London CS 6013
Debussy: Images pour Orchestre
L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Ataulfo Argenta, conductor
Pressing: FFSS, Blueback
Stampers: ZAL 3629-2K, ZAL 3630-2E
Performance: 8/10
Sound: 7/10
Price range: $25-176, mean $70
Comments: This album is one of the relatively more valuable London bluebacks. For one, it stars the Spanish conductor Ataulfo Argenta, who died at the age of 44 in a tragic accident attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning (he reportedly sat in his car in a garage with the engine running). Before he died, Argenta made a handful of stereo recordings for Decca, including the London/Decca beknownst to most if not all classical audiophiles, Espana, with the LSO. He also recorded Tchaikovsky's 4th, Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with Alfredo Campoli as soloist, Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, Liszt's Piano Concertos with Peter Katin as soloist, Breton's Andalusian Scenes (very rare and valuable), Falla's Three Cornered Hat, Falla's El Retalbo, Halftter's Sinfonietta, another Spanish album including such works as Guridi's Ten Basque Dances and Albeniz's Navarra, more Music from Spain, Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto with Narcisco Yepes, and this Debussy album. A second reason why this Blueback may fetch higher prices is that it was never issued as a Decca SXL.
This is a nice album. The performance given by the OSR is pretty strong, though if I had to listen to an analog version of the Images, I'd probably go with Munch and the BSO on RCA (a little more punch and more balanced sound with wider soundstage), Martinon and the ORTF on EMI (better sound), or Haitink and the RCO on Philips (tighter perfomance, cleaner and better sound). Sound is still pretty decent for an early Decca, though I think this album suffers from some of the restricted dynamic range which I've heard on some of the early FFSS recordings. I've never seen an FFRR of this. This album has been reissued as a London Stereo Treasury, and I wonder if this would have better dynamics since it was cut using more modern technology. If I ever pick up a copy of the STS, I'll let you know.
Many of Argenta's London/Decca recordings have been compiled in the 5 CD boxed set of Decca Original Masters, which is still in print and can be purchased rather inexpensively.
*Moon and Gray gave this album a 7 for performance and 7 for sound in their book "FFSS".
I have the STS Stereo Treasury version of this and it sounds excellent on my system, I find the dynamic range to be great, I have, however, never heard the original version to compare it too.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to hear that STS. I have found some STSs and Ace of Diamonds to sound better than the originals.
DeleteA bird in the hand is a good thing to have and so the STS of this may be quite fine. I'll note that Aqlam's blueback may not have been a fully original pressing with that K in the stamper, so their likely exist variations in the blueback sound and CS 6013 is plenty early enough even for a pancake pressing which has no indent on the outer lip (retrofitted mono LP pressing used early, early on by Decca).... well I take it back the 2K/2E is in the popsike ebay history selling for $248 and says no Decca SXL. And Discogs shows the stereo treasure to be from the same 2K/2E mother. And I have two copies of that in my hand...and both are 2K/2E (STS 15020). Decca when they liked a mastering sometimes got ridiculous with how many stampers they would generate off the same master. Case in point is the blueback of Ansermet doing Nutcracker highlights. A very fine sounding LP, but a much later pressing from the same mother/cutting sounds nothing like it as all that fine tube detail and air was washed out from generating too many LPs and stampers from the same lacquer! Another favorite LP of mine is STS 15015:
Deletehttp://milestomozart.blogspot.com/2014/10/living-decca-sxl-blueback-guide.html
Campoli doing Mendelssohn VC and Bruch Scottish Fantasia. It is a 5G/4G pressing and I just love the low bass sound. I've had several other copies with the same stamper and they're just not the same. So this very much a bird in the hand worth ten in the bush situation. I've not gotten my hands on the blueback. The original Decca of that is SXL 2026 and popsike shows a copy two years ago selling for nearly $1800! It was likely the 1E/1E pressing which would have a sound all its own. If you're navigating buying such rarified air a must is the Charm database of Decca releases which shows whether the london or the decca was released first. 1E/1E CS 6047 of the Bruch sold three years ago for $450. You really never know what you're going to get since 1000 Lps might be made off the same stamper and the 1000th won't sound as good as the 100th.
In short its entirely possible that your STS may have superior sound to most of the original copies and the pancake pressings are not considered all that desireable and I'm pretty sure Decca only hoisted those on the American London pressings including Opera. So sounds like you have a bird in the hand and I'd avoid fishing for a better copy.
It is worth pointing out alternative recordings:
x LB DL 154 DECCA SXL 6742/LONDON CSA 6968 DEBUSSY 3 NOCTURNES/IMAGES: IBERIA DORATI
That is Salvatore basic list (excellent) and I have a copy
x DG AS 38 PHILIPS 9500 509 DEBUSSY TROIS IMAGES POUR ORCHESTRE HAITINK
The attainable Salvatore Demi-God of which I'll vouch has very fine sound.
The STSs are in my listening pile for Wednesday with the Magnephile.
Don't recall getting $1800 for my SXL/Campoli.
ReplyDeleteAnyway; SDD 110 (1965 reissue pressing) has 4E/1E stampers (+ 1962 'ZT' tax stamp). Some years back compared to the Eclipse reissue - little difference.
Welcome back, Tin Ear! We hope you are doing well! I agree - I would take the reissues at a bargain price over the pricier original any day. I prefer the sound signature of those reissues, although Meles might disagree.
DeleteThought I'd visit your (slightly!) inactive blog..
DeleteSaw a reference to CHARM discogs: however, more recent ones are below.
Decca (Philip Stuart - 2020)
https://eloquenceclassics.com/discographies/
LSO (Philip Stuart - 2020)
https://lso.co.uk/images/pdf/Website%20Discog2020a.pdf
Philharmonia/ECO/BBC, etc (scroll down page)
https://crqeditions.co.uk/
I've been downloading Huge quantities from YouTube (Opera etc) - and, currently, there @ Mariinsky Theatre, is >>real ear-opener<< - even @ 128 aac mp4.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUfe98AidTs
Wow you don't say on Decca Ace of Diamonds of Campoli! Well Charm is an utter failure on the Campoli, but our(my) own living Decca Blueback guide has all the pressings... and now to discogs...
DeleteDiscogs kind of a crap shoot on stamper information (and none on the Eclipse):
1. Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, stamped): ZAL-4055-6W
Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, stamped): ZAL-4056-5W (this is for one SDD110 entry)
2. Matrix / Runout: ZAL-4055-4E
Matrix / Runout: ZAL-4056-3G (another from 1965)
3. Matrix / Runout: ZT ZAL-4055-4E C E7 1
Matrix / Runout: ZAL-4056-1E ZT C II E7 1 5 CB (and your white whale which I now want!)
Going to the STS version which was supposed to come out the same year:
1. Matrix / Runout (Runout side A - stamped): ZAL-4055-7W
Matrix / Runout (Runout side B - stamped): ZAL-4056-6W
2. Matrix / Runout (Runout side A - stamped): ZAL-4055-5G
Matrix / Runout (Runout side B - stamped): ZAL-4056-4G
Matrix / Runout (Side A, Stamped, Variation 1): ZAL-4055-6W
Matrix / Runout (Side B, Stamped, Variation 1): ZAL-4056-5W (two for one on this one with my 5G/4G)
I'm pretty sure I had SD110 at one point and the Quadophile may have that, but here is no way it was the E pressing as I'd have caught that.
Well I'm going to keep my eyes out for SD110, but hard to get Brits to do stamper numbers lol. Only the mighty TinEar does this which I was just bemoaining the other day. So glad you're back!
Nice links and the Marinsky in my watch list as my system down for about another week.
DeleteHa! If we knew that readers such as you were still coming back on a regular basis, we might've been more prolific. In all honesty, work and family life have made regular posting for me more challenging, but I am beginning to muster up some energy to post more content.
ReplyDelete