How come Columbia's cast albums were always so superior up through the 70s- Page 3

Posted: 12/3/08 at 8:51pm

Thanks for that. It's a great recording--i thought maybe Lieberson did it as par tof his goal to do stereo tecordings of shows that had missed it--but it makes sense I guess he didn't produce it. My main problem is--I don't mind the cast changes (though I might prefer Adams on the OBCR) and it's great that they recorded some bits not done in the TV broadcast (Pass the Football) but It's Love and A Little Bit of Love are both over a minute shorter than the OBCR because they lack the repeat--whcih is a shame and What a Waste is of cours enow a duet with Roz and with one verse gone. No big deal but it does make me hold on to my OBCR and play it sometimes--otherwise I would literally always play the stereo recording instead of it, I think the sound is so superior (and Roz seems even more assured)

[marknyc]

Posted: 12/3/08 at 10:38pm

Apparently the 1988 CD uses the tape master and the 1993 and 1998 CDs use the same (new) transfer of the 78 acetates.

So I was misinformed. Can't wait to hear the '88 version!

[Jack King]

Posted: 12/3/08 at 11:44pm

Ah! Excellent question. The reason records recorded up until around 1954 sounded rather old and dull was because the cutting heads could only go up to around 5kHz (5,000 cycles per second) at LP/33 1/3 speed. In fact, the 78 rpm records sounded so much better because they were recorded at the higher speed. Then the record cutting head could go up to around 10kHz.

Although Columbia Records invented the LP, it took the Brits to develop a cutting head that went truly hi-fi. I think the top end was 12kHz. And the Brits developed that because the British government wanted a way to detect certain wartime sounds, notable submarines. And so London Records developed that technology. Then that technology came over to the USA.

But if you are lucky enough to find any older Mantovani 78 rpm records, they sound utterly fantastic because they used a French Broadcasting System way of micing, using several pairs of stereo mics. So when London Records developed their truly hi-fi records, they transferred the 78s to either mono or stereo. London had been recording multi-channel. But before that, they released their records in mono.

The last major US record label to adopt hi-fi mono was Decca Records. Don't know why. I've read books about Decca. But still have to explanation.

But anyway, you have the explanation of hi-fi. :) There's a lot more to it, like the RIAA recording curve, which compensated for the lack of high frequency response when cutting a record. And then the reverse curve when playing back to obtain even hi-fi.

BTW, London Records called their hi-fi "FFRR"-Full Frequency Range Response. :)

[Jack King]

Posted: 12/4/08 at 12:04am

Ahhh! Subways Are For Sleeping. I started a room devoted to just that! I just joined this wonderful web site yesterday. And the first thing I did was put up a "Revival of Subways Are For Sleeping." Something like that. I do go into great lengths. The songs are wonderful. I got a lot of replies, too. So that was heartening.

If I may then, my very favorite song is "Girls Like Me," for its bittersweet quality. It's about "bright career girls" leading empty lives at the end of the day. Then my other favorite songs from SAFS are "I'm Just Taking My Time," "Swing Your Projects" with its superbly witty lyrics about a business tycoon, "Comes Once In A Lifetime" with it's credo about the homeless and similar in meaning to "I'm Just Taking My Time," "I Said It And I'm Glad" duet. And the instrumental and ensemble vocal to "Ride Through the Night."

Alas, the show deemed a flop, which is a tragedy, because the songs were some of the most lovely, thoughtful lyrics and music ever written.

If there were some way to revive the show but alter the "ain't-it-great-to-be-homeless" theme. Or else run the show "as is" and donate monies from the performances to charities that directly help the homeless.

And I was inspired by the show in other ways. I produced a video on homelessness called "Signing For Survival," which was about homeless signs that worked for getting money in the streets. My co-producer is a homeless guy, who shared his attitude of "homeless but not hopeless." He talks about various ways of coping with being poor without being destitute or angry at the world. There are several others who tell their stories, too. The video ran on community TV here in Minneapolis.

Thank You!
TO LIFE!

jk

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 12/4/08 at 12:32am

Thanks, Jack. I do have a few of the Mantovani 78-rpm discs and was always amazed at the sound quality. "Lazy Gondolier" was one that I got that sounded sensational. Of course these were recorded in the 1950s when recording technology had made some significant gains.

As for SUBWAYS, it is a score that is far superior to some of Styne's other shows in the 1960s's - far better than DO RE MI or FADE OUT FADE IN. The cast album gives SUBWAYS a sheen that makes it sound like a smash hit. Same with their OCR of MR. PRESIDENT.

[Jack King]

Posted: 12/4/08 at 7:18pm

Hey! Mr frontrowcenter--thanks for the comment. I see you are on the radio. And with what sounds like a great show! Well you are one person on this board with whom I share that same interest. :) My last days behind the radio mic were in 1977, after working for two successive classical music stations here that changed format. I really loved that format and even all the baggage that went with it. :) I'll see if you have an email, and I'll private email you. I wrote up my experiences in that biz.

Hoping you are doing well!

I've been successfully somewhat employed after all that. :)