Back in August 2017, we had a brief discussion regarding the Praga Digitals "Genuine Stereo Lab" release of what purported to be stereo recordings of the Bartok String Quartets played by the Vegh Quartet in 1956. When challenged on the provenance of these "genuine stereo" recordings, they asserted that a stereo recording was made in tandem with the mono ones which were actually issued on LP. The claim was that the stereo recordings were made for the American market but not used at the time. No further evidence was offered. I remain unconvinced by their assertions. Yesterday, browsing among recordings of works by Varèse available to stream in high definition via QOBUZ, I found this:
The recordings come from three different sources, Vox, Vanguard and RCA Victor, none of which are credited anywhere in the booklet pdf. Praga Digitals also falsely claim that the recording of Ameriques is of the original version of 1921. In fact, it's the revised version of 1927. Abravanel never performed or recorded the original 1921 score (which, though interesting and since recorded by Chailly et al, Varèse rejected). So slapdash was Praga Digitals crediting that no mention is made of the soloist in Offrandes, Marie Therèse Escribano. Somehow this Praga Digitals release has gained a Diapason d’Or. Curiouser still, they claim that the recording of Nocturnal dates from 1966, some 2 years before the work was even prepared for performance by Chou Wen-chung from Varèse's unfinished sketches. Beware the claims of the decidedly dodgy Praga Digitals.
The recordings come from three different sources, Vox, Vanguard and RCA Victor, none of which are credited anywhere in the booklet pdf. Praga Digitals also falsely claim that the recording of Ameriques is of the original version of 1921. In fact, it's the revised version of 1927. Abravanel never performed or recorded the original 1921 score (which, though interesting and since recorded by Chailly et al, Varèse rejected). So slapdash was Praga Digitals crediting that no mention is made of the soloist in Offrandes, Marie Therèse Escribano. Somehow this Praga Digitals release has gained a Diapason d’Or. Curiouser still, they claim that the recording of Nocturnal dates from 1966, some 2 years before the work was even prepared for performance by Chou Wen-chung from Varèse's unfinished sketches. Beware the claims of the decidedly dodgy Praga Digitals.
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