BaL 10.01.26 - Copland: Symphony 3

[HighlandDougie]

I don't know about self-indulgent but the recording on the DG release (live, of course) from a performance in Avery Fisher Hall is, well, not exactly wonderful. I dimly remember the acoustics at a very boring NYPO in 1992 concert (conducted by the terminally uninterested/uninteresting Charles Dutoit) as being decidely sub-fusc. In retrospect, it made the Barbican sound OK. Anyway, back to Lenny. Even with a remastered Japanese pressing, it doesn't make for a scintillating listen. I have the Columbia/Sony recording in that big Bernstein box but I'm not sure that I can face listening again to the work. I used to like very much Eduardo Mata and the Dallas SO but that was 35 years ago. Tastes change.

[richardfinegold]

Yes, very few have as much as the BBC stream (320....at least in this country!).....are you able to get BBC Radio 3 now?.....I think maybe you raised a question about it in the past..

I get the BBC in 64 glorious bits per second

[richardfinegold]

I listened to Bernstein II today. It’s ok, a tad (?) more reflective…I still feel like he’s trying to hard, like “hey, here is the Great American Symphony “. Of course he and Copeland were close, so presumably this is what Aaron intended(?). What do I know…

[Maclintick]

So, to be clear, your recording is the DG Bernstein/NYP Copland Third? Mine is the earlier Columbia version.
To be clear, when I say Bernstein is bombastic in I, it’s not as if he is Wagnerian. Slatkin in his second recording is just a notch more folksy. They are both valid approaches.
Regarding the Original Bit Processing without hearing your expensive LP I can’t comment. My one experience with this process is the Karajan Mahler Six. I didn’t hear any improvement over the CD. Disappointingly I ordered the Tower SACD and after a few listens I also don’t hear any major improvement over the CD. I guess the CD transfer of the Karajan was very well done.
I also find the “original bit” term misleading. Supposedly everything is kept in the analog stage.

Sorry RFG, I thought my post #56 was clear I was referring to the DG NYPO/Bernstein. As regards DG's Original-Image Bit-Processing, and the comparison with LP originals, I only have the first (unprocessed ?) CD iteration of Karajan's Mahler 6, so am unable to compare with vinyl, but for others in my collection the results are variable, sometimes with the OIBP remastering being indistinguishable from the LP (Debussy Images/Michelangeli, for instance) and elsewhere decidedly unfavourable to the processed version (Debussy/Ravel Boston SO/Abbado). I am at one with those who find the Original-Image Bit-Processing shtick a risible piece of 90s marketing.

BTW, I haven't been conned into buying hideously expensive Original Source vinyl. All my comparisons have been with LPs bought in the 1970s ( 38 shillings in pre-decimal coinage, which apparently equates to approx £37 today, so not far off what one would pay in today's money for the expensively re-cycled DG offerings !)

[richardfinegold]

Sorry RFG, I thought my post #56 was clear I was referring to the DG NYPO/Bernstein. As regards DG's Original-Image Bit-Processing, and the comparison with LP originals, I only have the first (unprocessed ?) CD iteration of Karajan's Mahler 6, so am unable to compare with vinyl, but for others in my collection the results are variable, sometimes with the OIBP remastering being indistinguishable from the LP (Debussy Images/Michelangeli, for instance) and elsewhere decidedly unfavourable to the processed version (Debussy/Ravel Boston SO/Abbado). I am at one with those who find the Original-Image Bit-Processing shtick a risible piece of 90s marketing.

BTW, I haven't been conned into buying hideously expensive Original Source vinyl. All my comparisons have been with LPs bought in the 1970s ( 38 shillings in pre-decimal coinage, which apparently equates to approx £37 today, so not far off what one would pay in today's money for the expensively re-cycled DG offerings !)

I was confused. I didn’t realize that DG applied ‘Original Bit’ terminology to CDs although I probably own several

[richardfinegold]

I listened to the Slatkin/Detroit recording again last night. My preamp developed a hiss in 1 channel, probably a blown tube, something that hasn’t happened for years. I swapped it out for its solid state predecessor which was still on a shelf in my basement. I was uncertain if the channel levels on the replacement were equal (the volume knob on the replacement makes an odd crunching sound when adjusted in 1 channel only) so I wanted to play a recording that I had recently listened to to gauge the replacement.
I have this recording burned to my server and on Blu Ray and so listened to both. Then I awoke this AM and we put the Internet Radio , the New York station, and was greeted with Fanfare for the Common Man, definitely not the Slatkin recording.
This whole experience just underlined for me what a relatively low key reading this is. Despite the Blu Ray Audio blather from Naxos about “sonic spectaculars” I think Slatkin deliberately turns the heat down here in search of a more lyrical and folky experience. Some listeners may interpret this as disinterest. I have been lucky to hear Slatkin and the orchestra a few times (he is no longer the Director but still guest conducts) and this in general seems to characterize his music making at this late phase of his career.
I am not touting this as the definitive Copland Third, and there are definitely a few more sonic thrills to be found elsewhere. However if you are interested enough in the work to try a non mainstream interpretation, I would start here.

btw the Detroit Symphony has a large selection of concerts available on their free app.