World Premier! Berlin Philharmonic Brucker Symphony #7 Direct To Disc Box Set "Unboxing"

On May 11th, 2019 Bernard Haitink conducted a dazzling performance of Bruckner's Symphony #7 in what would become his final appearance with the Berlin Philharmonic. Emile Berliner Studios recorded the concert live, "Direct-to-Disc" using three Josephson microphones plus a pair for "hall sound", with vacuum tube based microphone preamps into a vintage tube-based mixer directly feeding the cutting lathe that had been wheeled over to the Berlin Philharmonie.
The resulting deluxe 2 LP box set limited to 1884 copies (the year of the symphony's world premier) is about to be released. AnalogPlanet editor Michael Fremer contributed some notes to the box set book and so received an advance copy, which he unboxes here.
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[@williampearson4968]

What a beautiful presentation of Bernard Haitink and the Berlin Philharmonic who happens to be my favorite Conductor, one of my favorite orchestras. Bruckner is a wonderful composer and the 7th is my favorite of his output. Thanks, Michael

[@janetmcdonald1909]

I was fortunate to be at this concert - amazing!

[@stevesincock941]

Blimey

[@analoguecity3454]

Glad to see a video from you! Fantastic package, I'm going to get one!

[@Baerchenization]

They were not available when I checked half a day ago, but now they are - be quick or else you will have to pay 750 bucks on Ebay soon, as is the case with their Brahms recording ;)

[@bareknuckles2u]

Thank you again for yet another inspiring video!

[@famousutopias]

I can’t begin to comprehend the pressure of producing a D2D recording under those conditions. If anything goes wrong anywhere at any point of the recording the whole session’s lacquers are lost- since that’s going to be the only performance! It’s wonderful to see a group of truly competent people, virtuosos every one, -who really get it- come together and pull this off. It’s comforting to me to see this; that in their own way these people give witness to the fact that the values of the renaissance are still with us. It’s not at all obvious today that that’s the case. We could stand slightly less efficiency in exchange for a lot more beauty and slightly less bombast for a lot more authenticity. This recording is probably all that and more. Thanks for sharing.

[@matthewv789]

I wouldn't be too surprised if they did several nights of concerts (as is typical) and recorded them all, then picked the best one, or even the best several sides. It still would be totally live and unedited aside from possibly using different nights for each side, but with less risk of a problem ruining the whole thing. (I don't know for sure they recorded more than one performance though.) Being the clever marketers they are, they probably wouldn't want to emphasize this fact (if true) though, since they'd want to play up the risk and the "once and done" feat.

[@davidgena2667]

What a magnificent video! Very, very interesting. Many thanks, Michael. Only wish I could afford to buy the box set.

[@cristianquiros7704]

Love it!! I can smell the beauty of a new vinyl record!!!!!

[@EricBrownBey]

Michael I enjoy your videos a lot. I am 17 years old. I have been collecting and LISTENING to records for about almost decade. Almost my whole life. I am basically at the point where I don't buy anything buy records. I have 78s (78 albums too), 45, and LPs.

[@Soedel.Deluex]

1884 was the first public performance of the 7th Symphony

[@fsb1284]

Just purchased to hear thru my newly-acquired PS Stellar Phono!

[@OhJonahII]

Congratulations, Michael. Cool project to be involved with

[@grahaminkpen5436]

It’s out now, have ordered a copy. 👌

[@gianpaologliori3604]

I think Von Karajan’s last recording was Bruckner 7 as well. It was a good one, even though he was in so much pain he could hardly remain upright while conducting. A very emotionally intense performance.

[@stevesincock941]

I have it. Its stunning

[@practice4089]

great symphony, great orchestra. i wanted to hear it

[@methimpikehose]

Such a nice set! It’s fantastic to see an orchestra really caring for their releases. They even have their own label for it! I hope they’ll release more d2d in the future as I totally missed the Brahms box (worst miss I can think of) and Bruckner just isn’t my thing. On a side note I would like to recommend their Tchaikovsky 6th vinyl-release from last year - though digitally recorded it is still sounds fantastic and is also beautifully presented.

[@twofromthetrunk9932]

It’s wonderful to hear you do a review I was beginning to miss you voice on your videos. I hope you have more videos in the wings :)

[@analoguecity3454]

Me too!

[@dead_formats]

Me four!

[@estebannemo1957]

Now, one just needs speakers that can reproduce an orchestra. I have great speakers, but so far they have not been up to it. Id still by the LP, though.

[@leyland9999]

Esteban Nemo So true! Reason I still own a pair of now ancient B&W DM7’s mk2’s. From the early 80’s, they still deliver honest reproduction. Sure, there are better ones but back in the days these were produced, some of the best recordings of all time appeared. If adjusted properly, well away from corners of your room and away of thick curtains and a little less bass fed to them, they still outperform many modern products. And, if you look on the internet, they can be obtained for less then $200 a pair. Downside: no more spares are made so be careful. Most of the times the outside tells enough about what the inside is like.

[@leyland9999]

Absolutely beautiful, and I haven’t even layed my hands on a copy. But from what I see here, it must be a quality product. The way DGG presented their albums, it is that similar. I treasure the old recordings as I got the feeling most modern recordings involve a lot of digital tricks. Once you have visited some performances at a concert hall you know what I mean. Your ears are trained then and I expect the same feeling if you like from this recording. I’m curious! Greetings from Hekelingen, Holland. Willem.

[@dirkh.44]

Helaas kan ik het niet betalen,al zou ik de box graag in mijn bezit willen hebben.Opname verschijnt niet op ander formaat helaas.

[@leyland9999]

Dirk H. Heldoorn Het is ook een smak met geld ja. Ik ben heel erg selectief geworden en ga uit van “ongekleurde” beoordelingen zoals deze. Luisteren in een winkel is iets uit het verleden maar ook toen was het vaak behelpen. Platen kopen in helaas een gok geworden. Nieuwe platen zijn niet in ieder geval beter dan die van vroeger, ook hier geldt dat het vaak het tegenovergestelde is. Er wordt wel beweerd dat platen persen een kunst is. Ik hoop vurig dat er in de toekomst een soort van kwaliteitscriterium aan platen en hun fabrikanten wordt gesteld. Sommige perserijen zouden direct gesloten moeten worden, ik ga hier geen namen van plants noemen maar ik neem aan dat je goed ingelezen in het onderwerp bent. Ik probeer, via Discogs, dan ook altijd te achterhalen waar een plaat vandaan komt. En ik mijd dan sommige uitgaven als de pest zodra ik zeker weet waar een plaat is geperst. Er zijn uitzonderingen en knarsetandend accepteer ik dan de fouten maar, ondertussen met gekromde tenen van kwaadheid als mijn vermoedens weer eens uitkomen. Verzamelaars van bepaalde artiesten weten wat ik bedoel, je moet die of die uitgave hebben om de boel zoveel als mogelijk compleet te houden. Gelukkig heb ik maar een paar artiesten of dirigenten waar dit voor geldt. Groeten, Willem uit Hekelingen.

[@dirkh.44]

@@leyland9999 Bedankt voor uw reactie! Koop tegenwoordig weer platen die heruitgaven van vroeger zijn,meestal op 180 gram vinyl,vooral van Speakers Corner.Om het niet al te lang te maken,de tientallen platen die ik tot nu heb gekocht zijn allemaal van een uitmuntende kwaliteit,die mijn verwachting overtreft.Ook op ebay koop ik geregeld 2e hands,en daar heb ik ook aardig geluk bij.Want dat blijft een toch altijd een gok.Enig nadeel is dat nieuwe platen tegenwoordig zo duur zijn,dat is wel jammer.Maar kwaliteit mag van mij wat kosten.Kortom ik ben ook weer helemaal terug in vinyl. Groeten Dirk H Heldoorn.

[@MrBouncingDeath]

@@dirkh.44 Kreeg Speakers corner ook als tip van mijn vinylwinkel mee. Helaas toen al te fout gemaakt door het kopen van een groot aantal platen die slechter klinken dan een goede digitale flac files. Erg jammer maar vanaf nu Speakers Corner it is! Ook eens met Willem zijn reactie, je kunt slecht beoordelen of iets goed klinkt of niet. Discogs en Analog planet helpen gelukkig een beetje.

[@Josal]

Great video. How’s the recording sound? Thanks

[@AnalogPlanet]

read the review on AnalogPlanet!

[@panaceiasuberes6464]

It was surprising when, after watching this video, I went to the site of the Berlin Philarmoniker and this boxset was still available, even when I took to plunge for 10 copies of it.

[@panaceiasuberes6464]

@bcdhifi Neither. I just understand what an amazing tour the force it was to record it and wanted the Berlin Philharmonic to feel empowered to do this sort of record again in the future.

[@NickP333]

What a stunning presentation. I’m happy for you that you didn’t get cut along with the discs. (I know, bad joke) lol. I’m sure you did a magnificent job. “Coitus interruptus” Haha! Thanks for showing that, Michael.

[@johnsweda2999]

You know what amplifier they use for the lathe would that be Mandy Labs or ortofon or something else

[@user-nb3ml7vi2z]

I bought this album. Unfortunately I found both two LPs are slightly warped and there is a small scratch on one side. Did any one else meet the same problem? 我买了一套，打开就有划痕，而且两张都轻微变形，有谁和我一样的遭遇么？

[@LastGenGaming675]

I have a great idea for an addition to stereophile , much like analog corner , you should do a vintage components section where you talk about vintage receivers , turntables and gear and their history plus what they are worth as well as sound ect . It would sell more stereophile magazines and get more attention to vinyl , I say this because your average everyday person is listening on vintage pioneer , akai, Technics, Marantz, ect plus it would be a great history lesson for the progress or lack thereof in other equipment .

[@kenknight5983]

I've been wondering if some kind of compressor/limiter could work for direct to disc to prevent the head jumping at sudden spikes of frequency. I like ultra low frequencies, hard drums and other things that can challenge cutter heads, ie. current music. If today's bands were recorded direct to disc, you'd have concerts that no one would want on digital

[@AnalogPlanet]

Third Man Records does many D2D rock records

[@kenknight5983]

Affordable, too- thanks for the recommendation. I saw at least a couple of bands whose frequencies would challenge the cutting head, so I'd be very interested in the setup. I'd like to see all of my favourite bands record D2D, so hopefully Third Man will advertise their live facility more

[@mekurri2007]

Hey Michael, big fan of your channel....Request time lol, Im chasing every vinyl pressing of ‘God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen’ aka (Tidings of Comfort and Joy) Do you have a couple of fav versions or any recommendations ? Cheers

[@LastGenGaming675]

Good video I personally enjoy the videos where we can see you , but that's up to you just my opinion .

[@dirkh.44]

Great review! More classical please!

[@metal-adventures-joerg]

Try to get it from an US retailer, because shipping from Germany to the US is at least 40$ at the moment

[@WarriorKidd06]

$220 for this is definitely high but for the quality of this product one is receiving I'm going to say it's worth it. I hope to see more great classical records done like this.

[@Baerchenization]

What an interesting problem... what could the significance of 1884 be? It takes 7 seconds to google ;)

[@PIANOPICTURES]

Please correct the name of the composer in the title of the video.

[@justinw5196]

1882 is the date berliner philharmoniker found

[@DriveupLife22]

Michael can you add a buy link of some kind?

[@DavidInSugarLand]

No yet online, but will appear here: www.berliner-philharmoniker-recordings.com/

[@pmankarious]

It’s live now at that link. Just bought one myself!

[@matthewv789]

Of course this symphony was first performed in 1884.

[@deeg8849]

No more videos?

[@ronwade5433]

Bruckner

[@thomasedward2231]

Is there a drop date? 🙏🏽

[@AnalogPlanet]

now!

[@kuglepen64]

Yowza!

[@venus263]

Wondering if this set comes in CD's too since I don't own a turntable. 🤔🤔

[@AnalogPlanet]

Does not...

[@leyland9999]

That would be like putting a set of wooden cart wheels on a Aston Martin or any other supercar.

[@barbaricyawper14]

When will this be available to buy?

[@AnalogPlanet]

Now

[@barbaricyawper14]

Just ordered my copy, thx!

[@garth56]

You know you made a TYPO!!!!!!

[@saltech3444]

"'e's a WANKER!"

[@MattRichardsonX]

Nice review. It's wonderful what an orchestra can put out with well-funded government backing.

[@ronaldjennings8057]

When are you going to be able to come out and do some more good videos I know this virus is kind of got us in a predicament but yeah yard do one at home got to let people know what kind of worried about you knowing if you're okay I ain't heard nothing I hope you and your wife have a very merry Christmas for sure hopefully we'll get to see you soon take care

[@johnsweda2999]

I can't find any information on this I'm sure it must have been done and why it's not been done today, when embossing a wax record, to do it in a bath of oil immersing the whole record and stylist and possibly cutterhead I'm thinking probably silicone oil might be best, has anybody done this process yet it should be really good, it's acting as a lubricant and a natural damper. ask around Michael maybe people are missing a trick here you should be able to increase the Dynamics as well. What's happened about that guy in Germany who was laser cutting ceramic discs stampers directly not heard any more about him he claimed it to be a big thing in record production sound quality greater dynamic range

[@leyland9999]

John sweda ???

[@MrRom92DAW]

dampening the movement of the cutterhead is the opposite of what you want. You would destroy high frequency response. Maybe if you enclosed the lathe in a sealed environment filled with helium, you could improve the audio. Same reason hard drives are filled with helium.

[@johnsweda2999]

@@MrRom92DAW no I don't think so! that the head cutter would still have no restrictions in embossing, the only thing you're dampening is unnecessary frequencies caused by mechanical noise, lowering the noise floor on the record. agree output might be needed to be increased slightl, But maybe not. The helium was an interesting thought you might have a point but why helium stop at helium argon gas might be even better what does the helium supposed to do just filling for the vacuum?

[@johnsweda2999]

@@leyland9999 sure what you're questioning my logic?? It is the same if you put a puddle of water or puddle of of thin oil like WD40 for 78s on a record increases its output and lowers the noise floor on the surface, especially if the record has slight scratches eliminate scratches makes a record sound a lot better try it sometime make sure it's a puddle not just a smearing distilled or deionized water

[@matthewv789]

HD Vinyl is still under development and testing and currently they say they hope to be able to create the first stampers for labels sometime in 2021. There are two parts of development, the laser ceramic cutting itself, and the software to simulate and plan the 3D topography for the laser cut. The Perfect Groove software is already available, usable to virtually preview how a conventional cut will be made. The ceramic stampers are still being tested and refined. Such a process would completely eliminate lacquers and the toxic electroplating process of creating stampers, as the laser-cut ceramic masters ARE the stampers, and being harder than metal should in theory last longer without degrading. hdvinyl.org/ I would say that half-speed mastering is probably closest to conferring benefits similar to what you're talking about (the cutting head doesn't have to work at such high frequencies), but not many people are still doing it. (One guy at Abbey Road is still a proponent and claims to have fixed all its problems with low frequencies.) It's also not clear to me whether half-speed has substantial benefits that, say, direct metal mastering doesn't also confer.

[@joybrucebruce3377]

Quit buying all those records kid. The world wants to hear about "how I did this" by causing vinyl records to outsell CD's this late in the game. You did it now kid!!! She's grounded you.

[@audiotomb]

Play the music while reviewing this... in the future.. please

[@arieraaphorst1998]

Please don’t.

[@mikrophonie5633]

Meh...classical music sounds best on CD...who wants to hear a bunch of pops and clicks during the quiet passages? Not me. Apparently some people just love pops and clicks, however.

[@AnalogPlanet]

There are no pops and clicks and you'd best never attend live classical music because the audience is really old and they are coughing, hacking, sneezing and clearing their throats throughout. Classical music sounds pretty awful to me on CD though the quiet is good. However this D2D sounds better than any CD ever made by anyone that I've heard and I've heard quite a few.