Luogo e data di registrazione		Vedere le originarie pubblicazioni in Long Playing.
	Registrazione: live / studio		studio
	Producer / Engineer		-
	Prima Edizione LP		Vedere le originarie pubblicazioni in Long Playing.
	Edizione CD		Pristine | PACM 007 | 1 CD - 68' 24" | (c) 2005 | ADD Pristine | PACM 077 | 1 CD - 50' 55" | (c) 2011 | ADD
	Note		Compilation.

Pristine PACM 007 - Beethoven These two String Quartets, written just 6 years apart in 1800 and 1806 respectively, came at a time of huge creativity for Beethoven, which was to include the first three symphonies, numerous piano and violin sonatas, the Third Piano Concerto and many other works. They were followed in 1807 by the 4th Symphon and in 1808 by the 5th and 6th Symphonies. Beethoven's first nine string quartets were written in two groups - the six of Op. 18 and the three "Razumovsky" quartets of Op. 59, and here we leap from the last of the first set to the first of the second set in two beautiful Decca recordings from 1954, superbly remastered for Pristine Audio by Peter Harrison at disk2disc. It is astonishing to read, when one listens to these interpretations, that these recordings were not particularly highly regarded at the time. Perhaps that explains their failure to be reissued until now. But we like them a lot - and we think you will too! s Classics was already highly aware of the advantages offered by the quadraphonic tapes (4-channels recordings). Although amazing results were achieved, it turned out to be almost impossible to reproduce the major increase in quality with the sound systems used by consumers. Now – over a quarter of a century later – thanks to the arrival of the multi-channel Super Audio CD, there is finally a system available which permits us to release these recordings in their original form. PENTATONE is issuing these exceptionally good multi-channel recordings – never before released in this form – in this special series. The idea behind this so-called RQR (Remastered Quadro Recordings) series being to do justice to the original intentions of both artists and recording technicians. Andrew Rose Pristine PACM 077 - Haydn & Mozart The recordings presented here span the end of the 78rpm era and the start of the LP era - the 1952 recordings were given standard 78rpm matrix numbers (IAR551-2 and IAR563-68) though is it uncertain whether they were ever issued on 78s, and would have been recorded onto tape. The earlier recording, 1948's Haydn E flat Quartet, most certainly was issued on 78s (AK2159-60) and must have been among Decca's last recordings made direct to disc - this was clearly apparent when restoring the recording from their own LP transfer, in this case a mint ten-inch 33rpm German pressing, where remnants of surface noise and swish clearly indicated original 78rpm rotation. Also appreciable is the decrease in general surface noise with the advent of tape, coupled with increased general recording fidelity between 1948 and 1952. That said, each of these recordings has benefited greatly from 32-bit XR remastering, in which I've been able to bring out a great deal of clarity and fine detail, whilst retaining an open, organic sound. I was also able to enhance the originally rather dry sound of the Santa Cecilia recordings, using precisely mapped acoustic models of the hall in which the recordings were made, to "place the listener" in the centre of the seventh row of the auditorium - thus allowing the sound of the hall itself to round out the tone of the quartet in a pleasing and entirely authentic manner. Andrew Rose