EMI ASD 573: A Rare Krips on EMI
Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Academic Festival Overture, Tragic Overture
Josef Krips, conductor
Philharmonia Orchestra
Pressing: UK, ED1, white/goldCondition: NM
Date first published: 1963
Stampers:
2YEA 846-2
2YEA 847-2
Performance: 8/10
Sound: 6/10
Price range: $37-172 (mean $100) on popsike.com
Comments: To my knowledge, this is the only stereo LP that Austrian conductor Josef Krips made for EMI, and it is relatively rare, showing up a handful of times per year on Ebay. I bought this record more for the two Overtures than for the Variations but found the performances of all three Brahms works to be strong and very well performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra. The sound is generally quite dynamic and expansive. However, like many of these records of the golden age of stereo, it is plagued with mild to moderate level distortion during the louder passages that obscures the clarity of the orchestra and subtracts a little from the overall enjoyment. This was most noticeable in the more dynamic sections of the Tragic Overture but also in the Variations on a Theme by Haydn.
The entire program of this LP can also be found digitally remastered on a Testament CD, which also contains Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier Suite and Stravinsky's Firebird Suite and has no sonic distortion.
I find most of the early ASD Semi original pressings to be poor performers and this is close to the border.
ReplyDeleteI will have to review a few more of these to get a better idea. I've got a ASD semi original pressing of De Burgos conducting Falla's Three Cornered Hat coming up. Last I remember, it was pretty impressive.
Delete...those matrices (Falla Three Cornered Hat ) reused for the 1975 SXLP30187 (2/4)
ReplyDeleteMy word, Tin knows his stuff!
ReplyDeleteHello mate niice blog
ReplyDelete