Do we have to re-consider 'historical' recordings?

[Petrushka]

It must have come as a bit of a shock to most on here to find that Jacqueline du Pre's 1965 recording of the Elgar Cello Concerto is now, according to Helen Wallace on this morning's BaL, the recommended HISTORICAL version. Personally, I would have considered anything in mono (that is pre 1958) to be classified as historical but the du Pre recording is almost 50 years old.

The problem I have is that the technological advances of the previous 50 years to 1958 are way ahead of the advances made since that year.

In the light of the above must we now reconsider what we mean by historical recordings and face the fact that some of our most cherished recordings will never be BaL winners again?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I think the assumption that "historical" has suddenly acquired the meaning of a recording of a certain age is misguided at best. As I said on the BaL thread, only mono and inadequate-sounding stereo should be given this label.

[Petrushka]

I think the assumption that "historical" has suddenly acquired the meaning of a recording of a certain age is misguided at best. As I said on the BaL thread, only mono and inadequate-sounding stereo should be given this label.

I agree with this entirely but younger collectors may think differently and as time goes on the 'historical' tag is likely to become more and more frequent.

[Barbirollians]

As I understood it historical recording was regarded as a recording where as the recording did not convey the performance in stereo and/or clear sound. That cannot be applied to du Pre and Barbirolli here .

Historic I suppose now simply will mean a long time ago .

[Zucchini]

Once the performers are dead the recording is historical. The artists don't exist, you can't go and hear them, we're stuck with that interpretation for ever and ever. The date of recording or sound quality have nothing to do with it.

[richardfinegold]

I concur that the term Historical usually applies to any non stereo recording. The useage of the term is a generally understood convention, which is fine until someone decides not to go along with the convention, as appears to be the case with the presenters of the BAL. As Petrushka indicates, I can see where a recording 50 years old is seen as historical.
Lets face it, we don't like being reminded how long our teeth have gotten...

[Barbirollians]

Funnily enough the Mork/Rattle recording sounded worse to my ears rather distant and dull .

[slarty]

I suppose Pet, that we are also now in the historical category.
However I object to being called historical just because I bought this on it's first release.

[visualnickmos]

Once the performers are dead the recording is historical. The artists don't exist, you can't go and hear them, we're stuck with that interpretation for ever and ever. The date of recording or sound quality have nothing to do with it.

A very fair point; but by the same logic it could be argued that a recording is historical from the instant the mics are switched off. I feel that in my books, the term 'historical' should be applied on grounds of technical qualities rather than only the age of a recording - unless there are some relevant performance practice changes that render 'older' recordings historical ie; a before and after...

Difficult one this, to pin down.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Has the term 'historical' been applied to the Du Pre simply to honour it then shift it to one side, so more recent recordings can compete with each other??

[verismissimo]

For me, historical means pre-LP - ie up to the early 1950s. The really major shifts in sound reproduction were:

1. The move from acoustic to electrical recording around 1924/5

2. The shift from shellac to vinyl in the early 1950s

3. The arrival of stereo, this last being a lesser step than the previous two!

[Don Petter]

For me, historical means pre-LP - ie up to the early 1950s. The really major shifts in sound reproduction were:

1. The move from acoustic to electrical recording around 1924/5

2. The shift from shellac to vinyl in the early 1950s

3. The arrival of stereo, this last being a lesser step than the previous two!

Those would be exactly my feelings, though I suppose there will be a natural tendency for later generations to slip things forward (and even I didn't experience number 1 in the flesh). As others have posted, I would reluctantly accept the term to mean up to and including mono and perhaps early (bad) attempts at stereo.

I would not have included 1965 recording, though I didn't hear the BaL, being too busy basking in a very warm and sunny Paris.

[Pabmusic]

For me, historical means pre-LP - ie up to the early 1950s. The really major shifts in sound reproduction were:

1. The move from acoustic to electrical recording around 1924/5

2. The shift from shellac to vinyl in the early 1950s

3. The arrival of stereo, this last being a lesser step than the previous two!

Sounds reasonable. 'Historical' is a human construct that can mean whatever we choose. In one (very real) sense, all recordings - even one made a minute ago - are 'historical'. But that's not very profound, and (more importantly) it doesn't convey any information other than the obvious.

It seems to me that there are two possibly useful meanings of 'historical'. The first would refer to the recording type/quality - much as you say. The second might refer to the performing style. The second meaning is weaker than the first since it is more subjective.

I cannot think of any useful reason to call du Pre's recording 'historical'. What does that word convey in this case?

[doversoul1]

Historical can simply mean belonging to the past. If this is her latest photo, a recording made 50 years ago must seem historical.

http://www.helenwallace.net/

How a record reviewer should use the word is another matter, but it does make you/us think, doesn’t it?

[Pabmusic]

H...If this is her latest photo, a recording made 50 years ago must seem historical.
…

Nails & heads! 'Historical' means "anything recorded before I was born". (That's probably widened to "before any of my friends were born".)