Dvorak: Violincello Concerto / Bruch: Kol Nidrei

These newly remastered Mercury Living Presence reissue LPs represent the state of the art of all-analog technology and production. Led by remastering supervisor Thomas Fine, son of high-fidelity recording pioneers C. Robert Fine and Wilma Cozart Fine of Fine Recording Inc. in New York City, these reissues were cut at 45 RPM directly from first-generation 3-track master tapes. A 3->2 channel mix was made directly to the cutting lathe, no 'cutting master' tape stage, digital source or digital delay was used.

Thomas Fine made the 3->2 mixes with mastering engineer Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound's new facility in Nashville, Tennesee. Smith manually controlled groove margin and depth on his Neumann VMS-80 lathe, working with no preview signal and bypassing the lathe's margin-control computer. In doing so, he cut these sides the same way the original LP was cut by George Piros, who was Fine Recording Inc's VP and head of mastering.

Hungarian-American cellist János Starker epitomized refined elegance and superbly subtle bow work. Starker, who died in April 2013, was one of the 20th century's most renowned cellists. The Dvorak Cello Concerto and Bruch's Kol Nidrei were recorded July 6, 7 and 10, 1962 at Watford Town Hall outside London. Three Schoeps M210 microphones, set in omnidirectional pattern, were hung across the front of the orchestra, with the players positioned on the floor of the hall in order to best utilize its acoustics.

The microphones direct fed 3-track recorders: a 1/2" tape machine and a 35mm magnetic film recorder. Both first-generation tapes and first-generation films were edited into production masters. At the original session, Wilma Cozart Fine was the Recording Director, Harold Lawrence was the Musical Supervisor, C. Robert Fine was the Chief Engineer and Technical Supervisor, and Robert Eberenz was the Associate Engineer.

The original LP was cut from the 35mm film, and the Mercury Living Presence logo on the front cover included the 35mm designation. Over time, the 35mm mag-film material deteriorated and the master is now not in good playable condition. Meanwhile, the 1/2" magnetic tape has held up well and still sounds as good as the day it was recorded.

This 2LP set, cut at 45rpm, allows for the full dynamics present on the master tapes to shine through masterfully, as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately. Stoughton Printing old-style tip-on gatefold jacket. Plated and pressed at Quality Record Pressings, makers of the world's finest-sounding LPs.