Fanfare Reviews
from November/December 1978
Reviews: Holst
HOLST: Suite No. 1 in E-Flat for Band, Op. 28, No. 1; Suite No. 2 in F for Band, Op. 28, No. 2. BACH (trans. Richard Franko Goldman): Fantasia in G, S. 572. HANDEL: Music for the Royal Fireworks (complete). Cleveland Symphonic Winds conducted by Frederick Fennell. TELARC 5038 (digital recording) Robert Woods, producer, $14.98.
I have heard the future and it works! Many readers of this magazine may have seen the article in the July-August issue about the recording sessions when the master tapes for this record were made. At that time I speculated that Telarc would have a superb demonstration quality disc if they were even partially successful in transferring even a portion of the fidelity of the master tape to disc. They have. There is not an absolute absence of background noise on this issue; that is, I think, impossible as there will always be a minute amount of sound produced when a stylus traces a vinyl groove. Other than that, though, this is the most silent disc I have ever encountered. The German pressings (by Telefunken-Decca, I think) are very fine. The record comes in a double sleeve with a variety of color and black/white photos of the recording sessions. It also includes notes on the music (by Fennell); technical details of the recording; notes on the digital recording process; an interview with Stan Ricker of Japanese Victor, who was responsible for cutting the masters from the Soundstream master tape; and a listing of all members of the Cleveland Symphonic Winds, the majority of whom are members of the Cleveland Orchestra.
The disc is also accompanied by a cautionary notice explaining that it is cut at a much lower volume level (it is!) than most discs so that an extra 20 db dynamic range can be encompassed. The warning continues with a note that you should be cautious as to how much volume is used as the potential for damaging speakers is very real. They, of course, encourage high playback volumes in the interest of realism. Is this justified? Emphatically, YES! The whole disc is awesome. The music has much more real presence than any other recorded example I have yet heard. At normal levels, the winds seem to be physically present in my listening room (at least with top class playback equipment), and some of the percussion produces a literally physical impact. (Fennell placed the bass drum so that the heads were front to back on the stage, rather than left to right. This was done so that the sound waves would reinforce each other from the two heads as they went into the hall rather than canceling each other.) The results have to be heard to be believed. I have a few direct-to-disc issues in my collection, but I really have questioned whether their sonic superiority was great enough to justify their extravagant list prices. This one easily outclasses all of these that I have heard in terms of sonics and, I think, does justify its list price. The realism is there. Best of all, the editing process can be used. Some obvious mistakes in the recording sessions have disappeared without any audible evidence of the editing. That is one big plus over direct-to-disc. Also, there is more music per side here than in direct-to-disc issues.
I suspect that most who purchase this issue will do so for sonic reasons. For those who are interested in the music it can also be generally recommended. The major attraction musically is the set of Holst Suites. These arc still available in Fennell's mono (now pseudo-stereo) version recorded with the Eastman-Rochester Wind Ensemble over 20 years ago. Those performances have been my favorites up to this point. They are still fine performances, but their sound just isn't the equal of this new issue. Also, the Clevelanders play with such flair that they equal, or surpass, the Eastman group on almost all points. The Bach Fantasia is an attractive but not very showy piece that grows on one with repeated hearings. There is no recorded competition that I know of. The Music for the Royal Fireworks has much stiffer competition. In the wind band version, I have long enjoyed the Mackerras version for Vanguard/Bach Guild. That is particularly impressive in the SQ Quadraphonic format, and has the advantage of not using the cymbals and bass drum which Fennell adds. Admittedly the sound is terrific, but I do think that these additions undermine Fennell's otherwise very sound (pun intended) performances a bit. Still, this performance is a worthy one that is better than much of the musical competition, and nothing can touch it sonically.
If you can afford this one, buy it by all means. Give it as Christmas gifts, too, for this is one recording that recipients will treasure for a long time to come.
John Bauman
Copyright © 1978 by Fanfare, Inc. Reprinted by permission from Volume 2, No. 2 (November/December 1978), pages 75-77. This article reviews the LP version of the performances on Telarc 80038.
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