Am I the only one here

[porcy62]

Let's put in this way, I am not a classical music expert nor I am deeply into it, though I appreciate and love it.

I have some records I bought in my youth, and inherited more records from my dad, and bought and still buy, when I got the chance, classical NM vinyls for ridicolous prices, .99 per record, or less, in case of big box sets. Often I got them for free, because friends of mine want to clear out the shelves, I got basically all the Glenn Gould's Bach recordings this way.

So I am slowly building up a classical collection saving a coffe per week. Obviously we are talking of classical mid/late XX century performances: Karajan, Solti, Kempff, Walter, Harnoncourt. Klemperer, Jochum, Quartetto Italiano or Rubinstein.

I am asking myself if there are anybody's else doing it.

[kh1958]

Not the only one--my addiction to jazz vinyl has relatively recently spilled over into classical vinyl. I am much pickier with classical vinyl--I only buy if the record is in nearly perfect condition. It seems like this is not that uncommon (buying that classical record seemingly was a better idea in theory than was actually listening to it).

In fact, I would be curious what labels others think have the best sound in the classical arena.

[alocispepraluger102]

those mercury living presence items from the late 50's i love.

[Teasing the Korean]

Most of the "classical" music I own is on LP. I have maybe 10 CDs of so-called "classical."

Being into 20th century stuff, I find it makes sense to buy it on vinyl. The previous owners either knew enough to take care of it, or hated it enough to not play it more than once!

[porcy62]

Not the only one--my addiction to jazz vinyl has relatively recently spilled over into classical vinyl. I am much pickier with classical vinyl--I only buy if the record is in nearly perfect condition. It seems like this is not that uncommon (buying that classical record seemingly was a better idea in theory than was actually listening to it).

In fact, I would be curious what labels others think have the best sound in the classical arena.

Not a big expert, but I got some experience about it.

Those Mercury Living Presence Aloc named are highly regarded among collectors, as the RCA Living Stereo, though I never found one at good price and in good shape, so I never heard them.

The sound I prefer is from Decca, Uk or their U.S. counterpart, London. They had that famous sound engineer Kenneth Wilkinson, the 'Du Nann' of classical recordings, IMHO. His work with Solti are great, I was even tempted to buy some Wagner, then I remembered W. Allen's lines:

"I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland."

And I passed on.

Early pressings of Decca, the so called 'Wide Band Label' suffered from a bit noisy vinyl and are usually more expensive then later reissues. I have to say that even late seventies, early eighties, Decca's bargain series sound excellent.

Philips and EMI can vary from excellent to poor, depends on the recordings and the pressings, usually quiet vinyl in my experience.

Telefunken, I've got only the Bach from Harnoncourt, gorgeous sounding, if you like the philogical, someone would call it 'cold', interpretation of the early Haroncourt

Archiv, I've got only Bach's orchestral music of Trevor Pinnock, excellent sound and dynamic.

RCA, I've got only the Chopin of Rubinstein big box set, bargain series, mediocre sound, but I've got it for free, so...

Deutsche Grammophone, ah! Who knows? From great to almost unlistenable.

They had such a huge output during the years that is quite difficult to generalize. Anyway in my experience early pressings, the 'Tulip Label', have a bigger sound then later recordings, their reissues of early recordings are often bad sounding: thin and cold, though great vinyl quality.

Lot's of collectors and experts blame Karajan's took over on the label for that. I never investigate the issue, though the huge enthusiasm of Herbert for the CD as medium, since the day ONE, could suggest something.

For instance, quality of performances a part, the first Beethoven Symphonies Karajan recorder for DG, 1962/63 I think, (tulip label) are better sounding then later recordings 1977, after that Karajan became the artistic Führer or the label.

Obviously there are exception now and then.

Early 'Tulip label' pressings are sought by collectors and usually worth the search and the extra money, if the performance worths, like Bruckner/Jochum or Emil Gilels for instance, later pressings are a bet, usually a very cheap one, so I bet often, for ten euros I've got big box sets, 10/15 NM records and I've got some nice suprises like Beethoven Symphonies of Böhm with Wiener Philarmoniker, great performances and nice sound.

If you are going into serious collecting you'll probably need this books: http://www.phil-rees.demon.co.uk/prrbook2.htm

And maybe some of the old Grammophone's guides. Back in the days The Absolute Sound had pretty decent lists of good sounding records, though I think they never realized a book, so probably you should look for the TAS old issues in a library .

[Teasing the Korean]

The irony about those Mercury Living Presence and RCA Living Stereo LPs is that the mono versions of the same titles often go for very short dough. Those mono albums sound incredible also.

[porcy62]

The irony about those Mercury Living Presence and RCA Living Stereo LPs is that the mono versions of the same titles often go for very short dough. Those mono albums sound incredible also.

True. I've got few classical mono records, DG and Philips, and they sound great, with my mono cartdrige.

Edited June 1, 2008 by porcy62

[kh1958]

I recently found three RCA Living Stereo records (a Johnny Guarnieri led big band date and a couple of vocal dates), circa 1960, in near perfect condition, and they do sound fabulous.

On the Archive label, the best I've come across so far is a Bach harpischord recording from 1958. It has very nice sound and, according to the enclosed receipt, was purchased by a Mr. Brooks, a member of the Army Band, on June 4, 1960, who was apparently stationed in Europe. The price seems rather high for the times, as he paid $5 as a deposit and completed the transaction by paying the balance due of $2.05.

[Spontooneous]

I go nuts on cheap classical vinyl wherever I can find it. Especially the thrift stores and the discount shelves at Half Price Books. The classical vinyl rivals the size of my jazz collection.

We won't even talk about the 78s here.

[7/4]

Most of the "classical" music I own is on LP. I have maybe 10 CDs of so-called "classical."

Being into 20th century stuff, I find it makes sense to buy it on vinyl. The previous owners either knew enough to take care of it, or hated it enough to not play it more than once!

at one point, I bought a bunch of modern classical on LP and then my turntable died. I'll get a new one someday.

[paul secor]

Being into 20th century stuff, I find it makes sense to buy it on vinyl. The previous owners either knew enough to take care of it, or hated it enough to not play it more than once!

[BruceH]

I love my vinyl classical, but surface noise during the quiet passages can be a bother sometimes.

[stuartjewkes]

I buy classical music on vinyl almost exclusively. There is a little shack that sells dodgy vhs porn in Manchester town and they have boxes and boxes of vinyl for 25p each. I usually grab what's there and catches my eye and then anything that doesn't grab me goes to the charity shop.

I've found some good stuff with this method.

For example I'm currently listening to Ernest Ansermet conducting L'Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Beethoven's 5th Symphony on Decca 'Ace of Diamonds and the performance and sound is superb. Very dynamic and full of life. Beats the David Zinman version I have on CD hands down.

[porcy62]

I buy classical music on vinyl almost exclusively. There is a little shack that sells dodgy vhs porn in Manchester town and they have boxes and boxes of vinyl for 25p each. I usually grab what's there and catches my eye and then anything that doesn't grab me goes to the charity shop.

I've found some good stuff with this method.

For example I'm currently listening to Ernest Ansermet conducting L'Orchestre De La Suisse Romande, Beethoven's 5th Symphony on Decca 'Ace of Diamonds and the performance and sound is superb. Very dynamic and full of life. Beats the David Zinman version I have on CD hands down.

I believe it, those Deccas 'bargain series' like 'Ace of Diamonds' always sound excellent. And what about Ansermet? One of the greatest IMHO.

[jostber]

A lot of new reissues too:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/search_res...;category=all_5

[porcy62]

A lot of new reissues too:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/search_res...;category=all_5

Yes, though, a part RCA and Mercury Living Presence like this http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_det...?Title_ID=14235, I prefer to go for cheaper used originals.

BTW Those Speaker Corner's reissues sound excellent.

[jostber]

Has anyone heard this vinyl?

http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_det...?Title_ID=14235

[porcy62]

Has anyone heard this vinyl?

http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_det...?Title_ID=14235

Nope, but I'd like to.

[porcy62]

Yes, I bought it and it whorts every pennies.

:tup

[kh1958]

I found a Mercury Living Presence Janos Starker recording on LP just a week or so ago. Unfortunately not the Bach--rather Dvorak and Bruch--with Antal Dorati and the London Symphony Orchestra--still pretty nice and a great sounding LP.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

ive never heard classical music on cd

[porcy62]

I found a Mercury Living Presence Janos Starker recording on LP just a week or so ago. Unfortunately not the Bach--rather Dvorak and Bruch--with Antal Dorati and the London Symphony Orchestra--still pretty nice and a great sounding LP.

Yep, the Dvorak's cello concert sounds great!

[clifford_thornton]

Has anyone heard this vinyl?

http://store.acousticsounds.com/browse_det...?Title_ID=14235

Nope, but I'd like to.

I really fucked up not buying an ORIG of that for $100 several years ago in a shop. I was really thinking about it, too... oops!

[Frisco]

Was just listening to "Chemins II" by Luciano Berio

from an RCA Red Seal LP.

[robert h.]

Although I have a fairly good classic selection on CD, the best is still on vinyl. In particular, there are lots of EMI UK recordings that never made it to CD, primarily of out of the mainstream stuff, as well as some outstanding Decca material. Never was fond of Living Presence primarily due to performance and repertoire.

I have a fairly good collection of legendary Lyrita vinyl. Lyrita has never been well served on CD.

Overall, the reality is that CD has never been able to capture string tone properly. Vinyl from analog tape is where the real tone lies.