Zero Distortion: Tango Time

[Tango]

Here is another heart grabbing cello. The Elgar Cello Concerto. I am presenting three different records. Two by DuPre. One by Paul Tortellier. I find the two cellist play best Elgar cello. Rostropovic once said this Elgar piece is for the young passionate cellist to dig deep into this music of first love. He then never played Elgar again on any recording. Interesting thing about classical performance, even with the same musician the level of performance could be heard so differently from different plays. I think this Elgar is best with DuPre/ Barenboim a live recording. They together played it so emotionally and heartedly. Dupre/ Barbirolli sound formal with such majestic crescendo from LSO. The cello is less spotlighted and sinked into the orchestra more than one with Barenboim. Tortelier/B.B.C. Orchestra is only male cellist I found played this piece not so far away from DuPre in term of performance. All three records have a lot of surface noises. Pity. This is the only shortfall of old vinyls. Otherwise I find them the best sounding medium.

 

[Audiophile Bill]

Hi Tang,

Keep looking for the first Du Pre - it isn’t too difficult to get that in NM condition. If you really want very quiet, ERC did one of these I believe.
The 2nd Du Pre might be slightly trickier though but should still be possible.

Do you know the Haydn cello concertos? I like the Rostropovich EMI - not expensive and can be found NM easily.

 

[bonzo75]

Hi Tang,

Keep looking for the first Du Pre - it isn’t too difficult to get that in NM condition. If you really want very quiet, ERC did one of these I believe.
The 2nd Du Pre might be slightly trickier though but should still be possible.

Do you know the Haydn cello concertos? I like the Rostropovich EMI - not expensive and can be found NM easily.

He has a press from the general. The ERC is not good at all compared to first or second press of the Barbirolli

 

[Audiophile Bill]

He has a press from the general. The ERC is not good at all compared to first or second press of the Barbirolli

He should be able to get first press easily enough per my post. The ERC comment was about absent surface noise.

 

[bonzo75]

He should be able to get first press easily enough per my post. The ERC comment was about absent surface noise.

I think he might have the first. Until he shows the LP tough to say

 

[Audiophile Bill]

I think he might have the first. Until he shows the LP tough to say

He hasn’t got a quiet one though. That is the essence of my post.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Here is another heart grabbing cello. The Elgar Cello Concerto. I am presenting three different records. Two by DuPre. One by Paul Tortellier. I find the two cellist play best Elgar cello. Rostropovic once said this Elgar piece is for the young passionate cellist to dig deep into this music of first love. He then never played Elgar again on any recording. Interesting thing about classical performance, even with the same musician the level of performance could be heard so differently from different plays. I think this Elgar is best with DuPre/ Barenboim a live recording. They together played it so emotionally and heartedly. Dupre/ Barbirolli sound formal with such majestic crescendo from LSO. The cello is less spotlighted and sinked into the orchestra more than one with Barenboim. Tortelier/B.B.C. Orchestra is only male cellist I found played this piece not so far away from DuPre in term of performance. All three records have a lot of surface noises. Pity. This is the only shortfall of old vinyls. Otherwise I find them the best sounding medium.

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Thanks Tang, I had heard Paul Tortelier’s later recording with Sir Charles Groves which seems cooler than this early recording with Sir Malcolm Sargent... but I liked this earlier performance... maybe you are right and a romantic Elgar Cello Concerto is a young players sport. I have always had a sentimental attraction to The Jaqueline Du Pre Barbirolli pairing as it was among my very first Elgar experiences and it offered a kind of great British grace and the pairing with the Sea Pictures absolutely filled out my completely romantic and youthful experience of Elgar. Then came the Enigma.

Absolute bonus was that when my mother visited Dame Janet’s haunting Sea Pictures was one of the few things that ever brought a complete pause to all conversation bless Dane Janet forever wherever her corals lie.

I also at times quite liked Steven Isserlis’s Elgar but I constantly have mostly returned to Jaqueline Du Pre for this beautiful cello music.

Also while I have zero clue in terms of the current vinyl pressing I also very much like Sol Garbetta’s Elgar Concerto which also then aligns fairly well with Rostropovich’s idea of this cello concerto being very much essentially for the young and romantic at heart. Elgar = great uplifting joy

 

[Tango]

I think he might have the first. Until he shows the LP tough to say

Yes the General sent me this one. I don't know if it is first press or not. But there is a lot of surface noise on this one as I told you I was not impressed quite a while ago. I did not ask the General for exchange.

 

[bonzo75]

Yes the General sent me this one. I don't know if it is first press or not. But there is a lot of surface noise on this one as I told you I was not impressed quite a while ago. I did not ask the General for exchange.

Then you should.

 

[zerostargeneral]

Send it back.

I also have a Milstein Italian sonatas and a Giaconda de Vito Brahms for you.

That Du pre Elgar was my best condition ED1 I had,I would love to have it here as that amount of noise is minor compared to most others I have encountered.

The natural tone of the ED1 is the best by far,

Du pre minters are uber rare,as most was played on sketchy equipment.

Kindest regards,G.

 

[zerostargeneral]

Her rendition with Barbirolli is breath taking tonal inflection on an amazingly emotional level.

Du Pre never over eggs the rubato.

Kindest regards,G.

 

[Tango]

Send it back.

I also have a Milstein Italian sonatas and a Giaconda de Vito Brahms for you.

That Du pre Elgar was my best condition ED1 I had,I would love to have it here as that amount of noise is minor compared to most others I have encountered.

The natural tone of the ED1 is the best by far,

Du pre minters are uber rare,as most was played on sketchy equipment.

Kindest regards,G.

I haven't sent it back and I am not going to send it back G.

I am looking forward to the Milstein and de Vito though. Pls send me some more plastic sleeves too .

Kindest regards,
Tang

 

[zerostargeneral]

Gutted,LOL,

Will do.

Kindest regards,G.

 

[Tango]

Thanks Tang, I had heard Paul Tortelier’s later recording with Sir Charles Groves which seems cooler than this early recording with Sir Malcolm Sargent... but I liked this earlier performance... maybe you are right and a romantic Elgar Cello Concerto is a young players sport. I have always had a sentimental attraction to The Jaqueline Du Pre Barbirolli pairing as it was among my very first Elgar experiences and it offered a kind of great British grace and the pairing with the Sea Pictures absolutely filled out my completely romantic and youthful experience of Elgar. Then came the Enigma.

Absolute bonus was that when my mother visited Dame Janet’s haunting Sea Pictures was one of the few things that ever brought a complete pause to all conversation bless Dane Janet forever wherever her corals lie.

I also at times quite liked Steven Isserlis’s Elgar but I constantly have mostly returned to Jaqueline Du Pre for this beautiful cello music.

Also while I have zero clue in terms of the current vinyl pressing I also very much like Sol Garbetta’s Elgar Concerto which also then aligns fairly well with Rostropovich’s idea of this cello concerto being very much essentially for the young and romantic at heart. Elgar = great uplifting joy

There is also another rendition from Tortelier but with Adrian Boult London Philharmonic Orchestra that sounds quite different from others. I bought it but haven't received it yet. It sounds waltzy, less sad and even playful on some part. I will post it next to the one I just did if the record is not so intolerable.

Kind regards,
Tang

 

[jeff1225]

Send it back.

I also have a Milstein Italian sonatas and a Giaconda de Vito Brahms for you.

That Du pre Elgar was my best condition ED1 I had,I would love to have it here as that amount of noise is minor compared to most others I have encountered.

The natural tone of the ED1 is the best by far,

Du pre minters are uber rare,as most was played on sketchy equipment.

Kindest regards,G.

This is a response of a real record collector.....lol

 

[Tango]

This is another Elgar Cello Concerto album by Paul Tortelier but with Sir Adrian Boult/London Philharmonic Orchestra instead. ASD 2909. Not expensive.



It is a very good album musically and sonically. Not a one side wonder kind of album. On the second side of this album there is Introduction and Allegro for Strings with a solo quartet. It is the orchestral work in this album that I think very very good. I am starting to enjoy more and more orchestra other than chambers that I am deeply into. May be next year I will be listening big symphony..hehe. Anyway I decided to record the second side instead. The sound has very good portray of orchestral scene. The music just flows so well. Excellent depth and hall ambient. The dynamic range still cannot match that of the DuPre/Barbirolli album that the General was talking about. Natural sound. You can read the description of the second side down below.



The video is a little long. The music keeps getting better after first few minutes.

 

[tima]

Very nice, Tang. I just ordered a copy. Small correction, it's ASD 2906.

Happy to learn you're branching out to orchestral. I predict less than a year to symphonic. It's not uncommon for major composers to create such smaller pieces as the Serenade for Strings. And often they are as delightful as their major works, better known. Sometimes we only learn of these through the 'fillers' to larger works. Staying in the British tradition, one such composer that comes to mind is Gustav Holst on the Lyrita label.

What did you think of the Kagan/Richter/Mozart set I saw on your desk?


(btw, ASD 2909 will get you a nice Barbirolli/Mahler 6th LP)

 

[Tango]

What did you think of the Kagan/Richter/Mozart set I saw on your desk?

Thanks to you I got another great piece of Mozart violin/piano. My pressing is a French La Voix De Son Maitre which is different from yours. What surprises me is the sound of the venue. I would imagine it had a very tall open with hall reverb sound given seeing the picture of it. Instead the ambient is a bit dark and the air is a tad warm. The presence of the violin is very intimate like you are on the front roll there. But the grand piano somehow is less extended than the violin. I thought it was strange so I looked at the booklet that came with the album and found a picture of Richter's piano with the piano door 3/4 the way closed. I dont know if it was because of that. Mozart music is always joyful to me. Great album with a natural sound of its own.

Tang

 

[Folsom]

it's funny, you keep posting things I have on a want list that I will eventually get to all of

 

[Folsom]

My pressing is a French La Voix De Son Maitre which is different from yours.

Tang

That's probably a good thing given how much you hate noise. They're cleaner than UK versions, but a little less dynamic.