Don Satz wrote:

>I used to have a very difficult time enjoying historical recordings
>with their assortment of fade-outs, interference, lack of clarity,
>etc.  In fact, I got to the point where I was hardly buying any of
>them.  Then, all of a sudden, I was able to easily tolerate fairly
>poor sound and concentrate on the performance
>
>My advice for those who have trouble with sound quality is to keep
>trying to resolve it.  Don't give up!  I almost did just that, and it
>would have been a poor decision.

I would like to second this.  I have listened to historic recordings
since I was a student when I discovered that many historic recordings
offered vastely superior artistry for a much lower price.  I didn't have
a good sound system then and couldn't afford the sort of system to take
proper advantage of quality recorded sound anyway.  I thnk you need to
carefully spend about 1800US$ on a system to really begin to do this in my
opinion.  Also do not forget that some carefully engineered mono recordings
such as those produced by Walter Legge can in their naturalness easily
outdo even the finest modern recordings.  In those days good recording was
about careful selection of acoutics environments, thoughtful microphone
placement and above all thoroughly professional knowledge of the score.
Today it is all about technological gimmickery.

I must add that the finer the system you have the more the qualities
inherent in some of those old productions shine through.  The most extreme
case was when I heard a system at my favourite hi-fi store where I have
become friendly with one of the salesmen, who fortunately is a great
classical music lover.  I put on the Furtwaengler 1942 Beethoven 9th on
a system which cost around 100 000$US (that's NOT a typo!) The hardware
was all high-end Krell gear and the speakers the top end from Dunlavy (not
the best classical speaker I should add).  Even the speaker cables cost
around 4000$US.  Despite all the hiss of the old pre-Dolby sound and the
distortion evident the rich acoustic of 'die alte Philharmonie' before it
was destroyed by bombing shines through.  The sense of bloom in the ancient
sound was astonishing.  The old mono sound came to life with a terrifying
immediacy that was nothing but earth-shattering.  Even the hardened
audiophile salesman in the record shop was transfixed in amazement
at Furtwaengler's wizardry.  He was equally bowlderised by the 1944
Furtwaengler Bruckner 9th, and even though an avowed Karajan fan he
immediately acknowledge Furtwaengler as the greater master of this score.

I once made a point of going to the exact spot in Berlin on Bernberger
Strasse when I was there:  the wall had been built almost exactly over
the old site where the old Philharmonic Hall once stood.  I stood there
imagining I could hear the resonance of the old days of Furtwaengler, and
Nikisch.  I firmly believe that as technology improves we will no longer
require such ultra-expensive gear to unearth the positive recording
qualities which lies hidden below so much surface noise.

Anyway here are some wonderful recordings of ye olde, which due to a
combination of beautifully balanced sound, imaginative microphone placement
(no doubt of beautiful old tube microphones which although less accurate
help create an illusion of sweetness) and supreme artistry which put many
a modern recording to shame:

1. Elizabeth Schwarzkopf/Edwin Fischer Schubert Lieder
(mono 1952; producer Walter Legge EMI)

2. Staatskapelle Berlin /Kempe Das Rheingold
(early stereo 1959 release by EMI 'Les Introuvable du Ring')

3. Tristan und Isolde/Furtwaengler
(mono1953 ; producer Walter Legge EMI)

4. Bartok Violin Concerto Nr. 2 Menuhin/Furtwaengler
(mono 1953 from EMI)

5. Tosca/de Sabata
 (mono 1953 producer Walter Legge)

6. Brahms Symphony Nr 1/Jochum Berliner Phil.
(Mono Deutsche Gramophon 1954)

7. Pablo Casals/Bach Cello Suites
(Mono EMI 1936-39!!!)

With recordings like these it can sometimes be a struggle listening to some
of the worst digital recordings - and that's just in terms of the recorded
sound!  I should lastly mention to those who are wondering that ALL of
these recordings were made years before I was born, so it has NOTHING to
do with nostalgic yearning for the 'good olds days'.  The first classical
recording I bought was a CD:  I speak as man of the digital age.

Satoshi Akima
Sydney
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