If this recording has made it to CD, I can't find it. I find a lot of LP, like the one I have, of the reissue on Finnadar Records (SR9018) of the original 1950 record, with the added 1954 Interpolations for Désert, but I have not located a CD.
The pieces are available, but this recording under the supervision of Varèse has unique historical value, since the 1950 record was for long the only recorded music of this composer available.
The Interpolations for Désert were substantially revised in 1961, but these versions from 1954 are what Hermann Scherchen premiered in Paris on December 2nd of that year. What a night that must have been!
The music is wonderful, and the record itself contains "a reminiscence and appreciation" of Varèse by Frank Zappa, entitled: Edgard Varèse: Idol of my youth. Links to the photos of the cover are included, in case you wish to read it.
MP3 Files: https://www.mediafire.com/?q41vcu3gq51f52w
Flac 96Khz : https://www.mediafire.com/?zay5965jibk4n5a
The original 24 bit .wav files had a bit rate of 4608 kbps, but the Flac files, converted in Audacity, have a bit rate of 1085 kbps. It will have to do until I can figure out what is going on. It may well be I'm simply clueless, but I'll try to find out. It may well be that I simply do not understand the mechanics of lossless compression. Well, I mean I don't. Meanwhile, these flac files sound pretty good to me.
Pictures: http://www.mediafire.com/view/exugody6110v381/Back.jpg
http://www.mediafire.com/view/ufipdnjpod8gsoe/Front%20for%20post.jpg
I have this LP but my turntable died long ago. It will be wonderful to hear it again. I tried to download the pictures but the link goes to the Mediafire Homepage instead of the download page. Many thanks.
ReplyDelete-Brian
I'm glad you'll be able to hear the record again; it's the whole reason for the blog!
DeleteThe links to the pictures should be fixed.
Thanks for the new picture links. Something to read while listening!
Delete-Brian
The premiere of Deserts is/was available.It's a lot of fun, I love that recording.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'll have to look up that premiere to see if I can find it. Scherchen is one of my musical heroes, so I'd love to have it.
ReplyDeleteHere is a youtube link for the Premiere of Déserts with Scherchen:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ihrJ2-8xao
MP3 only, but pretty good quality. Do you know of a CD source?
I believe it has been commercially published on CD (and as a download) by INA:
Deletehttp://boutique.ina.fr/cd/musique/classique/PDTINA001545/edgard-varese-1883-1965.fr.html
Thanks Nick. I'll check it out!
ReplyDeleteThis will be my introduction to Varese, a composer I've ignored for years. Fear perhaps? Anyway thanks and very glad to have you back.
ReplyDeleteGary
Happy to hear it. I think my tastes are relatively conservative, and I find some of the academic serial composers whose concerts I went to in my eager youth to be fairly tedious. But I think composers like Varèse and George Crumb are simply wonderful. The word "gorgeous" comes to mind.
DeleteHello. I'm the owner of the blog http://greatestoperasingers.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteI have a request, is it possible to exchange links of our sites by addiding in the links' section.
All the best
Ash
Lawrence
ReplyDeleteDelighted you're back.
Is there any chance you'll be posting any remaining volumes of the Bach Geistliche Lieder?
Philip in Canada
Thank you very much! The Lp is excellent.
ReplyDeleteThe flac files are *supposed* to have a lower bitrate than the original wav files, that's the whole point of compression. The unencoded audio should still be bit-for-bit identical, that's what lossless compression does. :)
ReplyDeleteI believe the bit rate simply indicates that it has been compressed, but it's still lossless compression. No problems. If I'm wrong perhaps someone will jump in.
ReplyDelete