We Expected Better from Frühbeck De Burgos, But We Didn’t Get It

Hot Stamper Pressings of Orchestral Spectaculars Available Now

We love the skill De Burgos brings to orchestral showpieces such as these, but the sound is not up to par for us. We’ve heard better. A lot better.

Bolero is shrill at the climax and the whole of side two was dull and opaque.

This EMI from 1976 might be passable on an old school system, but it was much too unpleasant to be played on the high quality modern equipment we use.

There are quite a number of other records that we’ve run into over the years with similar shortcomings. Here are some of them, a very small fraction of what we’ve played, broken down by label.

Note that there is no list of EMI’s. There are simply too many bad ones to make listings for.

  • London/Decca records with weak sound or performances
  • Mercury records with weak sound or performances
  • RCA records with weak sound or performances

The EMI classical albums we have reviewed to date can be found here.

Label:   His Master’s Voice – ESD 7019
Released:   1976

Ravel – Bolero
Chabrier: Espana – Rhapsody For Orchestra

Prokofiev – Symphony No.1 In D Major (Classical)

Stravinsky: Fireworks, Op.4
Stravinsky: Circus Polka (1942) (Composed For A Young Elephant)

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