This recording needs to be owned by anybody that loves classical music. Even if you can only find it on 8 track...it's that great 👍 Happy New Year! 🎉

This is so very interesting and helpful as I am starting to collect Bruckner, I have a music ed degree from the seventies. I want to home school myself, being in my seventies, about composers and their best recordings. I wonder if you have heard of Westminster Choir College founded by John Finley Williamson in the 1920s, and director Joseph Flummerfelt? I would like very much to learn more your opinion of recording featuring great choirs, including that of my alma mater, and choral works in general. Thank you for your professionalism in your presentations. Most binge-worthy!

I was just about to sit down and evaluate three pressings aaand no sound! I need to figure this out, and I went to stream a version off youtube and found your review! The streamer can be heard so I'm not sure what to think. Better call Oz. I can't imagine how all of a sudden the phono is not working! Uggh.

Hey Anthony- have you heard Ormandy’s version of Strauss’s Hero’s Life? Your opinion of how it compares to Beecham’s?

All I know is this record sounds absolutely fantastic! Great video maestro

I just listened to this recording and it is fantastic. Great music, great recording, great performance. I checked with Dave Hurwitz as I often do. His opinion is... drumhroll... THE GREATEST RECORDING EVER...of this music and one of his favorites of all recordings. I always enjoy your podcasts and look forward to them each week.

I recently brought home an armful of classical records and was excited to see several DG Bruckner, got all for a dollar each.I am itching to get up to see if a few of mine are the same as yours. However the cat just now jumped up on my lap to help me watch your video, so I can't make her get down just yet. I have a bad case of catophilia.. A good excuse to watch another of your excellent reviews.

Nice video. What are your 3 favorite Nutcracker Suite and complete Nutcracker recordings? The Christmas season still goes on for many of us. I celebrate till at least January 15th. The outdoor markets in Germany, including the biggest in the world stay open till the 15th. My favorite 3 suites are Rostropovich/Berlin, igor Markevitch on early label Angel, and an extended suite with John Lanchberry conducting the LSO. With a honorable mention to Stanley Black's reading on London Phase 4, and Leonard Slatkin with the St.Louis Symphony . My 3 favorite complete Nutcracker's are the Anatole Fistoulari (the one in stereo), but the track sequences on the cd are in a very strange order, the second Previn version where he conducted The Royal Philharmonic, and out of nostalgia still in my soul, the early stereo Ernest Ansermet on Decca SXL, (better sounding) than the London Blueback. No one mentions The Bernstein recording. I always meant to hear it.

Happy New Year !🎉. Great review!

I believe the decision to record in the Temple Church came about because the film composer Bernard Herrmann recommended the space - he and his wife were friends with the Barbirollis. The 70s Postage Stamp does indeed sound terrific! I'd love to hear an OG, but I agree that the PS sounds as good if not better than the second press and Alto. Every classical music lover should own this album. I must confess I also love the Boult version on 70s EMI, and for the Elgar the Britten version on his "English String Music" Decca is incredible - another essential record. (I also love the Boult version of the Elgar, also on EMI, coupled with Tortelier's very fine version of the 'cello concerto).

Good advice for ASD 521....I had a couple of 'postage stamp' pressings of this fabulous recording, but EMI later re-pressed it with the black top/red bottom hemisphere HMV label (mid 80s if I remember correctly) - mine has stampers 2 yba 705 - 5 (A side), 2 yba 705 - 3 (B side) and looks like EMI Hayes. This a much cleaner pressing than the postage stamp ones I had (all bought second hand). My general feeling/impression is that later issues in black top/red bottom are better than either 70s postage stamps or the 'Angel Series' Gt. Britain pressings - for example the Delius opera series and the 'Mass of Life' all issued as Angel 'yellows' and quite poor pressing-wise. But the reissue of 'Mass of Life' in BT/RB gave us immaculate surfaces and 'cleaner' chorus peaks. My favourite EMI pressings are the DMM Teldec Hamburg ones that started to appear in the early 80s...do you know the Marriner/Minnesota Britten YPG/4 Sea Interludes, ASD 1436281? Beautiful engineering by Michael Sheady....ditto his work on the Rattle/CBSO Sinfonia da Requiem, sound to die for in Warwick Univ. Arts Centre!!

Why no high output mc cartridges reviewed?

Many thanks Anthony for this review, I was watching over my breakfast, and was so inspired that I broke off and went to my record library and pulled out a minty version of this, which I haven’t heard as have always listened to Mariner on Argo. I will clean it and have a listen tonight many thanks !

Happy New Year to you and your family, Anthony! It is my hope that I will have more time to watch your channel in 2025. I look forward to it. 👍👍👍

This was the first classical record that I ever listened to, and it was in 1964 and I was 7 years old and it was played for us by Mrs Bryder our class teacher and she also taught music. I don't think she would approve of much of the music I listen to, but I do know she would be thrilled knowing that in my collection of thousands of LP's and CD, and hundreds of thousands of digital recordings, there is a copy of the record she played that day and also that I have listened to it at least once every few months for well over 50 years now.

Thanks! Do you have experience with the original Decca release?

Thanks for this. It's a wonderful record!

Happy New Year Anthony! Great vid mate. Will keep my eyes peeled for a copy, Thanks.

Great video maestro, postage stamp is in my want list. Cheers!

I have been lurking on your channel for a while, much to my satisfaction. I will be subscribing. I am happy to report my Angel S 36101 from 1963 sounds very good. Would love to be able to compare it with the HMV.

Happy new year Anthony !!! Excellent review. Thank you very much, I’ll be on my quest to find a postage stamp pressing. Cheers, Tony

Nice choice indeed. 👍🏼 Happy New Year!!

Would love to hear an original of this - I have the Alto, though, which sounds quite nice on my system / to my ears. Nice choice here!

Happy New Year Anthony & Family ! 💙💙❤❤👈👈😺😺😅😅✌✌

I agree the Conductor was a solid & worthwhile audible upgrade to the Harmony turntable. I was shocked, frankly. My other upgrades include a Kuzma tonearm (I’m not a fan of the Original Live arms) & a Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue cartridge (installed remotely by JR at WAM Engineering). I couldn’t be happier with the setup & finally got over my upgrade fever. Cheers!

Thanks for your beautiful work! Merry Christmas to all of you.

Ah! Just about all my favourite Solti recordings mentioned! The Vienna recordings, incl. The Ring of course, so fascinated me that when we went to Vienna we went to the Sofiensaal to see if it was possible to have a look at the place wheremany of these recordings were made.....and nothing could be easier, we just walked in the front door, up the stairs and we were at one end of the hall looking down from one of the windows shown in one of the photos in your video. The hall had a bad fire a few years ago, but is now restored, and one walks past the charred remains of the Sofiensaale (there's more than one hall!) sign which used to hang outside but is now on the stairs. It has now become a 'boutique' hotel and health club, but remains a concert venue - it was set with chairs and stands for an orchestra when we were there....but we were off to the Opera that night for a (fittingly) Salome! BTW you mentioned the Solti Bartok, I actually love the Chicago Dance Suite (despite the slight slackness in ensemble) as it was taken live, and stunningly engineered by Jimmy Lock who worked on so many of Solti's Vienna recordings, and is seen on Humphrey Burton's 'The Golden Ring' film - required viewing for all Solti fans!

I don’t think the two TTs sound anything alike. The Technics is faster sounding (not speed but energy) but don’t be fooled be the subtleties of the Bergman. The later has more microdetail yet a more supple presentation. Linear arms are very exact. I have neither table btw. So no dog in the hunt so to speak.

Very nice cartridges. It's a pity that in our free country we were banned from watching KZbin. From Russia with love.

Apologies! Ladies, great to see you Jan. 😇

I won't list them Anthony, but I added up all the records that I have got since you folks started that are directly from recommendations from all the contributors on screen as well as the Upper Macadamia Circle and it totals 27. Some for $1 all the way to $140. Every purchase has been a joy. Can't wait for 2025! 😁

Great stuff as always Lady and Gents. Was trying to catch bits whilst at work. Happy Holidays to you all.

Finally got around to watching this ! Many pleasant hours of listening coming up for me thanks to this list! Thanks Anthony, well done!

Someone asked about the Quartetto Italiano Beethoven cycle box set of ten LPs on Phillips released as 6747 272. The performances as generally excellent civilised and aristocratic and highly musical, though maybe at times not digging as deep as others such as Vega or Talich , as good as Melos and Berg, and not idiosyncratic as others can be at times. The sound is excellent warm and often sweet, nothing to complain about and surface noise is low. As an all rounder it’s hard to not recommend to someone wanting all of them.

Nicely done

Looks like an amazing setup, congratulations!

Hello folks. As a legally blind person, my experience appreciating and playing music has been very personal influential. I appreciate that you make a consistent effort to read the questions and comments that you discussed. There are some other music and audio shows that seem to make an attempt to do this, but it doesn't stick. I'm very much enjoying the content and your consistent effort to make the show accessible. Thank you. 7:56 7:56

Id love some advice from Angie on swapping out my bookshelf speakers to floor standing. However, my price point is roughly a galaxy away from hers 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Hi Gang, Great show. I finally, finally got my hands on a Decca wide band SXL 2182 original (not blue back) Rossini Overtures with the Paris Conservatoire under Peter Maag. It is just lovely. Thanks to all of you as my collection grows and grows and my wallet shrinks and shrinks. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. 😁

Why don't you measure something? Do you want me to expose you why you don't measure anything?

Whatever is better, nobody can say. We heard an iphone recording very incomparable audio chains, actually comparable a bit. But there‘s only one thing to hear, bergman is a cool playing, but not emotionally engaging turntable. You want a cold lens, get the bergman, you want fun and same detail, get the technics. They play different, not better or less. And no the price is NOT worth it.

Thanks!

Interesting list. Definitely high-end. I am okay with everything below $17,775. It’s crazy that a phono cartridge is almost $18K but hey if people are willing to buy it that’s up to them. I did see a couple of years ago a million dollar cartridge so maybe they thought $17,775 was a deal. That would be my story to my wife. Hey honey good news! I didn’t buy the million dollar cartridge instead I bought…

Nice little TT 🙂

Please add transcripts to your KZbin’s Thank you

It was so fun to see your selections. Anthony! I am Putting several on my shopping list!

For those interested in great performances and recordings, just not limited to 2024 - the Reference Recordings of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra are all fantastic!

I have a buddy who bought the Relax mc recently. We did a side by side comparison with my older Koetsu Onyx. Depending on the disc, of course, they were both outstanding. The Relax seemed to treat my ears a little less friendly on hard rock tracks while the newly retipped onyx was silky top to bottom. All said and done if I had to choose I'd stick with the Koetsu but I would hate to have to choose! My friend, being a drummer prefers the Relax but he was vascilating and even suggested we trade even up after hearing some very pure vocals forward Jacinta but then backed off after Rush! I mean come on.... Neil Pert on a first pressing from master! What righteous drummer wouldn't 😂😂

Really terrific job. Thanks Anthony. I have some of these but am taking notes on the others. Also, you have a super high quality reference system. Impressive.

I upgraded my streamer and speakers two years ago, leaving only my deck, I thought. I had a serious scare with big C at the start of this year, so have adopted more of a life is for living now attitude to savings. So in Oct I bought two high end decks, as I think I shared with you. Then 2 weeks ago Devialet launched the replacement for their previous top dual mono product the Pro 1000. I was in a group of 20 who were the first in the world to hear them live the day after they were launched worldwide. I was then the first to have them demoed in my home 2 days later, and the first to place an order, certainly in the U.K. at least. Innous who are my digital supplier of choice also launched a new range, which I also demoed at the same time, and committed to. That left my 2 year old Sonus Faber Serafinos speakers, after testing a G1 version of the next model up, I took advice from another customer who had done extensive A/B testing of both, versions in G1 and 2 versions, and went with the G2 Serafinos. I’ve never had so much kit lying about as it’s all left with me for a few days, that’s the benefit of a 20 year relationship . I got mfr and dealer contributions to the purchases as part of the trade in launch programmes, which made the timing, now or never. I listen 7 nights a week to my music, so although well over 100k US, in retirement it’s priceless to me.