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Posted by el`Ol on
03-16-2010
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fiogf49gjkf0d Hello Romy, hello all the rest,I want to expand my collection towards romantic standard repertoire, preferrably large orchestra. I am not intending to become an expert, but I have a moronic habit: In order to fully enjoy a performance I need the illusion of sitting in a real concert hall, so labels like the Deutsche Grammophon are taboo for me. Can you tell me labels that have purist stereo recordings and no C-class artists, so I don't do anything completely wrong when ordering a CD or record? Can also be old recordings, I am quite noise-tolerant.Regards,Oliver
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Posted by Romy the Cat on
03-16-2010
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fiogf49gjkf0d I am not sure what you are asking, Oliver.
First of all I do not know what you mean by “illusion of sitting in a real concert hall”. If you are looking for a teleportation illusion then it is fine but it has absolutely nothing to do with musicality, romantic repertoire or class of artists. I would also do not get where Deutsche Gramophone do not feet your bill – they have a huge catalog with incredibly good and incredibly bad recordings.
All together, I do not think that ordering CDs or records using any other motivations then your interest in the given piece of music make any sense. If you would like to extend your exposure to “romantic standard repertoire, preferably large orchestra” then do not look which recording create the “concert hall illusion”. This illusion not a fiction but it is a side-effect, not the primary motivation. If you looking to start then develop a personal interest in a very narrow for beginning and very specific piece of music and then explore how your interest will be polished by different interpretations. In some time, what you know the piece deeply and develop a lot of acquired taste in it then you might play the game observing how different recording techniques or playback techniques would make any difference to the way how the piece is presented to you.
Eventually, if you were successful in your submerge into a single musical piece then you might amply the pattern to diversify your exposure to wider range of music. Still, you personal internal interest and your personal familiarity with musical intend (or many of the near-musical circumstances) shall drive your CD ordering habits, not anything else. In my view your definition of “do anything completely wrong when ordering a CD” is incorrect at this point and you need to review your whole approach to the subject.
Rgs, Romy the Cat
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Posted by el`Ol on
03-16-2010
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fiogf49gjkf0d First, I didn't write in one block, probably it has something to do with Google Chrome.
 Romy the Cat wrote: |
I would also do not get where Deutsche Gramophone do not feet your bill – they have a huge catalog with incredibly good and incredibly bad recordings. |
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I know some of their later recordings and I once read an article how they work. And I once read that this Tonmeister thing was already common in the times of Herbert von Karajan.
Can one generally say the "antique" recordings are more purist?
Sorry for not responding to most of your post.
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Posted by Romy the Cat on
03-16-2010
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fiogf49gjkf0d I think we have definition of purist recordings. Deutsche Gramophone is a huge company and the recorded zillions of events. At time they were better or worse, at time they recorded brilliantly and at time they recordings vandalized the performances. It is what it is, we have no other recordings of those events, regardless how bad they were recorded, mastered or pressed. That was my point in the post above – if to develop interest in the artistic essence of the performances then the non-perfect audio-recording techniques would bother you much less, if ever. I know where you are trying to get but I do not feel that it is a fruitful direction.
Yes, older Deutsche Gramophone recorded a bit better but this comment not actionable in my view as many of better re-masters from 90s sound more interesting then the original recordings/pressings from 60s. Still, I would stress again – a good performance of a work makes all or of irrelevant.
The Cat
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Posted by el`Ol on
03-16-2010
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fiogf49gjkf0d Romy, I don't understand you.
Probably few people on this planet have made more effort to get the most out of their technical equipment than you, so I have been wondering for a while why you don't ever talk about the technical aspects of recordings. And now you tell me they are irrelevant?
Very mysterious.
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Posted by Romy the Cat on
03-16-2010
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fiogf49gjkf0d | el`Ol wrote: | Romy, I don't understand you.
Probably few people on this planet have made more effort to get the most out of their technical equipment than you, so I have been wondering for a while why you don't ever talk about the technical aspects of recordings. And now you tell me they are irrelevant?
Very mysterious. |
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I certainly would not deny any technical aspects of recordings. I do discriminate the recordings techniques and recording results. However, since you created the thread in the musical forum of the site and since your intention is to “expand your collection” I do not feel that better recording techniques shall be a guidance for buying any CDs or LPs.
Rgs, The Cat
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Posted by Paul S on
03-16-2010
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fiogf49gjkf0d Ollie, I know of no "label" that did/does everything right, either musically or technically. The VERY OLD joke is: Great performance, lousy recording; great recording, lousy performance. And the truth is that the rarest of rare events is a great recording of a great performance of a great work. Most labels have some of these rare birds, but most labels also release mostly mediocre to less-than-mediocre fare, IMO.
If you go through the posts in this (Musical Discussions) forum, I think there are quite a few comments on "sound" and/or recording techniques along with the musical discussions. OTOH, as I write this I realize that "Good Sound" might or might not go along with "good recording techniques", depending on your definition of "Good Sound".
You should certainly own and listen to the Music and Arts version of Furtwangler/BPO performance of Beethoven's 9th, 1943. If that floats your boat, then you might even re-think your search.
Best regards,
Paul S
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