The new audiophile vinyl series The Original Source from Deutsche Grammophon (AAA)

[tima]

I have quite a few of the TOS albums.

But I don't have all of them. I'd like to hear from fellow enthusiasts what are your top ≥ 5 favorites based on both music and sound. It is hard to pick, so go over 5 if you like.

Here are mine:
-- Mozart Piano Concertos 20 & 21
-- Bartok Concerto for Orchestra
-- Schoenberg Verklarte Nacht & Variations for Orchestra OP.31
-- Beethoven Piano Snatas
-- Beethoven Symphony Nr.6 Pastorale

That's today. My list might change.

It's nice to have clean vinyl in an AAA format with interesting music selections. I hope DG continues the series.

 

[engadin]

While doing this superior mastering from the early 4track tapes for the lp issues, did DG make an adequate digital copy for say streaming this interesting content?

 

[iaxel]

I have quite a few of the TOS albums.

But I don't have all of them. I'd like to hear from fellow enthusiasts what are your top ≥ 5 favorites based on both music and sound. It is hard to pick, so go over 5 if you like.

Here are mine:
-- Mozart Piano Concertos 20 & 21
-- Bartok Concerto for Orchestra
-- Schoenberg Verklarte Nacht & Variations for Orchestra OP.31
-- Beethoven Piano Snatas
-- Beethoven Symphony Nr.6 Pastorale

That's today. My list might change.

It's nice to have clean vinyl in an AAA format with interesting music selections. I hope DG continues the series.

I have most of them.
I found the symphonic/orchestral recordings to sound their best in this series.
A few examples from the top of my head:
- Karajan Schoenberg/Berg/Webern Box Set (fresh from memory as I just received it this week)
- Karajan Mahler 5 + 6
- Karajan Verdi Requiem
- Kubelik Ma Vlast
- Ozawa Ravel Box Set and Berlioz Fantastique
- Steinberg Box Set
- Abbado Mahler 2 and Prokofiev/Scriabin
- Pollini Chopin Preludes and Polonaises

 

[iaxel]

While doing this superior mastering from the early 4track tapes for the lp issues, did DG make an adequate digital copy for say streaming this interesting content?

I don't think they have plans to do so. This is an all-analog production.

 

[Abendroth111]

At DGG, they have always been marketing champions !
You have to be pretty clever to re-release the same records and charge you €35-50 for vinyl records that are easily available second-hand for less than $10, sometimes even less than $5 ! Oh yes, they are really clever at marketing. They call it “original sources,” which is nothing more than yet another reissue, often featuring utterly banal and uninteresting performances.
Where are the rare DGG recordings from the 1950s and their first stereo recordings with Hoelscher, Jochum, Fricsay...??! Instead of foisting Ozawa or Barenboim on us!

 

[Michael S.]

At DGG, they have always been marketing champions !
You have to be pretty clever to re-release the same records and charge you €35-50 for vinyl records that are easily available second-hand for less than $10, sometimes even less than $5 ! Oh yes, they are really clever at marketing. They call it “original sources,” which is nothing more than yet another reissue, often featuring utterly banal and uninteresting performances.
Where are the rare DGG recordings from the 1950s and their first stereo recordings with Hoelscher, Jochum, Fricsay...??! Instead of foisting Ozawa or Barenboim on us!

Have you compared an original pressing from the 70ties with a TOS version?

 

[bonzo75]

Have you compared an original pressing from the 70ties with a TOS version?

The TOS series is not doing their good originals, to Abendroth’s point. The TOS Beethoven 7 is much better than the original, and it is possibly the best B7. However, their quality has been very inconsistent with more bads than goods. Dynamic range is high, tops are off, performances are not their best

 

[bonzo75]

I have quite a few of the TOS albums.

But I don't have all of them. I'd like to hear from fellow enthusiasts what are your top ≥ 5 favorites based on both music and sound. It is hard to pick, so go over 5 if you like.

Here are mine:
-- Mozart Piano Concertos 20 & 21
-- Bartok Concerto for Orchestra
-- Schoenberg Verklarte Nacht & Variations for Orchestra OP.31
-- Beethoven Piano Snatas
-- Beethoven Symphony Nr.6 Pastorale

That's today. My list might change.

It's nice to have clean vinyl in an AAA format with interesting music selections. I hope DG continues the series.

Beethoven 7th.

I found many better sonatas in older recordings, also Mozart 20th.

The Dvorak new world performance is good, recording is spiky but enjoyable

 

[oldvinyl]

Where are the rare DGG recordings from the 1950s and their first stereo recordings with Hoelscher, Jochum, Fricsay...??! Instead of foisting Ozawa or Barenboim on us!

The series is specific to the 1970s 4 track recordings that had been intended for quadrophonic. So, this would not apply to 1960s recordings. They could remaster from those tapes, but not as much to be gained.

These are a different mastering from what was previously released back in the 70s when their albums sounded bright and lacked bass.

Lots of information on the web about the TOS series and their intent.

 

[oldvinyl]

I'd like to hear from fellow enthusiasts what are your top ≥ 5 favorites based on both music and sound. It is hard to pick, so go over 5 if you like.

It is the orchestral titles that are my picks. Great improvement over the initial release and reminds me of the sound of the RCA, Decca, EMI from the 1960s.

My high 5 today:

Bach - Overtures
Tchaikovsky Symphony 1
Holst The Planets
Mahler 2
Debussy Nocturnes

 

[tima]

The Dvorak new world performance is good, recording is spiky but enjoyable

I have not heard the TOS version, but the original is spikey and not enjoyable, imo.

 

[tima]

Dynamic range is high, tops are off, performances are not their best

There is a limited time period from which the can select. TOS can't fix a poor performance. I applaud the project and hope it continues.

 

[tima]

Where are the rare DGG recordings from the 1950s and their first stereo recordings with Hoelscher, Jochum, Fricsay...??! Instead of foisting Ozawa or Barenboim on us!

Good point. Fricsay was a great conductor, especially with Mozart or paired with Geza Anda.

 

[tima]

Now here is something interesting from Deutsche Grammaphon. But it's not about TOS.

DG released a double LP album by Russian pianist Mikhail Pletnev with music from Chopin and Scriabin.

Okay, why is that interesting?

This vinyl recording is the first new purely analogue production from DG since the 1980's.



Dec 5 2025 release date

 

[bonzo75]

There is a limited time period from which the can select. TOS can't fix a poor performance. I applaud the project and hope it continues.

They can redo some other older ones better, they have excellent performances on their catalog

 

[tima]

They can redo some other older ones better, they have excellent performances on their catalog

Tulips
Red Stereo

 

[Abendroth111]

Good point. Fricsay was a great conductor, especially with Mozart or paired with Geza Anda.

...or with Clara Haskil...or many other early stereos.
Not to mention Jochum, or Ludwig Hoelscher in Brahms cello sonatas with Demus...etc...