The real 1957 vs 1964 Ansermet La Mer

[wade]

having reread the various emails referencing Ansermet recordings of La Mer, I am not sure I am clear as to which commercially issued CDs actually have the 1957 stereo recording and which the 1964 recording, in spite of how they may be correctly or incorrectly identified in the CD booklets. And how can they be distinguished, since track timings always have to be adjusted for based on varying pre and post music silences included in the track lengths.

[drh8h]

On Saturday, April 11, 2015 at 12:37:11 PM UTC-4, wade wrote:
> having reread the various emails referencing Ansermet recordings of La Mer, I am not sure I am clear as to which commercially issued CDs actually have the 1957 stereo recording and which the 1964 recording, in spite of how they may be correctly or incorrectly identified in the CD booklets. And how can they be distinguished, since track timings always have to be adjusted for based on varying pre and post music silences included in the track lengths.

The "Classic Sound" version is indisputably the 1964 version, which is superior in every aspect. I had an LP with which to compare it. The "Legends" version is 1957, with way too much "remastering" intervention.

There are a number of reissues out there, so I cannot speak for all of them. The best clue is the last movement. If is plays around 7 1/2 minutes, you have 1957; the 1964 performance is close to 8 minutes.

[wade]

London 433711-2 (Ansermet Jubilee edition) says it is 1964 in the booklet documentation but the last movement is 7.24 according to the booklet back cover track timings.
London 448576-2 Classic sound says it is the 1964 recording and the last movement timing is 7:59.
Newton Classics says it has the 1957 recording and the last movement timing is 7:31
Decca Legends says it is the 1957 recording and the last movement timing is 7:30
London 414040-2 (the earliest of the Ansermet stereo La Mer reissues)- I dont have access to the booklet or case back to tell about this one.
London Weekend classics (421171-2) says it is 1957 and the last movement timing is 7:29
Eloquence has only reissued the 1951 recording, so no additional info here.

[drh8h]

Thanks for that information. I also once had the 414040. It might even have been the first CD I ever bought. It was advertised as the 1964 version and praised by William Malloch in Opus magazine. Sold or traded it many years ago. Then there is a 78 version, c. 1947, only reissued AFAIK by Lys in a bass-heavy transfer. The whole field of post-war 78 London/Decca recordings that never made it to LP would be a great reissue project. Dutton has done quite a few of them, but many people would prefer a less intervening approach. Beulah also issued several CDs worth. Just among conductors you have Munch, Sargent, Krauss, De Sabata, Desmoriere, Ansermet, Leinsdorf, Rankl, Cameron, Knappertsbusch, Blech, Van Beinum, Coates, et. al. Probably the biggest discouragement has been the unbelievably bad shellac used to make them.

[Mort]

Hi,

I do not know the contents, but a new big box from Decca has been
announced, called "The Monaural Years". Might it contain the early
monaural Ansermet items?

Mort Linder

[Randy Lane]

Not La Mer.

Jeux and Six Épigraphes from 1954.

[Randy Lane]

There's a 3 CD Universal Japan set that has both 1964 and 1957 versions:

http://tower.jp/item/2562731

http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B002647VBE

[number_six]

On Saturday, April 11, 2015 at 2:19:11 PM UTC-7, Mort wrote:

I was wondering the same thing. There's also the Ansermet "French Music" box. If they played their cards right, it would have the later version. I have not compared the listings yet.

[Mort]

Yes, new = $135.-, and used = $75.-, plus shipping charges. As
Hollywood moguls used to say, include me out.

Mort Linder