René-Charles "Zino" Francescatti

Over the past few years I’ve been digging through thift store record bins and slowly cobbling together a library of classical music. It’s been a great, rewarding (not to mention cost-efficient!) journey. Taking a risk on some music I’ve never heard is a low-cost risk with this approach. I have to admit I’m really enjoying most of what I’m hearing – some records / pieces /  performances are better than others, but overall I’d say I’m addicted.

Most of the LPs I’ve come across are in good enough shape to be enjoyable – some more mint than others – not too many hopeless cases. I’m looking forward to sharing more impressions about record pressings, labels, recording techniques – anything that may be useful for anyone else messing around with this stuff. Here’s one example………….

My preferred turntable rig for classical LPs is a SONY Linear Tracking direct-drive model from the 1980s. For one thing – it can track even nearly-hopeless records (see the last entry on the New World Symphony….). More importantly I found last year that the cartridge /stylus I’d been using on this turntable makes old mono classical records sound real smooth – a P-mount Grado “Red” model. Here it is in action…………..

The platter slides out of a case that is designed so that you can stack other components on top – CD players, etc…..I’ve had my ups and downs with this turntable, but it’s been working great for the last few years. Mono classical records come to life with this rig. Stereo albums shine as well. Here’s an example……..

Some of the better vinyl pressings I keep an eye out for in my travels come from the Columbia ODYESSY reissue label. This was Columbia’s way of repackaging older classical recordings – re-mastered and reissued with new cover art (well, new for the 70s!). Most of the recordings hail from the late 50s / early 60s and sound really great! The other day I bumped into another of these featuring a violin player I didn’t have much exposure to ….. Zino Francescatti. Side one featured the Violin Concerto of English composer Sir William Walton. Side two – Symphonie Espagnole by Spanish composer Edouard Lalo. Hadn’t heard either piece nor much anything else by these composers. This is the winning combination I tend to look for – plus the record was stone mint! My only hesitation was, ironically enough for someone getting into classical music, THE VIOLIN.

To tell the truth – I’d been listening here and there to different violinists – even some of the “big names” of the 20th Century, but I’ve come to realize that I’m either   A)  not a real violin guy      or     B)   I’m really picky when it comes to what I like in violin music. On the whole, violin can be a little on the screechy side for my tastes. Now, cello – I’ll listen to cello all day long! But violin – I dunno. Maybe I ought to check out some modern players – most of what I’m hearing comes from the records of the 20th Century-era artists. But I have come across some players that I really do like. So far I’d have to say there has to be a real command of intonation and, for lack of a better term – TONE. Chops are nice, but plenty of players have chops – I listen for soul over chops.

Just when I was ready to write myself off the violin list – along comes Zino! Now, Zino’s been gone since the early 90s (lived to 89 years old!). The music lives on though and I have to give a shout-out for this guy. Anyone who can get me to listen to 4 LP sides of violin concerto music in one night has got something special going on. Right at this moment I’m listening to the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D major from the mono Columbia LP pictured below and Zino’s just OWNING those high notes! Not shrill or screechy – when he goes for those high notes or difficult passages it sounds as natural as Hendrix with a Strat.

Not that this magnificent musician needs MY stamp of approval – heh! But I really get a kick out of making musical discoveries even if the whole rest of the world has known about it since before time immortal! Yet – that’s the whole reason for my outlet here: to celebrate sounds rarely heard anymore and find uplifting enjoyment from new sonic vistas (even if they’ve been around for awhile…). As the old year winds down and a new one is upon us – I look forward to more great discoveries down the road. For anyone who takes the time to read this stuff – thanks! And I hope your listening is as exciting as it’s been for me – KEEP SEEKING!!!  BRIGHT MOMENTS!!!!!

Dvořák - New World Symphony

Here's a 1953 recording of the New World Symphony conducted by Toscanini leading the inauspicious sounding NBC Symphony Orchestra. Of course, the record I bought at a Goodwill was the usual $1 - the record looks darn near mint, but I didn't notice at the store that it must have been subjected to some heat and less than ideal storage - there's a really bizarre warp on this thing. However, the trusty SONY linear-tracking PS - FL7 turntable is a champ at navigating the difficult terrain here - the stylus moves like a 4X4 through the Grand Canyon, but wow - to no major detriment to the music - go figure! Even with a little noise due to the compromised vinyl I have to say - GREAT PERFORMANCE! I love how a 1953 mono recording can deliver the goods - and Toscanini is pretty inspired here. This must have been considered the benchmark recording prior to the stereo era. As much as I like the classic Fritz Reiner / Chicago Symphony recording on RCA (in Living Stereo) - the Toscanini has an edge to it that's pretty remarkable.

My experience with Dvořák starts with Rahsaan Roland Kirk. The icon of multi-tasking saxophone playing did a cool thing on one of his albums where he played the melody to "Sentimental Journey" and the "Going Home" theme of Dvořák's New World Symphony at the same time! Classic Rahsaan right there. Anyway - on the record he gets into this rap about how black people say Dvořák was a black man, but the white people say he was a white man. Someone in the audience asks Rahsaan "What do YOU say?" His reply; "I don't GIVE a damn!" Heh heh.

I found that there has yet to be a Dvořák symphony I don't like. Rather than try to compete with the whole Beethoven / Wagner / Brahms / Bruckner / Mahler deal - Dvořák just lays down some beautiful themes and melodies in his symphonies and you can dig it. Now, being able to tell just which symphonies I mean is a little complicated since there was a general agreement to re-number his works somewhere along the line (who decides these things anyway?). So - the New World Symphony was once considered Symphony #5 - now it's like, #9 or something. Someday I'll have it straight.

I also have to give Dvořák a lot of credit for finally getting my ears to open up to some more string quartet music. I have a box set of his SQ's and darn if I don't like them all. I'm still working on getting up the courage to delve into those Bartok string quartets, but that's for another entry. My point is - if you're wondering if you could get into any kind of orchestral music, give Dvořák a try. I would have to say he must be one of the most accessible composers in the so-called "classical" realm. Personally, I just think he really understood the value that Charles Mingus later identified with music - if it stays with you long after the performance is over - mission accomplished (I am paraphrasing Mr. Mingus, of course but you get the drift).

Final assessment : Dvořák rocks. Dig it!

Medieval Music & Songs of The Troubadors

I have no idea how I wound up with this record. Seriously. I was listening to my Sea Shanties record today and this was filed next to it in on the record shelf. I imagine this only cost me the usual $1, but yet again - what a cool record for a buck! The music itself? Typical crumhorn, recorder, viol, tabor and nakers cacophony with lots of singing that sounds like primordial French - a glorious sound to drive teenagers screaming from the living room (take heed ye parents with youngsters lurking)!

But the real awesome discovery connected to this record was what I read on the back cover - "Produced by: Isabella Wallich". Looking at the Everest Record Company address listed at the bottom (a Los Angeles address) I wondered if Everest was at all connected to the famous Wallich's Record Store. Well, the address for Everest did not match where Wallich's was. Then I googled Isabella and came up with her obituary:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1314015/Isabella-Wallich.html

Wow! What an interesting life this woman led! And I reckon she figured the same since she wrote her autobiography:  http://www.amazon.com/Recording-My-Life-Isabella-Wallich/dp/1860743277

The first female record producer and record label owner. Her uncle was among the group of men to start EMI and Abbey Road studios. She was an early champion of Mahler and the guitarist John Williams. And, she produced the above record of Medieval music.

Of course, I am very interested in reading her book. Reviews are sure to follow! Bravo Isabella!

Brahms – Late Piano Music / Symphony #4

      I have to admit I know very little of Johannes Brahms’ biographical information. I have read that he was considered by some to be an heir apparent to Beethoven – something he had to “live down” during his own time. Indeed, one of the reasons given for his relatively small output of proper Symphonies (only four) was that he was constantly revising them and agonizing over their construction in case someone were to hold his work up to Beethoven’s. That’s a heck of a lot of pressure to have to deal with, but I would have to say Brahms did an admirable job of cutting his own path musically speaking.

    I must also admit I haven’t yet heard nearly as many Brahms compositions as I’d like, but enough to take a public stand to say – “I dig Brahms”. Although he lived and worked in the Romantic era of music, there’s a thoughtfulness to his work – some contemporaries apparently criticized him for being “too intellectual”. Brahms did not write cold music, however. Some composers I have to be in a certain mood for. But for me – it’s always time for Brahms! The two albums pictured here are among some of my favorites.

    The record of late piano music features the solo performances of Walter Gieseking – a performer I have come to admire through these and other recorded works (I know I have some Beethoven records of his). These recordings were issued in 1953 originally and I am guessing the sources used for my 2LP set may likely have been original 78’s (though by 1953 magnetic tape had been in use for quite some time – were the original reels preserved? Maybe…). At any rate – this is a great collection of Brahms’ late piano pieces some of which really stretch the boundaries of the era in which they were composed. I am happy to note that the album I have must be a late70’s / early 80’s pressing on the Seraphim label (an offshoot of EMI’s classical imprint “Angel” records whose main purpose was to reissue older recordings at budget prices). By this time, Capitol’s pressings were much nicer than the 60’s and early 70’s deals which tend to be sketchy at best and miserable at the worst. This one is quite nice indeed!

    Bruno Walter’s rendering of Brahms’ 4th Symphony (here on a mono Columbia six-eye pressing) is what really got me listening to more Brahms this year. I’m not sure what year this recording came out, but I know there’s a stereo version of this same performance so I’m figuring late-1950’s. Even though my copy is mono – wow does this record sound great! Frequency response is fab – plenty of nice detail in the highs and lows where needed. And this adds to an enjoyable performance. Since getting into this symphony so much I’ve added other 4ths to my collection – Karajan, Dorati, Munch – but none of them hit the mark of this Bruno Walter reading. That’s the fun thing with this hobby – finding alternate versions / performances of a favorite piece can be easy and mainly inexpensive. Since getting into Brahms’ symphonies I’ve racked up several 1sts, about as many 2nds though only two 3rds so far. Although the piece itself is the same, so many other variables can come into play to create a unique listening experience – conductors, symphony orchestras, recording techniques, the cutting & pressing of the records themselves – all kinds of weird stuff can alter the overall experience.

    Now, I’m sure there are probably some wonderful modern recordings of these pieces. And I know at some point I ought to seek out some of the latest offerings from modern orchestras and conductors. But getting one’s feet wet with such a vast genre as “classical” represents can be done easily and cheaply – especially if you’re a vinyl record buff. Of course, the best way to get a deeper appreciation for any type of music is to hear it performed live – nothing beats that. I’ll certainly be on the lookout for any live Brahms performances near me!

                                             
                                              

Mozart?

Alright, let's put this out there right now - when I'm ill, under-the-weather, sicko -  I tend to shy away from more abrasive sounds. Nothing wrong with abrasive cacophony, but something about sinus pressure just doesn't make me reach for the Edgard Varese perse. Over the course of the past few years as I've been building up my classical record collection I will occasionally buy a Mozart record if it looks clean and/or interesting on some level. I try not to think about it too much - kinda like the Opera stuff - I know its a forest one could get lost in pretty easily so I just dart in and out once in awhile to visit (noting all the available exits to use when necessary). So it is with Mozart. The above record met a few criteria - clean copy (cover still in the shrink), french horn (I like french horn) and the featured artist, Barry Tuckwell, is rocking a Frank Zappa-styled 'stache and soul patch. Cool, man! The music is great, as it turns out. Recorded in 1972 at Abbey Road studios in England. I had such a bangin' headache, neck-ache, back-ache thing this morning - this is the only music that made sense to me. Rock on, Barry.

The record below, also Mozart, features Concertos for Flute and Harp. Much the same as Barry's horn concertos this music is orderly, tonally up-beat and darnit! It's the Age of Reason all over again, folks. Mozart's world is an orderly and purposeful place (well, at least in the world of his music - his real life was a total mess, of course - a lot like REAL LIFE, right?). Mahler dug Mozart. That's a pretty big recommendation right there. I can recommend this record. It has no right to sound as good as it does. The label says "Telefunken", but the LP was pressed in the US. Telefunken LPs manufactured in Europe were usually pressed by Decca - I can't tell if US Decca pressed this LP. I almost doubt it since it actually sounds good. No real match for a nice European pressing, but still enjoyable. My copy is mono though the jacket indicates that a stereo version was indeed available. I can heartily advocate mono classical records. They have a charm all their own - often revealing a balanced sound that can be appreciated no matter where you happen to be in your house. No need to sit in the "sweet spot" for maximum effect. Remember folks - mono was THE STANDARD of the industry at one time. Anyway - here's a thumbs up for some Mozart.

Leontyne Price Sings Strauss

Opera, you say? Now, if I'm as challenged as I freely admit to being when it comes to classical music in general you can only imagine how clueless I am about opera. I can appreciate that it takes a lot of training and discipline to have that kind of control over the human voice which is impressive in itself. Yet, I think I would have to research story-lines and plots of operas before I could appreciate the art form as a whole. I did attend a production of La Boheme at Lincoln Center when I was in high school (class trip). Generally enjoyable - did it rock my socks? Not exactly. Doesn't help when lyrics are in a language I don't speak........from everything I've read (so far) it seems that opera was the more popular expression of art music in Europe from Mozart's time onward (even before Mozart, really). Makes sense considering there were no films to see, TV shows to watch, etc........opera was, essentially, all about the "show", the production of which music played an important, yet ultimately a secondary, role.

Of course, I could be totally off my rocker when it comes to this analysis, because I am essentially clueless. So what possessed me to actually spend money on a few opera records? Well, aside from the cheapnis factor I figured it would be interesting to stretch my ears a little and see if I didn't totally hate this kind of music. And, as it happens - I don't totally hate this kind of music. Do I understand it? Heck no, but that isn't the point. I actually picked up one of those Living Stereo sacds of Leontyne Price (the famous Blue Album) on a recommendation a few years ago and did some research on Ms. Price - she's quite a fascinating person! (I'll let you google her on your own - well worth the effort to check out her story.) The sacd is still a work in progress for me, but I picked this LP up for $1 and just pulled it from the stacks on a whim last night.

Wow! Now, I'm not the biggest fan of Richard Strauss either, but side one of this record (the Four Last Songs) really turned my ears around. Beautiful music here! There was no work involved in finding enjoyment from these pieces. The second side had a bit more dramatic vocalizing, but for me side one really makes it. It helps that the record comes with a booklet of translations from the original German into English (jolly good!). I'll return to this LP a lot in the future I can tell. What else is so darned appealing about this stuff? The fact that it is so far removed from the reality of postmodern experience - the hustlebustle of modern life - phooey on that (at least for today....)!

I have a few other Leontyne Price records I need to spend time with. If they're anywhere near as inspirational as this one I'll be reporting back here. Bright Moments, y'all!

Schubert Piano Trio in B Flat

This recording of the Schubert Piano Trio in B Flat was made in 1965, according to the label. The performance, by the Suk Trio, was recorded in Europe (likely in Czechoslovakia) by the Supraphon label and was given release on the LP I have in 1974 by the Vanguard company. Vanguard had a much more popular reputation for issuing folk, jazz and blues records in the US, but they did have an impressive Classical catalog as well. Supraphon was a Czech company and outsourced a good deal of their recordings to US labels over the years (I have some Supraphon recordings issued by Atlantic Records in the US as well). As such, the recording quality is very good and the pressing was done, as with all Vanguard records of this era, by Columbia/CBS in the US.

I like Piano Trio music. I think the combination of Violin, Cello and Piano really lends itself to some interesting textures and interplay. Was this considered "Chamber Music"? Maybe - whatever its called  it works for me. Schubert is more known for his "songs" - lieder. I have some of that - still working on a proper appreciation of that genre, but this music is instantly enjoyable. I first read the name of Schubert on the back of the UK edition of the Beatles Yellow Submarine album. There was a lengthy article printed there which compared the songwriting team of Lennon and McCartney to Schubert in terms of output. I was about 7 years old and I had no idea who this Schubert guy was.

While still in grade school, I chose Schubert as a subject to do a small book report on (they had one of those kid-designed Schubert biographies in the library). Somehow, the bio failed to inspire much interest in seeking out Schubert's music at that age (a signal that I was at least halfway "normal" I suppose). But I do remember being surprised to learn of Schubert's short life considering his output - that made an impression. These days, I still don't have much Schubert in my collection, but this record is a good step in the direction of changing that. The overall mood of this music is almost excessively optimistic - almost. Not saccharine, thankfully, but certainly cheerful. Which, at the right times, is most certainly welcome.

So, anyway -the trio is led here by Czech violinist Josef Suk who, as the liner notes relate, is the great-grandson of Dvorak. And, from what I can hear, grandpa would be proud. Good stuff if you like cheerful Piano Trio music - and why not? There's no shortage to downer musical vibes out in the so-called "real world" - has uplifting music become a quaintly outmoded concept? Don't get me wrong - I'm still trying to dig deeper into the Schubert catalog myself, but I will recommend this disc. Especially if you can get it for what I paid for it - that's right - $1!

Tokyo String Quartet

String Quartets from Debussy (G Minor) and Ravel (F Major). This Columbia Masterworks release from 1979 is in pretty nice shape. The sound is excellent and the performance is striking - the quartet sounds more like one instrument than four separate instruments. I reckon that last observation reveals just how little exposure to string quartet music I can claim to have had over the years. As it happens, it's been a bit of a struggle for me to find greater appreciation for string quartet music so far. I honestly thought I would enjoy it more than I do, but this record is an exception. The pieces are very reflective of the tonalities associated with the more popular works from these composers so it feels like familiar territory which, at least for me, is a plus.
As I pointed out in my initial post, I consider myself highly unqualified to evaluate this music on any serious level, but this record proves to me that once in a while it can be rewarding to listen beyond the comfort zone to explore new sounds. I have no idea how many other records the Tokyo String Quartet put out, but I would buy them - especially at the deep discount price I paid for this ----- $1! Happy listening!

La Mer - Debussy

The record pictured above shows typically garish sleeve art from RCA’s Victrola reissue series of the early 1970s. Maybe the execs at RCA thought the new art looked psychedelic or something. The music on the disc was recorded in 1956 by the Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Munch. I recently picked this LP up to solve a minor mystery I’ve had going for a few years now, but the composition the LP was titled after has been a longstanding favorite, at least since my high school music appreciation class turned me onto it:  La Mer by Claude Debussy.

In high school I took an AP Music History course that exposed me to all sorts of music following the chronological development of Western Music from at least Gregorian Chant to the 20th Century. It was great to hear how music became more complex over time, but the big change for me was getting to the so-called “Impressionist” composers – particularly Debussy. It was like – widescreen technicolor in sound (pretty psychedelic, actually)!

So, I ran out and grabbed a CD copy of La Mer conducted by Pierre Boulez (from the brown-sleeve Great Performances series – you know those things!). I was happy to see La Mer being conducted by Boulez – a name I recognized as having connections to Frank Zappa. There was another connection to Zappa on that CD, but I’ll bypass that story for now. Anyway, aside from some Edgard Varese and Conlon Nancarrow (also Zappa-recommended stuff) – this was the only classical music disc in my collection for years. I listened to it enough times to know the piece well enough and it is in fact a great performance (excuse the pun).

Mucho years later – I got roped into the SACD craze. Super Audio CDs had the advantage of offering higher resolution sound plus occasional multi-channel possibilities (surround sound when available). I had been dreaming about hearing music in discrete surround for years – so I got into it, bought some rock and jazz titles – then, slowly…..the industry stopped making the damn things. Except for – classical. Hmmm.

A whole series of RCA Living Stereo sacds had been produced – quite a few of which featured three-channel mixes (three track tape being the standard when recording for stereo discs in those days). Folks were raving about them on online forums – and, best of all – they were cheap (relatively) and still in print. Among the first of my purchases of this series – a disc including La Mer conducted by Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony in 1956. Cool!

Except when I played the disc – something about the sound of that performance alone (there were others on the disc) really put me off. It sounded like something had gone awry during the tape transfer/mastering process – on that piece alone it was like someone shoved pillows in front of my speakers – BLAST! I complained about it on an online forum – nobody paid much mind to my observation, but I was certain something was not right.

Listening to the LP of the same performance – although there are some laid-back characteristics about the recording in general, the $2 LP wipes the floor with the sacd in terms of dynamic sound quality. And I can finally hear another quality performance of this great piece of music in its intended fidelity. La Mer is “The Ocean” in French. Debussy was French. It’s colorful, dramatic music, but not sentimental. Mysterious, but not syrupy. Still one of my favorite pieces of music period and I can HIGHLY recommend this LP, even with the nasty 70s reissue cover. My vinyl copy is not perfect, but the sound is surprisingly dynamic for a RCA dynaflex – maybe the original shaded dog label from the 50s beats it? Who knows? But my $2 vinyl LP kicks the sacd’s butt up and down the Parisian Thoroughfare indeed.

The Final Word:  La Mer by Munch on RCA vinyl rocks! Dig it!

Welcome Wagon

Greetings and welcome! This blog is an off-shoot of my other music blog “Catch a Groove” which is more of a catch-all for anything music-related – from any genre or perspective. I posted a few items relating to classical music there, but this space will give vent to a more specialized area of research – thrift store vinyl classical record reviews. I know – just what the world needs, right? As if my lopsided opinions about music in general were not fascinating enough – how about reviews of musty old classical records? Especially considering that the author (me) is, how shall I put this, GROSSLY ill-qualified to write with any level of legitimate authority on such a topic – at least from a “trained” musical perspective. I’m a lot closer to Joe Sixpack than (the great music critic) Harold Schonberg.

    Yet this is also a celebration of something Joe Sixpack (as the official representative of the average middle class humanoid of the 20th century) was a key participant in – namely the emergence and flowering of vinyl record culture of the modern age. Classical records had a marketing slant to them just the same as jazz or popular records did along with advertising gimmicks, heroes and villains alike. And, believe me, the classical world is just as populated with freaks and weirdos as the LA Punk scene of the 1970s.

    The name of this blog comes from a composition by 20th Century composer Edgard Varese. His music was so weird it inspired Frank Zappa to become a composer/musician. Which is one connection to the so-called “classical” or serious music world I made as a young lad back in the happy 1980s. When everyone else was listening to WHAM! I was busy scraping noises out of avant-garde 20th Century composers records. Not to say that I was at all “cool” – cluelessly geeked-out is more appropriate (as I remain, proudly, to this very day!). But enough about me – are you ready, dear reader, to begin our journey into oblivion? I thought so………………….