du Pre

[KevinF]

Well it's the two channel debate so what the heck: on the CD transport tonight at KevinF Towers is Jaqueline du Pre's two channel EMI recording of Haydn and Boccherini cello concertos.

A bit like Marmite I think.

So that we avoid provoking the measurists into having simultaneous thrombies, let's leave aside that it's playing here through a mostly Audio Note system, and concentrate solely on du Pre's playing. Mawkish or sublime?

I vote for sublime. And if you're reading this and haven't heard it, do go and buy a copy. It's life enhancing.

[wickerman68]

Havent heard it but seeing as her cello Concerto is the best ever recorded must be worth a go...shall investigate

[Pac67]

Sublime! I have that as well as a boxed set of her Elgar Cello concertos.

[montesquieu]

Sublime - agreed. Though my favourite perfs are her ones of the Beethoven Piano Trios with Barenboim and Zuckerman - breathtakingly expressive in a way few dare today.

[gjm]

I like.

[KevinF]

Sublime - agreed. Though my favourite perfs are her ones of the Beethoven Piano Trios with Barenboim and Zuckerman - breathtakingly expressive in a way few dare today.

Tom -

You are not wrong. I have heard them so many times and still get moved to tears, even if in company. Silly old me.

[JANDL100]

Elgar wonderful, as is her Beethoven and Haydn etc.

But the du Pre performance that totally blows me away are the Bach solo cello suites 1 & 2 - recorded by EMI in 1962 when she was a young lass of 17. The sound quality is kind of ancient, but the miraculous performance shines through regardless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PGrOiDPbeM&noredirect=1

[voiceofthemysterons]

Awesomeness.

[tuga]

I was fortunate enough to snatch a new Du Pre Complete EMI box for £21.95 from Europadisc some 4 years ago.

Ric

[huwge]

Sublime - agreed. Though my favourite perfs are her ones of the Beethoven Piano Trios with Barenboim and Zuckerman - breathtakingly expressive in a way few dare today.

a recent acquisition

[Smooth Operator]

Oh Sublime, without a doubt, particularly the Haydn. That said, her best in my opinion remains the Elgar from '65(?) - not the CBS one with Barenboim.

[KevinF]

I was fortunate enough to snatch a new Du Pre Complete EMI box for £21.95 from Europadisc some 4 years ago.

Ric

Now that is what a call a result. Well done you.

[The Count]

Time tor resurrect this thread

I've been quite disappointed with the sound quality of Du Pre cds I've bought. Has anyone compared the CDs to the original vinyl? I would love to get hold a nice box set like the Favourite Cello Concertos or Recital on vinyl to try but they go for too much for something I have no real idea of the condition of.

Also anyone know if the complete box set has an improved sound quality to the earlier CDs - I read somewhere it has been remastered...?

[montesquieu]

The CDs on the box set are variable, some are from live events, most from studio. On the whole I've found the chamber music to be pretty good while I don't listen much to the orchestral stuff. I have much of the chamber music on vinyl and I also have the Favourite Concertos box set from years ago (though it probably hasn't had a play in decades). Which recordings is it you don't like the sound of?

[The Count]

It was the Dvorak in particular that I was thinking of. I have it on a 5 disc set and on its own on an imported disc.

[montesquieu]

Ooops. Can't say I've listened to the CD of that one. I have the 'complete EMI recordings' box and have been really happy with it.

[peteAllen]

It was the Dvorak in particular that I was thinking of. I have it on a 5 disc set and on its own on an imported disc.

If you can play hires, there's the 2011 remaster in 24/96 here: https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?f...D5099970558852
Maybe you can get some idea from the samples if the engineers have lifted the sound?

Edit: Here are all 5 hires recordings from hdtracks: https://www.hdtracks.com/index.php?f...etail&id=10137

[peteAllen]

Here's a Stereophile article about the 2011 remastering

[montesquieu]

Brilliant article! Repped.

[KevinF]

EMI engineer wears ear muffs to defend his sense of musicality against the output of the B&Ws.