Folks, Vocalion Dutton has just announced hybrid multi channel SACD/CD of Charles Gerhardt Conducted albums of Bernard Herrmann(CITIZEN KANE) and Franz Waxman (SUNSET BOULEVARD) albums separately. Release date is Sept.18th.
I have to say I'm disappointed they didn't do the long version for the Waxman album the way they did the Tiomkin album, otherwise I might have considered getting that as Gerhardt's rendition of the Peyton Place prelude is absolutely gorgeous and needs more exposure.
I have to say I'm disappointed they didn't do the long version for the Waxman album the way they did the Tiomkin album, otherwise I might have considered getting that as Gerhardt's rendition of the Peyton Place prelude is absolutely gorgeous and needs more exposure.. I was about to say the same thing. Peyton Place is beautiful. Even if they just included that I would be happy.
I think the Gerhardt recording most in need of a remastering is the magnificent performance of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The old Dolby Surround CD didn't do the original recording justice.
I think the Gerhardt recording most in need of a remastering is the magnificent performance of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The old Dolby Surround CD didn't do the original recording justice.
Agreed. Very odd that RCA didn’t reissue that one.
Also surprised about Peyton Place as I’m not sure where else it would go. Will certainly order in any case.
Agreed. Very odd that RCA didn’t reissue that one.
Also surprised about Peyton Place as I’m not sure where else it would go. Will certainly order in any case.
For straightforward stereo playback, have these Vocalion releases been a further improvement on RCA's most recent reissues? I don't care about the SACD layer.
Tremendous news. I've been listening to Lost Horizon: The Classic Film Scores of Dimitri Tiomkin since its release by Dutton Vocalion last year.
I only ever listen to the Lost Horizon and The Thing from Another World suites, but that's more than enough value for me.
Was hoping the Herrmann and Waxman albums would be next. Don't be a fool and put these low on your priority list. This is without question the finest series of film score re-releases available right now.
Also, amazon.co.uk features 1400x1400 covers of each of this album series on the individual webpages:
I am hoping for the Gerhardt Rozsa with the Julius Caesar added in.
yes, more of these. And if only the decca Phase 4 collection could also be given the SACD treatment. Dutton did release QUO VADIS? and BEN HUR Phase 4 recordings in a 2cd set many years ago as a regular cd.
I, too, was disappointed with the unexpanded Waxman -- disappointed and puzzled. I just think it's curious-- or at the very least, ironic -- not to have expanded Waxman when you consider that the Waxman was one of only two Gerhardt Classsic Film Score albums (see above) to have been expanded by RCA itself back when they first started putting the series on CD, (the other disc being the Korngold "Sea Hawk" album.) I've got the Vocalion Tiomkin, and I've just ordered the Herrmann, but am loathe to spring for the Waxman. I gather that the sound is super-duper on these Vocalion SACD's, but since I happen to have that original RCA expansion, I can't see myself opting to play instead the new disc containing less music.
I'm doubtful that these would be sufficiently different from the re-issues a few years ago for me to pick up new versions of these. I listen to the re-issued versions fairly regularly and they sound great to me. Isn't SACD just like 24 bit audio?
For straightforward stereo playback, have these Vocalion releases been a further improvement on RCA's most recent reissues? I don't care about the SACD layer.
Here's a brief response and I'll try to flesh it out soon.
Comparing LOST HORIZON RCA (yellow artwork) vs Vocalion: Similar but different masterings. The RCA is slightly hissier overall and "harsher" in the strings. Vocalion sounds a bit "smoother" and more like the qualities listeners think of as analog - warm and natural. Similar levels, similar levels of detail and spaciousness. Remember that the original masters were reference-level perfect and both cds reflect this. Obviously the Vocation contains THE THING Suite and that's a big deal. The improvement over the old Dolby Surround original cd release is dramatic. Much better inserts using the original album art and notes with more photos. Higher quality paper.
A listener could be happy with either, but the price point is similar and the production qualities are better on the Vocalion, plus you get more music.
SACD vs CD layer: no significant difference I can detect.
Gerhardt's "The Thing" (and other Classic Film Scores suites) was also featured in non-surround for the "Celebrating the Classics" commemorative CD release. The disc features a 13-minute extended Fountainhead (originally-released suite only eight minutes), plus The Robe, The Sea Wolf, Beneath the 12-Mile Reef and Prince Valiant.
I'm doubtful that these would be sufficiently different from the re-issues a few years ago for me to pick up new versions of these. I listen to the re-issued versions fairly regularly and they sound great to me. Isn't SACD just like 24 bit audio?
SACD may have ambience information in rear channels. Certainly Vocalion's "Rozsa Conducts Rozsa" did carry four channels. That makes a difference if you have a multi-channel setup.
Gerhardt's "The Thing" (and other Classic Film Scores suites) was also featured in non-surround for the "Celebrating the Classics" commemorative CD release. The disc features a 13-minute extended Fountainhead (originally-released suite only eight minutes), plus The Robe, The Sea Wolf, Beneath the 12-Mile Reef and Prince Valiant.
I wonder where that extended suite came from? And why did they not include it earlier? The mind boggles. THE THING suite on the Celebrating album is, like the RCA Yellow release of LOST HORIZON, just a bit harsher. Not as big an improvement as over the Surround release.
Gerhardt's "The Thing" (and other Classic Film Scores suites) was also featured in non-surround for the "Celebrating the Classics" commemorative CD release. The disc features a 13-minute extended Fountainhead (originally-released suite only eight minutes), plus The Robe, The Sea Wolf, Beneath the 12-Mile Reef and Prince Valiant.
I wonder where that extended suite came from? And why did they not include it earlier? The mind boggles. THE THING suite on the Celebrating album is, like the RCA Yellow release of LOST HORIZON, just a bit harsher. Not as big an improvement as over the Surround release.
Supposedly all the Gerhardt RCA albums had music edited out of them. He had been intending to release the full-length versions of all the albums, but died after the expanded version of THE SEA HAWK album. I would imagine that whatever source they pulled for the FOUNTAINHEAD suite happened to have the full, unedited version.
It would be great if Vocalion could unearth some of the unreleased music, but I'm not counting on it.
For straightforward stereo playback, have these Vocalion releases been a further improvement on RCA's most recent reissues? I don't care about the SACD layer.
Here's a brief response and I'll try to flesh it out soon.
Comparing LOST HORIZON RCA (yellow artwork) vs Vocalion: Similar but different masterings. The RCA is slightly hissier overall and "harsher" in the strings. Vocalion sounds a bit "smoother" and more like the qualities listeners think of as analog - warm and natural. Similar levels, similar levels of detail and spaciousness. Remember that the original masters were reference-level perfect and both cds reflect this. Obviously the Vocation contains THE THING Suite and that's a big deal. The improvement over the old Dolby Surround original cd release is dramatic. Much better inserts using the original album art and notes with more photos. Higher quality paper.
A listener could be happy with either, but the price point is similar and the production qualities are better on the Vocalion, plus you get more music.
SACD vs CD layer: no significant difference I can detect.
