Acoustic Sounds
By: Mark Ward

June 19th, 2024

Category:

Discography

Deutsche Grammophon Announces Four New Original Source Vinyl Releases

Classic 1970s Recordings by DG’s Biggest Stars get the Emil Berliner Studios AAA Sonic Upgrade

While those of us who have been collecting this series are currently salivating at the prospect of the August release of Herbert von Karajan’s complete Bruckner Symphony cycle with the Berlin Philharmonic (cut directly from original digital and 8-track analogue master tapes), these four new releases provide plenty to be excited about as a post-Bruckner dessert - something a little lighter to cleanse the palette.

Here’s the breakdown.

Rafael Kubelik Dvorak Symphony No. 9 "New World" DG Original Source Series

Here’s a no-brainer: the great Czech conductor Rafael Kubelik’s benchmark version of Dvorak’s ubiquitous “New World” Symphony, part of his complete cycle of all the symphonies made with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in the late 1960s/early 70s.  Along with Istvan Kertesz’s contemporaneous cycle with the London Symphony Orchestra on Decca (graced with gorgeous cover work and vintage Decca sonics - very much worth collecting), this was the go-to for these works in the heyday of classical vinyl.

A few years back, Emil Berliner Studios remixed/remastered the whole of Kubelik’s cycle for DG’s Single Layer SACD reissue series, released in Japan, which represented a huge step-up in sonic quality over any previous incarnation.  I spin it regularly when I want a Dvorak fix.

Kubelik Dvorak 9 Symphonies SACD

This performance of the 9th - one of the most popular works in the entire orchestral repertoire - is, like I say, still some 50 years later a benchmark.  I cannot wait to hear how EBS reveal it in all its analogue glory.  It will be especially interesting to compare it to the D2D recording of the same symphony made a year ago by the same EBS team of Maillard and Meyer with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra for Accentus, and given a glowing review by MF here.

Dvorak New World Symphony Bamberg Symphony Jakub Hrusa Direct to Disc Emil Berliner Studios Accentus

Mozart Piano Concertos 20 and 21 Friedrich Gulda Abbado VPO DG Original Source Emil Berliner Studios

Next up, the second of Friedrich Gulda’s pair of albums dedicated to Mozart Piano Concertos recorded with Claudio Abbado and the Vienna Philharmonic.  I must confess I am not overly familiar with these recordings, though I have long admired Abbado’s later recordings of Mozart with Maria João Pires.  My colleague here at TA, Michael Johnson, gave a very warm reception to the first album from Gulda and Abbado in this series, of Piano Concertos Nos.25 and 27, while observing a few very minor shortcomings.  He rightly noted that there are few “audiophile” recordings on vinyl of this repertoire (apart from vintage Deccas and EMIs of variable quality), and so for DG to reissue these in the Original Source series is most welcome.

Friedrich Gulda is a fascinating figure in 20th century pianism, something of an iconoclast, as MJ points out in his review - as much as home in jazz as classical.  His Mozart was always well regarded, and Mozart enthusiasts - plus those wishing to explore this beautiful repertoire - need not hesitate.

Karajan BPO Grieg Peer Gynt and Sigurd Jorsalfar suites DG Original Source Emil Berliner Studios

The third title being offered here is a bit of a surprise: Karajan’s 1973 recording of another classical mainstay - the two suites from Grieg’s orchestral music for Peer Gynt.  This is music he had already recorded in 1961 for Decca, one of his wonderful series of albums with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra recorded by Decca in the Sofiensaal, produced by John Culshaw.  He also set down the suites in the 1980s in a digital rendering.

Now, classical collectors and audiophiles will probably already have in their collections some iteration of the classic 1958 Decca recording of the more-or-less complete incidental music recorded by Øivin Fjeldstad and The London Symphony Orchestra.  It’s a true gem. 

Grieg Peer Gynt Decca Fjeldstad LSO

So why bother with this Karajan version of just the suites?

Well, one reason right off the bat is the flute playing of then Principal Flautist James Galway, which you will hear on the opening track “Morning” - a gorgeous melody you will be familiar with even if you did not know where it came from.  Silky, silvery yet warm, Galway’s flute playing is one of the most immediately recognizable and beguiling sounds in all of recorded classical music - and the reason why Galway upped sticks a couple of years later for a lucrative solo career, much to Karajan’s chagrin.

Another reason to seriously consider this album is simply that Karajan always did this music really well.  He seemed to have a real affinity with composers from Scandinavian climes, as evinced by this and his fine recordings of Sibelius and Nielsen.  And the Berlin Phil are on characteristically lush form.

The final reason why any seasoned collector (as well as the classical newbie) should seriously consider this release is the inclusion of an unusual coupling: music from another play, Sigurd Jorsalfar.  This is far from mainstream repertoire, and to hear it done by the Berliners and Karajan on top form is a real treat.

As with all Karajan LPs of this period, the sonics on the original LPs left something to be desired - although this was one of the better ones.  I am really looking forward to hearing the characteristic sonic upgrade we’ve come to expect from the Original Source series.  This has the potential to be the sleeper hit from this batch of releases.

Chopin Preludies Maurizio Pollini Dg Original Source Emil Berliner Studios

However, the record I am most excited about is this final one:  Maurizio Pollini’s benchmark recording of Chopin’s Piano Preludes, op. 28, released in 1973.  Pollini simply was - for this listener - one of the greatest of all pianists, and his recorded legacy, nearly all on DG, is stuffed to the gills with classic recordings.  His Chopin was at the core of his repertoire, and this record was one of three (the others were of the Études and Polonaises) with which DG firmly established his position in the Chopin firmament.  After his recent death, I published this tribute on my YouTube channel.

I am particularly excited about this release because the piano sound on all of Pollini’s records, especially in the 70s, could sound a little thin on the original releases.  He was famous for traveling to the studio and concert halls with his own personal piano technician who would adjust the instrument precisely to Pollini’s liking.  I have often questioned whether the sonic results were ideal.  I have heard a snippet of this Original Source remastering, albeit via a video clip, and it sounds incredible.  A “don’t-even-think-about-it” essential purchase for all.

As far as I am concerned, DG could work their way through Pollini’s entire 1970s catalogue and give it the Original Source upgrade, and every album would be a mandatory purchase.  But let me just mention here his solo albums of Schoenberg, Stravinsky and Prokofiev, Webern and Boulez, the late Beethoven Piano Sonatas, and the concerto albums he made with Karl Bohm of Beethoven’s 3rd, 4th, and 5th, Mozart’s Concertos 19 and 23, plus the Bartok Concertos 1 and 2 with Abbado.  I can but dream…

It’s great to see another album of solo piano music in this series, the first since Gilels’s Beethoven sonata disc.  I hope we will get plenty more of this repertoire, plus chamber music please.  In this latter category I wonder if the fantastic version of Schubert’s String Quintet with the Melos Quartet and Rostropovich was recorded to 4-track…

But remember, everybody: now that EBS has the ability to master and cut directly from 8-track, this opens up many, many exceptional recordings to the Original Source treatment.  The prospects are drool worthy…

My sense (or should I say hope) is that as long as we keep buying them, DG will keep making them.

A quick reminder.  Quite a few previous titles are still available on the DG/Universal US Shop site here, including the Steinberg box at a reduced price and the first four title represses - all worth acquiring.  (Full reviews are on this site).

Currently pre-orders for this new October batch are only available on the DG German Official Store site, but no doubt they will become available soon at Acoustic Sounds and Elusive Disc - cheaper for US customers - as well as at Center Stage Classical.

Comments

  • 2024-06-19 09:18:42 PM

    Fred Morris wrote:

    For what it’s worth, the 1977 Penguin Guide gave the Grieg a rosette and the Mozart three stars.

  • 2024-06-20 12:12:43 AM

    Thomas Ream wrote:

    I'd love to know DG's plans for the series, including understanding what is in the universe of possible OSS releases (so that we can campaign for our choices! - maybe they don't want that), but if we consider perhaps DG releases from the period 1970 to 1978, here is a list of things I'd like to see:

    1. The mid-70's Karajan Beethoven symphonies - to my ear, these are extremely well-played and Karajan had re-thought some of a few tempo choices in the early 60's set that were, to my ear, miscalculations - for example, his extremely rapid tempo for the first movement of the Pastoral in the early gives way to a more relaxed but not slow temp in the 70s. I always thought the sound in the 70s recordings to be a bit odd - Karajan had a reputation for knob-fiddling, deserved or not. I think this 70s set, with better sound, would be a benchmark recording.

    2. More Beethoven - Pollini and Gilels - the earlier release in this series of sonatas played by Gilels was tremendous - he had a reputation for a hard sound, something that was not apparent in the OSS release. I would appreciate string quartets as well, but I don't think DG released any during that period.

    3. More Pollini - all of the Chopin, the Stravinsky/Prokofiev, and whatever else you can.

    4. To my ears, the best sounding of the orchestral recordings emanate from Boston - so more Boston, please. MTT's Winter Dreams is a classic. How about more Berlioz from Ozawa, and perhaps some Ravel?

    • 2024-06-20 12:13:45 AM

      Thomas Ream wrote:

      I had to truncate due to space limitations so here is the remainder of my request: 5. Abbado's Brahms - really happy that the First was in the last batch - I'd like to see the rest of that early 70's Brahms set come out - the 2nd with the BPO, the 3rd in Dresden, and the 4th with the LSO - I have owned the original release of the box since the early 70s - great set. If I had to own just two sets of the Brahms symphonies, this would be one, and the Walter stereo the other.

      1. OK, Mark says there is no market for opera- but Abbado's Simon Boccanegra is one of the finest opera recordings ever made, and Kleiber's La Traviata a very effective recording of that opera. Happy to hear about others - Abbado in Rossini, Kleiber in Weber, for example.

      2. Mahler - Kubelik (who has some GREAT releases in this series thus far) - was finishing his Mahler cycle in the early 70s I believe, and Karajan had a few releases beyond the 5th as well.

      3. Schubert - I would second the request for the Quintet, and anything else the Melos did.

        • Sibelius - it would be great to get some - was the Karajan recording of the 5th symphony done in the early 70s?

      I could go on. I have bought everything thus far, and so bring them on.

      • 2024-06-20 06:11:39 PM

        Mark Ward wrote:

        I endorse all these suggestions! Yes to more Ozawa from Boston, especially the Ravel cycle and the Respighi Ancient Airs and Dances. The Berg/Stravinsky violin concertos with Perlman are fabulous. The MTT Winter Dreams is indeed a classic. Not sure the 70s Karajan Beethoven cycle would be done - I have the SACD remixed/remastered set and it is stellar. RE: opera - don't get me wrong - I would LOVE to see some opera. Either Abbado's Boccanegra or his Carmen would top my list. The Karajan Mahler 6th is a no-brainer, as is his Honegger LP. Giulini's Pictures in Chicago - again a no-brainer (as would be his Mahler 9th). Yes, yes, yes to more instrumental and chamber. I imagine getting all the Pollini late Beethoven piano sonatas.... I could go on...

        • 2024-06-20 08:44:08 PM

          Thomas Ream wrote:

          Let me also register a plea for more of Kubelik's Dvorak. His recordings of the 7th and 8th are also special, and there is a ton of gold in the early symphonies as well, not to mention the tone poems, Slavonic Dances, and so on.

          • 2024-06-21 04:40:37 PM

            Thomas Ream wrote:

            Ha - I have another ask.....Haydn! I was listening last night to the set of London symphonies -the Jochum set, which I find to be played with great spirit and enthusiasm. Karajan's Creation might be from this time as well?

    • 2024-06-21 08:33:03 AM

      Jennnifer Martin wrote:

      YES to all of this, especially Ozawa/BSO.

  • 2024-06-20 02:12:35 PM

    NLak wrote:

    I hope they tighten their QC, my Bohm/Beethoven was my first problematic record with four loud pops on side 1. Still confident I can remove them. That said, I second that Schubert/Melos recording with Rostropovich, it is gold. I would also like to see Karajan's Mahler 4th, 6th & 9th reissued as well as his digital Four Last Songs, which is very good. Doubt they will having just released the Janowitz recording from the 70s. Also, his Shostakovich 10th from the 60s, and the Mozart Great Mass he recorded in the 80s, yes, it is a digital recording, but it is terrific. Also, his 70s pictures at an exhibition would be a terrific choice for release.

  • 2024-06-20 02:21:17 PM

    NLak wrote:

    Other mentions aside from Karajan, off the top of my head, would include the Beethoven trios with Kempff/Szeryng and Pierre Fournier. The Furtwangler recordings, like his Beethoven 5th with the VPO, as well as his Brahms and other works he recorded with the BPO. Bernstein's Carmen, Giulini's Brahms symphonies, Fricsay's recordings like his Brahms Double Concerto with Starker and Schneiderhan, as well as his Bartok recordings. i could go on and include Abbado's Mahler series, etc. But I would also like to see the Arkiv recordings released, in particular with Karl Richter.

    • 2024-06-20 02:36:12 PM

      Thomas Ream wrote:

      I was under the impression that the potential universe for the OSS included only the recordings made for potential surround sound release in the 70's, thus I limited my selections to that period. Bernstein's Carmen is a good choice, though, although my LP set already sounds good.

      • 2024-06-20 03:24:31 PM

        NLak wrote:

        I thought so too, but the Giulini Bruckner recordings are from the 80s, and did not think those were recorded in the surround sound 4 track process. I think some of those Karajan/Bruckner recordins were also digital and not in surround. Hence, why my wishlist is all over the place. Maybe Mark can chime in.

        • 2024-06-20 04:34:02 PM

          Thomas Ream wrote:

          True, but the Giulini Bruckner recordings are technically not part of the OSS series. OTOH, the Karajan digital ones are, but seemingly an exception. Having said that, if we are talking digital, I would appreciate a revamping of Karajan's Parsifal - great performance, grisly digital sound. The Giulini Bruckner recordings show that these recordings can be made to sound listenable.

    • 2024-06-20 06:14:35 PM

      Mark Ward wrote:

      I think for right now they are limiting themselves to those 70s 2 and 8 track surround sound masters. The Giulini Bruckner was a special case for the centenary year; the Karajan symphonies 1-3 because they were part of the cycle. If this series continue to sell I would love to see them explore some of the areas you suggest.

  • 2024-06-20 02:45:49 PM

    Will wrote:

    I am rather hoping they also delve further back into their archive, to the start of Stereo and mine Fricsay’s archive - particularly Beethoven 9 and the Bartok recordings. And maybe the Bartok quartets by the Ungarisches Streichquartett. 🤞🏻

    • 2024-06-20 06:19:42 PM

      Mark Ward wrote:

      Great suggestions. Some of the earlier catalogue has already been mined by Speaker's Corner, Clearaudio, Project and EBS. Do you have the Fricsay CD box, newly repressed? It is mandatory IMO. On vinyl the EBS remastered/cut Furtwangler box is amazing, even though you have to buy Furtwangler's own symphony. Worth it for the other works alone. Still available. That Hungarian/Bartok set is marvelous! In a perfect world I would love to see the Melos set of all the Mendelssohn quartets...

      • 2024-06-26 05:34:00 PM

        Will wrote:

        Mark, Thank you for your recommendations :)

  • 2024-06-22 02:58:46 PM

    Jim Shue wrote:

    Mark - your in depth and comprehensive coverage of the DG OSS series and related releases has been exceptional!

    If you have any pull with DG please let them know this scheme of not making new releases available for pre-order from Acoustic Sounds and Elusive Disc until some later date is not doing them any favours with customers outside of the EU.

  • 2024-06-29 05:56:50 AM

    John Winder wrote:

    How about the Ozawa/BSO Miraculous Mandarin/Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celeste? The Mandarin was a superb performance that would really benefit from a remix.

  • 2024-07-01 04:07:00 AM

    Adrian Wu wrote:

    I used to buy every Pollini LP as they appeared; he was an idol of mine. Unfortunately, the sound of DGG LPs of that era left much to be desired. These new reissues go some ways to remedy the situation. I recently bought a double-length 7.5 ips 4-track Dolby B tape of his Chopin Preludes and Polonaises, manufactured by Sterotape in the late 70s, for the grand price of $10 on EBay. I also bought an Ampex manufactured tape of the Etudes. The double length tape sounds fantastic through my refurbished Revox B77 with upgraded repro board, through a Nakamichi Dolby B/C decoder. The sound is way better than the original LP, even though the tape set up cost less than my phono cartridge alone. In fact, most of the Ampex manufactured DGG 4 track tapes I have sound really good, but hardly anybody wants them. The Kubelik Dvorak 8th and Smetana Ma Vlast (Dolby) are also fantastic, but they did not release the Dvorak 9th on tape. I also find the Frederick Gulda and Geza Anda Mozart concertos, the Karajan Shostakovich 10th, the Abbado/BSO Le Poème de l'extase very worthwhile. Most of them are in almost new condition, usually for $20 to $30.

    • 2024-07-01 11:17:29 PM

      Thomas Ream wrote:

      First of all, I wish I owned a tape deck like yours....I have a dream that with the new found interest in reel to reel, someone will add playback capability of 7.5 ips 4-track with Dolby B decoding....but they tell me there is no demand. I own a Tandberg with onboard Dolby and an Akai without. I was never able to get the Teac Dolby units to work. I have only found the Kubelik Dvorak 7th and the 8th on tape, both extremely good performances. I do have the complete Kertesz cycle on tape, although the 9th is the earlier VPO reading. It is ironic that there is a company (HDTT) that is now using the early open reel tapes to release CDs and streams now that these are out of copyright (at least that's what I assume).