Classical Recordings from the Golden Age
@goofyfoot , My interest in mono classical recordings doesn't lye so much in the mono recorded listening experience, as it does in the artists performances from a time period while recorded music was still in its earliest stages. Same here. I have a collection of classical mono based on my love of the great conductors and the noteworthy performances we seldom hear. I have a vast CD collection of modern classical; I prefer minimal mic techniques, but that stopped in the 1970s. I have a limited knowledge of good quality classical recordings from the early years. I've been mostly disappointed in the SQ of my purchases. So far, Music & Arts and Orfeo d’Or are the standouts. I recently went on a tear of buying Horenstein CDs and had to stop due to the uneven SQ. Some recordings from the 40's are distorted and I have no way of knowing if that's from the original, or if distortion was introduced during many generations of dubbing over the years. Is there a guide to the best recordings or do I need to keep searching classical forums? |
@goofyfoot , That’s some good info, thanks. I have been directed to the record label websites when using Google. I should go to the label sites more often, good idea. I have a couple of Salzburg Festival discs; think I will start Googling them. I also have some live broadcasts on CD. They’re all listenable as historical recordings, although some have better SQ than others. The best quality recordings by radio stations were performances that were to be aired at a later date or were tape-delayed. Most of them were air checks by the stations of live broadcasts and then issued to the public on vinyl or tape. These are lesser quality probably due to slower recording speeds and recording the signal after it had been transmitted. As you know, in those days the goal was to broadcast a live concert to the public, not cut a record. In any event, many are great performances and that’s what I look for. When I started buying classical, I was only interested in the best SQ. Then I realised I was missing out on some great performances. I have many mono CDs of the great conductors, such as Furtwängler’s Bruckner performance for the Nazi elite. I now prefer listening to early mono performances by Toscanini, Klemperer, et al, rather than their later work. |
Very interesting comments made by Rachmaninoff in 1931... "To me it seems that the modern gramophone and modern methods of recording are musically superior to wireless transmission in every way"This sounds like the current debate of the SQ of physical media vs. streaming. And I like this quote... "through the medium of the gramophone we can now offer the public performances closely similar to those we give on the concert platform. Our records should not disappoint the most critical listener who has heard us in the flesh: to the millions who have no opportunity of doing so, they convey a just and accurate impression of our work." |
Szell is one of my absolute favs. Dont think I've heard any young Szell performances. That's a very expensive set, I'll look for some of his early work. I wanted to expand on my thoughts of buying early performances, even if they're remasters. I'm a bit gun shy since buying the quite pricey Horenstein CDs only to find there was a lot of distortion. I'd like to collect more of his work, but not if it is poor quality. I will however trust the labels you have mentioned. No LPs for me right now since my new preamp is linestage only. |
I dont know how the early Salzburg was recorded. In the 1930s there were no regional radio stations so the live broadcasts were via shortwave. I dont know how many of these performances were recorded, or if they were recorded. In the golden age of radio, I'll bet the recordings were of the highest quality for that era. Knowing Germans as I do, it probably was SOTA. Also, the festival was so popular by this time that recording the event would have been of utmost importance. I'd love to know how the recording setup was implemented. |
Wasn't aware of the RCO anthologies. Looks good. They go way back... https://www.allmusic.com/album/anthology-of-the-royal-concertgebouw-orchestra-vol-1-1935-1950-mw0001... |
I have the Toscanini LvB box set 1951,52 on CD. Very good remasters. What I should have said was the quality of the live 1940s NBC is tough to stay with. I have Karajan's 1957 BPO Bruckner, which is slow and thoughtful and wonderful...would like to find more like this early reading. Is the early Karajan with the Philharmonia? |
I really like the lineup of Volume 2 but I'll wait for a better price...$40 for a worn Good Will copy, no thanks. It's good to see many performances being released on orchestra record labels. The few I've heard are good quality. I think I'll go for the Toscanini Philadelphia on BMG. I could never listen to the NBC studio sound for very long. |
I have the 1963 BPO remastered... Fantastisch !! Sound quality is far superior to the original issue. https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Symphonies-Gundula-Janowitz/dp/B0000C03AH/ref=sr_1_18?s=music&i... The 1950's mono cycle (remastered) https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Symphonies-KARAJAN-PHILHARMONIA-ORCH/dp/B000ZBPQF8 The samples from the mono album sound very good. I like this early interpretation very much. I checked some timings, this earlier cycle is slightly slower. It's interesting that the timings of the 5th are virtually identical. |
