Post by julesd68 on Jul 19, 2014 13:26:24 GMT
Right, here goes - a bit of a 'magnum opus' but stay with me, and I hope it will be useful for some of you who might be just starting to dip a toe into the wonderful world of vintage classical vinyl.
First of all, I make no apologies that I'm writing about the 'golden age' of classical vinyl which is up to the late 70's, before digital came in. I'm not going to debate the merits of digital vs analogue here - I don't buy digital lp's so can't make any recommendations for those who do … From this great era you can look forward to stellar recordings by some of the world's greatest conductors and composers. It is truly a treasure trove for the classical collector.
1. This isn't intended by any means to be exhaustive - much more of an introduction really of course! I'm going to deal with the 'big three' labels and a couple of the other key players. These big three each have a unique 'house sound' which will be clearly revealed by any decent analogue system.
2. I solely collect the UK and European pressings that are readily available in the UK, so won't be dealing with the likes of Columbia and RCA which you can investigate elsewhere if interested.
3. I will include a couple of reference recordings for each label, all of which I own personally and highly recommend for your listening pleasure! These are purely personal suggestions and really a starting point to explore the labels. When looking for a recording, I am always looking for the combination of best performance and sound quality; this is where the Penguin Stereo Record Guide is so useful as their rating system is done on this basis. I don't personally have a bias towards any one label - I'm simply looking for the best version, whatever that may be …
4. Here is a very handy pictorial guide to the physical labels which includes those I will be discussing and a few others I won't -
www.revolutions33.co.uk/collectors_guide.htm
If you are serious about collecting, you really have to be aware of all the variants, to see which pressing you are buying and whether you are paying the right price - generally you'll want to buy as early a release as possible. Decent sellers will make it clear which release they are selling and will often include pics of the label - always check this to be safe! I like seeing pics of the labels in any case to see how much spindle wear there is.
Decca
Regarded as the most famous classical label of all. Their recordings are famed for the 'Decca glow'. It's a warm, nostalgic, romantic, slightly rose-tinted sound that takes you back to bygone era … Obviously 'coloured' but difficult not to enjoy the lush presentation - string tones in particular can be exceptional, especially in the likes of the great violin concertos. That doesn't mean that the recordings lack dynamic range or impact - far from it! Get yourself one of the following recordings and you will find out why …
The stereo lp's are the SXL series and these have five different labels - ED1, ED2, ED3, ED 4 and ED5. These can be hard to spot initially. The most sought after are 'wide-band' labels, ED1 and ED2 - these have a wide silver band above the spindle that says 'Full frequency stereophonic sound' and a groove that is indented about 1cm into the label. ED3 has the wide-band but no groove. Supposedly these offer the best sound quality but I cannot confirm this as they can be fiendishly expensive, which is why I myself only collect 'narrow-band' lp's, which have a narrow silver band that uses a different typeface and includes the word FFSS. When I'm feeling brave I will buy a wide-band at some point and see what the fuss is about. However, I should stress there is nothing wrong with the narrow-bands - there are plenty of exceptional offerings. ED4 and 5 are pressed in Holland as opposed to the earlier English pressings. Study the pics in the guide to make sure you don't pay wide-band prices for a narrow-band, or if you get really lucky, pick up a wide-band for narrow-band prices!
NB If you enjoy early historic music like I do, such as Renaissance and Baroque, keep an eye out for Decca's L'Oiseau-Lyre label; these are well-worth hunting down.
And now, a couple of prime Decca recordings for your consideration -
SXL6000 - 'Spartacus' - the composer, Khachaturian, conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Buy it primarily for the opening track, the 'Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia,' which is one of my favourite test tracks. You might know it better as the theme tune from 'The Onedin Line'! It is just awesome. There's incredible depth and lyricism to this recording. From hushed, delicate moments, to the orchestra at full-tilt - the way the music builds is quite remarkable and packs quite an emotional punch for me. Dynamic range in spades - if you want to be really picky, the climax is not entirely perfectly reproduced, but it's hardly surprising given the challenge of the recording. Wonderful massed string-tones and potent double-basses to test out your bass drivers - it really is one to give your system a thorough work-out - crank it up LOUD! Rather lovely cover design too in my opinion … Mine is an ED4 - I don't think there is an earlier release.
SXL6325 - 'The Poem of Ecstasy' - Scriabin - Zubin Mehta / Los Angeles Philharmnonic
Bit of a left-field choice this possibly. However, like 'Spartacus', this is also on the famous 'Absolute Sound' list of recommended recordings for good reason. I am a huge fan of this fascinating composer and will write more about him another time. Suffice to say, this is possibly his master work. A brooding, hypnotic, power-house of a work, it is utterly beguiling and sends me into raptures of ecstasy indeed… I find it plays tricks with my mind, like an acid trip, it really is that potent as the repeated rhythms lull me into some kind of trance-like state … Again, turn up loud for full intoxicating effect! If you get the rare chance to hear it live, go for it. Mine is ED4 but this is readily available on wide-band. I want one!!
HMV
'His Masters Voice'. What can I say - these are just wonderfully reliable recordings. This label is without doubt the most 'neutral' and least 'coloured' in hi-fi terms of the big three - at their best, they just seem 'right' and transport you straight to the concert hall. Full dynamic range, great clarity and nothing not to like. The first 'white and gold' label can go for very, very high sums indeed. If you see one cheaply anywhere, just grab one. Sadly I don't have any … The 2nd 'semi-circle' label and the various later 'dog in stamp' labels are all excellent though. A note of caution - beware of the 6th label! It was done in a 'retro' design and catches out the novice who think they have bought something much older than it is - it was introduced in the 1980's and is the least sought after; many of the recordings are digital …
ASD 3002 - 'The Planets' - Holst - Andre Previn / London Symphony Orchestra
Everyone should have a copy of The Planets and this is a great version of this legendary and much-loved classic, with Andre Previn at the helm. The dynamics in this recording really are perfect, it's just so exciting and fresh to listen to and is another reference record for my system. You'll find it on the 'dog in stamp' label. I see there has been a 180g release of this on Hi-Q Supercuts, but I cannot comment on it as I haven't heard it. It might be worth checking out some reviews if you can find any, as I'm amazed how expensive the original has become since I bought mine a couple of years back!
ASD 3137 / 2889 / 3369 - Rachmaninov Symphonies 1-3 - Andre Previn / LSO
Yes it's that man again Mr Previn. I really have to recommend all three to you as a 'job-lot'! An exceptional series of lp's and if you love the composer half as much as I do, I would urge you to get these. The third especially gets a lot of deck time with me. I get so drawn into these recordings; it's obvious how much Mr Previn admires the composer … There's just a finely wrought delicacy about them; the emotions of the music are not sugar-coated or syrupy, they have this plaintively wistful air about them that can move me to tears. Heaven. Thankfully the first pressings can still be acquired at reasonable prices, so make sure you avoid the later releases.
Deutsche Grammophon
DGG often comes in for a bit of stick from the 'audiophile' community and I can understand why. Perhaps the vinyl should come with a stickered warning - 'Approach with caution!'. At best they can be brilliant and exciting recordings, however, make no mistake - buy the wrong recording, turn it up loud, you'll be dialling 999 and rushing to the emergency ward with blood gushing out your ears! I have speculatively bought a couple of DGG's that have been unbearably bright, even with my relatively forgiving valve hybrid amp and Tannoys. When played through a decent solid-state amp I found them 'unplayable'. I dread to think what a pair of Linn Kans would do with some of these DGG's …
You will have most success with earlier recordings, up to mid to late 70's, when they changed their recording techniques - their early use of 'multi-miking' / 'spot-miking' tends to come in for a lot of criticism in this regard. I do recommend checking out a review if possible before buying to avoid sonic displeasure. They tend to be the least sought after of the big three labels as you might imagine, however, some of the earlier recordings are quite collectable, especially those heavy-weight vinyl recordings on the German 'Tulips' label (there are UK 'Tulips as well) …
As DGG isn't included in the pictorial guide I linked to earlier for some reason, here is an ultra-exhaustive guide to the DGG releases if you are feeling brave!
fischer.hosting.paran.com/music/dgg-lps/dg-6digits-intro.htm
138 923 - La Mer / Prelude a l'âpres-midi d'un faune - Debussy and Daphne and Chloe - Ravel - Herbert Von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic
Now this is a great lp. An outstanding programme of some of the best Debussy and Ravel, with a lovely, lush and airy recording. Typical polish you would expect from Karajan and the Berlin Phil - their presentation is not always to everyone's taste but here it works perfectly and is really quite sensuous …
Even though this is a humble '70's 'white rim' label, the packaging is sensational and ironically is far superior to the earlier releases that have the better sound quality reputation! You won't find better than this - it's not just any old gatefold sleeve. Uber high quality art-work, then programme notes on the left-hand side of the interior, a separate sleeve for the vinyl inserted between the gatefold and then on the right-hand section of the gatefold you have a discography … Niceness.
2548267 - Respighi 'Pines of Rome', Rimsky-Korsakov 'Capriccio Espanol', Mussorgsky 'Night on Bare Mountain' - Lorin Maazel / Berlin Phil
My recording is on the low-priced DGG label Heliodor. No fancy packaging here! An appealing programme all round, but buy it for the utterly outstanding and riveting 'Capriccio Espagnol' which has a glittering performance and a brilliant sound quality in the purest sense of the word - it never fails to excite and move me. The playing of the Berlin Phil is once more nothing short of perfection; especially notable is the brass playing. This is also available (at a price) on the 'Tulips' label if you want the luxury treatment - DGG SLPM 138 033. I wouldn't say no to a copy but my mint Heliodor pressing is very, very good …
Philips
Philips offers some wonderful recordings at reasonable prices for the savvy collector. Not a huge amount to say - my Philips lp's are extremely high quality and essentially neutral in presentation. The later recordings on the 3rd 'red' label are good and affordable; expect to pay a significant premium for earlier 1st or 2nd 'plum' or maroon' labels.
SAL 3675 - Dvorak Cello Concerto - Maurice Gendron - Bernard Haitink / London Philharmonic
My favourite cello concerto with a masterly recording. The full and rich cello tone is beautifully captured, and really soars to the heights, almost leaping out of the speakers. I have it on the later 'red' label, but is available on the 'plum' label if your pocket stretches to it.
6580 087 - Brahms Violin Concerto - Herman Krebbers - Bernard Haitink / Concertgebouw Orchestra
Another utterly compelling performance of one of the great concertos. Total commitment by the boy Krebbers, and unwavering support from the Concertgebouw, with a recording that just allows you to lose yourself in the drama of the music as all good recordings should. This is on the Philips 'Universo' label.
Argo
An absolute favourite of mine, I am so passionate about this label! Primarily a showcase for British music played by British artists. I especially love their early church music which features reference recordings of music that is very difficult, often impossible to find elsewhere on vinyl. Argo was bought by Decca in 1957 - predictably the sound is on the warm sound of neutral but isn't quite as coloured as Decca in my experience. Here is a superb blog about Argo that has a full discography I have used to help me track down these invaluable historic recordings -
folkcatalogue.wordpress.com/
ZRG 5436 - Tudor Church Music Vol 1 - Tallis - David Willcox / The Choir of Kings College Cambridge
This lp received one of the Penguin 'rosette' awards in the 'Stereo Record Guide' for an outstanding performance / recording and is truly deserved. Features Tallis's masterwork - the mind-bending 40 part motet 'Spem in Alium'. I urge you to give it a listen! Recorded in the chapel of King's College, Cambridge, the way Argo captures the voices is really state of the art in my opinion - you can sense the atmosphere as the voices spiralling up to the heavens in this historic setting.
ZRG 696 - 'Fantasia on a Theme ...', 'The Lark Ascending' etc … Vaughan Williams - Sir Neville Marriner / St Martin in the Fields
Essential for any lover of Vaughan Williams, with a 'greatest hits' programme of four of his finest works that cannot fail to please. Truly captures the essence of this great composer, with masterful interpretations by Sir Neville who has recently celebrated his 90th birthday and is still performing world-wide - respect due!
So there you have it, hope this is of help to you and am happy to answer any questions as best I can.
First of all, I make no apologies that I'm writing about the 'golden age' of classical vinyl which is up to the late 70's, before digital came in. I'm not going to debate the merits of digital vs analogue here - I don't buy digital lp's so can't make any recommendations for those who do … From this great era you can look forward to stellar recordings by some of the world's greatest conductors and composers. It is truly a treasure trove for the classical collector.
1. This isn't intended by any means to be exhaustive - much more of an introduction really of course! I'm going to deal with the 'big three' labels and a couple of the other key players. These big three each have a unique 'house sound' which will be clearly revealed by any decent analogue system.
2. I solely collect the UK and European pressings that are readily available in the UK, so won't be dealing with the likes of Columbia and RCA which you can investigate elsewhere if interested.
3. I will include a couple of reference recordings for each label, all of which I own personally and highly recommend for your listening pleasure! These are purely personal suggestions and really a starting point to explore the labels. When looking for a recording, I am always looking for the combination of best performance and sound quality; this is where the Penguin Stereo Record Guide is so useful as their rating system is done on this basis. I don't personally have a bias towards any one label - I'm simply looking for the best version, whatever that may be …
4. Here is a very handy pictorial guide to the physical labels which includes those I will be discussing and a few others I won't -
www.revolutions33.co.uk/collectors_guide.htm
If you are serious about collecting, you really have to be aware of all the variants, to see which pressing you are buying and whether you are paying the right price - generally you'll want to buy as early a release as possible. Decent sellers will make it clear which release they are selling and will often include pics of the label - always check this to be safe! I like seeing pics of the labels in any case to see how much spindle wear there is.
Decca
Regarded as the most famous classical label of all. Their recordings are famed for the 'Decca glow'. It's a warm, nostalgic, romantic, slightly rose-tinted sound that takes you back to bygone era … Obviously 'coloured' but difficult not to enjoy the lush presentation - string tones in particular can be exceptional, especially in the likes of the great violin concertos. That doesn't mean that the recordings lack dynamic range or impact - far from it! Get yourself one of the following recordings and you will find out why …
The stereo lp's are the SXL series and these have five different labels - ED1, ED2, ED3, ED 4 and ED5. These can be hard to spot initially. The most sought after are 'wide-band' labels, ED1 and ED2 - these have a wide silver band above the spindle that says 'Full frequency stereophonic sound' and a groove that is indented about 1cm into the label. ED3 has the wide-band but no groove. Supposedly these offer the best sound quality but I cannot confirm this as they can be fiendishly expensive, which is why I myself only collect 'narrow-band' lp's, which have a narrow silver band that uses a different typeface and includes the word FFSS. When I'm feeling brave I will buy a wide-band at some point and see what the fuss is about. However, I should stress there is nothing wrong with the narrow-bands - there are plenty of exceptional offerings. ED4 and 5 are pressed in Holland as opposed to the earlier English pressings. Study the pics in the guide to make sure you don't pay wide-band prices for a narrow-band, or if you get really lucky, pick up a wide-band for narrow-band prices!
NB If you enjoy early historic music like I do, such as Renaissance and Baroque, keep an eye out for Decca's L'Oiseau-Lyre label; these are well-worth hunting down.
And now, a couple of prime Decca recordings for your consideration -
SXL6000 - 'Spartacus' - the composer, Khachaturian, conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Buy it primarily for the opening track, the 'Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia,' which is one of my favourite test tracks. You might know it better as the theme tune from 'The Onedin Line'! It is just awesome. There's incredible depth and lyricism to this recording. From hushed, delicate moments, to the orchestra at full-tilt - the way the music builds is quite remarkable and packs quite an emotional punch for me. Dynamic range in spades - if you want to be really picky, the climax is not entirely perfectly reproduced, but it's hardly surprising given the challenge of the recording. Wonderful massed string-tones and potent double-basses to test out your bass drivers - it really is one to give your system a thorough work-out - crank it up LOUD! Rather lovely cover design too in my opinion … Mine is an ED4 - I don't think there is an earlier release.
SXL6325 - 'The Poem of Ecstasy' - Scriabin - Zubin Mehta / Los Angeles Philharmnonic
Bit of a left-field choice this possibly. However, like 'Spartacus', this is also on the famous 'Absolute Sound' list of recommended recordings for good reason. I am a huge fan of this fascinating composer and will write more about him another time. Suffice to say, this is possibly his master work. A brooding, hypnotic, power-house of a work, it is utterly beguiling and sends me into raptures of ecstasy indeed… I find it plays tricks with my mind, like an acid trip, it really is that potent as the repeated rhythms lull me into some kind of trance-like state … Again, turn up loud for full intoxicating effect! If you get the rare chance to hear it live, go for it. Mine is ED4 but this is readily available on wide-band. I want one!!
HMV
'His Masters Voice'. What can I say - these are just wonderfully reliable recordings. This label is without doubt the most 'neutral' and least 'coloured' in hi-fi terms of the big three - at their best, they just seem 'right' and transport you straight to the concert hall. Full dynamic range, great clarity and nothing not to like. The first 'white and gold' label can go for very, very high sums indeed. If you see one cheaply anywhere, just grab one. Sadly I don't have any … The 2nd 'semi-circle' label and the various later 'dog in stamp' labels are all excellent though. A note of caution - beware of the 6th label! It was done in a 'retro' design and catches out the novice who think they have bought something much older than it is - it was introduced in the 1980's and is the least sought after; many of the recordings are digital …
ASD 3002 - 'The Planets' - Holst - Andre Previn / London Symphony Orchestra
Everyone should have a copy of The Planets and this is a great version of this legendary and much-loved classic, with Andre Previn at the helm. The dynamics in this recording really are perfect, it's just so exciting and fresh to listen to and is another reference record for my system. You'll find it on the 'dog in stamp' label. I see there has been a 180g release of this on Hi-Q Supercuts, but I cannot comment on it as I haven't heard it. It might be worth checking out some reviews if you can find any, as I'm amazed how expensive the original has become since I bought mine a couple of years back!
ASD 3137 / 2889 / 3369 - Rachmaninov Symphonies 1-3 - Andre Previn / LSO
Yes it's that man again Mr Previn. I really have to recommend all three to you as a 'job-lot'! An exceptional series of lp's and if you love the composer half as much as I do, I would urge you to get these. The third especially gets a lot of deck time with me. I get so drawn into these recordings; it's obvious how much Mr Previn admires the composer … There's just a finely wrought delicacy about them; the emotions of the music are not sugar-coated or syrupy, they have this plaintively wistful air about them that can move me to tears. Heaven. Thankfully the first pressings can still be acquired at reasonable prices, so make sure you avoid the later releases.
Deutsche Grammophon
DGG often comes in for a bit of stick from the 'audiophile' community and I can understand why. Perhaps the vinyl should come with a stickered warning - 'Approach with caution!'. At best they can be brilliant and exciting recordings, however, make no mistake - buy the wrong recording, turn it up loud, you'll be dialling 999 and rushing to the emergency ward with blood gushing out your ears! I have speculatively bought a couple of DGG's that have been unbearably bright, even with my relatively forgiving valve hybrid amp and Tannoys. When played through a decent solid-state amp I found them 'unplayable'. I dread to think what a pair of Linn Kans would do with some of these DGG's …
You will have most success with earlier recordings, up to mid to late 70's, when they changed their recording techniques - their early use of 'multi-miking' / 'spot-miking' tends to come in for a lot of criticism in this regard. I do recommend checking out a review if possible before buying to avoid sonic displeasure. They tend to be the least sought after of the big three labels as you might imagine, however, some of the earlier recordings are quite collectable, especially those heavy-weight vinyl recordings on the German 'Tulips' label (there are UK 'Tulips as well) …
As DGG isn't included in the pictorial guide I linked to earlier for some reason, here is an ultra-exhaustive guide to the DGG releases if you are feeling brave!
fischer.hosting.paran.com/music/dgg-lps/dg-6digits-intro.htm
138 923 - La Mer / Prelude a l'âpres-midi d'un faune - Debussy and Daphne and Chloe - Ravel - Herbert Von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic
Now this is a great lp. An outstanding programme of some of the best Debussy and Ravel, with a lovely, lush and airy recording. Typical polish you would expect from Karajan and the Berlin Phil - their presentation is not always to everyone's taste but here it works perfectly and is really quite sensuous …
Even though this is a humble '70's 'white rim' label, the packaging is sensational and ironically is far superior to the earlier releases that have the better sound quality reputation! You won't find better than this - it's not just any old gatefold sleeve. Uber high quality art-work, then programme notes on the left-hand side of the interior, a separate sleeve for the vinyl inserted between the gatefold and then on the right-hand section of the gatefold you have a discography … Niceness.
2548267 - Respighi 'Pines of Rome', Rimsky-Korsakov 'Capriccio Espanol', Mussorgsky 'Night on Bare Mountain' - Lorin Maazel / Berlin Phil
My recording is on the low-priced DGG label Heliodor. No fancy packaging here! An appealing programme all round, but buy it for the utterly outstanding and riveting 'Capriccio Espagnol' which has a glittering performance and a brilliant sound quality in the purest sense of the word - it never fails to excite and move me. The playing of the Berlin Phil is once more nothing short of perfection; especially notable is the brass playing. This is also available (at a price) on the 'Tulips' label if you want the luxury treatment - DGG SLPM 138 033. I wouldn't say no to a copy but my mint Heliodor pressing is very, very good …
Philips
Philips offers some wonderful recordings at reasonable prices for the savvy collector. Not a huge amount to say - my Philips lp's are extremely high quality and essentially neutral in presentation. The later recordings on the 3rd 'red' label are good and affordable; expect to pay a significant premium for earlier 1st or 2nd 'plum' or maroon' labels.
SAL 3675 - Dvorak Cello Concerto - Maurice Gendron - Bernard Haitink / London Philharmonic
My favourite cello concerto with a masterly recording. The full and rich cello tone is beautifully captured, and really soars to the heights, almost leaping out of the speakers. I have it on the later 'red' label, but is available on the 'plum' label if your pocket stretches to it.
6580 087 - Brahms Violin Concerto - Herman Krebbers - Bernard Haitink / Concertgebouw Orchestra
Another utterly compelling performance of one of the great concertos. Total commitment by the boy Krebbers, and unwavering support from the Concertgebouw, with a recording that just allows you to lose yourself in the drama of the music as all good recordings should. This is on the Philips 'Universo' label.
Argo
An absolute favourite of mine, I am so passionate about this label! Primarily a showcase for British music played by British artists. I especially love their early church music which features reference recordings of music that is very difficult, often impossible to find elsewhere on vinyl. Argo was bought by Decca in 1957 - predictably the sound is on the warm sound of neutral but isn't quite as coloured as Decca in my experience. Here is a superb blog about Argo that has a full discography I have used to help me track down these invaluable historic recordings -
folkcatalogue.wordpress.com/
ZRG 5436 - Tudor Church Music Vol 1 - Tallis - David Willcox / The Choir of Kings College Cambridge
This lp received one of the Penguin 'rosette' awards in the 'Stereo Record Guide' for an outstanding performance / recording and is truly deserved. Features Tallis's masterwork - the mind-bending 40 part motet 'Spem in Alium'. I urge you to give it a listen! Recorded in the chapel of King's College, Cambridge, the way Argo captures the voices is really state of the art in my opinion - you can sense the atmosphere as the voices spiralling up to the heavens in this historic setting.
ZRG 696 - 'Fantasia on a Theme ...', 'The Lark Ascending' etc … Vaughan Williams - Sir Neville Marriner / St Martin in the Fields
Essential for any lover of Vaughan Williams, with a 'greatest hits' programme of four of his finest works that cannot fail to please. Truly captures the essence of this great composer, with masterful interpretations by Sir Neville who has recently celebrated his 90th birthday and is still performing world-wide - respect due!
So there you have it, hope this is of help to you and am happy to answer any questions as best I can.
