Which is the best transfer of Arrau's 1953 Diabelli Variations?

[howie...@btinternet.com]

Naxos? The new one on DECCA? Another? Or does it make no real difference?

[Tom D.E. Deacon]

On Apr 2, 9:12 am, howie.st...@btinternet.com wrote:
> Naxos? The new one on DECCA? Another? Or does it make no real difference?

The "new" one on Decca is undoubtedly NOT new. It was included as a
bonus CD in a series of French Arrau boxes (they are all white).

The Naxos? It will, of course, be simply an LP to CD transfer. However
well done it will not have either the dynamic range or sound quality
of the original master tape(on those French Philips boxes or on the
Decca incarnation of the same), which resides in Hanover now in the
Universal archive.

[David Fox]

On 4/2/13 6:12 AM, howie...@btinternet.com wrote:
> Naxos? The new one on DECCA? Another? Or does it make no real difference?
>

I have the Naxos and it sounds very similar in sonic character to the
Decca-released 1953 Scherzi and Ballades. I'd have trouble ranking them
soundwise. If it were me I'd get whichever one is cheaper / more
convenient and not worry.

DF

[mandryka]

On Apr 2, 6:18 pm, David Fox <davidfox2...@yahoo.com> wrote:

I have the DECCA one. My problem is that, for some reason, the sound
really annoys me. Normally I'm pretty tolerant about sound, so it's
strange. I sense it's a fine performance which I just can't enjoy.

Oh well. Maybe someone with the LP will make a good transfer.

[David Fox]

I can understand what you mean. Decca was getting a very weird, boomy,
cavernous piano sound for Arrau. It's almost as if they really didn't
know how to properly handle the size of his sound given their technology
and approach to piano recording at the time. I guess we're lucky he
left the label. Unfortunately, the issues you have with the sound most
probably have to do mostly with the recording itself, not the particular
remastering.

>
> Oh well. Maybe someone with the LP will make a good transfer.

Which is exactly what the Naxos recording is.

DF

[td]

There is also the piano, which is a Baldwin. This piano has always been very bass heavy.

TD

[MiNe 109]

In article
<951cfebb-c16d-4041...@i5g2000vbk.googlegroups.com>,

The Decca can be heard on spotify and, I believe, on youtube. Naxos
subscribers can hear that transfer on their website.

I wonder if the master tapes of an American Columbia recording are
necessarily in Hanover.

Stephen

[David Fox]

The Diabelli's were released American Decca. Arrau recorded for
American Columbia before that. American Decca became MCA records and
eventually got rolled up into what became Universal Music.
So, ironically, American Decca and British Decca became part of the same
company.

DF