The Lost World of the LP: The Essay

[doversoul1]

I thought this discussion could continue here

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?19580-Stylus-Phantasticus-EML-2nd-December&p=709126#post709126

Author and former magazine editor David Hepworth discusses our enduring relationship with vinyl albums. Other musical formats have come and gone but even in the age of streaming, the 12-inch LP is prospering. In this opening talk, he explores the reasons why people are so attached to this apparently redundant format.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001d33

[teamsaint]

Thanks DS.

Apparently redundant ? It quite clearly isn’t.

Anyway, lets hear what he has to say before we sort it out properly here.

Although self evidently, endless choice and perfect sound aren’t the be all and end all of music consumption.

[pastoralguy]

I'm sorry but I was really glad to see the back of Lp. Poorly produced and poor value for money. Yesterday, I mentioned how it was 30 years since I bought my Mitsuko Uchida set of the Mozart piano sonatas. They play just as well as they did when I first played them back in 1988. I've taken delight that as my Hi-Fi equipment has improved so the discs have revealed their contents in greater detail unlike Lps where playing them on a better turntable/system merely highlighted their all too obvious deficiencies.

I did catch that programme on the way home from work and will look forward to hearing the other episodes but I know it's not going to convince me. Long live the cd!

[Bryn]

Don't get me started again on the recent release, on 12 LPs only (no CD, other optical disc or download version) of Feldman's SQ2 played by the Pellegrini Quartet.

[pastoralguy]

I'm sure that there was a letter in Gramophone that said ' The most obvious advantage of the CD is not mentioned by manufacturers or critics, namely being easier to smuggle into the house thus avoiding the wrath of a woman who feels that money would be better spent on baby clothes!'

[jayne lee wilson]

Well I stuck it out..not terribly original ..similar reflections have been appearing in certain sections of the HiFi Press for many years now...
The Cover Art, the tactility, those lovably individualising pops and clicks...
Been there done that.

If you love LP, for musical or other reasons - go on loving it. Why not?
But why try to tell those of us who use and are attached to various digital sources that we somehow "value music less"....? Or lack a "ritual" of playback, or dismiss the essential "irrationality" of the vinyl medium?
I'm not sure how rational spending 100s of pounds on Bach 333 or The Complete Columbia Album Collection or USB Regeneration is, but it certainly seems to express an obsessive valuation.

We all have our priorities. Whilst being very attached to certain long-cherished HiFi components, their build, their traditions and their history, and enjoying the setting up and fine-tuning aspects of the kit, what always mattered most to me was - nothing should come between me and the music; the sound should be as good as possible, but crucially the source should have a high ease-of-use factor. LP often scored rather poorly in the latter category.

But it's a big wide musical world.... pick and choose, enjoy it and...live and let live...

[richardfinegold]

I'm sorry but I was really glad to see the back of Lp. Poorly produced and poor value for money. Yesterday, I mentioned how it was 30 years since I bought my Mitsuko Uchida set of the Mozart piano sonatas. They play just as well as they did when I first played them back in 1988. I've taken delight that as my Hi-Fi equipment has improved so the discs have revealed their contents in greater detail unlike Lps where playing them on a better turntable/system merely highlighted their all too obvious deficiencies.

I did catch that programme on the way home from work and will look forward to hearing the other episodes but I know it's not going to convince me. Long live the cd!

The return of vinyl is like a bad horror movie that won't stop playing

[richardfinegold]

Well I stuck it out..not terribly original ..similar reflections have been appearing in certain sections of the HiFi Press for many years now...

If you love LP, for musical or other reasons - go on loving it. Why not?
But why try to tell those of us who use and are attached to various digital sources that we somehow "value music less"....? Or lack a "ritual" of playback, or dismiss the essential "irrationality" of the vinyl medium?

We all have our priorities. Whilst being very attached to certain long-cherished HiFi components, their traditions and their history, and enjoying the setting up and fine-tuning aspects of the kit, what always mattered most to me was that - nothing should come between me and the music; the sound should be as good as possible, but crucially the source should have a high ease-of-use factor. LP scored rather poorly in the latter category.

But it's a big wide musical world.... pick and choose, enjoy it and...live and let live...

My sentiments exactly, but I've given up reading audio reviewers such as Fremer that gratuitously insult all things digital...and still woundn't change their tune even when the yard to embarrassingly acknowledge that most of the expensive lp reissues that they tout so vigorously are actually made from digital masters.

[Dave2002]

"yard"??

[Dave2002]

I'm sure that there was a letter in Gramophone that said ' The most obvious advantage of the CD is not mentioned by manufacturers or critics, namely being easier to smuggle into the house thus avoiding the wrath of a woman who feels that money would be better spent on baby clothes!'

Downloads are even easier to smuggle in!

[Dave2002]

I thought this discussion could continue here

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?19580-Stylus-Phantasticus-EML-2nd-December&p=709126#post709126

Author and former magazine editor David Hepworth discusses our enduring relationship with vinyl albums. Other musical formats have come and gone but even in the age of streaming, the 12-inch LP is prospering. In this opening talk, he explores the reasons why people are so attached to this apparently redundant format.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001d33

That programme is quite entertaining. Note however, that almost every sentence in the first few minutes, and a few later on, contains an untruth. That makes it fun to listen to - just like "The unbelievable truth" - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007mf4f Now waiting for episode 2 - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0001dtb

[teamsaint]

Rather predictable first programme I thought, hopefully some more interesting stuff to come, though from back in the day I don’t recall Hepworth being a particularly interesting music journalist.

Regarding revival of vinyl, I think I would celebrate the fact that some younger people are finding new and different ways to explore music, other than the now ubiquitous streaming,which of course is a fantastic resource.

And if older people want to spend double or treble the cost of a CD to help prop up the industry, then I cant see the negative in that.

Bryn’s point about the Feldman , though, is a good one. That LP only release really does seem daft.

[Braunschlag]

Interesting programme, although nothing particularly new as others have commented.

Having had a ‘vinyl revival’ over the past 10-12 years (bit hazy here), it was fun whilst it lasted.
I soon learnt that for vinyl to reach anything like the resolution and quality of digital formats requires rather indulgent sums of money for starters. I went through at least four turntables, each eclipsing its predecessor in both cost and engineering complexity.

At the end of it all it simply became a huge faff and time-consuming effort to play a record (in addition to wiping out at least three moving coil styli with overzealous cleaning, that was an expensive mistake!).

I think I enjoyed the tinkering and setting up more than the sonic benefit - I won’t ever say that vinyl is a better sound, it’s different but that’s all. Now it’s all gone it good to have space back, a few less yards of cabling and no need to dust,clean, spray; why is everything vinyl made of acrylic, the worlds worst dust magnet.

“Bryn’s point about the Feldman , though, is a good one. That LP only release really does seem daft.”

Bryn’s Point is a good one. I recall the look of utter delight when I mentioned to another forum member that I had a copy of ‘Aus dem seben tagen’ on vinyl from its original DG release, complete with the original madcap booklet. Never released on CD I think. Needless to say I managed to do a very fine digital copy for said moderator (oops, cat out of bag:).
Perhaps the only time I’ve ever really heard Stockhausen properly as it all had to be done in real time of course. Stunning recording by the way, especially with the hammering nails into floorboards section. It was so realistic I thought they were building a shed next door.

It was a nice diversion and I really do miss that tactile business. Is it worth it? On reflection I’d say no to doing it all again.

Mind you, I wish someone would release that first Rach 3/Gavrilov which was on Greensleeves, a superb performance, even with those wobbly horns.

[Bryn]

Re. #13, https://www.discogs.com/Karlheinz-St...release/644983

or if you want it on CD, https://www.discogs.com/Stockhausen-...elease/1162824

or for €102 including p&p if bought direct from http://www.stockhausencds.com/

[Braunschlag]

Re. #13, https://www.discogs.com/Karlheinz-St...release/644983

or if you want it on CD, https://www.discogs.com/Stockhausen-...elease/1162824

or for €102 including p&p if bought direct from http://www.stockhausencds.com/

Blimey, £££!!! Thanks for correcting me, I didn’t know it had a CD release.