Monday, February 19, 2018

Bach: Gamba Sonatas by Hanoncourt, Brüggen, Stastny, and Tachezi [SAWT 9536-A Ex] an LP released in Germany in 1968


We have here a collection of sonatas for gamba and violoncello which are handsomely played and recorded with a precision which never enters into the territory of the dry and clinical. Telefunken as a recording operation seems to have been 5-10 years ahead of the competition up until the 1960s and was still quite delightful up until the digital age.






I enjoyed transferring this impressive and refined LP (in near mint condition -- actually it looks like it has never been played before, although it probably was a few times). I combined the two sides and made sure there was 8-10 seconds of space between each of the four works. 

The label for the second side is not actually silver and black -- I simply incorrectly scanned it in black and white and didn't feel like going back and re-doing it. This delight is 50 years old and in great shape inside and out.

The equipment utilized in this transfer include an AT LP-1240 turntable, an AT 440-MLb cartridge, a vintage late 1970s completely and professionally refurbished Pioneer receiver (with newly replaced capacitors and other electronics where needed), and a small digital portable recorder capable of recording at 24/96 resolution. Software included Audacity, careful use of ClickRepair, and xAct (to convert and compress files).




(the highest resolution I am capable of recording. 
This is not able to be burnt to a CDR without downsampling)

(after converting to WAV, this are CD-standard and can be burned to a CDR)

(the highest quality possible using the available mp3 programs)