Mahler Symphony No 3 & Strauss Death and Transfiguration - Jascha Horenstein LSO
Available in 4.0 Surround and Stereo.
Compact Disc Double Album with a 16-page booklet is also available.
Please be aware of the large dynamic range of this recording; check your volume settings before playing it.
HDTT is very pleased to be releasing this unheard Jerry Bruck recording of the Mahler Third Symphony, as well as Richard Strauss’ Death & Transfiguration, which were both recorded at the same sessions. These recordings are available in a variety of high-resolution formats, including formats providing all four channels, and they are also available on CD.
Jascha Horenstein’s classic 1970 LP recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 with the London Symphony Orchestra, on the small British Unicorn label and released on LP in the U.S. on the Nonesuch label, is a much-loved recording. Along with Death & Transfiguration, it was recorded in six sessions in London that occurred on July 27, 28, and 29, 1970. A completely separate recording of both works using totally different mics and recording equipment operating in a separate control room was made concurrently at the same recording sessions by a leading American recording engineer, Jerry Bruck, who was invited to do so by Unicorn’s general manager. Bruck employed a unique mic set-up to achieve spectacular four-channel recordings that have never been released or even heard before by the public, until now. Made on half-inch tape running at 15 IPS, these were described as experimental recordings, “a practical test of tetrahedral ambiophony.”
The sound quality captured by Bruck’s outstanding skill as a recording engineer is stunning, and HDTT has, of course, maintained the very wide dynamic response present in his recordings, in contrast to the compressed Unicorn recordings. The particular challenge in preparing this Mahler Third project for release has been that Bruck’s session tapes were never edited down into a finished recorded performance, except for the third movement, which Bruck himself had edited. As a result, all of the many session tapes were digitized by HDTT in a high-resolution format, for editing. Fortunately, we have Mahler authority Deryck Cooke’s editing notes from the original editing sessions, in which he assisted, but only for the last 5 of the 6 movements of the Mahler. For the long first movement, it was necessary for us to follow the editing heard in the Unicorn recording, which was arduous given the large number of takes made at the sessions and the many large and small edits for the Unicorn release; likewise with Death & Transfiguration. Thus this new release accurately presents what Horenstein approved, for both works.
Consistent with Bruck’s philosophy of minimal miking, his four-channel recordings are a study in phase coherence, which has been an essential ingredient for HDTT to maintain. The effect of hearing all four channels is the addition of another dimension of clarity and realism. Working on this project has given us an enormous appreciation for Bruck’s brilliant work—he is clearly a visionary who was far ahead of his time. His recordings capture a huge dynamic range without a hint of distortion, as well as pinpoint clarity of the soundstage resulting from his “just right” mic placement. As listeners to this release will hear, Bruck believed in “getting it right” without compromise.
Read the Reviews:
Chris Connaker's Review Audiophilestyle.com
John Marks Review The Tracking Angle.com
Rush Paul's Review positive-feedback.com
Rob Pennock's Review The Classical Source
Nick Barnard's Review Music Web International
Henry Fogel's Review Fanfare Magazine
Title: Jascha Horenstein, Conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
Norma Procter, Contralto
Ambrosian Singers, John McCarthy, Conductor
Wandsworth School Boys Choir, Russell Burgess, Conductor
William Lang, Flugelhorn solo
Dennis Wick, Trombone solo
John Georgiadis, Concertmaster, and violin solo
Recording Info: Recorded at Croydon, London on July 27, 28, and 29, 1970, at Fairfield Concert Hall, Harold Lawrence, producer (for Unicorn recording); Deryck Cooke, special consultant. Separate recording made at same sessions as Unicorn recording, on Scully four channel reel-to-reel recorder at 15 IPS. Recording Engineer: Jerry Bruck, Posthorn Recordings (recorded at the invitation of John Goldsmith, general manager of Unicorn Records).
Transfer of session tapes by Robert Witrak, Chief Engineer, HDTT, at 24/192 (late 2020). Editing of session tapes and restoration by John H. Haley, President, Harmony Restorations, LLC (2020-2024), except editing of Mvmt. III by Jerry Bruck (1970s).
Analog: Transferred using an Otari 1/2" 4-channel Professional tape deck modified by JRF Magnetics feeding two Merrill Tape Preamps
Digital: Merging Hapi Analog to Digital Converter clocked by an Antelope Audio 10MX Atomic Clock
Power Conditioning: Shunyata Research Everest 8000 for analog components
Shunyata Research Triton and Typhon for digital componets
Part One:
1. I. Kräftig; Entshieden [Strong; Resolute] (33:58)
Part Two:
2. II. Tempo di Menuetto. Grazioso. [Minuet tempo; graciously] (9:15)
3. III. Comodo. Scherzando. Ohne Hast [Comfortably; scherzo-like; without haste] (18:33)
04. IV. Sehr Langsam. Misterioso [Very slow; mysteriously] (“O Mensch! Gib Acht!”) [“O Man! Pay Heed!”] (8:42)
5. V. Lustig im Tempo und keck im Ausdruck [Merry in tempo and bold in expression] (“Es sungen drei Engel”) [“Three angels were singing”] (4:47)
6. VI. Langsam. Ruhevoll. Empfunden [Slow; peaceful; with feeling] (22:56)
7. Richard Strauss: Tod und Verklärung [Death and Transfiguration] (22:02)
Total Time 2 hours
Booklet designed by Robert Witrak
We extend our gratitude to Merrill Wettasinghe, proprietor of Merrill Audio, for graciously providing an additional Tape Preamp for the transfer of the 4 channel tapes. During the mastering process, we utilized Merrill electronics to achieve the utmost quality of sound.
Copyright © & ℗ High Definition Tape Transfers 2024, including all compilation, transfer, remastering, editing and restoration aspects. Source recordings: Copyright © & ℗ 2024, Jerry Bruck and Louise Bloomfield, used with kind permission. Booklet: Copyright © & ℗ High Definition Tape Transfers 2024, except for Misha Horenstein's essay: Copyright © & ℗ 2024, Misha Horenstein.
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