I was so pleased with my first post of Beethoven from Vienna and Karl Böhm that I decided to prepare this 1955 version of the ninth symphony from that conductor, the Vienna Symphony, the Vienna State Opera Choir and four of the finest singers then active.
Big mistake on my part. The record, while generally in good shape, had two gouges that caused repeated sticking and skipping. I worked and worked on these patches until my admittedly limited supply of patience gave out. Exasperated, I turned instead to a Böhm-Berlin Philharmonic recording of the Missa Solemnis. And as soon as I finished transferring that performance, I discovered that DG had reissued it on CD, much to my surprise. (Since when did DG Originals reissue mono recordings?)
So I returned to this record with renewed determination and have been able to eradicate all the bad patches with the exception of one skip. (I apologize for that.)
What you will find upon listening is a well played and notably well sung performance with little of the solo squalling that often is heard in the symphony's fourth movement. And it is nicely recorded except for the usual close-ups on the soloists (and the triangle) in the final movement.
I believe this was recorded near the end of Böhm's tenure as director of the Vienna State Opera.
As for the hands
on the cover, I'm not sure what they are supposed to signify. As far as I know, Bohm did not have two right hands, and the bony fingers are much more reminiscent of Otto Klemperer (at left) than Böhm.REMASTERED VERSION - OCTOBER 2014
8 comments:
Hi Buster,
Those hands are indeed funky. Maybe it would make more sense to me if there were 9 fingers being held up! So many strange covers on some of these lps!
Regards,
Fred
Hi Buster: I'll download this one for the solo quartet alone! They are all singers I love, and I've always had a special place in my musical affections for Hilde Rössl Majdan, who is undervalued, I think. A voice of great beauty and naturalness. Of course Böhm is no slouch either.
Hi - they are a fine quartet whose members appear on many of my favorite records of the era.
Hi Buster, Love the site and many thanks for the posts. DG Originals has issued quite a few mono CDs. They are among the truest and finest sounding mono CDs on the market...next to the fine work coming from Mercury via Wilma Cozart Fine. I have several in my collection.
@ Sacqueboutier - I have quite a few of the DG mono items they issued in a more recent reissue series from a few years ago, and for some reason I thought the earlier DG Originals series was devoted to all or almost all stereo items. I live and learn!
Dear Buster, may I ask You to reupload this recording?
Remastered version (Apple lossless):
https://mega.co.nz/#!7EdnhJYK!6bZ6y_Pykk6M0r8gW274oM4pZ-cUV-TSi9vtcYr5Sko
Thank You, Buster!
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