Bluebacks and Beyond

[@dmntuba]

I bought a copy of Holst/HVK at a library sale (great condition) in 1981 for .50 cents. My favorite until I got Mehta/LA Phil version. I had almost all of the Mehta/LA recordings on LP(they were a favorite of "cut out" bins in one of our local record stores. Of course now I have the Mehta/LA box which I listened from this morning...the Varese arcana 👍

[@dat1phoenix173]

I appreciate these educational videos.

[@vladimirdorta6692]

I love Audiophilia! All of what you show has been part of my life, and I'm 85!

[@AudiophiliaChannel]

Thank you so much for the kind words, Vladimir. Glad you are enjoying the channel. All the best, Anthony

[@toddbromgard5211]

Thanks for your comments. Blue Backs are fast becoming my favorite records to collect.

[@AudiophiliaChannel]

You are most welcome, Todd.

[@ScottHughes-n4u]

Karajan's Holst The Planets with the Vienna Philharmonic recorded in the Sofiensaal, Vienna in September, 1961 in one Karajan's very best recordings. The precision of the 5/4 "col legno" at the beginning of "Mars the Bringer of War" shows the character and greatness of this performance. The Vienna Philharmonic is one the few orchestras in the world that uses natural skin heads on their timpanis. You can hear that unusual timpani timbre at the end of "Mars the Bringer of War" and "Uranus the Magician". The big string tune in "Jupiter the Bringer of Jollity" is gorgeous and perfectly balanced with the French horns. The organ pedals at the end of "Saturn the Bringer of Old Age" are beautiful. The disembodied ethereal chorus in "Neptune the Mystic" is perfect. I read in the liner notes that John Culshaw had doubts about releasing this "Planets" but it turned out to be a major artistic and commercial success for Decca/London. Great recording!

[@ThePressingMatters]

The great Campoli! This is as you say a perfect recording. How I wish ORG did that one .

[@joseluisherreralepron9987]

That "The Planets" is a marvel, easily the best of the number I own. The sound is great without Karajan's fiddling, with super low bass in the organ pedals during "Neptune." I have an original LP and the CD and I listen to both.

[@dmntuba]

I'm not a collector of vinyl(born in 1965 they have been a big part of my life), but truly enjoy your channel for information, research, personal experience, and of course the beautiful music. Thanks for sharing 👍 Cheers

[@ScottHughes-n4u]

The Sofiensaal in Vienna which was the Decca recording studio from the late '50s until the early '80s where so many famous VPO recordings and Solti's Mahler 8 and Beethoven 6 and 7 with the CSO were made burned down in August 2001. It was rebuilt in 2013 and is now an entertainment venue and apartments.

[@1Verwoert]

That Holst ! 🤩

[@Andrew_from_Oz_Vinyl_Landscape]

Well done Antony, I like the weird covers sort of faux neo classical 50’s style perhaps how the English thought the US think of classical ? , do u think the blue back was to help differentiate London’s from the Decca covers? In Oz we had SXLA with orange wide bands, it’s unclear whether they were pressed in Australia , or sent to Australia as they are the early have groove pressings?; Which suggest either they were pressed in UK, or the metal was sent to Oz….unlikely , the wide band Orange SXLA sound excellent

[@AudiophiliaChannel]

As long as they were pressed from the original tapes in New Malden, it’s all good. It’s when they send copy tapes to some average pressing plant, that’s when things go pear shaped.