Description of engineer sounds like Bud Graham.
-- Tom Fine
----- Original Message -----
From: "Louis Hone" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, December 16, 2012 9:31 AM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Two new UMG box sets, mucho music for a couple bucks per CD
> Great timing Tom: Last night I watched a 1966 National Film Board of Canada
> production of Stravinsky:
>
> *http://www.nfb.ca/film/stravinsky/*
> *
> *
> The doc revolves around him conducting and recording The Symphony of
> Psalms. The recording session is produced by John McClure. Interesting to
> see both at work. There's a few shots of the Columbia engineer - I have
> seen him in many documentaries and articles where he is at work with Tom
> Frost. Yet I cannot put a name on his face. He's a short podgy man with
> glasses. If anyone watches this documentary on line and recognizes the
> engineer, I would appreciate the answer.
>
> Louis
>
>
>
> 2012/12/16 Tom Fine <[log in to unmask]>
>
>> Stravinsky was a lousy conductor, in my opinion. His versions aren't
>> definitive because he changed his mind each time on how to do it. Much,
>> much better at composing, but slickly promoted by Columbia. The Monteux
>> included in this box set is surprisingly tame and languid. Did he do a more
>> peppy and sure-footed one later?
>>
>> That said, I agree that UMG and Sony (and EMI) should have made a deal and
>> thrown in the Sony and EMI kitchen sinks too, boost it up closer to 50CD.
>> There's only one centennial, after all.
>>
>> -- Tom Fine
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Cox" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Sunday, December 16, 2012 5:05 AM
>> Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Two new UMG box sets, mucho music for a couple
>> bucks per CD
>>
>>
>> On 16/12/2012, Tom Fine wrote:
>>>
>>> There was brief mention of the Stravinsky "Le Sacre du Printemps"
>>>> (Rite of Spring) box set before:
>>>> http://www.arkivmusic.com/**classical/album.jsp?album_id=**822793<http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=822793>
>>>>
>>>> Also new and neato is the Philips Original Jackets box:
>>>> http://www.arkivmusic.com/**classical/album.jsp?album_id=**812873<http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=812873>
>>>>
>>>> I included the ArkivMusic links because they are the best listing of
>>>> exactly what's in these boxes (the Decca Classics website is terrible,
>>>> especially regarding the Sacre box).
>>>>
>>>> Both sets are very enjoyable, and the booklets are interesting. The
>>>> Philips booklet has some technical history incorrect, but the
>>>> corporate history and insights make up for it. There is other Philips
>>>> material I would have included, but they do hit the major artists and
>>>> included most of the certified classics. One thing that comes out in
>>>> the Philips book is how Polygram kept their structure so that their
>>>> "brother" labels were always strong rivals. This created a nice
>>>> variety of material, but it also created many competing versions of
>>>> the same works by various highly-paid performers, which went a long
>>>> way to killing the business model. I hope there's a second box set
>>>> coming, because there is much more Philips material now out of print
>>>> that could use a second context. So much good stuff was hidden in
>>>> those generic Duo CDs. There was a time, after they had absorbed and
>>>> shut down Mercury and before they got into a superstar arms race
>>>> within their own company, that they had a lean staff of diverse and
>>>> creative people making wide-ranging and interesting recordings with
>>>> very competent and creative musicians.
>>>>
>>>> The Philips box would make a good starter collection for anyone who is
>>> just getting interested in classical music.
>>>
>>>
>>> One man's opinion on the Sacre box set, but the big happy surprise to
>>>> me was Rudolf Albert / Orchstre des Cento Soli. Wow! I already knew
>>>> how good Solti/Chicago was, also Mehta/LA. I use Dorati/Minneapolis
>>>> (mono and stereo) as my reference, so I like it fast and unrelenting,
>>>> ie pagan and savage as intended. So something like either Ansermet or
>>>> Boulez/Cleveland will never cut it in my book. Gergiev was
>>>> well-reviewed, but it's too plodding for my taste. I've had Karajan's
>>>> first version on LP for years and always considered it an appropriate
>>>> counterpoint to Dorati, and now I understand why. It's too finely
>>>> sheened for the music, but the intensity is there and it's not there
>>>> in too many of the orchestral versions in the box. Most conductors
>>>> can't summon the savage beast from within themselves or their
>>>> orchestra, or they are afraid to let the beast get out, dance around
>>>> and make the sacrifice. The Pekinel sisters do the piano duet faster
>>>> than Ashkenazy/Gavrilov.
>>>>
>>>> Not in this box, because presumably Sony wouldn't play, are Stravinsky's
>>> own recording in stereo, and the Monteux RCA stereo recording.
>>>
>>> Arguably these are the two definitive recordings.
>>>
>>> But I do like the Dorati: I bought that LP when I was at college. Pity it
>>> wasn't reissued in SACD.
>>>
>>> Regards
>>> --
>>> Don Cox
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>>
>>>
>
>
> --
> *sent from my ringing donkey*
>
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