Posted by js on March 17, 2002 at 15:26:00:
Being an old fart, I never replaced my C.S.O. (and other classic) l.p.'s (' still have 'em -- static-y though they are) with new c.d.'s. Today, I began to bite the bullet and purchased Zarath., Ein Held., Don Qui, Don Juan (only two c.d.'s total).
Needless to say, I haven't listened to some of my l.p.'s in years, and it suddenly hit me in the face (as I'm sure it already had many of you) what landmarks the 1950's C.S.O. Reiner recordings were!...
...Though the English horn tone quality sounds "funny", clarinet intonation is a bit questionable (though this seems to have been a constant plague of the C.S.O.) and a couple of parts aren't played with as much heroics as today, BESIDES THE INCREDIBLE PASSION, SOUL, AND PRECISION OF THESE RECORDINGS perhaps the MOST significant thing about them is how they were a turning point in defining the "American" symphony orchestra sound: how they sound so much MORE like year 2002 orchestras than, say, the 1939 soundtracks from "Fantasia", in just about very aspect of musicianship...I suppose brass in particular, but the precision and vibrancy of the strings, virtuosity of the soloists (rather than just "getting through" them), etc., etc.
One must also remember that there was little or no editing nor "enhancement" done with the recording techniques available half a century ago...nor would have the Maestro allowed for it to take place, in my best guess.
I think I'll be shopping for more replacements of these (at least first), rather than first replacing some of my 1970's vintage recordings. I suppose someday I'll have to break down and replace my Karajan-Beethoven set, but for now, those seem to have miraculously remained relatively static-free.
' sorry to speak of things to which most on the board (the under-35 crowd) cannot relate.