Har-Bal used to fix a flaw in Beethoven's fourth symphony
Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 10:28 pm
Hear it for yourself
http://www.pristineclassical.com/More/NaturalSound.html
Read on
http://www.pristineclassical.com/LargeW ... ASC065.php
Cheers
Earle
Below is more information from Mr Andrew Rose.
I've mentioned this before, a long time ago, on your message boards, but thought you might be interested to know how things are progressing, and about the distinct possibility of a mention on BBC Radio Three (the BBC's classical radio station) this weekend.
I've recently taken to using Har-Bal in a far more specific way to counteract the deficiencies in 1930's and 40's recording equipment, and have now begun a major series of Beethoven Symphonies using Har-Bal as one of the core techniques.
At the heart of this is the following - rather than using Har-Bal to attack general defects in the sound, I'm taking modern recordings (2006 LSO/Haitink in the case of the Beethoven) and matching quite closely the frequency response, at least as high as it goes on the 78s. The results are revelatory - as I write I'm working on a recording of the 9th Symphony for release later this month, made in 1935. The current CD reissue of this on Naxos sounds typically 'vintage', but what Har-Bal reveals is that the information is all there, and with an average tonal balance over an hour's music that can be compared with a modern recording of exactly the same piece it's possible to devise a precise EQ curve to correct tonal deficiencies to a degree previously impossible.
A simplified discussion of these techniques formed part of a 30-minute illustrated interview I recorded for the BBC late last year, to be broadcast on this Saturday's CD Review programme (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/cdreview ), which I hope will be of interest.
Since the interview was recorded I've used Har-Bal to achieve the previously impossible with a 1938 Toscanini recording of Beethoven's Fourth Symphony, the details of which are on our website here:
http://www.pristineclassical.com/LargeW ... ASC065.php
We offered this as a limited-time free Christmas present, generating more hits for this recording than any previous single recording on our site, with unanimous approval. I'd be glad to send you a copy if you're interested in hearing it. You'll see we have a link to your site on the page.
Meanwhile the website is due to feature in the next BBC Music Magazine, and won a special award for its online service from Classic Record Collector Magazine in their annual 2006 awards last month.
I will of course be happy to mention again the use of Har-Bal in the Beethoven series currently in preparation. I do believe that by Har-Balising vintage recordings closely to their modern exact equivalents, we are able to bring about something of a revolution in sound quality of these older recordings, for which I can only thank you.
If there's any way you think we might be able to work together to our mutual benefit, please let me know; in the meantime, I wish you a very happy New Year and all the best for 2007.
Regards
Andrew
www.pristineclassical.com
http://www.pristineclassical.com/More/NaturalSound.html
Read on
http://www.pristineclassical.com/LargeW ... ASC065.php
Cheers
Earle
Below is more information from Mr Andrew Rose.
I've mentioned this before, a long time ago, on your message boards, but thought you might be interested to know how things are progressing, and about the distinct possibility of a mention on BBC Radio Three (the BBC's classical radio station) this weekend.
I've recently taken to using Har-Bal in a far more specific way to counteract the deficiencies in 1930's and 40's recording equipment, and have now begun a major series of Beethoven Symphonies using Har-Bal as one of the core techniques.
At the heart of this is the following - rather than using Har-Bal to attack general defects in the sound, I'm taking modern recordings (2006 LSO/Haitink in the case of the Beethoven) and matching quite closely the frequency response, at least as high as it goes on the 78s. The results are revelatory - as I write I'm working on a recording of the 9th Symphony for release later this month, made in 1935. The current CD reissue of this on Naxos sounds typically 'vintage', but what Har-Bal reveals is that the information is all there, and with an average tonal balance over an hour's music that can be compared with a modern recording of exactly the same piece it's possible to devise a precise EQ curve to correct tonal deficiencies to a degree previously impossible.
A simplified discussion of these techniques formed part of a 30-minute illustrated interview I recorded for the BBC late last year, to be broadcast on this Saturday's CD Review programme (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/cdreview ), which I hope will be of interest.
Since the interview was recorded I've used Har-Bal to achieve the previously impossible with a 1938 Toscanini recording of Beethoven's Fourth Symphony, the details of which are on our website here:
http://www.pristineclassical.com/LargeW ... ASC065.php
We offered this as a limited-time free Christmas present, generating more hits for this recording than any previous single recording on our site, with unanimous approval. I'd be glad to send you a copy if you're interested in hearing it. You'll see we have a link to your site on the page.
Meanwhile the website is due to feature in the next BBC Music Magazine, and won a special award for its online service from Classic Record Collector Magazine in their annual 2006 awards last month.
I will of course be happy to mention again the use of Har-Bal in the Beethoven series currently in preparation. I do believe that by Har-Balising vintage recordings closely to their modern exact equivalents, we are able to bring about something of a revolution in sound quality of these older recordings, for which I can only thank you.
If there's any way you think we might be able to work together to our mutual benefit, please let me know; in the meantime, I wish you a very happy New Year and all the best for 2007.
Regards
Andrew
www.pristineclassical.com