What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol.VIII)

Followed by these two:

Ditto. Getting used to what my "mohican" new system can do. 'Money' on my Rega P3, Super Elys, Dino through (my new) the pre-loved 252/SC/300 into Ruark Prelude 2's was astonishing.

Hybrid-SACD. 

On the black stuffs.Stu.

On gold discs as its so close to the date.

They had been playing for almost a week.

Mendelssohn Symphony No.3 'Scottish': Dudamel/Vienna Phil.

This record showed up today. I wasn't particularly expecting much out of the performance but more curious about current DG record production. On the record, it's indicated manufactured and marketed by DG  and Decca Classics, US ( division of Universal Music Group Recordings ).

Nice that they brought back the large tulip rim on the label albeit record catalogue numbers and the nice *gold* & blue accents are gone. For Thorens or Phonosophie table owners, the spindle hole needs to be enlarged as the diameter is too small to accommodate a spindle.

Here's the original DGG tulip label design from '55 pressing for comparison. Wearing a pedantic hat, this is a better graphic design and typography. A 57 year old record looking better than current one! 

On to the sound & performance. 

I haven't listened to too many No.3 but my reference is Maag/LSO ('60 version ). All I have is a STS reissue (STS 15091 )

Dudamel's is probably a digital recording so the noise floor is extremely low and generally very quiet record surface all the way through. There was no serious production flaw on my copy and pretty much sounding similar to later DG digital pressings. i.e. neutral balance, clean and tidy presentaitonn with no apparent distortion. Massed strings are thin but there is no peaky congestions. Brass also stays civilised. So I guess the sound quality of current DG is just 'ok'. Not bad, but not great.

London pressing sounds much warmer and inviting and spacious. Better dynamic contrast, too. 

Performance wise, compared to Magg's, I felt that Dudamel's set does not have the same level of sophistication or expressiveness. The whole performance is dynamically complaisant and a bit of 'sameness' going on. Each instruments have no colour or expressions. Particularly the fiddle section has no feelings/textures. The first half is pretty enough, reading more like an epic soundtrack ( Maurice Jarre-esq), but the second half just have no drama nor build up with no texture or interests to the finale. It all ended up sounding like a big puréed soup. Comparatively, Maag's soup has more chunks left in the soup to chew on.

Very odd finale as Dudamel slightly hesitate at the end. Not sure what's that about either making the ending rather anti-climactic.

I would love to hear from other's impression of this record.

Isn't that Garth from Wayne's World?

LP5:

On original vinyl:-

Emerson, Lake and Palmer - Tarkus

Re-issue vinyl

Again on a tour of discovery through the Qobuz discs. .......

On CD:-

On gold discs as its so close to the date.

They had been playing for almost a week.

Can you hear me cheering Stu. I was about 6 rows back from the stage at the Friday night concert. Was working a student job in St Martins Lane and the head of the typing pool was Robert Plant's aunt who kindly gave me 2 complimentary tickets. Bless her. One of the best concerts I've been to.

Steve

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

[1] Intermezzo in E flat major op.118 no.6

[2] Rhapsody in G minor op.79 no.2

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

[3-5] Sonata no.23 in F minor op.57 "Appassionata"

 Frédéric François Chopin (1810-1849)

[6] Nocturne no.13 in C minor op.48 no.1

[7] Ballade no.3 in A flat major op.47

[8] Mazurka no.15 in C major op.24 no.2

[9] Mazurka no.17 in B flat minor op.24 no.4

[10] Scherzo no.3 in C shoarp minor op.39

[11] Mazurka no.45 in A minor op.67 no.4 op.Posth.

[12] Valse in G flat major op.70 no.1 op.Posth.

[13] Etude in C minor op.10 no.12

Witold Malcuzynski piano

Recorded by Radiotelevisione della Svizzera Itaniana/Rete 2:

Locarno (Chiesa di San Francesco), 13th March 1963

CD - Aura Music © 2000

With the extremely exciting news that Keith Jarrett will be going back into the archives and releasing a new album from his European Quartet, recorded 30 years ago, I thought I would celebrate with the last release from this awesome band.

It's been a beautful day in ol Blighty. Suffice to say after an evening gardening, nice time to relax to a "Sunset" cd......

Some quality music on this soundtrack.