Callas remastered.

[MickyD]

I finally succumbed and ordered the 70 CD Callas box of remastered EMI studio recordings, it being offered for 136 euros on Amazon France.

Has anyone else bought the set?

[umslopogaas]

I bought it some time ago and have listened to a good selection. I already had many of the recordings, either as the original LPs or as earlier CD reissues, but couldnt resist it at such a bargain price. The sound is very good, though my ears are not critical enough to spot if and where the remastering has made improvements.

There have been several other jumbo bargain CD boxes around recently. I guess it is the companies' last attempt to make some money from the recordings while there are still a few customers around for real discs, rather than the younger generation's preference for downloads.

[Karafan]

I bought it some time ago and have listened to a good selection. I already had many of the recordings, either as the original LPs or as earlier CD reissues, but couldnt resist it at such a bargain price. The sound is very good, though my ears are not critical enough to spot if and where the remastering has made improvements.

There have been several other jumbo bargain CD boxes around recently. I guess it is the companies' last attempt to make some money from the recordings while there are still a few customers around for real discs, rather than the younger generation's preference for downloads.

I love this set and think the remasterings have breathed new life into the recordings. For those who haven't seen the set "in the flesh", so to speak, I made a short video traversal here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwPkIXe3sBs

K.

[MickyD]

Thanks...the reviews on Amazon seem to range from lukewarm to ecstatic! Strange that there is such a difference of opinion. But everyone seems agreed that the presentation of the latest set is excellent, with original cover art etc.

[umslopogaas]

Yes, the presentation is excellent, and you get a 131 page book (in four languages) with lots of photos of Callas and her co-stars. If the review is lukewarm, the only reason I can think of is that the reviewer doesnt like Callas - not everybody does.

I'd go for it, I think I remember reading that this will be the last remastering, because the original tapes are now too fragile for further use.

[mikealdren]

I guess for me the question is 'how good are the recordings?'. I have the EMI Callas complete recordings (at about €30( and they are ok. Are these much better, has is prepared to say anyone compared them?

It's always the issue nowadays, noone really is preapared to say 'version x was ok but this is a signifiacnt improvement'. Sadly, this is particularly true of the critics. I have large Toscaninni and Heifetz boxes and both have good remastering but there is better around, in some cases from RCA!

Oistrakh is my real favourite but there are so many versions of his recordings and even from EMI it's a minefield.

Mike

[MickyD]

Blast...Amazon.fr have just reduced the set from 136 euros to 99 euros, just 24 hours after I ordered it!!!! I have written to ask if they would be kind enough to give me the difference, but somehow I don't think they'll swallow that! Worth a try though.

[teamsaint]

I’d be interested in forumites thoughts on a few ( just a few !!) of her best recordings.
Thanks.

[Conchis]

I’d be interested in forumites thoughts on a few ( just a few !!) of her best recordings.
Thanks.

If you want to hear Callas at her best, you have to reconcile yourself to mono recordings. She was under contract to EMI, whose classical Tsar Walter Legge was a reactionary when it came to stereo - hence, by the time Legge capitulated to prevailing fashions, Callas’ voice was already in decline.

Her two best operatic recordings are :

Tosca (with de Sabata, Gobbi and di Setefano)
Norma (the mono Serafin version not the stereo remake with the same conductor and a starriest cast)

A lot of pepole like the early Lucia di Lammermoor she made with Serafin. I dislike the opera, but it is one of her greatest roles. There is also a live version under Karajan which some people rate as superior, but I’ve never heard it.

The mono recital discs are a safe bet.

Avoid at all costs the 1964 Tsoca remake under Pretre as it is inferior in every way to the original (though Bergonzi is a compensation).

Ditto her misconceived recording of Carmen, also under Pretre. ‘Callas is Carmen’. Huh! ‘Callis is Callas.’

[teamsaint]

If you want to hear Callas at her best, you have to reconcile yourself to mono recordings. She was under contract to EMI, whose classical Tsar Walter Legge was a reactionary when it came to stereo - hence, by the time Legge capitulated to prevailing fashions, Callas’ voice was already in decline.

Her two best operatic recordings are :

Tosca (with de Sabata, Gobbi and di Setefano)
Norma (the mono Serafin version not the stereo remake with the same conductor and a starriest cast)

A lot of pepole like the early Lucia di Lammermoor she made with Serafin. I dislike the opera, but it is one of her greatest roles. There is also a live version under Karajan which some people rate as superior, but I’ve never heard it.

The mono recital discs are a safe bet.

Avoid at all costs the 1964 Tsoca remake under Pretre as it is inferior in every way to the original (though Bergonzi is a compensation).

Ditto her misconceived recording of Carmen, also under Pretre. ‘Callas is Carmen’. Huh! ‘Callis is Callas.’

Thanks for those thoughts, much appreciated.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Recorded sound is often a hazard to get Callas at her best: in addition to the Karajan Lucia, there's an incendiary Medea (Cherubini) with Bernstein recorded at La Scala chippy in 1953. Crikey!

Speaking of Medea, there's also this, which should appeal even to those who dislike Callas' singing (she doesn't!):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Medea-DVD-Blu-ray-Maria-Callas/dp/B005R33OVC

I adore Callas' singing - but can quite understand why others detest it: it should be everything I detest in a voice, too - but somehow it just sounds wonderful to me.

I mean - this is all wrong, but it's so right (Dolce e calmo/Sorridente by Riccardo Carretierre:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg3pHkzUerc