BaL 27.10.12 - Debussy's Images

[HighlandDougie]

Note that the Argenta is still available on a Decca Legends 24/96 remaster. Not heard that release, but you'd expect good things from that source (if not matching 24 carat gold...)

I dug out my copy of the Argenta (Decca 'The Classic Sound') for a spin after Jayne's enthusiastic espousal of it. In its TCS incarnation, it does rather sound its age but, maybe Gigues apart, the performance really made me sit up and listen. Argenta, as Jonathan Swain pointed out, makes Ibéria sound like authentically Spanish music - it's as if he'd discovered a new work by Manuel de Falla. Whatever, it makes an excellent addition to anyone's shortlist of fine performances of this work. By way of comparison, I dug out from the big Decca Sound box the Ansermet (recorded in March 1961 as opposed to Argenta in May 1957), which sounds as if it was recorded yesterday (and is a huge improvement on the vinyl version which I also still have). Different producers but the same sound engineer (Roy Wallace) so the 24 carat gold re-master of the Argenta goes on my list of CDs to be lusted after - or bought if I ever win Euromillions.

Like everyone else, I thought that this edition of BaL was it back to its best. That might have been partly due to my somewhat smug realisation that I already had all the favoured versions. While I like listening to all of them, I was particularly pleased that the Denève, about which I have enthused greatly on other threads, featured among that group. But I would never want to be without Monteux (or Haitink or Argenta or Rattle ...).

[jayne lee wilson]

Amusing thing about those Gold CDs - I bought a bunch of them from dear old Vivante in 2001, they were selling them off for a tenner each! They included Martinon's DSCH 1 (with THE Kingsway tube train...), and Ansermet's Nocturnes, Maag's Mendelssohn... don't hesitate if you find one - except for prices...?!

[akiralx]

It's about time Universal issued a new higher resolution remastering of the whole of the Haitink Images. They released a 96/24 based remastering of Iberia in 2001, but not the rest of the work.

Yes I have a Japanese SACD of his Debussy: La Mer, Nocturnes and Iberia only.

I wonder why he doesn't record some of this again rather than churning out more Mahler and Bruckner.

[HighlandDougie]

Amusing thing about those Gold CDs - I bought a bunch of them from dear old Vivante in 2001, they were selling them off for a tenner each! They included Martinon's DSCH 1 (with THE Kingsway tube train...), and Ansermet's Nocturnes, Maag's Mendelssohn... don't hesitate if you find one - except for prices...?!

I bought the afore- mentioned Martinon and the Maag but I vaguely remember being snooty about the Suisse Romande at the time ("Pah! It's not the Concertgebouw") so spurned the Argenta Images/Ansermet Nocturnes. Silly me.

[Alf-Prufrock]

My Debussian pride and joy is a Classic Records Gold Disc of the Complete Images, performed by the Suisse Romande Orchestra with Ataulfo Argenta conducting.

What are these Classic Records Gold Discs, please? They seem to be special! I possess only the Decca Legends issue of the Argenta.

[HighlandDougie]

They are carefully re-mastered and pressed reissues, alas only now seemingly available at fairly ludicrous prices (a copy of the Argenta Images appears to have been sold last year on e-bay for £104.02). See

http://217.91.44.153/tontraeger/PDFs/Speakers_Corner/Reviews/6013_The%20Absolute%20Sound.pdf

which, while extolling the virtues of a reissue of the LP, is pretty complimentary about the CD. My Maag/Mendelssohn and Martinon/Shostakovich CDs are greatly superior to the standard CD reissues, sound-wise. So if you are ever in a charity shop and see a CD bearing the Classic Records moniker, snap it up.

[richardfinegold]

What are these Classic Records Gold Discs, please? They seem to be special! I possess only the Decca Legends issue of the Argenta.

Is that a Vinyl release? There is a company reselling 180 gram vinyl discs with a name like that, and they feature a lot of Deccas from the early stereo era.

[HighlandDougie]

Classic Records mainly specialise in high-quality vinyl but at one time had a range of CDs including the Argenta Images. Their choice of repertoire tends to be swayed by recording rather than musical quality (although the two often happily coincide), hence the early stereo Deccas

[Alf-Prufrock]

My thanks to those who replied. I had forgotten that I did not give my thanks at the time we discussed this label. Sorry.

[Barbirollians]

Finally , have got round to listening to this Monteux disc I bought after the programme .

I had always thought Haitink was enough for me in this work but Monteux is very different and equally special . The CD contains three other superb performances including a still and not overly underlined Prelude de L'Apres Midi d'un faune that I think is probably the finest I have ever heard.