for Giulini/CSO M9 fans . . .

[barry guerrero]

For those of you who enjoy Giulini's Chicago Mahler 9, it'll be reissued again in a 5 cd box set called "Giulini In America II" (vol. 2). It includes all of his Chicago recordings for DG:  Mahler 9, Schubert 9, Dvorak 8 & 9, Pictures at an Exhibition, the Britten "Serenade for tenor, horn and strings", etc.

The release date will be July 5 in the U.S.

[vvrinc]

Very good news, thank you.

I have volume 1, with LA Philharmonic, and it contains some terrific performances. Among them are the marvelous Schumann 3rd Symphony, Brahms’ 1st & 2nd Symphonies and the Debussy La Mer. The EMI CSO recordings were a welcome issue as well.

[Roland Flessner]

I bought the original vinyl issue shortly after it was released, and I now have the DG Double release. I'm curious about the release in "The Originals" series, because David Hurwitz's review on ArkivMusic said that some "extraneous noise" had been removed.

I never noticed anything "extraneous" about the earlier issues, but both have weird string tone, almost a pulsing sound, in places. I remember a reviewer in High Fidelity mentioning it on the vinyl issue. I'm curious if anyone has heard the remastered Originals release and could compare the string sound.

This is a performance of no small virtues and I've always liked it, but the string sound renders it almost unlistenable.

[James Meckley]

I bought the original vinyl issue shortly after it was released, and I now have the DG Double release. I'm curious about the release in "The Originals" series, because David Hurwitz's review on ArkivMusic said that some "extraneous noise" had been removed.

I never noticed anything "extraneous" about the earlier issues, but both have weird string tone, almost a pulsing sound, in places. I remember a reviewer in High Fidelity mentioning it on the vinyl issue. I'm curious if anyone has heard the remastered Originals release and could compare the string sound.

This is a performance of no small virtues and I've always liked it, but the string sound renders it almost unlistenable.

The "pulsing string tone" which you mention is almost surely the noise Mr. Hurwitz was referring to in his review. The Giulini/CSO Mahler 9 was notorious for that odd effect, which plagued all issues prior to the "DG Originals" release. I think it was the violas or second violins which were most affected—I'd have to re-listen to be sure, and I've already jettisoned all my defective copies.

I'm pleased to tell you that the problem has been completely eliminated on the DG Originals release ©2000 (463 609-2), a two-disc set which also includes Schubert's Symphony No. 8. You may buy with confidence.

James

[John Kim]

I bought the original vinyl issue shortly after it was released, and I now have the DG Double release. I'm curious about the release in "The Originals" series, because David Hurwitz's review on ArkivMusic said that some "extraneous noise" had been removed.

I never noticed anything "extraneous" about the earlier issues, but both have weird string tone, almost a pulsing sound, in places. I remember a reviewer in High Fidelity mentioning it on the vinyl issue. I'm curious if anyone has heard the remastered Originals release and could compare the string sound.

This is a performance of no small virtues and I've always liked it, but the string sound renders it almost unlistenable.

The "pulsing string tone" which you mention is almost surely the noise Mr. Hurwitz was referring to in his review. The Giulini/CSO Mahler 9 was notorious for that odd effect, which plagued all issues prior to the "DG Originals" release. I think it was the violas or second violins which were most affected—I'd have to re-listen to be sure, and I've already jettisoned all my defective copies.

I'm pleased to tell you that the problem has been completely eliminated on the DG Originals release ©2000 (463 609-2), a two-disc set which also includes Schubert's Symphony No. 8. You may buy with confidence.

James

I am not so sure.

I have both the Galleria & Original versions and to my ears they sound - as far as the 'pulsing string' - sound the same. I don't think it's eliminated in the latter version if it was in the first version, or vice versa. In fact, I much prefer the sound on the Galleria because it has more body and ambience than the Originals edition. Whatever the Originals CD has improved upon, I'd say it's minimal and it has lost the body and ambience of the first edition, I am afraid. You see, you can't violate the law of conservation of energy! - You gain something, you lose something else.

John,

[Russell]

Well, count me as another one who does *not* hear the pulsating string tone in 'The Originals' edition, whereas it was pretty obvious (and annoying) on the LP and Galleria CD editions.  I do admit that the overall sound quality of the Originals edition isn't very good--it's a bit lightweight and bright--but it's better than hearing those pulsating strings...... .  Still one of my very favorite M9 recordings, though.

Russell

[Russ Smiley]

what he said ;-)

[Roland Flessner]

Interesting comments, and thanks to all. I don't think I will bother to order The Originals release, but if I stumble on it at a used record store, I'd probably bite.

[akiralx]

Just listened to this in the 'Giulini in America' CSO boxset, and cannot hear any string pulsing sound.

[John Kim]

I concur on the Giulini/LAPO/DG Brahms 1st and 2nd. They are simply the best recordings of these works.