07 December 2025

24/48: Charles Munch / New Philharmonia - Offenbach. Gaite Parisienne - Decca 1966

Jacques Offenbach/arr: Maurice Rosenthal:  Gaîté Parisienne - ballet

New Philharmonia Orchestra  conducted by  Charles Munch

Decca Phase Four  PFS 4096    1966 LP.   Recorded: 10-11 December 1965 - Kingsway Hall

16 + 24-bit FLAC fileshttps://pristineaudiophile.blogspot.com

'Hot mastering' (+2dB at least) and shows-up the sonic damage ('IMO') caused by Dolby A for the 1967 PFS Munch/NPO Respighi Pines/Fountains (by contrast the 1962 EMI-mastered WRC SCM27 (Everest) LSO/Sargent appears less 'mangled').

Emil Berliner are choosing such 'Dolby'd titles for their 'Pure Analogue' LP remasterings - including  'Digital' 1979 New Years/Boskovsky (bought '79).
Not disclosed, then, was that the '18-bit' Decca Digital session tapes were
apparently copied onto analogue (Dolby) tape for LP mastering.
(see: https://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?8386-The-Decca-Digital-Audio-Recorder  )

Unissued duplicate analogue session [Dolby] tapes will now be used...which has Mr.Ward SALIVATING! (he didn't allow the above comment/link on his fancy(ful) YouTube site).

https://trackingangle.com/features/breaking-news-classical-giant-decca-announces-its-own-pure-analogue-vinyl-reissue-series