RCA LSC-2077 STRAUSS Till Eulenspiegel LIVING STEREO REINER Shaded Dog 1S/3S
$
34
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Description
STRAUSS Till Eulenspiegel (Death And Transfiguration)
Fritz Reiner Conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
EX/EX Used Vinyl Record
Record Label: RCA LSC-2077 (Living Stereo / Shaded Dog Label)
Matrix (Stampers): J2RY 5639- 1S / J2RY 5639- 3S
The first Decca recording that RCA used to augment their "Living Stereo" series in 1956. Produced by John Culshaw. James Brown was the engineer. Recorded in the Sofiensal, Vienna.
Highly collectable title from from the legendary RCA Living Stereo "Shaded Dog" line. RCA revolutionized stereo with these groundbreaking recordings. On the TAS (The Absolute Sound) List of exceptional recordings.
Record cover has some ring wear. Upper right corner is stubbed causing a crease. About a 2 1/2 inch split on top opposite the spine. There is a small price sticker on the back with ball point pen written numbers beneath it. Original RCA inner bag has split on one side. There are no spindle marks on the label. Vinyl is very clean to the eye. Play grade reveals minor intermittent surface noise and an occasional crackle or light pop. Nothing major.
Review: Not all the Fritz Reiner gems were recorded in Chicago. From London, there is the magnificent RPO Brahms Fourth Symphony (Reiner's personal favorite), and from Vienna, this superb recording of two of Strauss' greatest tone poems. Reiner was linked inextricably with the great works of Strauss, helped in no small way by his amazing Chicago recordings of Also Sprach Zarathustra and Ein Heldenleben. As expected, his exacting standard of orchestral execution continues in the City of Music. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is dazzling and they present the scores with the utmost conviction and luminosity. The opening of Death and Transfiguration tells that tale. Divided into many parts, the diaphanous sound of the string section captures the yearnings of an old man close to death. I have heard most recordings of this very spiritual work, and few achieve Reiner's feel for the old man's sense of longing. The final ascent to heaven is equally beautiful.
Reiner's Till is a very happy affair. The orchestra's virtuosity in this brilliant score is remarkable for its clarity and awesome power. All of the instrumental parts are wickedly difficult, and Reiner adds to this difficulty by setting some very fast tempos. As an interpretation, it captures the essence of human emotions: love, hate, revenge, forgiveness and redemption. Turn the lights down and the volume up, and be prepared for a knockout musical punch.
The Classic Records reissue has served the memory of its original very well. In fact, the Decca-sourced recording displays the Vienna Philharmonic in a clinical light. Initially, I thought the recording to be slightly bright, the blame placed squarely at the feet of the pressing. Not in this case, though. Simply, the Vienna Philharmonic's tradition of tuning the orchestra to A=448 (much higher than American orchestras' A=440 or 442) was heard clearly as a continuing sparkle, affecting piccolo to double bass. One has to admire recorded accuracy such as this.
About Living Stereo: In the decade following 1953, RCA Victor made a substantial body of recordings which have come to be identified with their early stereo release label, Living Stereo. As the adoption of Stereo audio became more widespread, Living Stereo offered a wide range of music and performances in high quality sound. A majority of these records, particularly classical music, offer music, performances and audio quality which are considered definitive. Living Stereo influenced many of the recordings that followed with their recording and marketing philosophies.
Living Stereo: In the decade following 1953, RCA Victor made a substantial body of recordings which have come to be identified with their early stereo release label, Living Stereo. As the adoption of Stereo audio became more widespread, Living Stereo offered a wide range of music and performances in high quality sound. A majority of these records, particularly classical music, offer music, performances and audio quality which are considered definitive. Living Stereo influenced many of the recordings that followed with their recording and marketing philosophies.XXX
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