Top Engineers – Stuart Eltham

Sibelius / The Popular Sibelius – Reviewed in 2005

More of the music of Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

This Minty looking EMI is a real SLEEPER!

BIG, EXCITING SOUND! With a spirited performance to match from Berglund, a man well known for his Sibelius work. This is not one of those vague, washed out EMIs

This record is ALIVE. Recorded by Stuart Eltham in 1972, you will be hard pressed to find more immediacy in an EMI. The sound may even be a bit over the top on some selections — whether it is or not will probably depend on your tastes and playback system. But one listen to the third track on side one should convince you that you’re in the presence of a superb recording.

This record includes Finlandia, Valse Triste, Karelia – Intermezzo, The Swan Of Tuonela, Lemminkaines’s Return, King Christian II – Elegy, Musette & Nocturne.

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Saint-Saens / Carnival of the Animals on Klavier

More of the Music of Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921)

Hot Stamper Pressings of TAS List Records Available Now

Sonic Grade: D

Yet another murky, smeary audiophile piece of vinyl trash from the mastering lathe of the formerly brilliant Doug Sax. He used to cut the best sounding records in the world. Then he started working for AP and to my knowledge hasn’t cut a good sounding record since.

This record may be on the Tas Super Disc list, but we don’t think it belongs there. Instead, it belong on the bad Tas list that we created specifically for these far-from-super records.

For those of us who remember his consistently superb work in the 70s, we sadly note that he passed away in 2015. I was honored to have met him a few years back at a Chopin concert performed by Lincoln Mayorga. 

Both he and Lincoln were gentlemen and artists of the highest caliber. Needless to say, this Klavier is not the kind of record that he would want to be remembered by.

On this record, in Doug’s defense it’s only fair to point out that he had only dub tapes to work with, which is neither here nor there as these pressings are not worth the dime’s worth of vinyl used to make them.

Can this possibly be the sound that EMI engineer Stuart Eltham was after?

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Massenet / Le Cid Ballet – A Good Speakers Corner Decca

Reviews and Commentaries for the Music of Jules Massenet (1842—1912)

Hot Stamper Classical and Orchestral Imports on Decca & London

One of the better Speakers Corner Deccas.

We haven’t played a copy of this record in years, but back in the day we liked it, so let’s call it a “B” with the caveat that the older the review, the more likely we are to have changed our minds.

Not sure if we would still agree with what we wrote back in the ’90s when this record came out, but here it is anyway.

Finally a version of Le Cid that we can enjoy! Superb sound with a performance to match!

No more suffering through the hi-fi-ish Doug Sax/ Acoustic Sounds rebutchering of the Fremaux on Klavier.  

Audiophiles in droves bought into that one, apparently not noticing the overblown bass and spark-spark-sparkling top end. Thankfully we now have this Decca from Speakers Corner to demonstrate proper orchestral balance.

If your system needs boosted bass and highs, keep the Klavier. If it doesn’t, this Decca will allow you to forget about the sound and enjoy this lovely music.