The Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Walter Goehr
EMI Music for Pleasure MFP 2069 1967 LP/matrix: XEA642 -2. Recorded: 3 March 1952 - EMI Studio 1, Abbey Road.
Arthur Bliss: Piano Concerto in B flat major (1939) FLAC Mega Download
I: Allegro con brio ~ II: Adagietto ~ III: Andante maestoso - Molto vivace
Noel Mewton-Wood, piano - Utrecht Symphony Orchestra conducted by Walter Goehr
Nixa CLP 1167 (Concert Hall CHS 1167) 1953 LP/RCA Matrices: E2KP 6991-1C / E2KP 6992-1B. 'A2' Recorded: 1952.
NOT ON CD. Nixa + MFP sleeve-note / EMG + RG2 reviews >>> Solomon Cutner's 1943 recording >>>
The Bliss is a stunningly fine performance and in This transfer sounds absolutely splendid. Previously had 2 LP>CD transfers (same matrices) by Bryan Crimp & Mr.Pristine - who mentions a 'swish' on side 2; actually it's on both groove-walls to virtually the same degree: an unavoidable & very infrequent faint 'rustling' is anyway far preferable to Mr.Pee's "SUPERB" muffled/muddled nasality....absolute Pants, by comparison!
For the first time ever on your site, having some trouble with one of the files. The Bliss file on Zippy has failed to d/l around the 70% mark each time. I was wondering if maybe it would be a good idea to binhex raw audio files like this - that would be a very fast translation for everyone. Or, alternatively, zip them.
ReplyDeleteFinally got a good dl without any hiccups. Might be a server issue with Zippy?
ReplyDeleteExcellent recording and performance. If it was in stereo it would have been perfect.
Have the Bliss on another account and tried to 'Password protect' the file - without success - as it's possible that downloads may not be the result of Blog visits.
DeleteAt this moment there have been 66 downloads - 1 donation - 55 pageviews (which includes clicking on images) - so I'll be highly tempted to abandon the Blogs without further-ado...................was going to charge for individual d/l's of this - as that appears to be the only way now.
You might want to research ultrasonic record cleaners. When I use mine I can see what is left at the end of a session at the bottom of the tank -- I have a difficult time believing any other method could remove more dirt and debris. I bought mine relatively cheaply on eBay and also purchased a motorized "spinner" which keeps the labels dry as a bone and is very easy to use, as well as allowing me to clean up to 5 disks at a time.
ReplyDeleteYour transfers are excellent and your blog is always a pleasure to read.
Thanks again.
Unless you can make them yourself then Ultrasonic are mostly prohibitively expensive - and don't address the issue of post wash drying/potential contaminants.
DeleteMy washing-up liquid with Watts 'wash brush' + EMITEX plush nylon pad (need to source a similar material) can produce perfect actual cleaning - and - on 'modern' vinyl - will leave the 'mould-release' pattern in place - which a 'suction' dryer couldn't achieve - but, theoretically, could leave no wash-liquid residue behind. My methods problem is with older vinyl formulations which have 'lubricants' (Decca, especially) - meaning the water doesn't cleanly remove from the surface.
And, of course, old LP's maybe are inherently 'crackly'...
Thank you for the download donation - it may be the Only one - in which case this will be the last one freely available!
NB: Thanks for linking this Blog. I was surprised to see yours 'pop up' in the data - even more so that it was Indian classical. Actually, after I started badgering folks for some 'payback', a couple of Blogs deleted my links (Kammerton/Baul del coleccionista) - so dumped theirs.
The effort hereabouts is huge - not copying CD's - or engaging in massive de-click (the latter blog)..
I Izotoped the Bliss @ '1.1' - but had individually removed <thousands of tiny (and not so) ticks - mostly from the inherent pressing - and a physically new LP.. The Tippett is 'raw' with barely a couple dozen removed.
Many thanks for these rather unusual materials!
ReplyDeleteWhaddaya mean "Unusual Materials": these are Genuine Antiques!
DeleteAnyway, hope they're otherwise satisfactory (had to mucho-brighten the rather 'commonplace' Tippett) - the Bliss is bloody fantastic - amazingly Tactile piano notes zinging away @ the treble end - Mr.Pee's sound rather different!
Many Thanks, as before....'one of the few'...
Someone might say English classical music in general is 'unusual material' ;) Like artefacts from the Congo region in 19th century... no, but these seldom heard pieces are very interesting, and very nice. Will soon enough compare the Bliss PC to the other version, and the sample provided should provide one day's gratuituos entertainment!
DeleteDon't mention it...I'm in 'dire straits' but will continue to contribute when I can :)
You could replicate Mr.Pee's transfer by the simple expedient of playing mine and putting a heavy felt sack over your head!
DeleteI initially thought that the Barnard/Sargent version was better (have original ALP mono/mid-70's 4LP stereo box of Quaint British Piano Concertos) but 'got to know' the Mewton-Wood rather well...
I purchased an ultrasonic cleaner that is used in industrial/commercial operations on eBay for around $300USD (no longer sure what that is in post-Brexit pounds) and a "ultrasonic spin kit" from "Vinyl Stack" (also eBay) that rotates the records very slowly -- it was around $150. Please look into testimonials on sites like Steve Hoffman's website (He's a well known mastering engineer) or other audiophile sites. I just use plain clean water. The results are far past any reasonable expectations. If I put my fingertip in the water when it is operating, just for a second or two, the oil on my skin is gone and the skin shrivels up like I've been sitting in a bath for half an hour. That is just with plain water.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck and take good care of yourself, please!
Richard
Certainly will investigate further; but a lesson learnt from acquiring nearly 10-K of classical 'pre-loved' LP's is only handfuls had ever been subjected to wet-cleaning ('damp cloth') or other flavor-of-the-month methods and were invariably ruined - like I did (in relative terms) to my original collection.
DeleteIt's solely removing airborne contamination, plus PVC sleeve interactions, that necessitated wet-cleaning for these blogs, otherwise would scarcely consider doing anything unless they were 'unlistenable'.
By the way, Pristine Classics - is it shut down? Can't get in now.
ReplyDeleteUnless these Blogs can 'pay their way' then there won't be >any< available.
DeleteI'm not just copying CD's: - this involves a huge amount of time/effort/running costs.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteOn your website « The music Parlour » I used to be able to view ( and appreciate) your posts. I tried today to access Pristine classics, as it seems that quite a while ago you posted Jean Martinon’s recording of “Harold en Italie” but access has been refused. I understand your concern about the amount of time you have to dedicate to this site and am willing to contribute but could provide some guidelines about how my contribution will give me access again?
With thanks.
Michel
Hello Michel,
DeleteAm on the brink of closing the Blogs for good as am no longer interested in maintaining/adding to what was available, and do not wish to be forever funding this (or seeing just a few contributing - and more than once).
Matters have also changed since the Blogs started: huge CD sets regularly appear of older material: so I'm left just nibbling at the fringes of the pre-1963 catalogue.
Mostly the 'HISTORICAL' blog is worth preserving: but charging for access to that would hardly succeed after <100,000's downloads!
The only Martinon I made available is on this blog: Blue Danube/Rossini; wasn't even aware he recorded 'Harold' (a quick Google doesn't show it, either) The PRISTINE blog was re-organised to house the later 24bit files from Oct.2013 on..
A similar state of affairs has affected other 'Vinyl' blogs - none of whom would've spent the time I have on editing!
Hi again,
ReplyDeleteI am really sorry to see this blog closing but I understand perfectly your point of view. I do some editing of my own vinyles at times (although my editing does not compare to yours) so I know how time consuming it is for me and I can imagine the amount of work it requires from you! I am admirative of what you did here. Thanks for this!
I wish you all the best
Ps: my mistake I meant L'Enfance du Christ and not Harold, don't know what crossed my mind when I wrote this!
As a matter of interest (?) I do have an unplayed 1969 2LP set of that (on UK Concert Hall - Philips pressed/Turicaphon Swiss matrices). Sometime past would have done the Baudo 'King David' (also UK CH) as that was out of copyright.
DeleteFolks simply want the stuff 'for free' - so it's an insoluble problem. But they'll pay Rose/Klassichaus/Beulah, etc for inferior dubs!!. Which is not funny...
Many, many thanks for all your excellent work on this blog over the years. I completely understand your sentiments, and it is a matter of wonder that you have gone one as long as you have in this manner.
ReplyDeleteCan I openly say that I'm one of those people who hasn't paid anything, for the simple reason I have no disposable income to speak of, and possess no CDs or records as they are an extravagance I cannot afford. Sites like yours and Youtube are, along with radio, the way I access good music. Without wanting to overdo this, can I say that even if I were a millionaire I couldn't adequately recompense you for the enjoyment that you've brought me.
Thank you again, sir, and I hope that you will continue, *with* suitable recompense for the considerable time and effort you put in.
Hello Steven,
DeleteQuite understand. Which leaves me to continue racking my brain as to how to make this 'pay its way'!
I'm not expecting everyone to contribute - just a sufficient number so that I don't continually feel that I'm being taken advantage of: but the fact that nobody is prepared to directly pay $3 for the Bliss transfer speaks volumes:- and closes off another avenue...so will ditch that (a shame, as it sounds wonderful - probably took = nearly a day to edit)..
I just wish this lark hadn't been so time-consuming; which it has to be - unless the object was to create bland/boring 'Muzak'.
Having only relatively recently discovered your blog and - hopefully - having made fair contribution for the downloads I have been able to access, I cannot begin to thank you enough for the enjoyment your transfers have already brought me and will continue to do so. But ... I completely understand your decision to call a halt to things. The time devoted to this must be immense and to not have contributions from what we would like to think of as a community with a shared purpose can only be, at the very best, maddeningly frustrating. The tiniest of contributions from a large naumber of participants would be fair but ... probably not going to happen.
ReplyDeleteSo ... again, many thanks and I hope you get now the time and opportunity to enjoy your collection for yourself. I'll keep an eye out just in case you return at some point.
Best Wishes!
Hello David - and Thank You. If you are blessed with Armour-Plated Ears I'll possibly be uploading more material to the 78 blog (downloads can easily reach 500 - so quite a few Masochists visit).
DeleteDoubt if any vinyl 'blog' gets much from voluntary contributions: those downloading must think it's just like ripping a CD... As for the LP's - we'll see - but could restrict any new files to a Private blog(s) with a 'free blogs contribution' required for access...or some other money-making (sic!) wheeze...
Muchas gracias, saludos.
ReplyDelete