In article ,
Eiron wrote:
Jim Lesurf wrote:
In article , John Phillips
wrote:


Recordings from the late 50s can vary from excellent to execrable.
But, I am actually listening right now to some 1955 vintage Wagner
(Decca). It's miraculously good.

Although I am not a fan of Wagner, I'd agree with the general point.
Two of the best stereo recordings I've recently acquired on CD are

1) A Prokofiev/Tchaikovsky CfP CD (Prokofiev 1st & 7th, etc). These
were amongst the first commercial stereo recordings EMI made, in 1955.
Sounds superb.

2) A Szell/Cleveland collection on CBS, Includes recordings like one
of the Pictures at an Exhibition (1963) and Capriccio Espagnol (1958)
that also sound excellent.

And here's another recent purchase with substandard sound quality:
http://www.emiclassics.co.uk/release.php?id=12886

Of course there are many excellent older recordings but the duff ones
are the ones you remember....

Makes you wonder what was going on. A pro 1/4" machine from the early '50s
is perfectly capable of giving a respectable recording - even by today's
standards. I'd say it's likely the master has been lost and it's from some
copy or other. Or the tapes have been badly stored.

--
*Middle age is when it takes longer to rest than to get tired.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.