Deutsche Grammophonone 70's yellow

[JP Delaney]

I have just had some of very nice LP's insulted. I had a know it all acquaintance tell me that the Deutsche Grammophone LP's with the early 70's yellow label were -- keeping this post clean "of poor quality". I was shocked because many of these are recording are of top Conductors and Orchestras of the day. They sound very good to me, I guess when it is all said and done that is what matters. But have you hear this before? or do you believe this if so let me know? Peace JP

[vinyldavid]

They sound amazing to me.....

[Squonk07]

I have just had some of very nice LP's insulted. I had a know it all acquaintance tell me that the Deutsche Grammophone LP's with the early 70's yellow label were -- keeping this post clean "of poor quality". I was shocked because many of these are recording are of top Conductors and Orchestras of the day. They sound very good to me, I guess when it is all said and done that is what matters. But have you hear this before? or do you believe this if so let me know? Peace JP

You get this sort of thing in a lot of hobbies. Everybody wants to appear knowledgeable, even when they're not. It's a little ambiguous what your friend meant, though; does he mean to say that the pressings themselves are bad, or that the fault lies with the performances on this particular label?

If the latter, then I have read before that German performances tend to be reserved and the strings tend to be recorded with a harsh timbre, particularly from the period in question. I guess based on a few of these DG recordings I have lying around (on CD, though, not vinyl), there might be a point there, but it's purely a matter of subjective opinion. As I mentioned in another thread, I am completely happy with my copy of Carlos Kleiber conducting Beethoven's Fifth and Seventh symphonies.

In any event, you're absolutely right: if it sounds good to you, whether your friend takes issue with the vinyl itself of the performances, there's no reason why you should worry about this.

[70salesguy]

Yeah, right.

Don't buy yellow label Deutsch Grammophone or green M&Ms. :screwy:

Perhaps this was a little harsh.

My experience has been very positive with DG yellow label, but it has all been classical.

[Scorpion8]

I collect DG classical recordings preferentially. I find my favorite conductors and symphonies on the label, and they all sound superb. To each his own, but I like my DG.

[vinyl1]

It is all within a context. The Decca and EMI recordings from the same period are usually better-sounding, but in classical you may be looking for a particular artist and performance.

Many find the Karajan performances from the 70s to be overly slick and facile.

There are a lot of good recordings on the earlier DGs from the 60s - that's where most of the collector interest is. There is some fine piano and chamber music on those DG tulips. The conductors they had then, such as Bohm, Leitner, and Fricsay, are not as well-known today, but turned in fine performances.

Even so, the sound is just not that great. A good wideband Decca from 1962 will blow the doors off any DG ever made.

[KentTeffeteller]

Hi,

Deutsche Grammophon made many classical recordings. The chamber music recordings on their Archiv subsidiary are superb as a rule. I like their recordings of USA symphony orchestras best. Their Boston Symphony orchestra recordings and their Boston Pops recordings are superb. DG recordings really need to be judged on a case by case basis. The William Steinberg/ Boston Symphony recording of Holst's "The Planets" must be heard to be believed. It's my favorite DG record of all.

[KeninDC]

I second the "Archiv" nod.

Some folks quibble about the mic placements in later (70s and on) DGs.

[luvvinvinyl]

JP Delaney, be sure to play those DGs only when your 'friend' is not around, so that you can enjoy them in peace.

[electroking]

Hi,

Deutsche Grammophon made many classical recordings. The chamber music recordings on their Archiv subsidiary are superb as a rule. I like their recordings of USA symphony orchestras best. Their Boston Symphony orchestra recordings and their Boston Pops recordings are superb. DG recordings really need to be judged on a case by case basis. The William Steinberg/ Boston Symphony recording of Holst's "The Planets" must be heard to be believed. It's my favorite DG record of all.

The same musicians (Steinberg/BSO) also recorded this piece around
the same time (1971). For those that don't know, this is the piece of
which the first minute or so is used as the main theme of the 1968
movie "2001 a Space Odissey", but not the same recording of course.
This is definitely worth listening to.

[wajobu]

I love those old DGs :yes:

[piece-it pete]

I think they're nice.

Not to veer too far OT, but does anyone know the difference between the yellow labels and the black labels?

Pete