Toscanini FLAC downloads at Pristine Classical

_Introducing lossless compression at Pristine Classical_

Every so often I receive a plea for our download files to be made available using lossless compression. My standard reply is simple - our MP3s are of super-high quality to the extent that I can't distinguish between them and the original uncompressed masters; demand for lossless files seems slender; file sizes, storage and bandwidth issues would more than likely make this financially unviable at present.

However, we've decided to dip a tentative toe in the water and make two of our recent Toscanini issues available in the FLAC format. FLAC stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec, and allows the compression of audio files without throwing away any information - as with a ZIP file, when reconstructed you get back to exactly what you started with.

A number of media players and CD burning software (including Burrrn) support FLAC, and amongst music aficionados it seems to be the lossless file format of choice.

Each FLAC download consists of a number of files - the individual tracks, a cue ***, and two alternative playlists - all contained within a single ZIP archive. Unzip the download file into your chosen directory and you can play the music tracks, load a playlist into your media player, or use Burrrn (or similar) to open the cue-*** and record directly to CD. A CD made in this way will be identical to our own, uncompressed CDs.




Is it worthwhile "upgrading"?

My own opinion is this: If you've already bought these as MP3 downloads and you're happy with the sound quality of these, stick with them. I've done a lot of listening tests and though I fail to spot the difference myself, others have bought CDs to compare with MP3s and found they prefer the uncompressed CD sound. Ultimately it's the listener's choice, and we're trying this out to see what you and others think.

The file sizes are considerably larger than the MP3s - by a factor of between three and four times - and will therefore take longer to download. The two releases here, which as MP3s cost €7.00 each, are priced at €9.00, slightly cheaper than the 'Standard' CD.

NB. We will not be offering 'upgrades' or discounts on these new downloads to those who've already bought them as MP3s, as the choice has always been there to obtain uncompressed CDs, containing precisely the same audio information as the FLAC files.




What's on offer?

We're initially offering two recent Toscanini releases as FLAC files - see below for links and original release texts.

Later this week I'll also be releasing an XR-remastered Music and Arts issue of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus under Bruno Walter, and soloists Isobel Bailie, Kathleen Ferrier, Heddle Nash and Williams Parsons, performed in the Royal Albert Hall on 13th November 1947,and originally issued by the Bruno Walter Society in 1980. This will be available as MP3, CD, Premium CD and FLAC download.

If the FLAC releases are judged successful and worthwhile we may consider adding further to the FLAC catalogue, or issuing new material in both formats.





_PASC082 Bruckner - Symphony No. 7 in E major_

New York Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Arturo Toscanini

Recorded 27th January, 1935 at Carnegie Hall, New York

At last - the only known recording of Bruckner by Toscanini.


This legendary "lost" recording, kept under lock and key for over 70 years, came to my attention a few weeks ago. A copy was provided to me and I set about seeing what I might be able to do with it.

The original recording was in a pretty awful state - incredibly crackly and hissy, uneven, and troubled with all sorts of all-too-audible problems. This restoration has for the most part concentrated on removing, reducing and minimising these defects, as well as using the Prisine Audio XR remastering system to try to restore, as far as is possible, the sound of the orchestra.

It should be clearly understood that, given the nature of the source material, there will always remain some defects, though I hope that in minimising them the listener is left with an enjoyable experience. There is great music-making here in one of only four concert series Toscanini ever gave of the music of Bruckner*, and the only Toscanini Bruckner known to have been recorded.

Alas there are three small gaps in this recording, where disc side changes were not carried out to provide a continuous record. For this, nothing can be done. What is here is almost an hour of superb music, and a truly historic document in the history of recorded sound.


http://www.pristineclassical.com/LargeWorks/Orchestral/PASC082.php






_PASC078 Toscanini conducts Wagner_

NBC Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Arturo Toscanini

* Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg: Prelude to Act 3
* Tannhäuser: Overture and Venusberg Music
* Tristan und Isolde: Prelude and Liebestod
* Die Valküre: Ride of the Valkyries



Broadcast live on 28th November, 1943, NBC Studio 8H, New York


Restorer's notes: This recording, transcribed from acetate discs of unusually high quality, presents a truly remarkable document of Toscanini's mid-40's conducting, perhaps all the more so for being an all-Wagner concert, broadcast at the height of World War II. It responded excellently to the tonal rebalancing inherent in the XR process, bringing out a full-frequency tonal response, and my main work was in dealing with occasional radio interference and, at times, unpleasant surface noise.

I'm pleased to report that these have been either eradicated or reduced to the extent that they no longer interrupt the listener as had previously been the case. I suspect these interruptions, which only the latest computer software is capable of successfully tackling, may constitute one good reason why this excellent concert has not been heard in public since its first broadcast some 64 years ago.


http://www.pristineclassical.com/LargeWorks/Orchestral/PASC078.php





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Andrew Rose - Pristine Classical

The online home of Classical Music: www.pristineclassical.com

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