Dog Fight: SXLP 30086 Gilels Beethoven Piano Concerto 4
SXLP 30086 vs. SBO 2752
Emil Gilels plays Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4
Ludwig, Gilels, PhilharmoniaPerformance: 5/5
Sound: 4.5/5
$5 SXLP Chevrons, $30 Blue and Silver
Dog Fight Pressing Comparison Series
Listen to CD Version:
YouTube
Performance:
*{In several respects I prefer these recordings to Gilels’ remakes with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra. The pianist’s spacious conception of the Fourth Concerto cuts Beethoven’s rippling passagework and long trills plenty of poetic slack, and he doesn’t beat the first movement’s left-hand szforzandos over your head as he did under Szell.
Like Gieseking, Gilels’ symmetrical phrase shaping sidesteps the angular accentuation and harmonic tension Leon Fleisher brings out, and he favors Beethoven’s alternate, slightly jarring first-movement cadenza. Still, this remains an impressive performance, and the Philharmonia Orchestra’s first-desk woodwind soloists deserve special mention.}
- See more at: http://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-11972/#sthash.e3JGqlyi.dpuf
Sound:
Daylight and champaign discovers not more: the chevron is open. I will be proud, I will read politic authors, I will baffle Blue-Silver, I will wash off gross acquaintance, I will be point-devise the very man. I do not now fool myself, to let imagination jade me; for every reason excites to this, that the SXLP is music. Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em.
SXLP Chevron 4.5
SBO Blue and Silver 2.5
But Why?
The SBO under review is an earlier Blue and Silver pressing. It does not sound as good as my other Blue and Silver recordings and there is little doubt that this early pressing is deficient in the bass given the drubbing by the Concert Classic release.
Wow, sounds like the SXLP blew the SBO right out of the water with regards to sound. With the Oistrakh Mozart on there, too, it makes for a great bargain. Will we get to hear a review of the Oistrakh as well, especially considering that it contains half of one of the most valuable SAX records out there?
ReplyDeleteWhen I acquire the other half of the Oistrakh SAX then I'll do a review. For now, I can say that it is at least on par with the side reviewed.
DeleteAlso, I'll point out that the SBO is a ten inch LP for those confused by it only containing half the music of the Concert Classic.
Whilst I don't have this issue (only the mono 33CX of Mozart VC3) it's fair to point-out that the 'best' EMI transfers tend to be post-1980.
DeleteIf you decide to acquire SXLP 30080 - Beethoven Triple Concerto with Oistrakh (+ Overtures) you might be shocked to hear the transformation compared to the 1983 re-reissue on EMI Eminenc: EMX 2035 - on a single-side too - (originally 10" stereo: don't have - but do the original US Angel pressing: S35697) c/w Brahms: Double/Oistrakh.
The sound is 'very near mastertape'...the 1967 SXLP is a pale reflection of the original tape/s, sounding cheap and 'transistory'..the Angel is plain mediocre.
Thanks much Tin Ear. Some early SXLP do have a transistory sound (Silvestri Tchaik 4 not even as good as CD, which is pretty good). I've got a bunch on hand I'll need to listen to see if this is just luck of the draw or endemic. I certainly have some excellent chevrons pressings (Annie Fischer Mozart 21,22 and Maazel Also Sprach come to mind).
DeleteI've not noticed EMX before so I will look to acquire some (I see limited selection on ebay). Thank you. I'd presume that the EMX sound is similar to the 80's big dog pressings and ESD greeensleeves. I have found those a bit cool sounding in the strings, but this sound also appears to be on the Big Dog original issues (ASD 4000's) and the CD's. Hard to make conclusions, but I think it speaks well of the original golden era EMI tapes.
EMI Eminence are overlooked - and anyway quickly became 'Digitally Demastered' - but the Klemperer: Schubert 5/8 + Berlioz Fantastique might be worth your investigation - also the Maazel/Moussorgky 'Pictures' (SXLP Maazel/Zarathustra has the same mastering as previously on World Record Club ST 935 [14G/16G] - and noted then as being superior to the 1963 SAX).
DeleteTwo earlier SXLP issues (containing pre-1965 SAX metalwork to look for are: 30067 (Guilini: Firebird/ M.Goose/Bizet) + 30070: Matacic: Borodin/R-K/Moussorgsky.
The Guilini Firebird is pretty spectacular (these likely contain later masterings compared to original SAX issues - which are frequently superseded in transfer-quality).
I'd be very interested in hearing the SXLP reissues of all the ones you mentioned:
Delete1) The Maazel Mussorgsky Pictures I have on blue/silver SAX but have not yet reviewed on the site. The first track is Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun and sounds gorgeous. Then the Promenade first movement of Pictures starts and you wonder, what happened?? The first movement doesn't even have super high loudness but already there is very noticeable distortion. For some reason, after this movement, it goes away. Even in the last movement, Great Gate of Kiev, when all the stops are pulled out and there are a loud of dynamic passages, clarity is pretty well preserved. It is almost the reverse with Karajan's Pictures SAX, which starts out with minimal distortion but once you get to the Great Gate, distortion is rampant in the loud passages. If the SXLP reissue beats the SAX, I would really like to hear it, because I happen to like Maazel's interpretation.
2) SXLP 30067 with Giulini's Firebird. I didn't know this existed but will have to search for it now. Again, I like Giulini's interpretation, but the SAX just doesn't do it (reviewed this earlier on the blog). Again, the record can't escape this problem with distortion, particularly in the finale of the Firebird. I would wager that the SXLP has greater clarity and resolution.
3) SXLP 30070 with Matacic. Would also be interested to see if this is an improvement over the SAX. THe SAX is actually quite excellent, with what sounds to me to be a good deal of tube warmth to it. The SXLP can probably be had for 1/20th the price of the SAX, though.
I'd completely ignored EMI Eminence (EMX) since many were digital.
DeleteIndeed, Aqlam is rather fond of the Maazel Pictures and has the SAX, and I just got the SXLP (mid-70s press). My Maazel Zarathustra is 14G/16G. I have the Matacic SXLP30070 Russian and I wonder if that is in fact the metal work from the earlier Regal issue of this LP. Aqlam has the SAX. I'll eventually have the Firebird. IMO, most of the Semi-circle ASD reissues and SXLP are discrete transistor pressings that convey much of the nice tubiness of the originals with a tauter sound that also improves the bass and instrumental textures. As we get into later reissue pressings the bass and highs are quite impressive, but the tubiness and textures are no longer as colorfully conveyed. I just got an order of over 200 EMI/Decca/Lyrita from jolly old England (to myself in the States.) These are mainly EMI of various incarnations with over about a couple dozen doubles and one triple.
Thanks for posting and please subscribe to the post and the whole blog. We have pretty pictures, though are content may be a bit vacuous for one as knowledgeable as yourself. I'll also be exploring the sound of these LPs on various systems. A local friend has original Quads (tube driven) that just jumped in resolution from a tweak (VPI turntable motor plugged into APC 750g battery outlet). They were pretty amazing with Jazz and a couple Lyrita's. It seemed that the better motor performance has allowed the Quads to fully convey their speed advantage over dynamic drivers. My brief experience with these and some giant Soundlabs has shown that the original EMI tube pressings have some interesting sonic advantages. I look forward to making the rounds with my doubles to see if the originals do truly sing more in this environment.
Thanks for your comment! Interesting ... I've not heard any of the post-1980s EMI reissues on vinyl. What in particular do you like most about these later EMI transfers? I seem to like the Classics for Pleasure reissues of the 1970s.
ReplyDeleteYou can find Dramatic improvements in 1980's EMI analog masterings of older material (or even later: the Ida Haendel Walton/Britten VC on HMV Greensleeve - also DMM'd - sounds 'superb')..
DeleteGenerally it's a greater open-ness - and there were improvements in replay electronics/mastering equipment by the late 70's/'early 80s.
Philips also showed enormous improvemnts in their masterings around that time..being 'master-tape like' - even in issues such as the 1953 Moralt/ Richard Strauss Salome (WAV files on one of my blogs)...
Classic for Pleasure contain some good remasterings - and (early on) a few sides are from older/original early 60's transfers: ie Prokofiev 5/Kletzki - and the excellent Serafin: Opera Overtures (CFP110).
All are generally worth less than the cost of posting them...
(Wrong ID used..)
Please let us know how we can access your blog site. I could even put a link to it on our blog.
DeleteYes, I just picked up a half dozen CFPs and was pretty astounded by their sound. Two of the favorites were Silvestri conducting Prokofiev's Love for 3 Oranges/Khachaturian Gayaneh and Kogan's Beethoven VC. Very wide dynamic range, great clarity, open wide soundstage. A total bargain as you say, except for paying for the UK to USA shipping costs. I have the Kletzki Prokofiev 5 but haven't listened to it yet.
Composite reply:
DeleteYou'd be better-off with 33CX 1421 (1957 mono) of the Karajan/Pictures which has *very extended bass - with no obvious distortion; neither is it apparent in the 1980 SXLP reissue (30445) coupled with more Moussorgsky. (A fine-sounding Moussorgsky 'recital' is MFP 2049: Philharmonia/Susskind: a 1955 Parlophone - mid-60's recut).
SXLP matrices for my Guilini are: 17/9 ...Matacic: 12/9 - however there may be a 'better' SXLP cut...with close-to numbers ('phone conversation with a US 'tyro' collector 17 or so years back).
I've just bunged-you a link on my 'The Music Parlour' blog! (which has exhausted me over the past 5 years..which comes from editing the blighters - instead of just listening ('enjoying'(sic) to them.)
PS: the pretty picture of the Maag/LSO Mozart 32/38: if you win the Lottery (my 2nd cost a few pence) don't buy the original with 'E' matrices (? - disposed of it) as it was very quickly recut (2M/3M) : the previous transfer had incorrect pitch..
Thanks for the tip! I have the London blueback with wide band FFRR label, which sounds decent enough to me to not need the SXL for now. But yes, if I win the lottery, I will keep your advice in mind. As for the Karajan, I may end up exploring the 1980 SXLP reissue. As much as I like extended bass, I think the mono sound just wouldn't do justice to a work like Pictures.
DeleteTime to check out The Music Parlour! Thanks for adding a link to our site!