Disparity between two copies of Holst's Mars

[jet_dee]

I've been having a strange internal argument over this one:

I own two albums with Mars (the planets) by Holst on them, and to me one not only sounds faster (without actually being longer, more than 20-30 seconds at least) but also sounds worse!

To simplify matters:

Mars 1 from an Exciting Classics album by EMI sounds reasonable pace and also perfect instrumentally.

Mars 2 from Double Decca (holst & john williams star wars + cotk album) sounds too fast paced and also the instruments sound "compressed", e.g. the horns sound like a fart noise you'd expect from poor quality speakers.

Would anyone mind comparing to the two to reassure me that I'm not crazy? If you don't have them, PM me. Even samples of music are probably illegal today but we can work something out

 

[Factor]

yousendit.com

Throw 'em up. If the problems are as dramatic as you say, 192k MP3 will be more than enough to hear the difference.

 

[PSmith08]

Not to put too fine a point on it, but recording venues, engineering, and different conductors can produce wildly different recordings, while being similar on paper. For example, the Berlin Philharmonie has a very boomy and flat acoustic, while Manhattan Center has a considerably tighter and clearer sound to it. The same piece recorded at both venues under identical circumstances will sound different.

Your Double Decca is probably the Zubin Mehta LAPO recording. That one suffered from weird, weird spot-miking and mastering. It's available as a thirty dollar XRCD, too. I don't know which EMI release you have.

Frankly, I prefer the Susskind MFSL Planets release for being just really good, and the Von Karajan release for being bombastic and imperious.

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Funny you should mention the Mehta - one of the most variable recordings ever. In its vinyl incarantion and various audiophile reissues it sounds incredible; even the multi-miking seems to work and the result is a totally unique reading. On some issues, however, the mastering (as you indicated) completely destroys the sound by compressing and generally mucking with it.

I have the Speaker's Corner vinyl, and it's probably the very best Planets I have. Go figure.

P.S. Listening to the Norns on Solti Gotterdammerung @ the moment. Sublime!

 

[jet_dee]

EMI Unforgettable Classics -
http://s49.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3...D0IC7UNSLGFEDI

Double Decca Mehta -
http://s34.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3...43BQ1ZQFUI0ZNS

 

[Factor]

The faster version sucks. Too fast, not much dynamic range. The longer version is better but not to the point where I want to buy it.