Wonderful article in today’s Guardian about two Ukrainian refugees who’ve been offered places at top UK music schools https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/29/ukrainian-sisters-lodging-northumberland-musical-prodigies?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
You won’t have the remastered Gotterdammerung yet Graham because it’s not being released until 30 June 2023.
Sorry, David, I mistyped. I meant to say that I thought that I had ordered all four.
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Ah that explains it! The remastered Siegfried has been out for a month or so. I spent a very pleasant day listening to it on Qobuz hi res when my wife (who doesn’t “get” Wagner) was out for the day just after it was released. It sounds excellent to me.
David, I have just checked my Amazon account. ‘Siegfried’ is due to arrive later today. I haven’t played any of the new Decca remastering yet, as I wanted to be able to play all four operas together, but my resolve is in danger of faltering!
By the way, I think that you have grounds for divorce - just joking!
it’s strange to think that Carlos Kleiber turned down the offer to conduct the Decca ‘Ring’. That would have been extraordinary, but CK was nothing if not perverse, sadly.
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After all this time, my copy of the Nielsen Symphonies arrived today. Turns out the seller had covid and was out of commission for two+ weeks.
Anyway, I have cleaned them and so far played the first symphony while I catch up on some things (so not fully attentive). It sounds great, like new. Not even a tick or pop. It’s a nicely done German pressing. The box itself shows some age with discoloration, a split on the top and separated broken corners. The liner notes are pristine. It also includes a 7th disc that is an introduction to the symphonies by British composer/musicologist Dr. Robert Simpson.
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I have that set, which I bought new years ago. I must listen to them again, as I really don’t know the Nielsen symphonies.
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Sounds like it’s in a similar condition to mine JDP. Slightly worse on the cosmetic front, but immaculate inside.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. 
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Enjoy it when it gets to you!
If you want Gotterdammerung as soon as it’s available, you might check Presto Classical. They usually have releases available on the day of release for pre-orders and in the case of Siegfried, that was 31 March. I see that they are charging £97 for the Siegfried vinyl.
Gotterdammerung will be released on 30 June and Presto has the price as £145, reduced from £163. I can’t see it advertised on Amazon UK’s site, but I’m only looking on my phone and they basically are trying to sell me MP3 downloads apparently!
Max Richter - The New Four Seasons, Vivaldi Recomposed
This is Richter’s second reworking of Vivaldi’s masterpieces. I stumbled upon a live broadcast of it on BBC Radio 3 last week and was immediately captivated. Then, over the weekend I read a article by Clemency Burton Hill, formerly a presenter on BBC Radio 3 herself, who described the central importance of music in her life and how this (probably his first reworking), together with Richter’s On the Nature of Daylight were the first pieces she yearned to hear during her recovery from an AVM rupture.
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Out from the cobwebs, this is a German-pressed 80s reissue of early 60s Stravinsky orchestral works conducted by Igor himself.
I haven’t played this in decades, so when I get to Symphony in C and Symphony in Three Movements I’ll see how it compares to my normal goto recording by Ansermet/Suisse-Romande on Decca.
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My favorite version:
Part of New York City Ballet’s historic 1972 Stravinsky Festival. 31 ballets to his music over 8 days. This ballet premiered on Opening Night.
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99p charity shop punt yields best ever Beethoven 8th and a very promising 9th (I’ve only played the first movement as yet). William Steinberg with the Pittsburgh SO. Very impressed with this wonderful sounding LP. 25 bob was a lot back in the day, but good value even then. Phenomenal at 99p today…
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I have an idea that those Steinberg LPs were recorded for/sold to Readers Digest subscribers. But I may be completely wrong.
Could well be Graham. Mine are music for pleasure with additional accreditation to Paul Hamlyn and EMI Records. Would that be right?
Yeah, I was going to say that looks like a club copy, and “Music For Pleasure” sound like a club name. It’s also the name of my Naim/Dynaudio/Clearaudio/REL dealer (seriously).
Can you tell where it’s pressed? A lot of club records were just licensed from the original labels, but often not as good as the originals. For example, you can get club releases of Philips and DG records easily, but be careful. Many of them are very crappy and noisy Italian pressings. Sometimes they are the real deal Dutch/German pressings in cheesy, cheap boxes with minimal liner notes. YMMV
Personally, I avoid club reissues of records. I’d rather just pay more and get better quality, but I also don’t buy used records graded less than “Near Mint /Mint -”
Paul Hamlyn is definitely a publisher, rather than a record company, but I have no idea if there’s a tie-up with Readers Digest.
Anyway, ,it’s far more important that you enjoy the Beethoven, which seems to be the case.
The only recording by William Steinberg that I have ever owned is a savage (in a good way) recording of Holst’s ‘Planets’ Suite. The vinyl LP is still in the DGG catalogue, and I brought a brand new copy just a few weeks ago.
Highly recommended for a different perspective on, say, Adrian Boult’s five recordings for EMI and Lyrita.
I also have that Steinberg/BSO Planets on DG (Classics reissue). It’s good, but my favorite continues to be Haitink/LSO on Philips, probably because that’s the one I bonded with decades ago. I’m often on the hunt for something that will impress me.
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MFP was a budget label with wide ranging releases from Mrs Mills etc to, as pictured, Beethoven. They were common in UK Woolworths shops alongside other budget labels ( Hallmark and Marble Arch for example ).
The later offshoot, Classics For Pleasure, was an altogether more prestigious affair.