Naxos Historical

[George]

A must have for the Rachmaninov/ff fans...

I'm a fan of both. 

[RussellG]

Unfortunately, on my computer speakers they have that characteristic EMI historical sound; overfiltered high frequencies resulting in a muffled tone.   

I thought those samples didn't sound too bad.  There seems to be some hiss present, unless that's background noise from my cheapie soundcard (I can't play streaming audio through my proper gear).  He sounds wicked in the Tchaikovsky 

[RussellG]

This set is on sale at MDT for $25.14 for 2 more days ...

Good old MDT.  I'm noticing a number of sets available on MDT that appear to be OOP in the US.

[George]

I thought those samples didn't sound too bad.  There seems to be some hiss present, unless that's background noise from my cheapie soundcard (I can't play streaming audio through my proper gear).  He sounds wicked in the Tchaikovsky 

Sure there's some hiss. If this were a 1970s recording, I'd say that there's an appropriate amount of hiss. Compare it to this one to see what I mean.

[RussellG]

Sure there's some hiss. If this were a 1970s recording, I'd say that there's an appropriate amount of hiss. Compare it to this one to see what I mean.

Oh yeah, it's not much hiss for pre-1950.

[George]

That Naxos I linked to achieves a nice balance between tone and noise IMO.

[Coopmv]

Good old MDT.  I'm noticing a number of sets available on MDT that appear to be OOP in the US.

I have noticed the same.  MDT must have some inside track the American e-tailers do not have ...

[Jo498]

jpc has a lot (most?) of Naxos historical for EUR 4.99, 7.99 (doubles) and 11.99 to celebrate 30 years of Naxos.
Any special recommendations?
I am thinking about completing the Schnabel Beethoven sonatas (have about 4 vols.) but I am not as enthusiastic about historical recordings (especially if the sound really historical) as I used to be sometimes in the past.

[Brian]

If you like Elgar, one of the Elgar Conducts Elgar discs (which reveal the composer to have a far different idea of his music than most modern conductors) has a bonus track containing part of the Cockaigne Overture recorded in "accidental stereo" (two microphones recording to separate equipment) with a booklet story about the mistake. EDIT: These definitely do sound very "historical" though.

The Talich Dvorak Symphony No. 6 is superb, my favorite reading of the slow movement of that symphony.

Naxos appears to have discontinued their Historical series. I don't see any since 2013.

[Jo498]

thanks!
I am afraid I am not a sufficiently ardent Elgar fan for this. I'll put the Dvorak on my list although for another 6th I've long been eyeing Ancerl's (early stereo?) on supraphon.

[George]

jpc has a lot (most?) of Naxos historical for EUR 4.99, 7.99 (doubles) and 11.99 to celebrate 30 years of Naxos.
Any special recommendations?
I am thinking about completing the Schnabel Beethoven sonatas (have about 4 vols.) but I am not as enthusiastic about historical recordings (especially if the sound really historical) as I used to be sometimes in the past.

Was going to suggest the Schnabel Beethoven. I's also suggest any of the Moiseiwitsch discs, the three early Gilels discs, the Friedman discs and the Lhevinne disc.

[George]

Naxos appears to have discontinued their Historical series. I don't see any since 2013.

Correct. It's upsetting.

[Brian]

the three early Gilels discs

Yes!

I'll put the Dvorak on my list although for another 6th I've long been eyeing Ancerl's (early stereo?) on supraphon.

True - both are excellent; I suppose it depends how many recordings of this symphony you really want/need. Talich interprets the adagio in a way quite special & different from anyone else, which is why I recommend it; you may also consider the couplings (the Talich disc has Josef Suk, the Ancerl has Dvorak overtures).

[George]

jpc has a lot (most?) of Naxos historical for EUR 4.99, 7.99 (doubles) and 11.99 to celebrate 30 years of Naxos.
Any special recommendations?
I am thinking about completing the Schnabel Beethoven sonatas (have about 4 vols.) but I am not as enthusiastic about historical recordings (especially if the sound really historical) as I used to be sometimes in the past.

One more thought that might be useful. I find solo or chamber historical recordings much easier to enjoy than orchestral. I imagine that recording an entire orchestra in the pre-tape days must have been a much bigger challenge.

[kishnevi]

I have three NHS recordings,  all of them Wagner operas, two of them Kna., two of them actually  studio recordings.  I think the sound, relative to the dates of the recordings, is excellent, although the non Kna.  recording (Tannhauser, in what was reputedly its first sort of complete recording) is more a historical curiousity and marred by some screechiness. )  If the performance interests you,  get them.  And remember that Ward Marston did many of the transfers/remasterings for NHS, and he always seemed to get good results.

[George]

I have three NHS recordings,  all of them Wagner operas, two of them Kna., two of them actually  studio recordings.  I think the sound, relative to the dates of the recordings, is excellent, although the non Kna.  recording (Tannhauser, in what was reputedly its first sort of complete recording) is more a historical curiousity and marred by some screechiness. )  If the performance interests you,  get them.  And remember that Ward Marston did many of the transfers/remasterings for NHS, and he always seemed to get good results.

Indeed! He is The Patriots of transfer engineers.

[Brian]

Indeed! He is The Patriots of transfer engineers.

Aw, I didn't realize he was evil.

[Jo498]

One more thought that might be useful. I find solo or chamber historical recordings much easier to enjoy than orchestral. I imagine that recording an entire orchestra in the pre-tape days must have been a much bigger challenge.

I agree. That's another reason I am not so keen on the Talich. Although there are recordings where one can forget the limitations.
I have the Rubinstein and most of the Heifetz already in the respective editions or single discs from RCA. I also have Casals' Bach suites and a bunch of operas: Tannhäuser, Busch's Don Giovanni, Walter's Fidelio.

FWIW it is not such a huge discount that I think they are all going to be discontinued.

The operas that are also available at their "original" labels, pose another question: Which one to get, if any... but as I do not listen to a lot of opera lately, I'll probably not get any.

There is a lot of enticing stuff. But it also goes against my resolution not to get many more additional recordings of standard rep already well covered in my collection.

[kishnevi]

I agree. That's another reason I am not so keen on the Talich. Although there are recordings where one can forget the limitations.
I have the Rubinstein and most of the Heifetz already in the respective editions or single discs from RCA. I also have Casals' Bach suites and a bunch of operas: Tannhäuser, Busch's Don Giovanni, Walter's Fidelio.

FWIW it is not such a huge discount that I think they are all going to be discontinued.

The operas that are also available at their "original" labels, pose another question: Which one to get, if any... but as I do not listen to a lot of opera lately, I'll probably not get any.

There is a lot of enticing stuff. But it also goes against my resolution not to get many more additional recordings of standard rep already well covered in my collection.

Of the three I have the only one that I would say is more than a historical document and deserves being heard on its own merits  the Knappertsbusch Bayreuth Parsifal. I think it is the equal of, or superior to, almost all the "modern" recordings I have heard (including his own later one on Philips).  So that would reduce to the question, how many Parsifal recordings you have and how satisfied you are with them.
ETA
[asin]B00007FKPY[/asin]

On Amazon US Marketplace it's fairly cheap, about $15.00 plus shipping.

[Jo498]

Thanks everybody! I got some recommendations in the Moiseiwitsch thread, too, and will probably start with his Chopin Preludes/Ballades disc as these are among my favorite pieces.

Other things I might be interested in:

Casals except for Bach and Beethoven, but there seems to be a lot of "encore"/"bonbons"

Kreisler

Cortot