RCA Living Stereo: The Decca Recordings Part 4
RCA Living Stereo: The Decca Recordings (Part 4)
In our last installment of this series on the Decca-recorded RCA Living Stereo albums, we conclude with two favorite Monteux and Martinon warhorses and a lesser known but superb Hugo Rignold.
RCA Living Stereo LSC-2418
Elgar: Enigma Variations
Brahms: Haydn Variations
Pierre Monteux, conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
(Classic Records 180g reissue)
Performance: 10/10
Sound: 8+/10
RCA Bible rating: 10+/NR/very good to excellent
My original 4S/2S shaded dog was plagued with distortion in essentially all loud musical passages, so it wasn't hard to prefer this Classic Records reissue, which resolves this problem and improves on other traits. Like many of the Classic Records, it is bright in sound, and the original was already on the brighter side. Transparency, clarity, and dynamics on this reissue are excellent. Presentation is more immediate than on most of the other Decca/RCAs. Bass has plenty of impact and slam, particularly in the Enigma Variations. According to The RCA Bible, Valin comments: "Though it was a bit bright the copy I heard sounded otherwise superb, with excellent mid texture, dynamic slam and low end weight. Thomas Simone of Recollections Quarterly calls it the most impressive combination of performance and sound that he has heard on an Elgar Enigma. I agree. GJC also highly commends the performance, but prefers the Decca-pressed RCA, SB-2108, for sonics."
RCA Living Stereo LSC-2419
Dvorak: Slavonic Dances
Jean Martinon, conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
(1S/1S, A1/A1, Indianapolis)
Performance: 9/10
Sound: 8/10
RCA Bible rating: 10+/NR/good to very good
This 1S/1S shaded dog has a great dynamic range with powerful orchestral tuttis. A few flaws, however, prevent this from entering into the top echelon. First, staging is quite left-dominant, with the violins sounding like a great big presence on the far left, while violas and cellos sound recessed on the right. Imaging lacks the precision of many of its Decca/RCA contemporaries, and this is most noticeable here in the lack of focus in the winds and brass. While upper string tone and texture is quite rich, there is less body to textures in the lower midrange to bass. Bass does have slam but is lacking in definition. These considerations aside, the disc is still highly enjoyable. I'm curious to know if the Classic Records reissue improves on these issues.
RCA Living Stereo LSC-2485
Delibes: Sylvia & Coppelia
Hugo Rignold, conductor
Paris Conservatoire Orchestra
(1S/1S, A1/A1, Indianapolis)
Performance: 10/10
Sound: 8+/10
RCA Bible rating: 10+/NR/very good to excellent
I remember the first time I heard this playing on my friend Ejeden's system and thinking, wow, that sounds damn good! Fortunately, I happened to stumble across a clean copy at a bookstore in New Orleans, where a former collector had decided to sell off most of his classical record collection. This is one of those hidden gems in the RCA catalog. It doesn't show up all that often on the auction market (about 4-5 times per year) and when it does, it doesn't even sell for lots of money (popsike shows a range of $24-129, mean $54), but don't let that deceive you. This recording is excellent. Transparent, well-textured, and very nicely staged with big dynamics and great bass depth and definition. The performances are highly enjoyable.
In our last installment of this series on the Decca-recorded RCA Living Stereo albums, we conclude with two favorite Monteux and Martinon warhorses and a lesser known but superb Hugo Rignold.
Elgar: Enigma Variations
Brahms: Haydn Variations
Pierre Monteux, conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
(Classic Records 180g reissue)
Performance: 10/10
Sound: 8+/10RCA Bible rating: 10+/NR/very good to excellent
My original 4S/2S shaded dog was plagued with distortion in essentially all loud musical passages, so it wasn't hard to prefer this Classic Records reissue, which resolves this problem and improves on other traits. Like many of the Classic Records, it is bright in sound, and the original was already on the brighter side. Transparency, clarity, and dynamics on this reissue are excellent. Presentation is more immediate than on most of the other Decca/RCAs. Bass has plenty of impact and slam, particularly in the Enigma Variations. According to The RCA Bible, Valin comments: "Though it was a bit bright the copy I heard sounded otherwise superb, with excellent mid texture, dynamic slam and low end weight. Thomas Simone of Recollections Quarterly calls it the most impressive combination of performance and sound that he has heard on an Elgar Enigma. I agree. GJC also highly commends the performance, but prefers the Decca-pressed RCA, SB-2108, for sonics."
Dvorak: Slavonic Dances
Jean Martinon, conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
(1S/1S, A1/A1, Indianapolis)
Performance: 9/10
Sound: 8/10
RCA Bible rating: 10+/NR/good to very goodThis 1S/1S shaded dog has a great dynamic range with powerful orchestral tuttis. A few flaws, however, prevent this from entering into the top echelon. First, staging is quite left-dominant, with the violins sounding like a great big presence on the far left, while violas and cellos sound recessed on the right. Imaging lacks the precision of many of its Decca/RCA contemporaries, and this is most noticeable here in the lack of focus in the winds and brass. While upper string tone and texture is quite rich, there is less body to textures in the lower midrange to bass. Bass does have slam but is lacking in definition. These considerations aside, the disc is still highly enjoyable. I'm curious to know if the Classic Records reissue improves on these issues.
Delibes: Sylvia & Coppelia
Hugo Rignold, conductor
Paris Conservatoire Orchestra
(1S/1S, A1/A1, Indianapolis)
Performance: 10/10
Sound: 8+/10
RCA Bible rating: 10+/NR/very good to excellentI remember the first time I heard this playing on my friend Ejeden's system and thinking, wow, that sounds damn good! Fortunately, I happened to stumble across a clean copy at a bookstore in New Orleans, where a former collector had decided to sell off most of his classical record collection. This is one of those hidden gems in the RCA catalog. It doesn't show up all that often on the auction market (about 4-5 times per year) and when it does, it doesn't even sell for lots of money (popsike shows a range of $24-129, mean $54), but don't let that deceive you. This recording is excellent. Transparent, well-textured, and very nicely staged with big dynamics and great bass depth and definition. The performances are highly enjoyable.
I've never seen that Delibes cover. Awesome! wheeling and dealing always, AQL has had many of the great classical LPs in his hands.
ReplyDeleteI have the Decca pressed grooved plum VICS 1107issue of LSC 2418. Stampers are K2RY 6825 1 BC & K2RY 682 1 BG
ReplyDeleteI have a number of recordings of this work but it's been a while since I've played to them so to refresh my memory I'll have a listening session this coming weekend and post my opinion
The other contenders are:
ASD 548 Barbirolli and the Philharmonia Orchestra
SXL 6795 Solti and the Chicago SO
Philips 6500 481 Haitink and the London Philharmonic Orchestra
SXLP 20007 Sargent and the Philharmonia Orchestra
WRC ST158 Boult and the London Philharmonic Orchestra (original recording I think)
I've got the Barbirolli in semi-circle ASD, but there's a good amount of distortion on my copy that prevents me from giving it high marks.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember any prominent distortion but I'll report back. I have copies in W/G,S/C and 1st P/S which incidentally has different cover art.
DeleteI just cleaned my copies of SXLP 20007 and ST 158 and found a note I left in the Boult recording saying; "excellent recording". I can't remember writing it but it's in my handwriting.