Dutton Epoch - 6 New Classical Multichannel SACDs (November 2017)

[McCrutchy]

Pierre Boulez conducts Stravinsky: Petrushka & Pulcinella Suite
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7343

James Levine conducts Mahler & Brahms - Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4 (2 SACD Set)
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=2CDLX7344

Daniel Barenboim & Artur Rubinstein - Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 4
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7345

Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic: Haydn's Mass in Time of War
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7346

Lorin Maazel conducts Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben & Johannes Brahms: Alto Rhapsodie
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7347

Charles Gerhardt - Lost Horizon: The Classic Film Scores of Dimitri Tiomkin & The Thing from Another World Suite
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLK4608

From the blog:

Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Daniel Barenboim, Artur Rubinstein, James Levine, Lorin Maazel, Charles Gerhardt …

Dutton Epoch has revived some of the finest recordings made by CBS and RCA during the quadraphonic boom of the 1970s, and presents them across six individual SACDs.

Leonard Bernstein’s Concert for Peace, a protest at the Vietnam War, took place in Washington Cathedral during January 1973 and featured a spellbinding performance of Haydn’s Mass in Time of War. Here it’s coupled with Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic’s reading of Haydn’s Symphony No. 96, “Miracle”. James Levine conducts the London and Chicago symphony orchestras in Mahler’s First and Fourth symphonies respectively; also featured is Levine and the CSO’s recording of Brahms’s First Symphony, which has been remixed in quadraphonic sound especially for this limited edition reissue. Daniel Barenboim and Artur Rubinstein’s cycle of Beethoven piano concertos were recorded with the London Philharmonic in 1975, and are widely considered the definitive interpretations. However, the four-channel recordings were issued in Japan only and thus are extremely rare – this reissue makes available once more the quadraphonic versions of Concertos Nos. 3 & 4.

The New York Philharmonic under Pierre Boulez is heard in an all-Stravinsky programme comprising Petrushka (“immortal hero of every fair in all countries,” according to the composer), the early Scherzo Fantastique of 1907-08, Symphonies of Wind Instruments and the Diaghilev-commissioned Pulcinella Suite. Lorin Maazel and the Cleveland Orchestra present a wonderfully authoritative reading of Richard Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben, originally recorded in 1978; augmenting this reissue is Maazel conducting the New Philharmonia, the Ambrosian Singers and mezzo-soprano Yvonne Minton in Brahms’s Alto Rhapsody, recorded during November 1976 at All Saints Church, Tooting.

A disc devoted to the music of film composer Dimitri Tiomkin rounds off this release. RCA house-conductor/producer Charles Gerhardt leads the National Philharmonic Orchestra in music from Hollywood classics Lost Horizon, The Guns of Navarone, The Big Sky, The Fourposter, Friendly Persuasion and Search for Paradise. Recorded at the Kingsway Hall in brilliant, full-bodied sound by Decca engineer Kenneth Wilkinson, this reissue also includes a suite from Tiomkin’s score for The Thing from Another World, which makes its debut in quadraphonic sound.

All the music has been remastered from the original analogue tapes (stereo and quadraphonic), and these SACDs are fully compatible with standard CD players.

 

[steelydave]

From the Dutton website blog:

Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Daniel Barenboim, Artur Rubinstein, James Levine, Lorin Maazel, Charles Gerhardt …

Dutton Epoch has revived some of the finest recordings made by CBS and RCA during the quadraphonic boom of the 1970s, and presents them across six individual SACDs.

Leonard Bernstein’s Concert for Peace, a protest at the Vietnam War, took place in Washington Cathedral during January 1973 and featured a spellbinding performance of Haydn’s Mass in Time of War. Here it’s coupled with Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic’s reading of Haydn’s Symphony No. 96, “Miracle”.

James Levine conducts the London and Chicago symphony orchestras in Mahler’s First and Fourth symphonies respectively; also featured is Levine and the CSO’s recording of Brahms’s First Symphony, which has been remixed in quadraphonic sound especially for this limited edition reissue.

Daniel Barenboim and Artur Rubinstein’s cycle of Beethoven piano concertos were recorded with the London Philharmonic in 1975, and are widely considered the definitive interpretations. However, the four-channel recordings were issued in Japan only and thus are extremely rare – this reissue makes available once more the quadraphonic versions of Concertos Nos. 3 & 4.

The New York Philharmonic under Pierre Boulez is heard in an all-Stravinsky programme comprising Petrushka (“immortal hero of every fair in all countries,” according to the composer), the early Scherzo Fantastique of 1907-08, Symphonies of Wind Instruments and the Diaghilev-commissioned Pulcinella Suite.

Lorin Maazel and the Cleveland Orchestra present a wonderfully authoritative reading of Richard Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben, originally recorded in 1978; augmenting this reissue is Maazel conducting the New Philharmonia, the Ambrosian Singers and mezzo-soprano Yvonne Minton in Brahms’s Alto Rhapsody, recorded during November 1976 at All Saints Church, Tooting.

A disc devoted to the music of film composer Dimitri Tiomkin rounds off this release. RCA house-conductor/producer Charles Gerhardt leads the National Philharmonic Orchestra in music from Hollywood classics Lost Horizon, The Guns of Navarone, The Big Sky, The Fourposter, Friendly Persuasion and Search for Paradise. Recorded at the Kingsway Hall in brilliant, full-bodied sound by Decca engineer Kenneth Wilkinson, this reissue also includes a suite from Tiomkin’s score for The Thing from Another World, which makes its debut in quadraphonic sound.

All the music has been remastered from the original analogue tapes (stereo and quadraphonic), and these SACDs are fully compatible with standard CD players.

Mike Dutton tells me that all of these new discs are active, discrete quad aside from the Rubenstein/Barenboim Beethoven set which is concert hall sound.

He also said that the Stravinsky 'Pulcinella Suite' is "mega surround!" which is no surprise as the quad mix was done by FredBlue's favourite rock and roll quad mixer, Larry Keyes. Keyes also did the quad mixes on the Bernstein/Haydn disc that is part of this release. It's also worth noting that Pulcinella Suite was one of Columbia's very last classical quad releases in 1978, and was single inventory too, so this is the first time the discrete master is being heard anywhere.

The Levine/LSO Mahler & Brahms 2 disc set will be £14.99 until November 16th, after which it will go up to regular double-disc price.

Pierre Boulez conducts Stravinsky: Petrushka & Pulcinella Suite
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7343
[Originally released in 1972 as Columbia Masterworks MQ 31076 ('Petrushka') / and in 1978 as M 35105 ('Pulcinella Suite')]

James Levine conducts Mahler & Brahms - Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=2CDLX7344
[Originally released in 1975 as RCA Red Seal CRD3-1040 ('Mahler') / Prev. unreleased in quad ('Brahms')]

Daniel Barenboim & Artur Rubinstein - Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 4
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7345
[Originally released in 1976 as RCA Red Seal ARD5-1415 (discs 3 & 4 of 5LP set)

Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic: Haydn's Mass in Time of War / Symphony No. 96 in D major “Miracle”
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7346
[Originally released in 1973 as Columbia Masterworks MQ 32196 ('Mass in Time of War') / and in 1974 as MQ 32598 ('Bernstein Conducts Haydn' Side B)]

Lorin Maazel conducts Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben & Johannes Brahms: Alto Rhapsodie
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7347
[Originally released in 1977 as Columbia Masterworks M 34566 ('Ein Heldenleben') / and in 1977 as M2 34583 ('Alto Rhapsodie')]

Charles Gerhardt - Lost Horizon: The Classic Film Scores of Dimitri Tiomkin & The Thing from Another World Suite
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLK4608
[Originally released in 1976 as RCA Red Seal ARD1-1669 ('Lost Horizon') / Prev. unreleased in quad ('Thing From Another World Suite']

 

[DuncanS]

The 2x Quad SACD of Mahler & Brahms looks interesting so I've gone for it, only £14.99 (for everyone on the other side of the pond only US$16.84) for 2 discs :yikes, .............after spending £115 on the Rush Box Set its small change!

Pierre Boulez conducts Stravinsky: Petrushka & Pulcinella Suite
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7343

James Levine conducts Mahler & Brahms - Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4 (2 SACD Set)
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=2CDLX7344

Daniel Barenboim & Artur Rubinstein - Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 4
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7345

Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic: Haydn's Mass in Time of War
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7346

Lorin Maazel conducts Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben & Johannes Brahms: Alto Rhapsodie
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7347

Charles Gerhardt - Lost Horizon: The Classic Film Scores of Dimitri Tiomkin & The Thing from Another World Suite
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLK4608

From the blog:

Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Daniel Barenboim, Artur Rubinstein, James Levine, Lorin Maazel, Charles Gerhardt …

Dutton Epoch has revived some of the finest recordings made by CBS and RCA during the quadraphonic boom of the 1970s, and presents them across six individual SACDs.

Leonard Bernstein’s Concert for Peace, a protest at the Vietnam War, took place in Washington Cathedral during January 1973 and featured a spellbinding performance of Haydn’s Mass in Time of War. Here it’s coupled with Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic’s reading of Haydn’s Symphony No. 96, “Miracle”. James Levine conducts the London and Chicago symphony orchestras in Mahler’s First and Fourth symphonies respectively; also featured is Levine and the CSO’s recording of Brahms’s First Symphony, which has been remixed in quadraphonic sound especially for this limited edition reissue. Daniel Barenboim and Artur Rubinstein’s cycle of Beethoven piano concertos were recorded with the London Philharmonic in 1975, and are widely considered the definitive interpretations. However, the four-channel recordings were issued in Japan only and thus are extremely rare – this reissue makes available once more the quadraphonic versions of Concertos Nos. 3 & 4.

The New York Philharmonic under Pierre Boulez is heard in an all-Stravinsky programme comprising Petrushka (“immortal hero of every fair in all countries,” according to the composer), the early Scherzo Fantastique of 1907-08, Symphonies of Wind Instruments and the Diaghilev-commissioned Pulcinella Suite. Lorin Maazel and the Cleveland Orchestra present a wonderfully authoritative reading of Richard Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben, originally recorded in 1978; augmenting this reissue is Maazel conducting the New Philharmonia, the Ambrosian Singers and mezzo-soprano Yvonne Minton in Brahms’s Alto Rhapsody, recorded during November 1976 at All Saints Church, Tooting.

A disc devoted to the music of film composer Dimitri Tiomkin rounds off this release. RCA house-conductor/producer Charles Gerhardt leads the National Philharmonic Orchestra in music from Hollywood classics Lost Horizon, The Guns of Navarone, The Big Sky, The Fourposter, Friendly Persuasion and Search for Paradise. Recorded at the Kingsway Hall in brilliant, full-bodied sound by Decca engineer Kenneth Wilkinson, this reissue also includes a suite from Tiomkin’s score for The Thing from Another World, which makes its debut in quadraphonic sound.

All the music has been remastered from the original analogue tapes (stereo and quadraphonic), and these SACDs are fully compatible with standard CD players.

 

[McCrutchy]

The 2x Quad SACD of Mahler & Brahms looks interesting so I've gone for it, only £14.99 (for everyone on the other side of the pond only US$16.84) for 2 discs :yikes, .............after spending £115 on the Rush Box Set its small change!

Yes, I was thinking of that one, and the £5 discount makes it even more tempting...

 

[4-earredwonder]

Pierre Boulez conducts Stravinsky: Petrushka & Pulcinella Suite
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7343

James Levine conducts Mahler & Brahms - Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4 (2 SACD Set)
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=2CDLX7344

Daniel Barenboim & Artur Rubinstein - Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 4
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7345

Leonard Bernstein/New York Philharmonic: Haydn's Mass in Time of War
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7346

Lorin Maazel conducts Richard Strauss: Ein Heldenleben & Johannes Brahms: Alto Rhapsodie
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7347

Charles Gerhardt - Lost Horizon: The Classic Film Scores of Dimitri Tiomkin & The Thing from Another World Suite
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLK4608

From the blog:

Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Daniel Barenboim, Artur Rubinstein, James Levine, Lorin Maazel, Charles Gerhardt …

Dutton Epoch has revived some of the finest recordings made by CBS and RCA during the quadraphonic boom of the 1970s, and presents them across six individual SACDs.

Leonard Bernstein’s Concert for Peace, a protest at the Vietnam War, took place in Washington Cathedral during January 1973 and featured a spellbinding performance of Haydn’s Mass in Time of War. Here it’s coupled with Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic’s reading of Haydn’s Symphony No. 96, “Miracle”. James Levine conducts the London and Chicago symphony orchestras in Mahler’s First and Fourth symphonies respectively; also featured is Levine and the CSO’s recording of Brahms’s First Symphony, which has been remixed in quadraphonic sound especially for this limited edition reissue. Daniel Barenboim and Artur Rubinstein’s cycle of Beethoven piano concertos were recorded with the London Philharmonic in 1975, and are widely considered the definitive interpretations. However, the four-channel recordings were issued in Japan only and thus are extremely rare – this reissue makes available once more the quadraphonic versions of Concertos Nos. 3 & 4.

The New York Philharmonic under Pierre Boulez is heard in an all-Stravinsky programme comprising Petrushka (“immortal hero of every fair in all countries,” according to the composer), the early Scherzo Fantastique of 1907-08, Symphonies of Wind Instruments and the Diaghilev-commissioned Pulcinella Suite. Lorin Maazel and the Cleveland Orchestra present a wonderfully authoritative reading of Richard Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben, originally recorded in 1978; augmenting this reissue is Maazel conducting the New Philharmonia, the Ambrosian Singers and mezzo-soprano Yvonne Minton in Brahms’s Alto Rhapsody, recorded during November 1976 at All Saints Church, Tooting.

A disc devoted to the music of film composer Dimitri Tiomkin rounds off this release. RCA house-conductor/producer Charles Gerhardt leads the National Philharmonic Orchestra in music from Hollywood classics Lost Horizon, The Guns of Navarone, The Big Sky, The Fourposter, Friendly Persuasion and Search for Paradise. Recorded at the Kingsway Hall in brilliant, full-bodied sound by Decca engineer Kenneth Wilkinson, this reissue also includes a suite from Tiomkin’s score for The Thing from Another World, which makes its debut in quadraphonic sound.

All the music has been remastered from the original analogue tapes (stereo and quadraphonic), and these SACDs are fully compatible with standard CD players.

Absolutely MARVELOUS.

I'm IN for all SIX.

Finally, the release of one of Charles Gerhardt's classic film scores from the RCA Vaults. I have heard a few via HDTT's Open Reel BD~A QUAD transfers and they are deliciously discrete. Incidentally, I just purchased the restored classic Lost Horizon on BD~V which comes in a detailed digibook and this QUAD SACD release of Lost Horizon will make a wonderful companion piece.:banana:

ADDENDA: Just pre~ordered ALL 6. With p/h to the states the order came to £83.44 or $109.54 [US].

BTW, keep in mind that some of these October/November 2017 D~V Classical releases are indeed TWO~FERS [on ONE SACD disc] which makes these QUAD SACDs even more incredible deals!

 

[H.A.L.]

The Beethoven Rubenstein's caught my interest . . . sigh, maybe next paycheck I'll consider it (we're nearing Christmas after all, and I need to be saving )

 

[sperezmore]

Regards,

 

[H.A.L.]

Holy multi-Moly!

Just noticed that the Shangri-La soundtrack ALSO had the the multi soundtrack from THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD :yikes

The James Arness Alien Carrot!!! (Wonder if Peter Packer had this in mind when he wrote "The Great Vegetable Rebellion" for LOST IN SPACE )

If you liked John Carpenter's THE THING, then this was the 1950's original. Female scientist smoking cigarettes in her clinical white lab coat, taking notes on a noteboard! Howard Hawkes as director! Woo! Don't remember the score, exactly, but it wouldn't be the 50's without a theremin, so I hope the 1975 orchestra includes it

Will put this in the basket with the Rubenstein concertos for next paycheck :banana:

 

[ubertrout]

Well, I guess it's time to put in a big order - haven't ordered any DVs since April or so. Getting all six, obviously, and a few others.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Holy multi-Moly!

Just noticed that the Shangri-La soundtrack ALSO had the the multi soundtrack from THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD :yikes

The James Arness Alien Carrot!!! (Wonder if Peter Packer had this in mind when he wrote "The Great Vegetable Rebellion" for LOST IN SPACE )

If you liked John Carpenter's THE THING, then this was the 1950's original. Female scientist smoking cigarettes in her clinical white lab coat, taking notes on a noteboard! Howard Hawkes as director! Woo! Don't remember the score, exactly, but it wouldn't be the 50's without a theremin, so I hope the 1975 orchestra includes it

Will put this in the basket with the Rubenstein concertos for next paycheck :banana:

You cannot go wrong ordering this classic multi SACD of Film Scores conducted by Charles Gerhardt. The Thing From Another World is a bonus and all were recorded in London's Kingsway Hall by Decca recording engineer extraordinaire Kenneth Wilkinson. Hopefully, D~V will release all the Charles Gerhardt classic film scores as I cannot imagine them sounding better than D~V's superb mastering from the original analogue masters.

And they're ALL very discrete.

A list of all the RCA QUAD and STEREO Charles Gerhardt Classic Film Score releases for RCA: http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/art...e_RCA_Gerhardt_Classic_Film_Scores_Series.asp

 

[ubertrout]

So, a few random comments on what we're getting on this batch:

Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4, Brahms Symphony No. 1: I've had these on RBCD on Sony's super-budget Classical Masters box set that brings together all of Levine's recordings of Mahler for them (every symphony but 2 & 8): https://www.amazon.com/James-Levine-Conducts-Mahler-Symphonies/dp/B0041LXX2G. Both performances (indeed, the whole set) are good, and I'm interested to hear them in surround. There's a similar box for the Brahms cycle he did that I don't have, but the first symphony was recorded in a single 3 hour session originally meant for the Mahler 3rd. I'm guessing it was made to 16 track in 1975, so the quad mix should be plenty discrete. Levine is mainly known for doing opera these days, but he's one of the top conductors working today, and would be doing so all over the world if not for frequent health problems (check out his live recording of the Brahms German Requiem on BSO SACD). Highly recommended and a bargain for what should be 160 minutes of music or so.

I don't know if I'd call Artur Rubinstein's final traversal of the Beethoven piano concertos "definitive," as the blog does, but it's a necessary one. Rubinstein was 88 or so when he made it, accompanied by a conductor 50 or so years younger, but the result is a fascinating fusion of innocence and experience. If you like the previous issue of his recordings you'll like this one too, and I suspect the sound will be less cavernous.

I don't know the Maazel recordings, but they should be pretty good. He rerecorded most of the Strauss orchestral works 20+ years later in Dolby surround, in a cycle I enjoy, and he's generally reliable in this repertoire. I appreciate the "filler" of the Brahms alto rhapsody too.

The Bernstein recordings are exciting to get - surprisingly I believe the mass is out of print, and was last released commercially in the early 90s on the "Royal Edition" label. Lots of opportunities for surround use in the mass, perhaps less so in the Symphony - Bernstein is of the school that is today accused of making Haydn sound like Beethoven - I don't think that's always a bad thing in the later symphonies.

Great to be getting Boulez's recordings of two of Stravinsky's more popular ballets on SACD, along with two other works - DV is really packing these discs. Boulez's recordings from this era are characterized (to paint in broad brush) as steely and modernist, most famously in a brutal Rite of Spring from 1969 that might be pre-quad. Self-recommending.

For the Gerhardt it sounds like we already have others who know his work better. His Star Wars/Close Encounters disc was a favorite of mine. Fascinating that he never conducted outside the studio.

 

[4-earredwonder]

So, a few random comments on what we're getting on this batch:

Mahler: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4, Brahms Symphony No. 1: I've had these on RBCD on Sony's super-budget Classical Masters box set that brings together all of Levine's recordings of Mahler for them (every symphony but 2 & 8): https://www.amazon.com/James-Levine-Conducts-Mahler-Symphonies/dp/B0041LXX2G. Both performances (indeed, the whole set) are good, and I'm interested to hear them in surround. There's a similar box for the Brahms cycle he did that I don't have, but the first symphony was recorded in a single 3 hour session originally meant for the Mahler 3rd. I'm guessing it was made to 16 track in 1975, so the quad mix should be plenty discrete. Levine is mainly known for doing opera these days, but he's one of the top conductors working today, and would be doing so all over the world if not for frequent health problems (check out his live recording of the Brahms German Requiem on BSO SACD). Highly recommended and a bargain for what should be 160 minutes of music or so.

I don't know if I'd call Artur Rubinstein's final traversal of the Beethoven piano concertos "definitive," as the blog does, but it's a necessary one. Rubinstein was 88 or so when he made it, accompanied by a conductor 50 or so years younger, but the result is a fascinating fusion of innocence and experience. If you like the previous issue of his recordings you'll like this one too, and I suspect the sound will be less cavernous.

I don't know the Maazel recordings, but they should be pretty good. He rerecorded most of the Strauss orchestral works 20+ years later in Dolby surround, in a cycle I enjoy, and he's generally reliable in this repertoire. I appreciate the "filler" of the Brahms alto rhapsody too.

The Bernstein recordings are exciting to get - surprisingly I believe the mass is out of print, and was last released commercially in the early 90s on the "Royal Edition" label. Lots of opportunities for surround use in the mass, perhaps less so in the Symphony - Bernstein is of the school that is today accused of making Haydn sound like Beethoven - I don't think that's always a bad thing in the later symphonies.

Great to be getting Boulez's recordings of two of Stravinsky's more popular ballets on SACD, along with two other works - DV is really packing these discs. Boulez's recordings from this era are characterized (to paint in broad brush) as steely and modernist, most famously in a brutal Rite of Spring from 1969 that might be pre-quad. Self-recommending.

For the Gerhardt it sounds like we already have others who know his work better. His Star Wars/Close Encounters disc was a favorite of mine. Fascinating that he never conducted outside the studio.

Nice overview, ubertrout.

Yes, D~V is packing a lot of content onto some of their QUAD SACDs, actually reminiscent of the SONY Living Stereo SACD remasters which always included added content to each disc.

You cannot go wrong with the Gerhardt classic Film Scores as I previously mentioned. I hope D~V pursues ALL the QUAD titles in that series as HDTT is currently charging $25 for a BD~A transferred from the 7 1/2 ips Dolby b encoded Open Reel Tapes and D~V has access to the original QUAD masters!

 

[steelydave]

This is only tangentially related, but in one of our email conversations Mike Dutton mentioned how highly he thought of Columbia Masterworks producer Andrew Kazdin ("the classical Quadfather" he called him) and that there was a photo of him in the studio behind a 16 track mixing desk with a SQ decoder behind him. So I did some searching, and sure enough it's true - it comes from his New York Times obituary which is a quick but fascinating read.

Kazdin produced the Stravinsky 'Pulcinella/Petrushka' disc and the Strauss 'Ein Heldenleben' disc that are part of this release - he also produced all the E. Power Biggs quads, including the Rheinberger disc that Dutton put out earlier this year, as well as the Four Great Toccattas & Fugues disc that Sony reissued on SACD in the early 00's that now goes for megabucks.

I don't know how I formed this assumption, but for many years I thought that the majority of Columbia's classical quad output was just ambient surround, so I never pursued picking any of it up. It's been a real eye opener to find out that it's actually the opposite, and that guys like Kazdin were pursuing aggressive surround mixing on the classical side just like contemporary producers were doing on the pop and rock side. I'm also of the opinion that recorded music (in all its forms) is the great artistic and technical achievement of the 20th century - so every quad album that gets its first digital reissue for me is a victory for preserving something that's culturally significant, no matter if its classical, pop, rock R&B or something else, and no matter if it's something that I'm personally interested in or not. I also think it's a remarkable achievement that some of these single-inventory quad titles, that never had a discrete release (tape or otherwise) are being heard from the 4 channel masters for the first time, the way the producers and engineers intended them to. To me that's on par with if someone somehow found a warehouse of tapes full of stereo mixes of jazz and blues albums from the 30s and 40s that have only ever been available in mono.

I know it is, at times, easy to get disappointed when the things that are being reissued aren't exactly what you have your heart set on, but when you consider there are hundreds (if not thousands) of candidates for quad reissues, the odds of one of a handful of discs being reissued at any given time also being on your personal 'most wanted' list are pretty slim. I've said it before, but one of my favourite aspects of getting in to quad was that (in the days before all these reissues etc.) while I was waiting for the titles I really wanted to show up on eBay or elsewhere, I ended up buying all sorts of stuff I'd never heard of before, simply because it was in quad. When I missed out on some ridiculously overpriced Q8 I'd use that money to buy 5 or 10 cheaper tapes that I could afford, and as a result I ended up with a ton of stuff that I've grown to be very fond of that I never would have heard otherwise. I know disposable income these days is tighter than ever, but I hope with all these reissues that people will adopt a 'take the long way home' approach to purchasing, and try a few things that might be out of their comfort zone.

(Note the Sony SQD-2020 SQ decoder in the upper right, presumably with an SQ encoder of some sort sitting on top of it.)

 

[ubertrout]

This is only tangentially related, but in one of our email conversations Mike Dutton mentioned how highly he thought of Columbia Masterworks producer Andrew Kazdin ("the classical Quadfather" he called him) and that there was a photo of him in the studio behind a 16 track mixing desk with a SQ decoder behind him. So I did some searching, and sure enough it's true - it comes from his New York Times obituary which is a quick but fascinating read.

Kazdin produced the Stravinsky 'Pulcinella/Petrushka' disc and the Strauss 'Ein Heldenleben' disc that are part of this release - he also produced all the E. Power Biggs quads, including the Rheinberger disc that Dutton put out earlier this year, as well as the Four Great Toccattas & Fugues disc that Sony reissued on SACD in the early 00's that now goes for megabucks.

I don't know how I formed this assumption, but for many years I thought that the majority of Columbia's classical quad output was just ambient surround, so I never pursued picking any of it up. It's been a real eye opener to find out that it's actually the opposite, and that guys like Kazdin were pursuing aggressive surround mixing on the classical side just like contemporary producers were doing on the pop and rock side. I'm also of the opinion that recorded music (in all its forms) is the great artistic and technical achievement of the 20th century - so every quad album that gets its first digital reissue for me is a victory for preserving something that's culturally significant, no matter if its classical, pop, rock R&B or something else, and no matter if it's something that I'm personally interested in or not. I also think it's a remarkable achievement that some of these single-inventory quad titles, that never had a discrete release (tape or otherwise) are being heard from the 4 channel masters for the first time, the way the producers and engineers intended them to. To me that's on par with if someone somehow found a warehouse of tapes full of stereo mixes of jazz and blues albums from the 30s and 40s that have only ever been available in mono.

I know it is, at times, easy to get disappointed when the things that are being reissued aren't exactly what you have your heart set on, but when you consider there are hundreds (if not thousands) of candidates for quad reissues, the odds of one of a handful of discs being reissued at any given time also being on your personal 'most wanted' list are pretty slim. I've said it before, but one of my favourite aspects of getting in to quad was that (in the days before all these reissues etc.) while I was waiting for the titles I really wanted to show up on eBay or elsewhere, I ended up buying all sorts of stuff I'd never heard of before, simply because it was in quad. When I missed out on some ridiculously overpriced Q8 I'd use that money to buy 5 or 10 cheaper tapes that I could afford, and as a result I ended up with a ton of stuff that I've grown to be very fond of that I never would have heard otherwise. I know disposable income these days is tighter than ever, but I hope with all these reissues that people will adopt a 'take the long way home' approach to purchasing, and try a few things that might be out of their comfort zone.

(Note the Sony SQD-2020 SQ decoder in the upper right, presumably with an SQ encoder of some sort sitting on top of it.)

Great post. I think we all have prerogatives and things we like - I'm guilty of rolling my eyes at some of the D-V pop quad releases, but I'm glad they're getting released and people are enjoying them. This slate of releases is red meat for me (ordered all of them right away) and less so for others - but I'm glad both segments are being served. Partially because I'm curious I ordered Deodato, Musicmagic, and Pure Prarie League to go with these - we'll see if I like them but regardless I'll be supporting these efforts. I'd also suggest checking out the "pound corner" section of the website - there's a lot of great stuff, including all of Sergei Rachmaninoff's recordings of his concertos and orchestral music, in Michael Dutton's remastering (CD only, mono - recordings are from the 1920s and 30s) for a dollar each.

I'm sure Michael Dutton knows most of this already, but the Boulez recordings from the early 70s are legendary among fans. He wasn't necessarily popular with the audiences in New York, but he cleared away the cobwebs that had started to appear as Lenny (Bernstein) started to become more...idiomatic. In the book "Conversations with Boulez," the conductor called Kazdin the best producer he ever worked with (and over 50+ years he worked with a lot) Here's a few recordings Kazdin made with Boulez that are obvious candidates for quad SACD issue:

MQ-33508 (SQ) IGOR STRAVINSKY: Firebird (complete ballet) (Boulez/New York Philharmonic) (I'd personally go with this one first)
M-34201* (SQ) PAUL DUKAS: La Peri. ALBERT ROUSSEL: Symphony No. 3 in G, Op. 42 (Boulez/New York Philharmonic) (only on CD as part of his "Complete Columbia Albums" set)
MQ-33970 (SQ) MANUEL DE FALLA: Three Cornered Hat (ballet); Concerto in D for Harpsichord, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Violin & Cello (DeGaetani, Kipnis, Boulez/New York Philharmonic)
MQ-33523 (SQ) MAURICE RAVEL: Daphnis at Chloe (complete ballet) (Boulez/New York Philharmonic)
M2Q-33303 [2 LP] (SQ) ARNOLD SCHOENBERG: Gurre-Lieder (Napier, Minton, Thomas, Nimsgern, Boulez/BBC Symphony Orchestra a Chorus) (Boulez apparently wasn't satisfied with the sound in stereo, I'm curious about the quad mix - not done by Kazdin)
MQ-32296 (SQ)/MAQ-32296 (Q8) RICHARD WAGNER: "Eine Faust" Overture; "Meistersinger" Preludes; "Tannhauser" Overture (Dresden version, 1845); "Tristan" Prelude & Liebestod (Boulez/New York Philharmonic)
MQ-31799 (SQ)/MAQ-31799 (Q8) H. BERLIOZ: Overtures (Beatrice & Benedict; Benvenuto Cellini; Roman Carnival; Les Troyens; Royal Hunt & Storm) (Boulez/New York Philharmonic)

Of course, there's also the recording of Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra where Sony bungled the issue and didn't issue the quad mix or anything remotely as active. If Dutton wanted to redo that I wouldn't complain.

By the way, does Dutton market in Japan/Asia? This stuff is pretty popular there in stereo - a lot of it is in print there but not otherwise.

 

[4-earredwonder]

As I look forward to D~V's new batch of Classical QUADS, I did play the E Power Bigg's Rhineberger disc last night and was overwhelmed by the immensity of the performances and the quality of producer Andrew Kazdin's brilliant and discrete recording....and D~V's exceptional mastering.

Even for those who shy away from Classical music, this is a brilliant recording: https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7334

Thanks to steelydave for the brief insight into Kazdin's accomplishments while an engineer at Columbia Records and hopefully, D~V will release ALL the Kazdin QUADRAPHONIC recordings which ubertrout listed [in Post #14], MOST especially Boulez's recording of Ravel's atmospheric tone poem Daphnis et Chloë with the New York Philharmonic!

Apparently, Andrew Kazdin and recording engineer Thomas Mowrey, who recorded a number of discrete classical QUADs for DGG in the early to mid 70's, came from the same school of discrete Quadraphonic recording techniques for the classics.

BRAVO!

SORRY, but ambience ONLY in the rears is plain BORING and utterly passé!

 

[steelydave]

3 of these titles are in stock and shipping now: Maazel/CSO 'Strauss:Ein Heldenleben', Levine Conducts Mahler & Brahms, and Boulez/NY Phil. 'Petrushka/Pulcinella'.

Mike Dutton tells me the other 3 (Rubenstein & Barenboim play Beethoven, Bernstein/Haydn Concert for Peace, and Gerhardt's Lost Horizon) are due in stock the week of November 6th.

 

[4-earredwonder]

3 of these titles are in stock and shipping now: Maazel/CSO 'Strauss:Ein Heldenleben', Levine Conducts Mahler & Brahms, and Boulez/NY Phil. 'Petrushka/Pulcinella'.

Mike Dutton tells me the other 3 (Rubenstein & Barenboim play Beethoven, Bernstein/Haydn Concert for Peace, and Gerhardt's Lost Horizon) are due in stock the week of November 6th.

Excellent news, Dave. Although I still haven't received my last batch [should be soon*], that was lickety split. Assuming that Michael Dutton, himself, does all the research mulling through those piles of QUAD master tapes to determine what is acceptable and doing the actual remastering/authoring himself, how DOES HE DO IT?

Not to mention negotiating those pesky licensing fees, etc. :yikes

*arrived TODAY. Can't wait to spin them!

 

[ssully]

Has any company ever considered re-releasing this gem?

http://www.8-track-shack.com/boston...irebird-petrouchka-quadraphonic-p-104694.html

 

[ubertrout]

Will probably be a few weeks before I get my shipment, but I sort of randomly noticed that Charles Gerhardt had produced the Levine recording of the Mahler 1st Symphony. I'm somewhat curious about how the mix is, and noticed that Gerhardt had also produced Lynn Harrell's recording of the Dvorak Cello Concerto, accompanied by Levine and the LSO. The quad would be another good title for a reissue: https://www.discogs.com/Lynn-Harrel...tra-Dvořák-Concerto-For-Cello/release/5710024

 

[4-earredwonder]

Will probably be a few weeks before I get my shipment, but I sort of randomly noticed that Charles Gerhardt had produced the Levine recording of the Mahler 1st Symphony. I'm somewhat curious about how the mix is, and noticed that Gerhardt had also produced Lynn Harrell's recording of the Dvorak Cello Concerto, accompanied by Levine and the LSO. The quad would be another good title for a reissue: https://www.discogs.com/Lynn-Harrel...tra-Dvořák-Concerto-For-Cello/release/5710024

Based on the two BD~A 4.0 Charles Gerhardt classic film score releases* I have from HDTT [mastered from 7 1/2 ips Dolby b encoded QUAD Open Reels], the mixes are wildly [but tastefully] discrete and the sonics are splendid.....somewhat akin to the Thomas Mowrey approach to surround mixing for classical recordings.

*Citizen Kane and the film scores of Franz Waxman [RCA Red Seal]