Barbirolli Elgar EMI Box: Remastering

[richardfinegold]

This topic has probably already been discussed on these Boards, so forgive my late interest. I am considering buying the EMI 5 disc set featuring Sir John's recordings of The first two Symphonies, the Du Pre - Baker disc featuring the cello Concerto and the Pictures, Falstaff, and a few other goodies.
My present collection contains the recording of the First Symphony (and the SACD version of the Du Pre / Baker disc)-but I don't have Barbirolli's recording of the Second, and that would be my chief interest here. I am contemplating spending a few dollars for a used copy of the second Symphony, vs. a few dollars more for the 5 disc set. I was wondering if the remastering that EMI touts makes the additional outlay worthwhile.

[makropulos]

This topic has probably already been discussed on these Boards, so forgive my late interest. I am considering buying the EMI 5 disc set featuring Sir John's recordings of The first two Symphonies, the Du Pre - Baker disc featuring the cello Concerto and the Pictures, Falstaff, and a few other goodies.
My present collection contains the recording of the First Symphony (and the SACD version of the Du Pre / Baker disc)-but I don't have Barbirolli's recording of the Second, and that would be my chief interest here. I am contemplating spending a few dollars for a used copy of the second Symphony, vs. a few dollars more for the 5 disc set. I was wondering if the remastering that EMI touts makes the additional outlay worthwhile.

I can't remember if the remastering was done before or after the "British Composers" single disc release of Barbirolli's stereo 2nd Symphony –but I'm pretty sure the slightly later two-disc set of the two symphonies uses a remastered version (at least it was an improvement on the much earlier EMI CD I had of it). That's this release: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgar-Sympho...dp/B002HHH3W2/

Not sure if there's any difference between that and the five-disc set you mention. I seem to remember listening to one version of the five-disc set and not noticing any significant differences.

By the way, Barbirolli's 1954 mono recording of the Second Symphony is another performance you might like to explore –it's much more urgent and less spacious than the later one, and it's in quite good sound for the date.

[akiralx]

By the way, Barbirolli's 1954 mono recording of the Second Symphony is another performance you might like to explore –it's much more urgent and less spacious than the later one, and it's in quite good sound for the date.

I always find this quite subfusc sonically whenever I put it on - to be honest I find Boult's BBCSO recording of 10 years earlier easier to listen to.

[makropulos]

I always find this quite subfusc sonically whenever I put it on - to be honest I find Boult's BBCSO recording of 10 years earlier easier to listen to.

The Barbirolli Society has just released a new transfer of it (remastered by Paul Baily). Might be worth giving that a try?
I agree that Boult 1944 is wonderful !

[HighlandDougie]

I was wondering if the remastering that EMI touts makes the additional outlay worthwhile.

My copy of the 5-disc set booklet gives the following dates for re-mastering:

Disc 1: Symphony No 1 - 1993; Int and Allegro - 2000
Disc 2: Symphony No 2 - 1993; Elegy, Sospiri - 1993
Disc 3: Falstaff - 1988; Cockaigne - 2004; Froissart - 1988
Disc 4: Enigma Variations - 1988; Pomp and Circumstance Marches - 1988; Serenade for Strings - 2000
Disc 5: Sea Pictures - 2004; Cello Concerto - 2004

The box set is P. 2006. I can't imagine that EMI re-remastered anything for the box but it's still well worth it - if the Second Symphony isn't JB at his best, I'm sure that you'll get a great deal of satisfaction from the Falstaff etc.

[Barbirollians]

The third and fourth discs are both superb. I love that spacious Elgar 2 - the closing pages of the Larghetto are magical .

The Elegy and Sospiri are both superb . The Sospiri is like no other performance of it - extraordinarily moving.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The third and fourth discs are both superb. I love that spacious Elgar 2 - the closing pages of the Larghetto are magical .

Spacious indeed. It was originally issued on two and a half sides, on 2 LP's coupled with Falstaff.