Decca or London: Puccini's La Boheme

Decca SXL 2170/1 (Nov59)

London OSA 1208 (Jan60)

Puccini: La Boheme

Orchestra Di Santa Cecilia, Serafin

Tebaldi, Bergonzi, Corena, Bastianini

Date first published: 1959

Performance: 10/10

Sound: 9+/10

Popsike: Decca SXL $25-193 (mean $63) 

London OSA too low to show

Before we explore matrices and sound, let’s just get it out there that this is a great Boheme. Most point to Beecham with the RCA Victor Orchestra, while some prefer the later Decca with Pavarotti/Freni. This recording critically might not be in the running, but some serious critics consider this the best (Christopher Fifield) and it is extremely well liked with its all Italian cast. In the Golden Age stereo arena I suspect it betters the RCA with Anna Moffo (sonically too) and the 1963 SAN Angel (EMI) with Mirella Freni. My LSC with Moffo is a third pressing and just is not competitive in any manner, though I’d gladly snag a Shaded Dog pressing. I am not extremely familiar with early pressing SAN sound, but what I have makes me financially skeptical.

Sonically, audiofiles love to hear and talk about players breathing and pages of notes ruffling in the background of their recordings because it really lets them know how well their system is conveying space, depth, etc. Well look no further than opera audiofools where you get something like a surround sound movie track with performers  stepping across the stage (some singing), bells ringing, swords clinging, etc.

The very strong sonic picture exemplifies early Decca tube sound at its near best. Spatial cues are delivered wonderfully with a real sense of Blueback magic in fine high frequencies and textures. Voices are extremely well done without some of the normal Decca shrillness and forwardness in the vocals (though to be fair Tebaldi had the power of two Sopranos.)


(For your matrix primer try Decca Blue Bloods and Matrix Reloaded)

Cat#

Title

Side 1

Side 2

Side 3

Side 4

SXL2170-1	Puccini	4D-1-ET-U	1D-2&1-ET-A	1D-1-ET-K	2E-2&1-ET-UI
OSA1208	La Boheme	4D-14&1-BC	1D-2&1-ET-H	2M-2&1-ET-U	2E-2&1-ET-BK

Decca label nearly identical, except of course it says Decca!

And so which is better the Decca or the London. Well on side 1 it’s the Decca by a bit, but detail is not outstanding. Looking at the stamper numbers above for sides 2, 3, and 4 this U (2nd) stamper is a little too good to be true and was likely reused for this LP run (which turns out not to be a bad choice; read on.) On sides 2, 3, and 4 the London squashes the Decca like a grape. The treble extension and detail are lessened on the Decca (an 8 for sonics). This is even quite apparent listening to the brief sword fight 1/3rd through side 3 where the Decca was remastered by a different engineer (1D) and is very good, but does not have the spaciousness of the earlier mastering.  So, lo and behold, the London has the better mother and stamper numbers in this contest and wins easily.