Credits:
Andre Previn
Description:
Limited availability only at ESOTERIC dealersLimited number of units in stock.*In the case of pre-orders received just before the product goes on sale, there may be a significant delay in securing the product. Also, limited production items may not be secured.When the number of pre-orders reaches the expected number of items in stock, we will stop accepting pre-orders even before the release of the product.*Please note that if delivery is made in installments due to reasons of the distributor, the products will be shipped in the order in which they are received, and depending on the timing of your pre-order, delivery may be delayed significantly beyond the release date.*The release date, jacket design, and included songs may be subject to change due to production reasons.*Shipments from the web will be made after the date of arrival.*We apologize in advance in case the production company is sold out.A classic Gershwin album from the analog era, refreshed from the original masters.The Super Audio CD Hybrid Software, a unique ESOTERIC creation.ESOTERIC's reissue series of masterpieces has continuously received high acclaim for its insatiable dedication to the original master sound and the overwhelming improvement in sound quality achieved by the Super Audio CD hybridization. The world's first Super Audio CD hybridization has been realized by DSD mastering from the original masters using advanced technology and sensibilities. This time, we are releasing three titles from Decca, Philips, and Warner Classics' masterpieces, which represent the best performances and recordings of the analog era and the early digital era, as Super Audio CD hybrids.Andr Previn, the great multi-instrumentalistI think I would resist a life in which I was only a composer, only a conductor, or only a pianist, but I am proud to be a musician. But I am proud and happy to be a musician. It is the best profession on earth, and I am exceptionally grateful to be a musician," said Sir Andre Previn (1929-2019), one of the greatest and most versatile musicians of the 20th century, a four-time Academy Award winner and a 10-time Grammy Award winner, as well as a conductor, pianist, and composer. 2019). Born in Berlin, Previn moved to Los Angeles before the outbreak of World War II, and his precocious talent quickly blossomed when he began accompanying silent films and working as an orchestrator at MGM while still in high school. After World War II, he began his career as a multi-instrumentalist in earnest and continued as a musician without slackening until his death in 2019. Becoming a Mainstream Classical ConductorPrevin, who studied conducting with Pierre Montoux, made his debut as a classical conductor when he stepped to the podium of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in 1962. He quickly became a popular conductor, captivating audiences with his fresh sensibility and storyteller-like music-making skills, which he had developed through his training in film music. He has since held permanent positions with such renowned orchestras as the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and the NHK Symphony Orchestra, and in parallel with his concert activities, Previn has been actively involved in recording, and his fame has spread at an accelerating pace. He was also a regular member of the NHK Symphony Orchestra and other renowned orchestras. In addition to his concert activities, he has also been actively involved in recording, and his fame has spread at an accelerating pace. In particular, the series of recordings he made for EMI during his tenure as principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra in the 1970s attracted music fans around the world with a wide range of repertoire and a mellow sound typical of the last days of the analog era.The London Symphony Orchestra, a period of unprecedented popularityIn 1968, Previn succeeded Istvan Kertesz as Chief Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, a post he held until 1979, and this period marked the first peak of Previn's career as a conductor. His approach as a conductor, in which he did not lead the orchestra from above but immersed himself in the music with his musicians as if they were colleagues, resonated deeply with both musicians and listeners, and his sharp and enterprising interpretations redefined the conventional performance style. The London Symphony Orchestra had always been the most functional and resilient of the London orchestras, but the Previn era brought refinement and flexibility, and the BBC began a TV program featuring the duo that spread to a wide audience. Previn began recording with the London Symphony Orchestra for RCA even before he became its principal conductor, and had left important masterpieces such as the complete symphonies of Vaughan Williams, but it was not until 1971, during his time with EMI, that his recording activities with the London Symphony Orchestra really began to take off. In May 1971, Previn began his recording activities with EMI with a bold choice for the time, Ravi Shankar's Sitar Concerto, and his second album for EMI was an album of three Gershwin masterpieces, Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris, and the Piano Concerto in F major. His second album for EMI was an album of three Gershwin masterpieces: "Rhapsody in Blue," "An American in Paris," and the piano concerto in F major. The album was also meant to highlight the unique aspect of Previn's playing, not only as a conductor, but also as a pianist.Pianist-Previn's specialtyGershwin's repertoire was a specialty of Previn's when he had a stronger profile as a jazz pianist, and he recorded "Rhapsody in Blue" and "Piano Concerto in F" as a pianist in 1960 under the direction of Kostelanetz for Columbia Records, before he became active as a conductor. The EMI recording with the London Symphony Orchestra is the first recording of the two pieces. The EMI recording with the London Symphony Orchestra came 11 years later, and was the second recording of the two pieces with piano solos. Although Previn's piano playing is not virtuoso, his balance with the orchestra and his sense of breathing are exquisite, and he sings Gershwin's famous melodies with great grace. Compared to the 1960 recording, which had plenty of jazz-like rhythms and grooves, the 1971 recording has a stronger impression of a more "classical" piano that maintains a jazz-like feel but does not skip over the notes and applies them more precisely to every detail, so to speak. The "An American in Paris," which seems to sound like the image of the glamorous city of Paris as it is, has a wonderful descriptive power of each part, especially the nostalgic atmosphere of the blues-like section in the middle part of the song. The LP runs about 33 minutes for side A, "Rhapsody in Blue" and "An American in Paris," and about 32 minutes for side B, "Piano Concerto in F major," for a total of 65 minutes, a long time for an analog recording, but the concept of putting these three pieces on a single LP was groundbreaking, and after its release, the album was released in -1984, and was released in -1984. -The concept of putting these three pieces on one LP was revolutionary, and after its release - even after Previn himself made a CD in 1984 with the same tracks as the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - it became an evergreen standard that never disappeared from the catalog.Recorded at the iconic recording studio, Abbey Road StudiosThe recording was a two-day session. The recording took place at the iconic Abbey Road Studios. Originally a Georgian townhouse built in the 19th century, it was converted into a recording studio in 1931 and opened with "Land of Hope and Glory" by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Elgar. The building consists of three studios, and orchestral recordings are made in Studio 1, the largest of the three, with ample space to accommodate a large orchestra. The recording was made by Christopher Bishop and Christopher Parker, the famous producer/engineer duo who led EMI's classical recording in the stereo/analog era of the 1970s.Although there is not as much reverberation as in a hall recording, and no artificial reverb is added, the piano solo is placed in the center, and the clarinet and other orchestral solos at the beginning of "Rhapsody in Blue" are clearly brought into focus. The interesting movement of each part is clearly realized in the sound. At the climax, the sound image spreads over the two speakers, creating a dense, massive sound. Because it was a staple of the analog era, it was first released on CD in 1984 as soon as the CD era began, and has been newly remastered and refreshed on the art system and HS-2088 in 1998, but this is the first remastering and first Super Audio CD hybridization in a long time. As in the past, no compromises were made in the process from the selection of the masters to the final DSD mastering. In particular, Esoteric Mastering was used for DSD mastering. The Master Sound Discrete DAC and Master Sound Discrete Clock, ESOTERIC's top-of-the-line equipment, were carefully tuned. The generous use of MEXCEL cables enabled us to transfer the information contained in the original master to disc with a smooth sound.(Esoteric Corporation)ContentsGeorge Gershwin[Rhapsody in Blue (Furdy Grofe, arr.)[2] An American in ParisPiano Concerto in F[3] 1st movement: Allegro[4] 2nd movement: Adagio - Andante con moto[5] 3rd movement: Allegro agitatoPerformerGervaise de Payet, clarinetHoward Snell (trumpet)London Symphony OrchestraPiano & Conductor: Andre PrevinRecordedJune 4 & 6, 1971, Abbey Road Studio 1, London[HMV ASD 2754 (1971)[First Japanese release] Toshiba Ongaku Kogyo AA 8897 (June, 1971)[Original Recording][Recording Producer] Christopher Bishop[Balanced Engineer] Christopher Parker[Super Audio CD Producer] Motoaki Omachi (Esoteric Mastering Center)[Super Audio CD Associate Producer] Jo Yoshida (ESOTERIC Mastering Center)[Super Audio CD remastering engineer] Shinya Higashino (ESOTERIC Mastering Center)[Super Audio CD remastering] August 2024, Esoteric Mastering Center, "Esoteric Mastering" system[Commentary] Kozo Asazato, Koji Kinoshita[Planning and marketing]TEAC Corporation[Planning/Cooperation] Tokyo Denka Co.
