Decca SXL 6168: Decca's Response to Mercury
Ansermet Conducts Chabrier
Chabrier: Espana, Suite Pastorale, Joyeuse Marche, Danse Slave, Fete Polonaise from "Le Roi malgre lui"
Ernest Ansermet, conductorL'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Pressing: UK, ED1
Condition: EX
Date first published: 1965
Stampers:
ZAL 6655-3G
ZAL 6656-1WPerformance: 8/10
Sound: 9/10
Price range: $26-223 (mean $73) on popsike.com
Comments: I sometimes think of this album as Decca's reply to the famous Mercury recording with Paul Paray and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra of almost the same musical program (SR 90212, just reviewed), and it's a worthy alternative. I marginally prefer the performances and sound of the Mercury, which has more of a tube flavor to it, but still very much enjoy this recording. The OSR is in fine form here (which is not always the case with their early Decca recordings), and though Ansermet's tempi are generally a little more relaxed than Paray's, the performances nevertheless effectively communicate the charm and color of Chabrier's music. The sound of the Decca is very respectable -- clean, dynamic, though perhaps a little bit cooler than that of the Mercury.
Don't break the bank for this one; the Mercury remains the reference recording to my ears, but you will not go wrong with this LP. The London equivalent (CS 6438) can be had for less than $10, and I suspect that its quality would be no less than that of the Decca.
The original is 1W/1W.
ReplyDeleteSadly you'll have to invest in the 1978 reissue on Decca Jubilee (JB 10 - 4G/3G) to get less fizz'n'tinkle and a more natural sound with greater dynamic-range/solidity ...a very successful transfer...recently shown on Salvatore's site.
I am slumming it with a Turnabout for this music... however LSC 2327 does have a couple Charbrier pieces.
ReplyDeleteJubilee's are hard to find and I'd love to have that record. This is on the basic list for Salvatore. Just spotted a Super Analog of this KIJC9130 which would be very interesting (I'd bet my money on it at the price of the last one sold on ebay, $36). I also see a Decca Classiques pressing of this which is French, but might be a Dutch pressing? The Ted Burkett G pressing might be very nice also on the London (a few of these on ebay right now.) I just saw the normally dreadful American pressed London in a past sale. Which brings up the fantasy of a Stan Ricker half speed mastered pressing. Stan did the John Williams Star Wars cut here in the US and it is very good. I've seen it inferred that he did others, but I've seen no evidence of these......
I completely forgot about LSC-2327, but now that you've brought it up, I'll have to put it on my review list. That one is also a treat.
DeleteMiles, if you can get the London, go for it and let us know how it sounds!
Uploaded Decca's original 1959 transfer of that Morel LSC a few years back (it's on the Pristine blog) - as its repressing on VICS 1058. Espana sounds better-defined than the LSO/Argenta.
DeleteDecca Classique presumably will be Polygram France pressed from Decca UK matrices - maybe this Jubilee (which indicates Decca were using mid-60's matrices for over a decade..for SXL/CS..)...thus the London will also be inferior to JB 10..
Thanks for letting us know! I will download it tonight to sample. You also reminded me about the Argenta. I don't have the original Decca but the German Speakers Corner reissue, which I found to be very satisfying to listen to.
Delete'ICRC' in their first issue (May 1995) had a comparative review of the Argenta - SXL/ECS/CD/Speakers Corner...and the 1977 Eclipse was considered the best! (I've 11G/11G [small metal-type] on SDD216)
Delete