More from the Bargain Bin

In the same vein as my previous posts on London Stereo Treasuries and Ace of Diamonds, I thought I'd share a few thoughts on some recent finds that I universally picked up for about $1 apiece ... from what I would call the Bargain Bin.

Epic LC 3299: Mozart -- Sonata in B-flat for Violin and Piano (K. 454), Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano, K. 526 (Arthur Grumiaux, Clara Haskil).  This collaboration between Arthur Grumiaux and Clara Haskil made for a lovely record.  Though it is in mono, the sound is warm and clear.  The tone of the violin is beautifully captured.  Arthur Grumiaux is one of my favorite violinists of all time and was a terrific interpreter of Mozart (I strongly believe that his stereo Philips recordings of the five violin concertos are reference recordings).  This LP is testimony to that.  For $1, this was a no-brainer decision.

Philips 839 781 LY: Beethoven -- Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67, Fidelio Overture (Eugen Jochum Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam).  I was very pleased to pick this up for $1, not only because I like Beethoven symphonies (as you can already tell, since I posted a survey a few days ago to which nobody felt inclined to respond) but also because I am a fan of Eugen Jochum the conductor.  Incidentally, he recorded three different Beethoven symphony cycles:  the first for DG in the 1950s-60s, the second for EMI in the 1970s, and the third for Philips in the 1970s.  This LP is taken from the latter set and features solid playing from the Concertgebouw, recorded in clear sound, though dynamic range is not the widest.

Columbia MS 6688: Schumann -- Piano Concerto, Konzertstuck (Rudolf Serkin, Eugene Ormandy, Philadelphia Orchestra).  A fine performance, sadly, horribly recorded here.  This is the 2-eye pressing, and the sound has no bass depth whatsoever and a constricted dynamic range, which makes for a very uninvolving listen.

Columbia MS 7062: Isaac Stern Plays Mozart (Isaac Stern, George Szell, Cleveland Orchestra).  Picked this one up for $1 because I'd heard Isaac Stern's Mozart concertos on CD, enjoyed them, and was curious about how they sound on vinyl.  I should've waited for the original 2-eye pressing.  This is the CBS Masterworks issue and, not surprisingly, doesn't boast much from a sonic standpoint.  Marginally better than the Rudolf Serkin described above but does little justice to the recording.    

Epic BC 1075: Mozart -- Piano Concerto No. 18 and No. 27 (Ingrid Haebler, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Vienna Symphony Orchestra).  Ingrid Haebler's Mozart recordings have always been well-regarded, particularly the ones she did for Philips, and the box sets of those LPs have been pretty collectible.  This Epic must've been a US pressed issue of the Philips.  Too bad it doesn't sound even close to a Dutch Philips.  The recorded volume is relatively low, which necessitates cranking up the volume, and the sound in general does not have the openness or naturalness that I've come to associate with Philips recordings from this era.

Epic BC 1096: Haydn -- Symphony No. 103 and No. 104 (Igor Markevitch, Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux).  I didn't realize that Markevitch had any recordings on Epic but then discovered that this is the US issue of the Philips original (835 038 AY).  Boy, I'd like to do a side by side comparison with the Philips, because the sound on this one is awful.  I really like Markevitch in general (he likes to take his Haydn tempos fast), and this record doesn't do his interpretations justice.  Distorted sound and absence of bass make this a pass unless you just need a cheap filler while you search out the Philips. 

Archiv 2533 088: Handel -- 4 Concerti Grossi, Op. 6 No. 1, 2, 10, 12 (Karl Richter, Munchener Bach-Orchester).  Ending on a positive note, this DG Archiv release was refreshing after the slew of sonic Columbia and Epic disappointments.  I discovered the genius of Handel's Op. 6 Concerti Grossi this year, and while the set with Sir Neville Marriner and the ASMF on Decca is my vinyl reference, this one is thoroughly enjoyable with very acceptable quality sound.