[78-L] Columbia US classical

[samhopper at mail.com]

I still stand by what I said earlier - there are countless recordings made by columbia on 78 that are very well recorded. 


Here are a few more examples and some food for thought...


Set M-136 - Time Magazine, 1930: "An excellent recording"
Set M-314 - “...Technically and artistically these are records of which Columbia may well be proud, an album set that will honor any collection...” Gramophone Supplement 
Set M-319 - “...luscious, richly recorded version...” Gramophone Supplement 1938
Set M-330 - “...matchless recording...” Gramophone Supplement 1938
Set M-338 -  “…vitality and fullness of the sound...”
Set M-336 - “…remarkably full-sounding recording...”
Set M-372 - “...Crystal clear recording and beautifully clean playing make this set one of the most rewarding in the Columbia catalogue...” Gramophone Supplement 1944
Set M-400 - “...The recording is beyond reproach...” Gramophone Supplement 1944
Set M-429 - “...The recording is breathtaking in its clarity and realism, and the performance is without equal...” Gramophone Supplement 1945
Set M-448 - “…Very good reproduction of the instrumental sound...”
Set M-467 - “...Though there are deficiencies in the performance of this quartet, notably a too-sensuous tone, the recording is remarkable for its clarity and balance...” Gramophone Supplement 1945
Set M-496 - To the best of our recollection there has been no recording in recent years where two such fine artists play this sonata at the top of their form, nor do we believe there has been a recording in recent years which shows such technical excellence. We can assure the reader that this will be one of the most popular albums in his library.” April Records; April 1942
Set M-500 - “...extraordinarily brilliant job of recording… one of the major gamophonic achievements of a major Beethoven work...” Gramophone Supplement 1945
Set M-551 - “…The recording is resonant and clear, with an excellent balance being maintained between the piano and cello. The recording of a modern composition cannot be praised too highly...”
Set M-562 - “...The recording is bright and open, and the singers voices emerge with clarity and realism...” Gramophone Supplement 1945
Set M-657 - “… Zigeunerweisen is vibrantly and brilliantly recorded...” 
Set M-326 - “...The recording is beyond reproach. In fact, it is one of the best piano recordings in the entire Columbia catalogue...”



And the list goes on... and on... and on. I got tired writing!
Rock on Columbia!


SAM





-----Original Message-----
From: DAVID BURNHAM <burnhamd at rogers.com>
To: 78-L at 78online.com
Sent: Thu, Jan 28, 2010 5:04 pm
Subject: [78-L] Columbia US classical


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This quote is from 1950 and he's talking about "The sound of Columbia's domestic orchestral recording today...".  By then, one would assume that magnetic tape was being used for master recordings.Commenting on the 1st Symphony in 1947, David Hall said: "Artur Rodzinski's recorded performance of the brash and youthful symphony is one of astounding brilliance; and the reproduction, THOUGH HARSH AT TIMES, is realistic in the extreme."I have this recording but don't recall ever listening to it, (like Mr. Barr, I pick up any classical album if I don't already have it).Hall makes no comment about the sound of the 5th Symphony, only comparing the Stokowski and Rodzinski readings.In his introduction to the 1947 Record Book, however, he has this to say about Columbia's recordings of Mitropoulos:".....Dimitri Mitropoulos, is one of those who have suffered scandalously at the hands of the recorders.  Still in the prime of life, Mitropoulos' brilliance as conductor, pianist and all-around musician is such that he could well become the Toscanini of his generation.  Yet of the very considerable catalog of recordings made for the Columbia label in Minneapolis, only one comes anywhere near doing justice to his work, namely the Mahler First symphony.  The others, almost without exception are marred by faulty instrumental balance, lack of room resonance, or both.  ........  we have heard too many superb concert hall performances by this artist to have any other conviction but that most of his Columbia discs are a gross misrepresentation."As a child, the only recording I heard of the 5th symphony, (which I loved, even as a five year old), was the Rodzinski.  I can well remember the thrill of hearing another recording of it in the 50s, (another Columbia by Mitropoulos and NYPO).  I don't know when this was recorded but it's on their "5th anniversary" series so I assume it was in 1953.  This was also about the time that I started to notice the sound quality as well as the music.  By the '50s, Columbia, (IMO), had gotten their act together and were making fine recordings in Philadelphia and New York and elsewhere.  The sound of Bruno Walter's Beethoven and Brahms cycles with the NYPO are outstanding.db_______________________________________________78-L mailing list78-L at klickitat.78online.comhttp://klickitat.78online.com/mailman/listinfo/78-l