Re: [ARSCLIST] RCA Living Stereo

[Steven Smolian <smolians@xxxxxxxxx>]

I take issue with the deification of these recordings.  To me they are
extremely artifical, with no attempt to recreate the listener's concert hall
experience.  The sound stage is set up from the conductor's perspecive.
There seems no blending of the forward-directed sound mixed with the
slightly later one  thrust out by the proscenium.

I find the frequencies of the massed strings artificially distributed.  Back
in the audience, one never hears the preponderence of the string's highest
overtones to the extent they are emphasized on these records- the Mercs
bother me more than the RCAs on this count.

This music was written to be heard by an audience seated at a distance from
the performers, not from the conductor's lap.

Steven Smolian

That may be the aesthetic you wish.  I hate it.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Cox" <doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, September 24, 2004 7:56 AM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] RCA Living Stereo


> On 23/09/04, Matt Bailey wrote:
> > RCA (actually BMG) has just released the first ten recordings in their
> > new line of hybrid SACD/CD reissues of the famous RCA Living Stereo
> > classical recordings of the 1950s. I just got them today and they
> > sound incredible. While not everyone is a fan of this type of music,
> > the technical aspects of this project from its inception to today
> > should fascinate most. Here is a little info on the current project
> > and a brief interview with three of the people involved:
> >
> > http://www.livingstereo-sacd.com/news/index.jsp
> >
> > (and I am in no way affiliated with BMG)
>
> Are you listening to them in SACD format or in CD format?
>
> Did you compare any with the CD issues from a few years ago?
>
> These were always good recordings, as were the Mercuries of the same
> vintage.
>
> Regards
> --
> Don Cox
> doncox@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>