I previously welcomed the recent joint Solo Musica/Wiener Symphoniker CD release of this recording, so I feel I should point out some of the problems with this (and last years’s BnF) re-issue - even though it is unlikely that many people will be interested.
(The Ancerl/Wiener Symphoniker Dvorak 9 was one of the very first LPs I bought, so I am very fond of the recording and very interested in any re-issues on CD.)
The Fontana recording was made at the very dawn of the stereo age and was released on LP in both mono and stereo formats. There were multiple releases on LP but neither the mono nor the stereo versions ever made it onto CD (apart from in Japan), that is until the recent mono releases. The stereo version has only ever been released in Japan and even there it seems to be deleted (but is still available second hand).
Last year BnF released a download version of the recording and recently Solo Musica released a version on CD. The Solo Musica CD has been warmly received in various newspapers. Both these releases seem to be derived from similar sources. Both are in mono and, to my ears, both have an excessive (boomy) bass, both sound dynamically compressed and both sound very unnatural (certainly when compared to my old LP). Additionally the quieter and mid level climaxes on the Solo Musica CD have been artificially boosted - not good. The BnF remastering seems to have been done with a fairly light touch, but the Solo Musica version does sound a little warmer than the BnF.
There is a dramatic difference in tonal balance between the recent mono releases and the stereo versions both on LP and on the CD samples on the Amazon Japan website. The stereo versions sound much, much more natural (with none of the excessive bass, etc), whereas the recent (mono) versions could be classed as ‘historical documents’ – interesting but not all that enjoyable to listen to. It makes me wonder why on earth the Wiener Symphoniker decided to issue such a recording when the stereo version (ex LP) is so superior.
Unfortunately the only way to get hold of the stereo version is either via an old LP (with the likelihood of it being much the worse for wear) or buying a second hand CD from Japan, perhaps at an inflated price (plus UK VAT and admin fee). In each case one would have to be careful to check that the LP or CD was actually the stereo version.
If anyone would like to sample the 50+ year old stereo LP that I transferred (de-clicked but otherwise warts and all) to HDD please let me know, bearing in mind that it was far from a pristine LP, etc, etc.
Otherwise an idea of the difference between the recent mono releases and the Japanese stereo CD (which closely resembles my stereo LP in tonal balance, etc) can be got through the samples on Amazon UK (Solo Musica mono CD) and Amazon Japan (Universal stereo CD).
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Symphony-Vla...ds=solo+musica
Amazon Japan: http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%83%89%E3...=dvorak+ancerl
(Anyone familiar with the layout of the UK Amazon website can quickly work out how to play the samples on the Japanese website.)
(The Ancerl/Wiener Symphoniker Dvorak 9 was one of the very first LPs I bought, so I am very fond of the recording and very interested in any re-issues on CD.)
The Fontana recording was made at the very dawn of the stereo age and was released on LP in both mono and stereo formats. There were multiple releases on LP but neither the mono nor the stereo versions ever made it onto CD (apart from in Japan), that is until the recent mono releases. The stereo version has only ever been released in Japan and even there it seems to be deleted (but is still available second hand).
Last year BnF released a download version of the recording and recently Solo Musica released a version on CD. The Solo Musica CD has been warmly received in various newspapers. Both these releases seem to be derived from similar sources. Both are in mono and, to my ears, both have an excessive (boomy) bass, both sound dynamically compressed and both sound very unnatural (certainly when compared to my old LP). Additionally the quieter and mid level climaxes on the Solo Musica CD have been artificially boosted - not good. The BnF remastering seems to have been done with a fairly light touch, but the Solo Musica version does sound a little warmer than the BnF.
There is a dramatic difference in tonal balance between the recent mono releases and the stereo versions both on LP and on the CD samples on the Amazon Japan website. The stereo versions sound much, much more natural (with none of the excessive bass, etc), whereas the recent (mono) versions could be classed as ‘historical documents’ – interesting but not all that enjoyable to listen to. It makes me wonder why on earth the Wiener Symphoniker decided to issue such a recording when the stereo version (ex LP) is so superior.
Unfortunately the only way to get hold of the stereo version is either via an old LP (with the likelihood of it being much the worse for wear) or buying a second hand CD from Japan, perhaps at an inflated price (plus UK VAT and admin fee). In each case one would have to be careful to check that the LP or CD was actually the stereo version.
If anyone would like to sample the 50+ year old stereo LP that I transferred (de-clicked but otherwise warts and all) to HDD please let me know, bearing in mind that it was far from a pristine LP, etc, etc.
Otherwise an idea of the difference between the recent mono releases and the Japanese stereo CD (which closely resembles my stereo LP in tonal balance, etc) can be got through the samples on Amazon UK (Solo Musica mono CD) and Amazon Japan (Universal stereo CD).
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Symphony-Vla...ds=solo+musica
Amazon Japan: http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%83%89%E3...=dvorak+ancerl
(Anyone familiar with the layout of the UK Amazon website can quickly work out how to play the samples on the Japanese website.)
Comment