SearchsearchUseruser

Schumann & Grieg: Piano Concertos - Lupu, Previn

Schumann & Grieg: Piano Concertos - Lupu, Previn

Universal (Japan)  UCGD-9508

Stereo Single Layer

Classical - Orchestral


Schumann & Grieg: Piano Concertos

Radu Lupu (piano)
London Symphony Orchestra
André Previn (conductor)

Support this site by purchasing from these vendors using the paid links below.
As an Amazon Associate HRAudio.net earns from qualifying purchases.

bol.com
CDJapan
jpc
 

Add to your wish list | library

 

1 of 1 recommend this, would you recommend it?  yes | no

All
show
Recording
show
hide
Analogue recording

Recorded in January 1973 (Grieg) and in May 1973 (Schumann) at Kingsway Hall, London, United Kingdom

Produced by Michael Woolcock (Grieg) and Christopher Raeburn (Schumann)

Recording engineers: Philip Wade (Grieg), Kenneth Wilkinson and John Dunkerley (Schumann)

Remastered in 2012 at DSD 64fs by Emil Berliner Studios, Berlin, Germany, using the original Decca analogue master tapes.
Comments (3)
show
hide

Comment by hiredfox - February 17, 2019 (1 of 3)

The original Vinyl LP was an outstanding success back in the seventies and you can find plenty of good condition copies even today at Discogs, e-Bay or in the UK at Oxfam record stores. I was too late for the first release of this SHM single layer SACD so snapped it up when the second chance came.

I loved the LP and still do but bewilderment and disappointment greeted my first playing of the new disc. Greater insight has alas revealed flaws in the performances of the soloists, the orchestra and the recording venue. To compound matters the disc that is ostensibly a DSD recording sounds to my ears far more like a PCM with the characteristic flaws of harsh upper strings, lack of air around instruments and narrower and fore-shortened sound stage front to back. Maybe they had to do a lot of editing of the original tapes to get a more balanced modern sound and believable acoustic? Who knows but the result displeased me and makes this a very dubious "buy".

Recording is listed as being by Classic Sound not sure if it is our modern day friends with an 's' but the results fall far sort of what I had come to expect from Universal in this series of SHM, single layer SACD releases. Not recommended.

Comment by Euell Neverno - February 21, 2019 (2 of 3)

Per Hired Fox' observations: A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The old analogue tapes are limiting, both as to frequency response and distortion, not to mention the degradation of magnetic media over time. May well have sounded better on 33 rpm disk, as it is limited as well. And, flawed recording technique can become more obvious the higher the resolution of the recorded medium. There may well be exceptions, but I have never come across one of these analogue retreads that, from the technical recording standpoint, sounds as good as today's better modern digital recordings. Not to say that there aren't a number of really exemplary performances in yesterday's library.

Comment by hiredfox - February 28, 2019 (3 of 3)

Just heard of the sad passing of Andre Previn at the age of 89 at the weekend. A fantastic musician for whom classical music was his whole life. We here in the UK will best remember him for his many wonderful years of leading the LSO in the 1970's, a golden era for the Orchestra with a string of superb recording performances and an outreach programme to young audiences far ahead of its time. It is fitting for me that this famous recording was recently added to our collection in SACD guise. It is one that we have cherished as a vinyl LP.

RIP