LSO0803; Recorded live on 16 & 20 October 2016 (Symphony No 2), in DSD at the Barbican, London.

Shout out to the Engineers: Nicholas Parker - producer & editor, Classic Sound Ltd - recording, editing and mastering facilities, Jonathan Stokes & Neil Hutchinson for Classic Sound Ltd - engineering, editing, mixing & mastering.

I listened to this recording of the 2nd this morning. I liked the Manze/NDR Radiophilharmonie PTC5186947 referenced over in the Classical Spinning thread equally.

Stirring stuff.

 

[Andrew S.]

Prokofiev 'Ivan The Terrible' needs be mentioned, it comes in a film score and then a cantata:

I am scared just looking at the label! Thank you for the share.

I like your system - simple, low box count and the Graham Audio Chartwell LS3/5 are by account a modern classic.

Do you have a dac in the mix?

 

[sharik]

I am scared just looking at the label! Thank you for the share.

scary indeed how the protagonist glares upon the performers listed down below...

I like your system - simple, low box count and the Graham Audio Chartwell LS3/5 are by account a modern classic.

kind words, thank you, i did keep things simple so as to remain not far from the average home stereo.

Do you have a dac in the mix?

though i'm a proponent of no dac used, but this time around, for line isolation reasons, i do (via optical connection).

 

[tima]

I know the Monaco & Wilson's, have heard Lamm, and can only imagine how well they all sound. Kudos.

I'd love to learn of your experiences with the GPA Monaco, here.

 

[Andrew S.]

I'd love to learn of your experiences with the GPA Monaco, here.

I'll try and have my failing memory write something tomorrow. It was only a Monaco 1 with the Triplanar and quite a few years ago.

It was without doubt the best deck I have owned - particularly with classical.

 

[astrotoy]

I didn't see this thread until now. Here is the album of Anita Cerquetti recorded in mono and stereo in 1956. Decca released it in mono in 1957 and had a Decca SXL2147 catalogue number set for it for release when they started issuing stereo recordings in 1958. However, Decca chose not to release it, but its London subsidiary in the US released it in November, 1959. I bought it many years ago for a couple of dollars when I was going through used record bins. It is from the London bluebacks, the first pressings done by Decca and shipped to the US to be put in the distinctive covers.

A little history on the recording. It was done in Florence at the Teatro Pergola, in September, 1956. There were several classical and opera recordings done during a two week recording session, with producer Jimmy Walker, and engineer Cyril Windebank for mono, and Roy Wallace for stereo. Wallace had done the original stereo recordings for Decca in 1954, having invented the Decca tree microphone placement as well as Decca mixers. However, stereo was still experimental, and Wallace was on the second team, since mono records would go on sale right away and make money for Decca, while they (and other record companies) were still a couple of years away from figuring out how best to make stereo records. In addition to the Cerquetti recording, they also did albums by soprano Virginia Zeani and bass Fernando Corena. However for those two recordings, they never released the stereo version.

Nine months later, in June, 1957, Walker was back with Wallace recording the complete opera La Gioconda, with Cerquetti in the title role. That was released in stereo on London in September 1958, and on Decca in July, 1960 (relatively unusual for the London version to be released before the Decca.) I also have that earlier London recording. Those were the only two recordings that Decca/London ever did with Cerquetti. Cerquetti had a remarkable, but very short career. She starred Aida at age 20 at Spoleto in 1951 after one year of study, and performed mostly in Europe, including replacing the ailing Maria Callas as Norma in Rome, while singing the same role in Naples at the same time in 1958, which affected her health. She retired from singing in 1961 at the age of 30. She died in 2014 at the age of 83. I could not find any other commercial recordings by Cerquetti, although there are some pirated recordings of live operas from the 1950's.

Larry

 

[Andrew S.]

Here is the album of Anita Cerquetti recorded in mono and stereo in 1956.

How wonderful. And thank you for the write up. I very much enjoyed.

 

[astrotoy]

Prokofiev 'Ivan The Terrible' needs be mentioned, it comes in a film score and then a cantata:

Another Ivan the Terrible is the EMI recording with Riccardo Muti which was a long time resident on Harry Pearson's TAS Super Disc list. The EMI original is better than the Angel version which is still quite good sonically. If you have the soundtrack to the movie Glory, you can see the influence of the Prokofiev on James Horner. Nice choral work on the soundtrack from the Boys Choir of Harlem. Larry

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Good morning Tim,

I hope this finds you well.

First off - may I say I really, really like your system. Monaco - Lamm - Wilson Alexia: I know the Monaco & Wilson's, have heard Lamm, and can only imagine how well they all sound. Kudos.

I stream these days so, unless otherwise stated, it should be assumed all of my referenced material is digital. I have a few LP's I kept when I exited vinyl, but no means to play them. They are for keepsake, or gifts or in one case a bequeath - a sealed copy of this ?? Keeping that puppy for a really good system to hear it on.

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I listen in 16/44 on PrimePhonic, so again - assume that is the format available - though most labels do HiRez downloads these days as of course you know.

The LSO album was recorded natively in DSD, originally in 2016 as a stand alone, then compiled into this cycle in 2018/2019.

It was released, I understand on SACD, BluRay, CD, and of course the usual hi rez etc downloads.

So without further adieu:

LSO Live – LSO0826-D (Sept 21 2018)

Previously released on LSO0803; Recorded live on 16 & 20 October 2016 (Symphony No 2), in DSD at the Barbican, London.

Shout out to the Engineers: Nicholas Parker - producer & editor, Classic Sound Ltd - recording, editing and mastering facilities, Jonathan Stokes & Neil Hutchinson for Classic Sound Ltd - engineering, editing, mixing & mastering.

I listened to this recording of the 2nd this morning. I liked the Manze/NDR Radiophilharmonie PTC5186947 referenced over in the Classical Spinning thread equally.

Stirring stuff.

Great lp which I own.

 

[oldvinyl]

A few of my favorites:

Borodin Polovtsian Dances on LP: London CS 6212 or DECCA SXL 2268
Debussy Noctures (Sirènes) LP: DECCA SXL 2062 DECCA CD: Catalogue No: 425502
Ravel Daphnis et Chloé LP: RCA LSC-1893
Vaughn Williams A Sea Symphony LP: EMI ASD 2439/40
Rachmaninov The Bells LP: EMI ASD 3284
Faure Requiem LP: Collegium Catalog ID: COL 101
Rutter Requiem LP: Reference Recordings RR-57; CD: Reference Recordings RR-57CD

 

[bonzo75]

You got good originals mate

 

[howiebrou]

My favourite opera and version. Been listening to this version since I was 15.


Love this choir too. They were even better live.


Always a perennial favourite.

 

[astrotoy]

A few of my favorites:

Borodin Polovtsian Dances on LP: London CS 6212 or DECCA SXL 2268
Debussy Noctures (Sirènes) LP: DECCA SXL 2062 DECCA CD: Catalogue No: 425502
Ravel Daphnis et Chloé LP: RCA LSC-1893
Vaughn Williams A Sea Symphony LP: EMI ASD 2439/40
Rachmaninov The Bells LP: EMI ASD 3284
Faure Requiem LP: Collegium Catalog ID: COL 101
Rutter Requiem LP: Reference Recordings RR-57; CD: Reference Recordings RR-57CD

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The Ravel Daphnis et Chloe Munch BSO LSC-1893 is the rarest of these records - going for around $500 or more in a near mint pressing in the original issue from the late 1950's. You can now get a very fine copy of the master tape from Chad for $450 (2 reels in their beautiful presentation box in their UltraTape series. That is what I have - better than the original pressing or any reissue.

The Debussy Nocturnes SXL-2062 by Ansermet from the late '50's is paired with the Ravel Mother Goose Suite (the cover of the record has a goose!). Your label is an early original pressing, pretty rare also. The other picture you have is a digital album done in May and October, 1988 by Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony. The engineer was my friend John Dunkerley who did most of Dutoit's Montreal Symphony recordings, almost all of which were in the digital era.

All very nice choices Larry

 

[morricab]

Check out "The Nordic Sound" from 2L records. There are 4 or 5 tracks on this album (it is a compilation of various classical pieces) with good Choral music.

 

[oldvinyl]

The Ravel Daphnis et Chloe Munch BSO LSC-1893 is the rarest of these records - going for around $500 or more in a near mint pressing in the original issue from the late 1950's. You can now get a very fine copy of the master tape from Chad for $450 (2 reels in their beautiful presentation box in their UltraTape series. That is what I have - better than the original pressing or any reissue.

The Debussy Nocturnes SXL-2062 by Ansermet from the late '50's is paired with the Ravel Mother Goose Suite (the cover of the record has a goose!). Your label is an early original pressing, pretty rare also. The other picture you have is a digital album done in May and October, 1988 by Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony. The engineer was my friend John Dunkerley who did most of Dutoit's Montreal Symphony recordings, almost all of which were in the digital era.

All very nice choices Larry

Larry - I wish they were all Decca originals! Actually, the Debussy is a Speakers Corner reissue. I do have the Reference Recordings LP and CD of the Rutter. The Rach/Bells is EMI reissue and I have an original EMI pressing as well. The Vaughn Williams is an EMI pressing - from the box set of all the symphonies (the picture just showed the Sea Symphony). I also have an earlier original Boult set of the Vaughn Williams, which may be mono. The Ravel Daphnis et Chloe is the Classic 4 x 45 rpm reissue set. The Dutoit CD is really well recorded, I enjoy it a lot.

Nice to bump into you here! oldvinyl (Randall, from Bill Wellborn's students)

 

[astrotoy]

Larry - I wish they were all Decca originals! Actually, the Debussy is a Speakers Corner reissue. I do have the Reference Recordings LP and CD of the Rutter. The Rach/Bells is EMI reissue and I have an original EMI pressing as well. The Vaughn Williams is an EMI pressing - from the box set of all the symphonies (the picture just showed the Sea Symphony). I also have an earlier original Boult set of the Vaughn Williams, which may be mono. The Ravel Daphnis et Chloe is the Classic 4 x 45 rpm reissue set. The Dutoit CD is really well recorded, I enjoy it a lot.

Nice to bump into you here! oldvinyl (Randall, from Bill Wellborn's students)

Randall, that's great! For those who want to know, both my wife and Randall were students of Bill Wellborn. a well known teacher at the San Francisco Conservatory, who has taught adult amateur pianists for many years. He collected old recordings great opera singers.

The collected VW symphonies box is on the TAS Superdisc list as is the Rach Bells. I also have most of the separately released VW symphonies in their early pressings. John Dunkerley's earlier Dutoit engineered Ravel series is also excellent - released on vinyl by Decca in the early '80's from their 48/16 digital masters - IMHO better than the 44/16 CD's which came a bit later. I don't know if the Debussy CD was ever released on vinyl. I doubt it, since it was released in 1990.

Larry

 

[tima]

These contributions are great. Thanks to all and keep them coming!

Catalog numbers are always welcome.