The collectors edition the concluding release, completing the transfer of these landmark recordings to cd 53 cds label. Collectors edition set and the almostmatching decca sound set through postings on the phonogram list. By the late 1950s, the mercury living presence crew included session musical supervisors harold lawrence and clair van ausdall and associate engineer robert eberenz. Cd mercury living presence the collectors edition 2. George schick, irwin fischer, edward metzenger, allen graham, lionel sayers, thomas glenecke, chicago symphony orchestra, rafael kubelik.
Among all mercury releases, this living presence series may be the most famous among audiophiles, and thus much of this release includes so expensive, hardtofind records in the secondhand market. That alone is a major triumph for all concerned, since the remasters are regarded as definitive. Eastmanrochester symphony orchestra london symphony. In addition, decca presents 10 albums that have never before been on cd, mixed down, restored, and remastered from fragile tapes to allow the fullest possible. We, the fellowship of friends, are a group of men and women, young and old, who have gathered together to share the lifetime pursuit of being present. The third and final mercury living presence cd collection was recently released.
Various mercury living presence the collectors edition 2. This landmark release marks the point at which the entire mercury living presence catalog, as remastered by original recording producers in the 1990s, is available in physical form. Mercury living presence collectors edition long hailed as the audiophiles label, mercury represents an important milestone in the history of classical recordings. Mercury has been well known as an environmental pollutant for several decades. This ranges from solo bach played by harpsichordist rafael puyana to american composer and conductor howard hanson in his own works as well as music by fellow. That includes nearly every recording made under the mercury living presence label. Mercury living presence the collectors edition vol. Mercury was acquired by philips in 1961, and the living presence series continued for seven years more, by then numbering some 350 releases.
Prayer essentials for living in his presence, vol 1 quantity. Like the preceding volume 1, the discs are housed in a sturdy fliptop cube and are packaged in thin cardboard sleeves showing the original lp cover art, and the package includes a thick booklet that. When cozart retired in 1964, lawrence took over the mercury classical division and continued producing mercury living presence records into 1967. It is dynamic, open but not like the the early sixties decca, living stereo or their. Now, phonogrammers are, by definition, primarily interested in vinyl although filebased replay is rapidly gaining traction, so seeing them getting all hot and bothered over the. Some of these recordings were issued some years ago. Among all mercury releases, this living presence series may be the most famous among audiophiles, and thus much of this release includes so expensive, hardto. It seems like the first 26 or so are the ones with the 432 prefix, the later ones have 434 prefix. Mercury living presence vinylany experts out there. Mercury would have done better coupling this second symphony recording with their archive monophonic recording of hansons fifth. Here is yet another major multidisk set of recordingsr importance to collectors. December 18, 2012 mercury living presence on compact disc from a mlp cd booklet besides the music tracks, the download includes two. By the mid1970s, mercury was no longer pressing living presence lps in the us.
Various mercury living presence the collectors edition 3. Moussorgskys pictures at en exhibition the labels first classical recording, tchaikovskys 1812 overture, music of the american civil war, among others, have all garnered praise. Living presence an esoteric school dedicated to the. Mar 05, 2012 because of the historical significance of the mercury living presence recordings, it was decided to retain as with the previous cd releases the original lp covers and liner notes, as well as the original cd stereo mix prepared by wilma cozart fine in the 1990s. File size ravel, maurice the complete edition decca 2012. He played the solo violin in scheherazade rimskykorsakov with antal dorati conducting the minneapolis symphony in a brilliant living presence recording. Mercury living presence the collectors edition 2 50cd diverse klassisk.
Ive always thought that the story of the husbandandwife engineering team responsible for so many wonderful recordings at the height of the golden age of classical music recordings would make for a compelling book. Nov 22, 2011 tchaikovsky 1812 festival overture, op. Mercury introduced me to orchestras and conductors i had never heard of playing music that only then was surfacing into my awareness. It is dynamic, open but not like the the early sixties decca, living stereo or their org 45rpm and ap 45rpm reissues that i really like. In that issue i looked at some of mercurys better mono recordings of paul paray, the conductor. Mar 08, 2012 the mercury living presence cd reissue program has been critically acclaimed for its sound quality by the new york times and leading audiophile publications like the absolute sound and sterophile. The philips label, which by then owned the mercury catalog, began what it called the mercury golden import series, which included living presence titles that had been remastered by philips and pressed at their plant in holland. Publisher number b002275902 mercury records mercb002275902 mercury records. I first became aware of the mercury living presence. Prayer essentials for living in his presence, vol 1 the. Balalaika favorites osipov state russian folk orchestra. The cd boxs 55 titles include two firstcd issue rarities. Not long after the sellout of both decca classics first collectors edition box set of 50 mercury living presence cd reissues, and their box set of six 180gm lp reissues, both drawn from the famed mercury living presence catalog, collectors edition 2 arrives on may 14.
Like its series name, it gives us a living presence sound. At left sonatas by schumann and brahms performed with pianist john simms. George schick, irwin fischer, edward metzenger, allen graham, lionel sayers, thomas glenecke. Because of the historical significance of the mercury living presence recordings, it was decided to retain as with the previous cd releases the original lp covers and liner notes, as well as the original cd stereo mix prepared by wilma cozart fine in the 1990s. Surprisingly, this living presence lp has not been issued by philips in its mercury living presence cd series. The 35mm recordings of mercury are more to my liking but this recording had the classic late 50s, early 60s hifi classical sound. Mercury living presence series overview living presence series was one of mercury labels, for classical music. Background starting in 1951 mercury began a series of lp record albums of classical music, the. The second volume is set to release soon in the usa, but those of us who missed the first installment appear to be out of luck. Releases and covers mercury living presence recordings. Sep 30, 1990 mercury was acquired by philips in 1961, and the living presence series continued for seven years more, by then numbering some 350 releases. Mercury living presence monophonic lp listing, circa 1956. Oct 14, 2018 the 35mm recordings of mercury are more to my liking but this recording had the classic late 50s, early 60s hifi classical sound.
All titles mercury living presence click on the cover images for details. The cdlayer of the sacd versions was not derived from the new dsd masters, but was just the old rbcd master from the previous mercury living presence reissue. May 03, 20 judging from the price that the mercury living presence vol. Mercury living presence continues to enjoy a special reputation as one of the most enterprising, prestigious and sonicallyspectacular labels in the history of classical recording. Hanson, erso, philips mercury living presence add cd 432 0082. Ive long been a fan of the mercury living presence recordings, and find the story of bob fine and wilma cozart fine to be fascinating. It was a groundbreaking practice that was hailed by critics not just because it resulted in a vivid, rich sound, but because the producers also.
A listing of mercury living presence usa monophonic lp titles and catalog numbers, circa 1956. Additionally, there are pdf files for the cd and sacd reissues of recordings from the living presence library with cover images and other information. Judging from the price that the mercury living presence vol. Decca this new collection of 55 cds from the acclaimed audiophile label offers a wealth of recordings from the 1950s and 1960s in an unrivaled range of. Symphonic metamorphoses on themes by weber schoenberg. With the addition of the 53 cds in this album, all of the remastered recordings supervised by wilma cozart fine in the 1990s are included in the three mercury box sets. Jul 10, 2012 by the mid1970s, mercury was no longer pressing living presence lps in the us. Mercury had a license contract with emi in great britain. And so alleluia rejoice and shout and dance, here it is. This new collection of 55 cds from the acclaimed audiophile label, mercury living presence, offers a wealth of recordings from the 1950s and 1960s in an unrivaled range of repertory. Ive digitized it using tube preamplification, and included a. Mar 26, 2016 file size mercury living presence decca.
This landmark release marks the point at which the entire mercury living presence catalogue, as remastered by original recording producers in the 1990s, is available in physical form. Background starting in 1951 mercury began a series of lp record albums of classical music, the first album having catalog number mg50000. As early as the 1950s it was established that emissions of mercury to the environment could have serious effects on human health. The mono maven listens to mercury living presence vinyl lp. Stravinskys le sacre, the franck d minor symphony, bachs cello suites, waltons crown imperial, strauss ein. Some of these recording have been available on cd and on sacd. Antal dorati frederick fennell neville marriner stanislaw skrowaczewski ensembles. Decca this new collection of 55 cds from the acclaimed audiophile label offers a wealth of recordings from the 1950s and 1960s in an unrivaled range of repertory. Pdf introduction to his presence 10 portions provokes us to keep company with god, to hunger to become a house of prayer that attracts his presence, and to keep praying with a keen sense of his presence. This presumably is the last in the highly regarded series of mercury living presence reissues. The recording which appeared in the us on mercury 50000 with pictures at an exhibition performed by the chicago symphony under rafael kubelik was released in great britain on blp 1002, a 10 hmv in the fall of 1952 in issue no.
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