I am going to play all my RCA Living Stereo LPs...
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vinyl1
Super Member
Moving right along....
...here is LSC-2084, more goodies from Arthur Fiedler:
This LP used to be highly regarded, but is kind of forgotten nowadays. The recording is very good to excellent, and the Boston Pops, which is the Boston Symphony when Fiedler is not conducting, is in fine form. The Rossini/Resphigi is right up Fielder's alley, while the Ibert is a more difficult piece than he usually programs.
...here is LSC-2084, more goodies from Arthur Fiedler:
This LP used to be highly regarded, but is kind of forgotten nowadays. The recording is very good to excellent, and the Boston Pops, which is the Boston Symphony when Fiedler is not conducting, is in fine form. The Rossini/Resphigi is right up Fielder's alley, while the Ibert is a more difficult piece than he usually programs.
vinyl1
Super Member
We now come to an LP that should have been one of the great ones...
...but was not, for reasons I will explain. Here is LSC-2085:
This is a Decca recording of Monteux conducting the Stravinsky Rite of Spring - the same conductor who conducted the premiere in 1913. The sound is quite good, with nice low-level resolution of the inner instrumental lines, and realistic tone colors.
The problem, as Culshaw explains in his book, is that principals of the Paris Conservatory Orchestra would not show up for recording sessions unless you paid them bribes. Clearly, no bribes were paid for this recording, for this is is an orchestra of student substitutes. Monteux does the best he can, and the slow passages are wonderfully conceived, but it is clear he cannot accelerate the tempos much past moderato, as the orchestra struggles to hit the notes, and he has to hold back on the dynamics as well. This leads to a most peculiar-sounding performance, and is obviously not what Monteux would have wanted. RCA would have done much better to turn him loose with the Chicago Symphony.
If you want to hear a great performance of this piece in excellent sound, get the Solti on Decca.
...but was not, for reasons I will explain. Here is LSC-2085:
This is a Decca recording of Monteux conducting the Stravinsky Rite of Spring - the same conductor who conducted the premiere in 1913. The sound is quite good, with nice low-level resolution of the inner instrumental lines, and realistic tone colors.
The problem, as Culshaw explains in his book, is that principals of the Paris Conservatory Orchestra would not show up for recording sessions unless you paid them bribes. Clearly, no bribes were paid for this recording, for this is is an orchestra of student substitutes. Monteux does the best he can, and the slow passages are wonderfully conceived, but it is clear he cannot accelerate the tempos much past moderato, as the orchestra struggles to hit the notes, and he has to hold back on the dynamics as well. This leads to a most peculiar-sounding performance, and is obviously not what Monteux would have wanted. RCA would have done much better to turn him loose with the Chicago Symphony.
If you want to hear a great performance of this piece in excellent sound, get the Solti on Decca.
guiller
Toscaninichus Australis
I would also add the Chailly/Cleveland Orchestra (Decca/London) and the Colin Davis/Concertgebouw Orchestra (Philips) recordings, which easily meet both conditions.
This Monteux recording is also very interesting and should belong to every serious lover of this piece (as Ansermet's one). The superb Monteux recorded perfomance of The Rite, IMHO, is the live BSO broadcast (late 50's or early 60's) issued by Music and Arts in the late 80' s. The studio recording of Monteux with the BSO is also a reference recording (early 50's, mono). Another superb live (broadcast) recording with the BSO is the one conducted by Leinsdorf in the mid 60' s. Dorati, Boulez, Bernstein and Markevitch recorded the Rite several times leaving great reference recordings (I prefer the earlier ones in all cases). Stravinsky' s own recordings should also be considered among the reference recordings, but for different reasons beyond musical performance (Stravinsly had technical limitations as a conductor, but being the creator of this masterpiece, his intentions are fascinating). Finally, Horenstein with an inferior orchestra showed us that "there are no bad orchestras, but bad conductors", leaving us one of the most interesting recordings of The Rite ever.
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vinyl1
Super Member
Every once in a while, you find an excellent performance...
...in an unexpected place. Here is LSC-2097, the Brahms First with Munch and the BSO:
Normally, if I was looking for a good performance, I would go to one of the Furtwangler performances, or if modern sound is wanted, maybe Karl Bohm or Karajan.
But this unheralded LP by Munch offers a very interesting performance in excellent sound. His tempo variations may not be as extreme as Furtwangler, but there is a lot of subtle stuff going on in the slow passages, and he gives the climaxes plenty of punch.
This used to be a rare and valuable record, but nowadays it's just hard to find. Not reissued by any audiophile label.....but maybe it should be!
...in an unexpected place. Here is LSC-2097, the Brahms First with Munch and the BSO:
Normally, if I was looking for a good performance, I would go to one of the Furtwangler performances, or if modern sound is wanted, maybe Karl Bohm or Karajan.
But this unheralded LP by Munch offers a very interesting performance in excellent sound. His tempo variations may not be as extreme as Furtwangler, but there is a lot of subtle stuff going on in the slow passages, and he gives the climaxes plenty of punch.
This used to be a rare and valuable record, but nowadays it's just hard to find. Not reissued by any audiophile label.....but maybe it should be!
vinyl1
Super Member
If you thought this thread died - you are wrong!
I am sorry for the delays. I blame health problems, bad weather, a heavy workload and indolence.
Moving right along, here is a truly great RCA:
This is one of the more serious of the Fiedler series, containing the Coq D'or Suite, the William Tell Overture, and the Marche Slav. The playing is absolutely stunning - this is the Boston Symphony at its finest, with wonderful horn and woodwind playing. Fiedler was a fine conductor, and should have conducted works like these more often.
The sound is what you would expect looking at those big vacuum tubes on the cover; absolutely stunning, with a very wide and deep soundstage and huge bass. This LP is easily the equal of LSC-1817, only the music is more interesting and the price is much less. There were quite a few shaded dog pressings, so you should be able to pick one up very reasonably. Amazingly, none of the reissue companies tackled this one.
I am sorry for the delays. I blame health problems, bad weather, a heavy workload and indolence.
Moving right along, here is a truly great RCA:
This is one of the more serious of the Fiedler series, containing the Coq D'or Suite, the William Tell Overture, and the Marche Slav. The playing is absolutely stunning - this is the Boston Symphony at its finest, with wonderful horn and woodwind playing. Fiedler was a fine conductor, and should have conducted works like these more often.
The sound is what you would expect looking at those big vacuum tubes on the cover; absolutely stunning, with a very wide and deep soundstage and huge bass. This LP is easily the equal of LSC-1817, only the music is more interesting and the price is much less. There were quite a few shaded dog pressings, so you should be able to pick one up very reasonably. Amazingly, none of the reissue companies tackled this one.
vinyl1
Super Member
OK, I'll give you a two'fer
Here's one that, in my opinion, didn't quite come off:
The sound is certainly OK, but it just isn't great. Perhaps the lack of tonal variety in an all-strings orchestra colors my view, but it seems just a little lackluster. Moreover, these Tchaikovsky and Elgar pieces don't exactly thrill me either.
I suppose you could do worse, but this one doesn't get much play around here. There are other all-string RCAs that are better, and we will come to them in due course.
Here's one that, in my opinion, didn't quite come off:
The sound is certainly OK, but it just isn't great. Perhaps the lack of tonal variety in an all-strings orchestra colors my view, but it seems just a little lackluster. Moreover, these Tchaikovsky and Elgar pieces don't exactly thrill me either.
I suppose you could do worse, but this one doesn't get much play around here. There are other all-string RCAs that are better, and we will come to them in due course.
davidro
Lunatic Member
I am sorry for the delays. I blame health problems, bad weather, a heavy workload and indolence.
Moving right along, here is a truly great RCA:
This is one of the more serious of the Fiedler series, containing the Coq D'or Suite, the William Tell Overture, and the Marche Slav. The playing is absolutely stunning - this is the Boston Symphony at its finest, with wonderful horn and woodwind playing. Fiedler was a fine conductor, and should have conducted works like these more often.
The sound is what you would expect looking at those big vacuum tubes on the cover; absolutely stunning, with a very wide and deep soundstage and huge bass. This LP is easily the equal of LSC-1817, only the music is more interesting and the price is much less. There were quite a few shaded dog pressings, so you should be able to pick one up very reasonably. Amazingly, none of the reissue companies tackled this one.
V relevant to AK. Great cover art :thmbsp:
clydeselsor
Lunatic Member
Here's one that, in my opinion, didn't quite come off:
The sound is certainly OK, but it just isn't great. Perhaps the lack of tonal variety in an all-strings orchestra colors my view, but it seems just a little lackluster. Moreover, these Tchaikovsky and Elgar pieces don't exactly thrill me either.
I suppose you could do worse, but this one doesn't get much play around here. There are other all-string RCAs that are better, and we will come to them in due course.
I couldn't agree more!
LivingColour
Active Member
I am sorry for the delays. I blame health problems, bad weather, a heavy workload and indolence.
Moving right along, here is a truly great RCA:
This is one of the more serious of the Fiedler series, containing the Coq D'or Suite, the William Tell Overture, and the Marche Slav. The playing is absolutely stunning - this is the Boston Symphony at its finest, with wonderful horn and woodwind playing. Fiedler was a fine conductor, and should have conducted works like these more often.
The sound is what you would expect looking at those big vacuum tubes on the cover; absolutely stunning, with a very wide and deep soundstage and huge bass. This LP is easily the equal of LSC-1817, only the music is more interesting and the price is much less. There were quite a few shaded dog pressings, so you should be able to pick one up very reasonably. Amazingly, none of the reissue companies tackled this one.
I saw this one in pretty good shape at a thrift the other day. Was this put out in a mono version as well? I can't remember if the one I saw was a Living Stereo. I will have to go back and see if it is still there, and buy it.
vinyl1
Super Member
Here's another one......
....I can't say I find all that interesting:
Somehow, I could never get into the music of William Walton. Belshazzar's Feast may have its points, and the music from Facade is moderately amusing, but this is a serious modernist concerto for cello. The sound is respectable, but I really couldn't tell you about the performance.
This is one of the RCAs that was recorded in stereo in the 50s, but not released as a Living Stereo until the very end of the shaded dog era. It was not a big seller, either, so there are very few copies around. As you can see, my copy is a white dog from the 1964-68 period. This stayed in print for a long time, but was never reissued by anyone.
....I can't say I find all that interesting:
Somehow, I could never get into the music of William Walton. Belshazzar's Feast may have its points, and the music from Facade is moderately amusing, but this is a serious modernist concerto for cello. The sound is respectable, but I really couldn't tell you about the performance.
This is one of the RCAs that was recorded in stereo in the 50s, but not released as a Living Stereo until the very end of the shaded dog era. It was not a big seller, either, so there are very few copies around. As you can see, my copy is a white dog from the 1964-68 period. This stayed in print for a long time, but was never reissued by anyone.
vinyl1
Super Member
And now for another good one
Here is the Munch/BSO La Mer/Escales:
This is another fine recording. Munch is an expert in French orchestral music, and the BSO plays the difficult woodwind parts easily and gracefully. There are plenty of dynamics, particularly on the Ibert side.
Unfortunately, none of my three copies is in pristine condition, and this is music that can do with quiet surfaces. The LP was in print for the entire shaded dog era, so there are plenty of copies out there. The reissue companies don't seem to have bothered, which is not to their credit.
Here is the Munch/BSO La Mer/Escales:
This is another fine recording. Munch is an expert in French orchestral music, and the BSO plays the difficult woodwind parts easily and gracefully. There are plenty of dynamics, particularly on the Ibert side.
Unfortunately, none of my three copies is in pristine condition, and this is music that can do with quiet surfaces. The LP was in print for the entire shaded dog era, so there are plenty of copies out there. The reissue companies don't seem to have bothered, which is not to their credit.
vinyl1
Super Member
Here is one that gets a mixed review.....
....the Reiner 'Vienna' album:
Here, Reiner is back with the Chicago Symphony, and they are in fine form. The recording is quite good, and you can clearly hear the instruments playing way in the back of the band.
The problem I hear is that Reiner's highly-disciplined approach saps the life out of the Johann Strauss waltzes. They need a touch of schmaltz to come off, not a drill sergeant. On the other hand, the Richard Strauss Rosenkavalier Waltzes are really something, with complex musical textures beautifully rendered.
The cover is definitely a hoot. I'm not sure if they are models or this is a genuine street scene, but the old boy on the right has evidently not allowed the recent unpleasantness to alter his taste in mustache styling.
....the Reiner 'Vienna' album:
Here, Reiner is back with the Chicago Symphony, and they are in fine form. The recording is quite good, and you can clearly hear the instruments playing way in the back of the band.
The problem I hear is that Reiner's highly-disciplined approach saps the life out of the Johann Strauss waltzes. They need a touch of schmaltz to come off, not a drill sergeant. On the other hand, the Richard Strauss Rosenkavalier Waltzes are really something, with complex musical textures beautifully rendered.
The cover is definitely a hoot. I'm not sure if they are models or this is a genuine street scene, but the old boy on the right has evidently not allowed the recent unpleasantness to alter his taste in mustache styling.
vinyl1
Super Member
Now for a not terribly interesting series....
....the Rubinstein/Krips/Symphony of the Air Beethoven piano concertos.
By this period, Rubinstein was a superstar pianist, and everything revolved around him, and not the music. This series is reasonably well recorded, but the piano is much bigger than the orchestra, so things are not very realistic.
In this concerto, everything seems reasonable until the third movement, which takes off at breakneck speed. This may be due to Beethoven's metronome markings or something like that, but it comes off as virtuosity for its own sake. A pianist like Backhaus or Richter would approach the movement rather differently.
....the Rubinstein/Krips/Symphony of the Air Beethoven piano concertos.
By this period, Rubinstein was a superstar pianist, and everything revolved around him, and not the music. This series is reasonably well recorded, but the piano is much bigger than the orchestra, so things are not very realistic.
In this concerto, everything seems reasonable until the third movement, which takes off at breakneck speed. This may be due to Beethoven's metronome markings or something like that, but it comes off as virtuosity for its own sake. A pianist like Backhaus or Richter would approach the movement rather differently.
billinchile
Member
This is a very interesting thread; particularly for those of us who collect RCA shaded dogs. Please do continue it.
Durski
Ex-teenager
New site for collecting Shaded Dogs
Hi Everybody,
Please be aware there is a new site dedicated to shaded dogs:
http://www.shadeddog.com/
Check it out and please contribute.
Hi Everybody,
Please be aware there is a new site dedicated to shaded dogs:
http://www.shadeddog.com/
Check it out and please contribute.
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LivingColour
Active Member
I'm digging this thread up because I have been lucky enough to find 2 Living Stereo red shaded dogs in the past few weeks at the thrifts and I thought of this thread. I got LCS-2343 Beethoven Symphony No.5/Coriolan Oveture, Reiner and the CSO. I also got LSC-2123 Beethoven Concerto No.4, Rubinstein and Krips. They are both in really good shape. Both have quite a bit of static that should go away with a good cleaning with a vacuum RCM. Maybe if I quit spending money on records, I would have enough to buy a RCM... That's my only problem.
notime2read
Active Member
tube-a-lou
Addicted Member
Hi,
Nothing like them they really sound great, I got a few and the collection keeps
growing.
Tube
Nothing like them they really sound great, I got a few and the collection keeps
growing.
Tube
Mono
I remember my first two shaded dogs, Van Cliburn Tchaik PC#1 and Bartok Music for Strings. The Bartok was really noisy, but used vacuum record cleaner to tame it. Never got another Bartok except for the classic reissue which does not sound as good (ditto on Rubinstein versus classic re though that is closer.)
I think the Bartok lp was a driving force to going vacuum tube with my first component purchases for my listening system. At one point had 49 tubes, now down to 39 due to some power supply modifications.
Your first shaded dog is powerful stuff. Thrift stores are great as the lps will show up as retirees downsize, etc. Keep hunting and research your finds to make sure you have acquired a good one and then your life may change!
That is mono. It could be worse. :scratch2: I purchased a stereo LSC-2430 Rubinstein Rhapsody Paganini for $100 up in Michigan and got home and the record inside was mone (someone probably did switched to get the good pressing cheap, 1S in this case.)Just found my first Shaded today. $1, cover's a bit rough but the vinyl cleaned up nicely. Great sound! I see what all the fuss is about.
I remember my first two shaded dogs, Van Cliburn Tchaik PC#1 and Bartok Music for Strings. The Bartok was really noisy, but used vacuum record cleaner to tame it. Never got another Bartok except for the classic reissue which does not sound as good (ditto on Rubinstein versus classic re though that is closer.)
I think the Bartok lp was a driving force to going vacuum tube with my first component purchases for my listening system. At one point had 49 tubes, now down to 39 due to some power supply modifications.
Your first shaded dog is powerful stuff. Thrift stores are great as the lps will show up as retirees downsize, etc. Keep hunting and research your finds to make sure you have acquired a good one and then your life may change!