Geek Heaven: Decca's John Culshaw--The Art of the Producer

This 12 CD box features Culshaw recordings from "The Early Years" (1948-55), when Culshaw was finding his footing as a producer and participating in the technological revolutions (the birth of the LP, primarily, the advent of stereo) that he would exploit so effectively later in his career. Have a look at the video for a discussion of the set's contents. There's some very interesting stuff here, including Solti's first (1955) recording of the Brahms German Requiem.

[@francoisjoubert6867]

Please please - “10 best recordings produced by John Culshaw” and same for Walter Legge. It will be interesting to see how many of your reference recordings were produced by these gentlemen.

[@brianwilliams9408]

Just goes to show how impactful Culshaw was as a producer. How many producers get their own box set? I will not be buying this but knowing that they cared enough to put this out shows that they are serious about their reissue projects. Good job Eloquence!

[@brunoluong7972]

This is Decca not Eloquence. But the quality is as impressive.

[@WesSmith-m6i]

Thank you so much, Dave, for this review. I have a huge soft spot for Culshaw because when I was 13 (in '74), I fell in love with Wagner's Ring through the Solti/Culshaw recordings. I was completely won over by his goal of presenting operas on LP in ways that could never happen in the opera house. I now realize that he had a darker side (i.e. his treatment of Jussi Bjorling), but his opera productions made opera really come alive for me. Thanks again. Wesley

[@fitterstoke45]

Interesting review (thank you) of a set that sounds too niche even for a geek like me. I've got a few of these things already on Dutton CDs and don't much feel the need to explore any further, but kudos to Decca for honouring their unassuming (!) producer.

[@analogueanorak1904]

Definitely will be monitoring the price of this one as right up my street. The choice of the era covered ending in 1954 is great for me as a vinyl collector as I find it’s only around this time onwards that the majority of the LXT mono originals start consistently sounding sonically impressive so quite a lot of the ones in this box will benefit from a bit of help.

[@JPFalcononor]

For anyone is interested, and has access to Gramophone's digital archives, there is an interesting article by Culshaw in the March 1959 issue titled: Making A Stereo Rheingold.

[@petertaplin4365]

I wonder if there'll be a follow-up 'stereo' box? It would be huge, but that's where his talents would be better appreciated.

[@MilsteinRulez]

Interesting - to me, incidentally, as I just finished Suvi Raj Grubb‘s memoir on his work with EMI until the arrival of digital recording. In there, I recognised several excellent recordings I was brought up on, so to speak, and I started revisiting some of them. Among which were Brahms concertos and a very exciting Mozart Requiem with Barenboim, Brahms sonatas with Perlman and Ashkenazy, Rostropovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mzensk and many more. Grubb‘s output is too vast to put in a single box, but a Best-of might be warranted. Perhaps a chat on the power and influence of pruducers during the LP and digital ages?

[@markvaz9300]

I remember reading Culshaw's "Ring Resounding" years ago, and IIRC it contained an anecdote about a famous conductor who took issue with one of the liner-note writers for Decca's classical division. Apparently, this writer had written a glowing essay about the conductor's achievements that was unfortunately coupled with a not-too-flattering photo of him. The conductor blamed the liner-note writer for the selection of the photo, despite Culshaw's assurances that the writer had absolutely no part in that. The conductor nonetheless demanded that the writer be summarily dismissed and because he was apparently one of Decca's most important recording artists, his wishes were met. According to Culshaw's account, this conductor was somehow obsessed with the writer. He would constantly ask if the writer was still working for Decca or not. He actually was, but had been consigned to their pop music department; much to his great disappointment. The writer apparently loved working in the Classical Division and was saddened to have to leave. He later died and when the conductor heard about this, he reportedly said something to the effect of "Aha! God punished him and his family for what he did to me!" I've often wondered just who the awful conductor was that Culshaw referenced in his book. Karajan, perhaps? Solti? In any event, Culshaw apparently never had the cojones to stand up for his unfairly treated colleague and give that conductor the reality-check (i.e. telling him what an absolute jerk he was) that he so badly needed.

[@mgconlan]

It was Josef Krips.

[@hendriphile]

Another cool anecdote from that book (from memory, as I don’t have the book with me right now): ‘During the sessions for Das Rheingold, an orchestral musician came up to Kirsten Flagstad and said, “How are things in Sweden?“ “Young man, I’m from Norway.“ “Same thing, isn’t it?” At that point, I turned and walked away, because there are times when it is necessary to be somewhere else.’

[@JamesDavidWalley]

@@mgconlanTrue - Culshaw identified him by name in _Setting The Record Straight_ , but there’s a significant difference in his second telling of the story. If I can recall (I read it many years ago), it was not the photo but the headline of the article (once again, not written by the reviewer) that drew Krips' ire, as it identified him as a "pops" conductor.

[@ernestrobles1510]

Max Wilcox at RCA was another influential producer. Practically every Rubinstein and Guarneri String Quartet recordings were produced by him.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

And he was one hell of a nice guy. i knew him well and enjoyed his company tremendously.

[@peacearchwa5103]

Will Sony be tempted to compile a similar legacy box set dedicated to John McClure?

[@michaelhoppe8367]

Interestingly Culshaw wrote one of the first biographies on Rachmaninoff in 1949

[@mgconlan]

One mistake: William Walton's "Orb and Scepter" March was not composed for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. It was composed in 1937 for the coronation of her father, King George VI. It was later recycled for Elizabeth's coronation.

[@neilford99]

Not according to Wikipedia. Are you perhaps confusing it with Crown Imperial which was written in 1937?

[@HassoBenSoba]

@@neilford99 Yes..both Orb and Scepter and Bax's Coronation Anthem were written for the 1953 ceremony.

[@neilford99]

I don't know orb and sceptre. I should. We played crown imperial at school orchestra. It's such a good piece, just perfect for the occasion.

[@bbailey7818]

The Bayreuth disc isn't especially interesting because Wagner fans will want the complete recordings. But I just finished listening to the Barber disc. It was very well recorded, the performances are exemplary and it alone is worth the price of the box. After hearing the 2nd symphony you're baffled as to why Barber would ever have withdrawn the work in 1964. Nelsova in the cello concerto is almost faultless. Barber took conducting lessons from Nicolai Malko before making the recordings. He learned well, he''s a superb advocate for his own music. The Brahms Requiem: I haven't heard Solti's later recording but I hope he didn't repeat the staccato, nonlegato phrasing in the 2nd movement. it's a terrible idea and annoying. I'd never heard of the soprano and after hearing the fifth mvt, I know why. Labored, pitchy and anything but consoling, I had Traurigkeit while listening to her. The Britten Serenade is splendid except for some uncharacteristic clams early on from Brain. I'm surprised there weren't retakes. But the Bridge Variations by Neel are excellent.

[@davidaltschuler9687]

He wrote a lot of fiction, and many of his anecdotes feel a bit self-congratulatory and exaggerated. That story about fooling Szell in the playback room is petulant and strains credibility. DH describes his self-promotion.