[Audio Redneck]

Howdy All! Family 'n Work have been extra busy lately, but I wanted to stop by & pass this along....

I had to stop by Wal Mart tonight and at the front of the store was a bin with CDs for $1.98. Along with all of the Air Supply

and other "stuff" were several CBS Great Perfomances cd's, which are better performances from the Columbia Masterworks series. Now, I can't vouch for the sound of the disk, BUT I can vouch for the performance for at least two of the titles:

*Smetana - The Moldau/The Bartered Bride Dances performed by Szell/CSO. I own this performance on vinyl (actually the same Great Performances series), and this is the best Moldau I have heard (I have 4 versions at last count).

*Bach - Goldberg Variations performed by Glen Gould. This is considered the performance from everything I've ever read about it. (FWIW a clean original vinyl release brings big bucks)

Click here to see some of the other covers of this series.

If you've considered those generic classical cd's for sampling music, these are ones to get, as the performers and the performances are anything but generic.

 

[DarkAngel]

These were part of the old CBS catalog which was later bought by Sony. Sony has their own budget priced series now where many of these performances can be found perhaps with different pairings and sometimes remastered.........they are more than $2 though.

As you can see the old CBS catalog was focussed on conductors:
-Bernstein
-Szell
-Ormandy
-Walter

Great way to get started in classical at $2 a CD can't go wrong and later as collection grows you can get best rated performances of favorite works.

 

[Masonjar]

I'd tap the BRUNO WALTER recording of Mahler's 1st with the Columbia Symphony.. it's one of the first classical albums I had and it totally got me hooked. Yes there are better sounding recordings, and better played versions too, but this one captures the spirit of Mahler like no other, except for maybe the Horenstein.

There are lots of excellent performances in this series. I might have to stop and check it out myself. I have probably a dozen or so of the "Great Performances" on vinyl. Lots of Bernstein.

-jar

 

[redshifter]

Quote:

Originally posted by Audio Redneck -snip- *Bach - Goldberg Variations performed by Glen Gould. This is considered the performance from everything I've ever read about it. (FWIW a clean original vinyl release brings big bucks) -snip-

really? which one? i have the original 1951 mono on vinyl and the 1981 stereo on vinyl, both in mint condition (opened, though).

 

[Arzela]

Quote:

I'd tap the BRUNO WALTER recording of Mahler's 1st with the Columbia Symphony..

This is great. Also, pick up the Walter/CSO Beethoven's 6'th Symphony.

 

[redshifter]

are these the great performances cd's from the 80's? or were they remastered? i have many, many of these bought in the 80's and for the most part they suffer from aluminum violin digital syndrome.

 

[Arzela]

The Walter recordings are
from the early 60's. They sound
spendid - lush, dynamic and well balanced; much
better in my opinion than
the types of 80's recordings you've
descibed in your "classical music sucks"
thread.

Another great set, both in terms
of performance and sound quality, is
Karajan's 70's Beethoven symphony cycle.
Solti's Ring from the 60's is great also
(I still think nothing has been recorded
better..um..except maybe for Gardiner's Archive
Bach and Montiverdi).

 

[redshifter]

Quote:

Originally posted by Arzela The Walter recordings are from the early 60's. They sound spendid - lush, dynamic and well balanced; much better in my opinion than the types of 80's recordings you've descibed in your "classical music sucks" thread. Another great set, both in terms of performance and sound quality, is Karajan's 70's Beethoven symphony cycle. Solti's Ring from the 60's is great also (I still think nothing has been recorded better..um..except maybe for Gardiner's Archive Bach and Montiverdi).

those walter recordings, ewre they remastered, or did you buy them when they came out in the 80's?

i also have the karajan dg set of his early 70's beethoven cycle. not bad, although at times it sounds a bit processed. i prefer these earlier performances to his more polished later recordings of the same music. karl bohm is still my favorite beethoven conductor.

 

[Arzela]

Quote:

those walter recordings, ewre they remastered, or did you buy them when they came out in the 80's?

Um, I don't know. I think they were
marked "AAD". I did buy them in the 80's.

Karajan also has a 60's Beethoven cycle.
Great performances, perhaps his best; but the recordings
a bit too restricted dynamically for me.

I have not listened to Bohm's Beethoven.
Do you think any particular recording
stands out?

 

[redshifter]

Quote:

Originally posted by Arzela Um, I don't know. I think they were marked "AAD". I did buy them in the 80's. Karajan also has a 60's Beethoven cycle. Great performances, perhaps his best; but the recordings a bit too restricted dynamically for me. I have not listened to Bohm's Beethoven. Do you think any particular recording stands out?

beethoven's 6th symphony, from i think 1972 or '71, with bohm and the vienna philharmonic is sublime, especially the first movement. much more introspective and detailed then karajan, imho.

 

[Audio Redneck]

Quote:

Originally posted by redshifter really? which one? i have the original 1951 mono on vinyl and the 1981 stereo on vinyl, both in mint condition (opened, though).

Red, was this in reguards to the performance or bringing big bucks? The original recording (I thought it was '55) of Glenn Gould is the answer to both.

Quote:

are these the great performances cd's from the 80's? or were they remastered? i have many, many of these bought in the 80's and for the most part they suffer from aluminum violin digital syndrome.

Yes, these are the late '80s early '90s reissuses and I don't think they are truely remastered. BUT for $2 they are still a bargin for trying new music. When I think of all the mediocre performances I paid $10+ for.....

 

[Dusty Chalk]

[size=xx-small]I didn't know they made aluminum violins...[/size]