LPs transferred to digital, Classical
I decided to digitise my LP collection so that I could use the techniques I developed for 78s to remove as many blemishes as possible. It seemed a good idea to put some of the results online in my site in case anyone else might find them of interest. The recordings are made using a Thorens TD 165 deck and an Ortofon cartridge (MC15 super II) together with a pre-amp of my own design. The uploading has been MP3 320 kBit/s which is reasonably close to WAV and I apologise to those whose broadband is insufficient.
Listeners to these recordings will, I hope, enjoy the performances if they do not know them (buying the CDs if sufficiently impressed) and recapture what they might have heard in the days when they had LPs themselves.
I will leave a set of pieces up for a while and then exchange them for a new set.
The Jazz and non-classical LPs are to be found here .
1 V W, Symphony No.4 Boult, New Philharmonia
Symphony No.4 in F minor, Vaughan Williams
Sir Adrian Boult conducts the New Philharmonia Orchestra
side1
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allegro | start |
| 2 | Andante moderato | 8:08 |
side 2
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Scherzo: Allegro molto.... | start |
| 4 | ...Finale con Epilogo Fugato: Allegro molto | |
| Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1 | 14:10 |
2 Bartók, Piano Concertos Nos 2 & 3 Geza Anda ,Fricsay, Berlin RSO
Geza Anda with the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ferenc Fricsay
side 1, Concerto No. 2
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allegro | start |
| 2 | Adagio-Presto-Adagio | 8:37 |
| 3 | Allegro molto - Pił allegro | 16:04 |
side 2,Concerto No.3
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allegretto | start |
| 2 | Adagio religioso | 10:28 |
| 3 | Allegro vivace | 19:56 |
3 Beethoven, 1st Piano Concerto Kempff,Leitner,Berlin Philharmonic
Beethoven, Concerto for piano and Orchestra No.1 in C major Op. 15
Wilhelm Kempff with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Ferdinand Leitner
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allegro con brio | start |
| 2 | Largo | 8:37 |
| 3 | Rondo: Allegro scherzando | 16:04 |
4Beethoven, 2nd Piano Concerto Kempff,Leitner,Berlin Philharmonic
Beethoven, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No.2 in B flat major Op. 19
Wilhelm Kempff with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Ferdinand Leitner
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allegro con brio | start |
| 2 | Adagio | 13:00 |
| 3 | Rondo: Molto allegro | 21:50 |
5 Beethoven, 2nd Piano Concerto Lill, Gibson, Scottish National Orchestra
Beethoven, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No.2 in B flat major Op. 19
John Lill with the Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Alexander Gibson
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allegro con brio | start |
| 2 | Adagio | 13:34 |
| 3 | Rondo: Molto allegro | 22:50 |
6 Brahms, Clarinet Sonatas Janet Hilton and Peter Frankl
side 1, Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.120 No.1, Johannes Brahms
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allegro appassionato- Sostenuto ed espressivo | start |
| 2 | Andante un poco adagio | 7:58 |
| 3 | Allegretto | 13:08 |
| 4 | Vivace | 17:49 |
side 2, Sonata No.2 in E flat , Op.120 No.2, Johannes Brahms
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allegro amabile | start |
| 2 | Allegro appassionato- Sostenuto | 8:38 |
| 3 | Andante con moto-Allegro-Più tranquillo | 13:53 |
7Beethoven, 4th Piano Concerto Kempff,Leitner,Berlin Philharmonic
Beethoven, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No.4 in G major Op. 58
Wilhelm Kempff with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Ferdinand Leitner
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allegro moderato | start |
| 2 | Andante con moto... | 17:00 |
| 3 | ...Rondo(Vivace) |
8 Beethoven,4th Piano Concerto Lill, Gibson, Scottish National Orchestra
Beethoven, Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No.4 in G major Op. 58
John Lill with the Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Alexander Gibson
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allegro moderato | start |
| 2 | Andante con moto... | 18:50 |
| 3 | ...Rondo(Vivace) |
9 Bruckner, Symphony No.7 Jochum, Berliner Philharmoniker
Bruckner, Symphony No.7 in E major
Eugen Jochum conducts the Berliner Philharmoniker
1st Movement, Allegro Moderato
2nd Movement, Adagio. Sehr feierlich und sehr langsam
3rd Movement, Scherzo: Sehr schnell
4th Movement, Finale: Bewegt, doch nicht schnell
10Strauss, Salome Karajan, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Richard Strauss, Salome
Herbert von Karajan conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Libretto after Oscar Wilde's play by Hedwig Lachmann
I have taken the liberty of dividing the work up into three sections with a rough outline of the action
| Character | Singer |
|---|---|
| Herod | Karl-Walter Böhm |
| Herodias | Agnes Baltsa |
| Salome | Hildegard Behrens |
| Jokanaan | José Van Dam |
| Narraboth | Wieslaw Ochman |
section 1
Salome persuades Narraboth, who loves her, to bring the imprisoned Jokanaan up from the Cistern against her father's wishes. The prophet roundly curses the sins of her mother, Herodias: " Go, bid her rise from the bed of her abominations.....that she may repent....". Salome becomes obsessed with Jokannan who is having none of it: "Back, daughter of Sodom, touch me not". Salome is undaunted. Jokanaan returns to the Cistern.
section 2
Herod the Tetrarch, Herodias and the guests enter to find that Narraboth has killed himself. Herodias insinuates that Herod has improper feelings for his daughter; "You are always looking at her". Herod blames her mother for his daughter's ways and their feast is interrupted by Jokanaan preaching hellfire from the Cistern. The Jews argue the toss over points of theology and eventually Herod calls for Salome to dance but she refuses and Herod has to persuade her by offering to give her " ..what thou wilt..". Salome after more doom and gloom from the Prophet and against her mother's wishes says "I am ready now, Tetrarch"
section 3
The musicians play while Salome dances, at the end Herod is ready to grant Salome's wishes until he hears the demand for the head of Jokanaan on a silver platter, a request supported by her mother. He tries to dissuade her and fails, Herodias takes the ring from his finger that authorises the executioner and the head duly arrives. Salome berates the dead head for not taking more interest in the living Salome and eventually kisses the mouth of the dead Jokanaan. Herod orders her to be killed.
11 Beethoven, Symphony No.7 and Overtures Mehta, Philharmonia Orchestra
side 1,Beethoven, Symphony No.7, Opus 92, Zubin Mehta conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poco sostenuto-Vivace | start |
| 2 | Allegretto | 15:18 |
| 3 | Presto | 25:27 |
| 4 | Allegro con brio | 33:47 |
side 2,Overtures: Coriolan Op.62, Egmont Op.84
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coriolan | start |
| 2 | Egmont | 9:15 |
12 Bruckner, Symphony No.8 Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Bruckner, Symphony No.8 in C minor conducted by Herbert von Karajan with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Recorded in 1957
sides 1 and 2
| Movement | Description | approx. timing (m:s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allegro moderato (C minor) | start |
| 2 | Scherzo (Allegro moderato) and Trio (Poco andante) (C minor) | 16:35 |
side 3
| Movement | Description |
|---|---|
| 3 | Adagio-Feierlich langsam; doch nicht schleppend (D flat major) |
side 4
| Movement | Description |
|---|---|
| 4 | Finale (Solenne, non allegro) (C minor) |
13 Grieg, Peer Gynt Gibson, Scottish National Orchestra
Incidental Music from "Peer Gynt" by Edward Grieg
The Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Alexander Gibson with April Cantelo, soprano.
