RCA Living Stereo LSC-2363: Szeryng plays the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Henryk Szeryng, violin
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Charles Munch, conductor
Pressing: US, Indianapolis, shaded dog
Date first published: 1960
Matrix numbers: 4S/2S
Performance: 9/10
Sound: 6/10
Price range: $24-257 (mean $78) at popsike.com
Comments: A dynamite performance of the Tchaikovsky by Henryk Szeryng, who is clearly spotlighted on this recording. His violin tone is rich, warm, and clear, with no hint of distortion. It's just a real shame that the BSO is not given such royal sound treatment. After listening to just the first minute of side 1, you can tell that there is going to be a struggle here. The orchestra -- which plays just fine under Munch -- sounds thick, heavy, edgy, and distorted, and this pretty much sums up things for the remainder of the recording. Only in the second movement when instrumentation drops down to just a few wind instruments can one appreciate any clarity. Fortunately, Szeryng's violin is not overwhelmed by this, but he certainly deserved a better recording.
Jonathan Valin in The RCA Bible writes of the 1s/1s pressing:
"Szeryng gets the better sound on this split-call disc. Massively spotlighted, his outsized, golden-hued Strad is recorded with Mercury-like presence (and RCA texture). The BSO, by comparison, sounds a bit fuzzy and weak at the knees. Orchestral clarity and imaging, as is sometimes the case with Boston recordings, are somewhat masked by reverberation; and the bases could be fuller and better defined." Rating: Fair to good/very good to excellent.
Anyone heard the UK RCA SB pressing?
Pressing: US, Indianapolis, shaded dog
Date first published: 1960
Matrix numbers: 4S/2S
Performance: 9/10
Sound: 6/10
Price range: $24-257 (mean $78) at popsike.com
Comments: A dynamite performance of the Tchaikovsky by Henryk Szeryng, who is clearly spotlighted on this recording. His violin tone is rich, warm, and clear, with no hint of distortion. It's just a real shame that the BSO is not given such royal sound treatment. After listening to just the first minute of side 1, you can tell that there is going to be a struggle here. The orchestra -- which plays just fine under Munch -- sounds thick, heavy, edgy, and distorted, and this pretty much sums up things for the remainder of the recording. Only in the second movement when instrumentation drops down to just a few wind instruments can one appreciate any clarity. Fortunately, Szeryng's violin is not overwhelmed by this, but he certainly deserved a better recording.
Jonathan Valin in The RCA Bible writes of the 1s/1s pressing:
"Szeryng gets the better sound on this split-call disc. Massively spotlighted, his outsized, golden-hued Strad is recorded with Mercury-like presence (and RCA texture). The BSO, by comparison, sounds a bit fuzzy and weak at the knees. Orchestral clarity and imaging, as is sometimes the case with Boston recordings, are somewhat masked by reverberation; and the bases could be fuller and better defined." Rating: Fair to good/very good to excellent.
Anyone heard the UK RCA SB pressing?
Pretty sure I have this one, and I don't recall liking it. I think the performance loving crowd must be putting up the price.
ReplyDeleteI'n not sure there was an SB pressing. I have it on VICS 1037 - grooved Decca
ReplyDeleteSB2080.
DeleteCamden Classics CCV5015 sounds reasonable, c/w Tartini's Devils Thrill...
How does the VICS and/or SB sound? Is there any improvement in the orchestral sound on these UK copies?
DeleteJust listened to the VICS on my Sennheiser HD 600 headphones plugged directly into the onboard phono stage on my EMT938, so as little in the replay chain as possible. No discernible distortion heard, just a little groove roar at the beginning but thats not unexpected as the record was played uncleaned.
ReplyDeleteThe stamper numbers on my copy of 1037 are PRRS-3415-1G & PRRS-3416-1G
Fascinating. So then there is hope that the UK pressing, if it has those Decca stampers, could be a substantial improvement in sound ... thanks for the data!
Delete