About the Author
Chen Xiaobin is the guest host of the "Vinyl Bazaar" column of the classical music program "Eternal Charm" of Beijing Music Radio, and a national first-class recording engineer.
He has a deep understanding of classical music appreciation, and has served as a live host and recording engineer in the broadcast of major concerts at home and abroad in Beijing Music Radio for many times. He has also published many music review articles in many domestic music and audio publications such as the Chinese edition of Phonograph, Philharmonic, and Hi-Fi Audio.
In 1993, he participated in the establishment of the "Fever Clinic" program serving music lovers, served as the editor and host of the hardware and software columns, and served as the host of live recording and broadcast of many large-scale domestic and foreign concerts such as the Berlin Chinese New Year's Eve Concert, the Berlin Forest Concert, the Prague Spring Music Festival, and the Beijing International Music Festival of Beijing Music Broadcasting. The domestic and foreign performance groups that have participated in the recording and broadcast include: China Symphony Orchestra, China Philharmonic Orchestra, Paris Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Swiss Romande Symphony Orchestra and other outstanding performance groups.
The live recordings of many concerts recorded in 2004 won the National Recording Award, the Paris Orchestra's performance of "Fantasy Symphony" recorded in 2004 won the first prize for the recording technology quality of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television in 2005, and the World Peace Symphony Orchestra's performance of "Tianfang Yetan" recorded in 2005 won the first prize for the recording technology quality of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television in 2006. Dvořák's "Slavic Dance" and Shostakovich's "Festival Overture" won the first prize of the 2008 and 2009 annual recording technology quality awards of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television. The recording of concerts by the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra in Russia won the Outstanding Recording Award for Sound Asia and published the book Music and Recordings on Records in 2005.
Great value for a small LONDON
- Rostropovich's Apecioni Sonata
Schubert's Apachoni Sonata is a very characteristic chamber music work, if it were not for Schubert, who would think of a short-lived instrument of the 1820s, "Apexioni"? It is an instrument between the cello and the guitar, played with a bow, six strings, and like a guitar, there are also fixed pitches on the fretboard. It is said that this instrument has a wide range and a richer timbre variation. Other music scholars believe that the origin of the name of this strange piano is that it is particularly suitable for playing arpeggios. But not many people are now exploring this allusion, because the Appechoni piano soon withdrew from the stage, and one can only see it in the music museum. Now in most cases, the work is played on a modern cello, with a hint of sadness in the melody of the whole song, and the music has a breathtaking charm. Often referred to as the "King of Chamber Music", the piece is played on the cello and piano. There are many excellent versions of the famous master partners in the history of recording, combining the quality of performance and recording, and this vinyl record I recommend is recognized as the most well-known and the best recording effect of Thepechoni records. This is what Soviet cellist Rostropovich and British composer and pianist Britton recorded at DECA in the late 1960s. The front page of this record was still in the ERA OFCCA wide label, and the first version was ED3 slotless DECCA. The superb cooperation of the two masters and DECA's superb recording technology have made this good record with excellent performances.
Rostropovich
Rostropovich was one of the greatest cellists of the 20th century, Britten was a famous British composer known for his works such as Requiem for War and The Guide to The Orchestra for Teens, and piano accompaniment was a skill he was not well known to the world. Pianist Fu Cong once praised the power of Britton's piano accompaniment, and this record fully shows that Fu Cong's reputation is not empty. Britton's piano accompaniment and Lao Luo's playing of the piano and song set off a wonderful musical mood. Rostropovich's cello solo shows his pure fire and ability to accurately grasp the poignant and mournful emotions characteristic of Schubert's works. Fans of this record are also loved by audiophile-quality recordings, the cello sound quality is mellow, wide, plucked and kneaded strings are clear and sharp, and the position of the piano and cello is almost within reach. The first version of this album was one of the most expensive records in the Great DECA.
What I want to recommend here is the first edition of the small LONDON UK that was released at about the same time as the first edition of the big DECA. As we all know, LONDON is a trademark of Deca Records released in the United States, but the embossing is completed in the headquarters of Deca in the United Kingdom, and it is engraved by the popular engraver of Decca, so as long as it is a vinyl record with the LONDON trademark released simultaneously with DECCA, the sound quality is very close to DECCA. After comparative listening, the sound quality difference between this small LONDON version of the "Appleioni Sonata" and the first version of the big DECA ED3 is very small, but the price is nearly 10 times different. For fans who love this version of the recording, this version of the small LONDON is the best choice for the price.
A well-documented collection of classical sketches
- Karajan Walking concert
Today I would like to recommend a famous "Earth Edition" record by EMI, Karajan conducts the Philharmonic Walk Concert published by the British Philharmonic Orchestra in 1961. This is a collection of extremely wonderful sketches recorded by Karajan during the EMI signing era, which includes Wald Sever's "Ice Skating Round Dance", Chabriel's "Spanish Rhapsody", Supe's "Hussar Overture" and other well-known classics, and everyone can feel the unique musical style of the young Karajan.
Karajan
For some time after World War II, Karajan was banned from performing. After his comeback in the 1950s, EMI's renowned producer Legge saw his artistic potential and market prospects and recorded a number of well-documented records for him with the British Philharmonic Orchestra. For example, his first complete beethoven symphony, Schubert and Sibelius symphonies, etc., among which the Sibelius symphony also received the approval of the composer himself, which made the young Karajan famous. At the same time, Leger also recorded and published several classical sketches in the Blue Globe Mark, which was well-made and well-recorded, and was well received by the industry and the outside world, and this vinyl was one of the best.
Rhapsody of Spain is the most famous orchestral work of the French composer Chablier, a follower of Wagner, who excelled in orchestral instrumentation and was very distinctive. The Spanish Rhapsody was quite melodically exotic and very popular at the time. The rich colors of the music, combined with the unique Spanish style, have been very popular since its launch. In addition, his piano sketch "Habanera" is also very popular. He was often associated with impressionist painters and symbolist poets, and was an influential figure in French art life in the second half of the 19th century. Karajan's treatment of the work was enthusiastic and lively, very different from the style he later had after joining the Berliner Philharmoniker.
Supe's "Hussar Overture" appeared several times in Karajan's recording career, which shows his love and importance for this work. He later had several recording experiences during the DG period, but personally felt that EMI's recording in 1961 was more reflective of the work's connotations. At the beginning of the song, trumpets and horns play the hussar theme in a high-pitched and loud voice, as if they were a dashing hussar team waiting to go. The trombone then echoes this theme with an ensemble, emphasizing the mighty barracks atmosphere. Subsequently, the violin plays a bright theme with great speed and jumping rhythm, showing the image of the hussars astute and cheerful, and these factors are vividly displayed in this recording.
It is particularly worth mentioning the sound quality of this vinyl, which was recorded and released in 1961, which is a masterpiece of the peak of the recording of electronic pipe equipment, not only the sound of the strings is full and delicate, but even the dynamics and low frequencies that were not good at that era have been achieved to the extreme, which is definitely the typical representative of the best sound effects in EMI's "Blue Earth" period.
Affordable high-priced recordings
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Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, the world's first of the four violin concertos, is a must-challenge work for violin masters, and it is also one of the most beloved violin masterpieces of philharmonics, with many record versions, and the blue and silver earth version of the Soviet violin master David Oystracht and the French conductor Kluittan is well known. What I am recommending now is another famous version of EMI's Colombian blue silver trademark, the version of the Soviet violin master Leonid Kogang in collaboration with the Romanian conductor Silvestri, which is also a favorite vinyl business card of many vinyl fans.
The first movement is written in sonata form, the heroic temperament is the main feature of the movement, and the gentle melody in the music contrasts with the heroic temperament. The first movement of this violin concerto is the most difficult to grasp, both a grand and unrestrained heroic character, but also to maintain elegant and feminine musical characteristics, how to solve this contradiction is the performer's understanding of Beethoven's spirit and the test of his own artistic achievements. At the end of the movement, there are famous versions of Joachim, Chrysler and others, and Kogang uses joachim's version of the recording. Compared with the interpretations of many famous artists, Kegang's treatment of external cold and internal heat has a very touching charm.
The second movement is a deep, slightly sad "slow plate", Beethoven was 36 years old when he created this work, and the inner pain brought about by the loss of hearing and the hardships of life is revealed in the poignant melody. The euphemism and desolation of Kogang's piano well presents the mood and charm of Beethoven's music.
Ke Gang
As one of the most iconic violinists of the 20th century in the Soviet Union, Kogang's achievements and international status are second only to David Oystrakh. After the 1960s, Kegang was frail and sickly, and performed less, which to some extent limited the spread of his reputation. Most of his records were recorded in the Soviet Union, and most of the few records recorded in the West were completed between 1958 and 1960. These include the film with the Romanian conductor Silvestri, as well as Mendelssohn, Mozart Violin Concerto, Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto, Brahms Violin Concerto with Condrasshin, Laro's "Spanish Symphony", etc., these records are the best in Both performance and recording, the most sought after blockbusters in the vinyl market, the first version of vinyl is a sky-high record, and the Beethoven Violin Concerto is one of the best.
The 3rd movement of the melody, experiencing the gloom and desolation of the second movement, Beethoven, driven by spiritual strength, uses a brisk, joyful and energetic rhythm and melody to gallop and exert passion, showing an optimistic mood. There is a short-form colorful section before the end of the movement, and the whole song ends in a celebratory and clear atmosphere.
In this film, the British Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Silvestri makes a perfect annotation to Beethoven's musical spirit with its full and gorgeous sound and magnificent musical scenes. Silvestri was a legendary Romanian conductor who is now little known. His premature death made him far less famous than his compatriot Chelibidak, but I boldly assert that if his life had lasted longer, his reputation should have been on par with Cheribidak's.
Friends who listen to vinyl know that after the recorded version is determined, the choice of the version of the record is very important. In general, the first edition is the best choice, but for most vinyl fans, the first edition is often expensive and the appearance is not guaranteed. In particular, the first edition of this Kegang Blue Silver Earth is a well-known high-priced film, and the sky-high price of tens of thousands of yuan is even more prohibitive. What I recommend is the first version of the square label in the CFP re-edition of this recording, the re-edition of the 1970s, well-made, good sound quality, and most importantly, the price is much lower than the first version, for friends who are obsessed with Kegang vinyl, it is the best choice for a very cost-effective company.
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