EMI HMV ASD 336: Kempe's Beethoven Overture Album
Beethoven Overtures
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Rudolf Kempe, conductor
Pressing: UK, ED1, white/gold
Date first published: 1958
Stampers: 2YRA 1069-9, 2YRA 1070-1
Performance: 7/10
Sound: 6/10
Price range: $34-365 (mean $112) on popsike.com
Comments: Another Kempe rarity ... and another EMI letdown. You'd think that a combination of a conductor like Kempe with an orchestra like the Berlin Philharmonic would result in a dynamite record. Not exactly. The performances here are okay. They have their exciting moments, but they just lack the spirit and verve of contemporaneous vinyl recordings by the likes of Otto Klemperer, Ivan Markevitch (DG), Fritz Reiner (RCA), George Szell (Columbia/CBS) or Leonard Bernstein (DG, even though this was released a bit later in the 1970s). As if the performance quality wasn't enough to make you think twice about making the big ticket investment, the sound on this recording is also problematic. Everything sounds constricted, and textures are generally murky (the way you know that it's really bad is that even the EMI Testament CD remaster sounds this way ... I guess the engineers had little to work with to try to improve). There is a good amount of distortion throughout the album, particularly in loud passages of music. My thoughts: give this one a pass. You can find better out there for less.
One positive: it does have a cool cover.
This being said, this LP had subsequent incarnations on vinyl. There is a Regal reissue that might be worth exploring to see if sound is better (nothing to rescue the performances). I'll defer to Miles to comment on whether a Concert Classics might exist.
Audio setup: VPI Aries 1 turntable, JMW Memorial tonearm, Lyra Delos cartridge, Parasound JC3 phono stage, Musical Fidelity M6i integrated amplifier, Von Schweikert VR2 floorstanding speakers
Only the Regal reissue. I guess I won't go out of my way to pick that up
ReplyDeleteThis wasn't (AFAIK) on Concert Classics - it got a quickly-deleted Music for Pleasure issue (mono only) circa Oct.1966 (MFP2056).
ReplyDeleteThe ASD was previously released c.Sept '60 - a year+ after the ALP mono.
I'd be very suspicious about side 2 - as it gives the appearance of being an Electrola matrix - over-stamped by Hayes - and is much inferior to side 1 (which isn't too bad).
The only reason I 'retain' this was the 'aged' cover. Yours looks a c.1963 pressing.
Thanks, Tin Ear. How'd you date my pressing from 1963 -- by the matrix numbers?
DeleteThe matrices are the same as mine (with original 1960 1G/1R stampers) - but the label area changed a year or so later; thus yours has the flat profile + further-out raised inner ring (dissecting R/O) and minus the previous inner 'groove' (stylus trap) just inside the outer gold band..
DeleteOdd you didn't pick-up on the marked dissimilarity between sides: pretty noticeable with my quick aural-refresh via some 1972 (ie:'ancient') Cambridge Audio R50's/Tonegen Ribbon S-Tweet upgrade!
Now you've convinced me to go back for another listen! Let me check and get back to you ...
DeleteMy ASD 336 has the same 2YRA 1069-9 and 2YRA 1070-1 stampers but I also have an Electoral STE 80 029 copy (also marked as CSDW 7045). The stampers are 2YRA 1069-2 and 2YRA 1070-2. I haven't compared the two but I'll maybe listen at the weekend.
ReplyDeleteThat would be an interesting comparison, especially with earlier stampers for side 1. I's a shame that this album wasn't a winner performance- or sound-wise. I have the Klemperer Beethoven Overtures SAX that I'm hoping to review at some point in the future. I may also have the Szell Beethoven Overtures CBS LP, though that one I am not expecting much from, soundwise.
DeleteHold on.. the German made Electoral has English stampers? Do compare the sound. If this is a way to get a $100 record sound for $20, that is very interesting.
DeleteTrue ... if you don't mind the middle-of-the-road performances.
DeleteDon't worry about Electoral... Kogan Beethoven VC on Electoral would be no good anyhow...
DeleteWhy is it when I type Electrola it auto corrects to Electoral.
ReplyDeleteThe german issued Electrola and Columbia recordings should not be ignored, neither should the Decca SXL Black and Gold label recordings.
Really .... how would you describe the sound characteristics of these German issues? I do see these up on Ebay from time to time but never know if they are worth getting, especially for some of the rarer SAX titles. Are some of them improvements upon their English counterparts?
DeleteSome certainly are. My Electrola copy of Bach's Musical offering on STE 91153 (ASDW 414) is a a much quieter pressing than the W/G ASD 414 I had. The stampers on the STE are 2TEA 475-1 & 2YEA 476-1.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the Teldec pressed SXL are concerned, the only recording that I have both English and German copies is SXL 2179, Backhaus playing Beethoven PC1. The German Decca on the Black Gold Label is easily a match for mySXL which has 2E/2E stampers and has a quieter background. Two other notable German Decca recordings I have atre SXL 2312 - Monteaux Ravel/Debussy and SXL 21015-B which is a later royalsound black and gold label version of SXL 2249. Both discs are outstanding for performance and SQ
One beautiful recording I have found on the German W/G label that wasn't released on either ASD or SAN is the Electrola STE 91 366/67 box set of Humperdinks Hansel & Gretel with the Vienna Philharminika conducted by Andre Cluytens.
ReplyDeleteThis is great. Now I have new labels and pressings to explore ... WRC's and German Electrolas. I used to shrug off those Electrolas when I would see them online, but now I know better. If you have other recommendations, I'd love to hear them. Thanks, AndyW!
DeleteI really like Cluytens ... especially his SAX recordings. There are a few ASDs that I'd like to get my hands on, too.
DeleteI'm also a fan of Cluytens recordings. I have a copy od ASD 304 Popular Movement from the Symphonies. When I got this I gave it my usual clean on the RCM and was disappointed with the SQ. Another clean and it was no better so I put it aside and left it for the last 10 years or so. Last year I came across it again and thought I'd try cleaning it again. After a couple of cleans it improved a bi so I persevered and a further nine cleans later on the Lorricraft and it was sounding like new. The record, sleeve and cove have always looked pristine so I have no idea what was causing the SQ issues. A friend suggested that there could have been a lot of releasing agent left on my copy that had hardened over time causing the issues but who know's. What it does prove is that one wash is not always enough with 2nd hand records.
DeleteThat is one serious deep cleaning job. I'm glad to hear that you were successful in your perseverance. That is another ASD that I've had my eyes on. Part of me has asked if an album with snippets from symphonies would be any good, but another part of me just wants to get it because it's a Cluytens album. It's another one that goes for decent money, depending on condition.
DeleteIt would have been a PITA with the old VPI I used to have but the Lorricraft PRC4 barely makes any noise so it's not so much of a chore as it could have been although I doubt I'll go to those extremes again.
DeleteI've never quite understood release agent. I just opened up a new old sealed london. It was amazingly noisey, but multiple cleans took care of the noise. This I thought due the poly liner leaching onto the surface of the vinyl, but maybe it was release agent?
DeleteYou would know if it were oils from the poly liner as it leaves zebra stripes across the surface of the record which are a devil to remove. Philips sleeves are notorious for it.
DeleteOne Positive: It does have a cool cover. I wish to know who painted this frame
ReplyDeleteGreat question. I don't have the answer to that. I just tried to examine the front and back covers more carefully, but I can't find any information about the painter. If you do find out, please share! Thanks for visiting our site!
DeleteHello, my name is George. Could you tell me what is the name of the canvas p
ReplyDeleteortada disk?
Hello, my name is George. Could you tell me what is the name of the canvas of the album cover?
DeleteDear George,
DeleteThank you for your comment! I think the answer to this question remains elusive. No one has been able to come up with the name or artist of the cover!
Albert
Hello Albert , thanks for your comment , I will continue investigating. My uncle owns a painting identical to the cover of this album and would like to know who is the work . Best regards
DeleteWow. He has the original?
Deletetengo un cuadro idéntico, pero no se quien es el artista.
Delete