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It is gratifying to read Graham Williams excellent commentary on this immersive surround recording which I produced for Deutsche Grammophon in 1975. He picks up beautifully on the work itself — the story, the characters and the music — as well as the cast of wonderful singers and singing actors with whom I had the privilege to work, and especially with Gunther Schuller, one of the great American musicians of the 20th century, who, I believe, is still going strong in the 21st! I remember as though it were yesterday the visit he paid to me in Hannover in late fall of 1975. I played the whole immersive surround mix which I had just finished for him, and he loved it.
The DSD transfer of that analog mix onto PentaTone's SACDs is exactly on target. It is just as I remember it and as Gunther Schuller heard it in DG's Hannover post-production studio back then.
Would that PentaTone's production credits were equally accurate — for example, the late Günter Hermanns is credited as and for "Recording engineer & Editing" in PentaTone's booklet. Innocently picking up on PentaTone's listing, Graham Williams writes, "This imaginative use of surround sound enhances the whole production and is a tribute to the fine engineering of Günter Hermanns, the doyen of Deutsche Grammophon engineers." The fine compliment to my late friend and colleague would otherwise be well justified, but for the fact that Günter had nothing whatsoever to do with making this particular recording. I doubt that he ever even heard it.
This was a 16-track production, and it was of sufficient importance in the development of DG's presence in the American market that the microphone choice and placement were done by none other than the overall chief of all DG and Philips engineering worldwide, the late Peter Burkowitz, who was there in RCA Studio A with me and Gernot Westhäuser, a young DG engineer whom I had been mentoring. They are listed as "Balance engineers" in PentaTone's booklet, but neither of them participated in any way in the final balancing of the edited 16-track masters, which I did personally in several weeks of grueling all-nighters later that fall in Hannover.
Again, sloppy documentation notwithstanding, the PentaTone SACDs contain exactly what the artists and we in the production team created 40 years ago.
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Post by Lute May 3, 2015 (3 of 14)
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Lute said:
I've been enjoying the other Quad reissues in this series immensely. This one is next on my list.
I am not familiar with this music, so I am thrilled that my first exposure to it will be in vintage 4.0.
And on a related topic, there is a recent 41-CD box set of phase 4 stereo recording that's quite enjoyable IMHO.
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2014/Oct14/Phase4_boxset_intro.htm
And an interview with Tony D'Amato...http://www.bernardherrmann.org/articles/interview-damato/
Not that I'm complaining, Brett (but I am), I had quite a few of the Phase 4 classics on Open Reel (some Dolby b encoded) and was hoping that they'd release them on BD~A instead of RBCD in 24 bit resolution.
IMHO, a VERY missed opportunity.
Just glanced through the Tony D'Amato interview but will avail myself later as it's been a VERY hectic month (business~wise).
If you want to hear snippets of Treemonisha, go to Amazon. Will probably also add that to my collection.
BTW, do you have this one yet? Ravel: Orchestral works - Ozawa
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Rather surprised that a disc on the Phase 4 release doesn't include the Robert Sharples conducted 1812 Overture. I found a long OOP picture of cd of it on some disc entitled "World of Classics", but a UPC search of that disc brings up nothing. Looking at the various reviews on Amazon of the Sharples 1812 indicates it's one of the best ever made. Would love to find the cd somehow. Listened to it on Youtube, and it is quite good.
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Post by Lute May 3, 2015 (6 of 14)
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rammiepie said:
Not that I'm complaining, Brett (but I am), I had quite a few of the Phase 4 classics on Open Reel (some Dolby b encoded) and was hoping that they'd release them on BD~A instead of RBCD in 24 bit resolution.
IMHO, a VERY missed opportunity.
Just glanced through the Tony D'Amato interview but will avail myself later as it's been a VERY hectic month (business~wise).
If you want to hear snippets of Treemonisha, go to Amazon. Will probably also add that to my collection.
BTW, do you have this one yet? Ravel: Orchestral works - Ozawa
I hear you, Ralph. Yes, some form of hirez would have been preferable for those phase 4 stereo recordings. Record labels certainly have a thing for RBCD box sets these days. The D'Amato interview is a good read. Enjoy!
I picked up Ozawa/Ravel the other day. I have to agree with Vaan. I love it! :) The sound is quite airy and spacious. It suits Ravel's music very well. Splendid performance as well.
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Post by Lute May 3, 2015 (7 of 14)
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samayoeruorandajin said:
Rather surprised that a disc on the Phase 4 release doesn't include the Robert Sharples conducted 1812 Overture. I found a long OOP picture of cd of it on some disc entitled "World of Classics", but a UPC search of that disc brings up nothing. Looking at the various reviews on Amazon of the Sharples 1812 indicates it's one of the best ever made. Would love to find the cd somehow. Listened to it on Youtube, and it is quite good.
Maybe they're saving the best for a hirez release. Don't hold your breath, though. ;-)
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Lute said:
I hear you, Ralph. Yes, some form of hirez would have been preferable for those phase 4 stereo recordings. Record labels certainly have a thing for RBCD box sets these days. The D'Amato interview is a good read. Enjoy!
I picked up Ozawa/Ravel the other day. I have to agree with Vaan. I love it! :) The sound is quite airy and spacious. It suits Ravel's music very well. Splendid performance as well.
The Phase 4 RBCDs were apparently remastered from 96/24 sources and the entire 51 discs could've comfortably fit on 4 or 5 BD~As.
51 discs........excessive and retro (the 16 bit thing)!
Will definitely put the Ozawa Ravel on my shopping list even though I have the recently acquired Japanese Martinon single layered Ravel SACD complete works for orchestra: Ravel: Orchestral works - Martinon
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Post by Lute May 4, 2015 (9 of 14)
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rammiepie said:
The Phase 4 RBCDs .....excessive and retro (the 16 bit thing)!
Will definitely put the Ozawa Ravel on my shopping list even though I have the Japanese Martinon single layered Ravel SACD complete works for orchestra.
I am in complete agreement with you, Ralphie.
But, there are lots of people who really get into all that artwork that was on the original LP jackets. And...they want the original track order. The Retro thing is very much alive...just look at all those people buying full size LPs. Different strokes for different folks. Actually, the box set is fairly compact. So, I'm cool with it. However; master tape to a hirez (DSD or 24/96) format would have been nice.
I think you'll like the Ozawa/Ravel. It's quite immersive at times.
I can't remember if we discussed these or not but Rossini: Famous Overtures and East meets West - Les Percussions de Strasbourg are excellent, too.
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Lute said:
I am in complete agreement with you, Ralphie.
But, there are lots of people who really get into all that artwork that was on the original LP jackets. And...they want the original track order. The Retro thing is very much alive...just look at all those people buying full size LPs. Different strokes for different folks. Actually, the box set is fairly compact. So, I'm cool with it. However; master tape to a hirez (DSD or 24/96) format would have been nice.
I think you'll like the Ozawa/Ravel. It's quite immersive at times.
I can't remember if we discussed these or not but Rossini: Famous Overtures and East meets West - Les Percussions de Strasbourg are excellent, too.
I have the Quadro Rossini Marriner version as well as Rossini: Complete overtures, Vol. 1 - Benda and Rossini: Complete overtures, Vol. 2 - Benda both VERY enjoyable and well recorded....and almost four hours of music.
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