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ESOTERIC - DVORAK - THE NEW WORLD SYMPHONY #9 **200GM LP**

1,000 pieces of this title were pressed world-wide with only a very small number of those coming to the US market!

Hungarian conductors, starting with Nikisch and followed by Fricsay, Ormandy, Szell, and Solti, István Kertész (August 28, 1929-April 16, 1973), dominated the world of glorious conducting in the 1960's, filling various posts as the General Music Director of the Augsburg Opera (1960-1963), and the Cologne Opera (1964-1973), and as principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra (1965-1968). During this period, he recorded many great albums for Decca, conducting the VPO, the LSO, and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, (but sadly drowned in 1973 while swimming in Tel Aviv, which was a great loss to all).

This album is a monumental recording for Kertész as his debut for the UK's Decca label. Particularly in Japan, From the New World has been a "must have" ever since its first release by King Records in 1961. In this respect, it sits alongside the RCA version by Reiner/Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Columbia version by Bernstein/New York Philharmonic, the Epic version by Szell/Cleveland Orchestra, and the DG version by Karajan/BPO. Taking advantage of the full timbre of the VPO with its long tradition, Kertész - then just 32 years old - added dramatic changes in tempo and gave full life to the work. The heavy hammering rhythms of the tympani and the roar of brass created a thrilling intensity, as if it was a concert recording. Five years later in 1966, Kertész re-recorded this symphony, conducting the London Symphony Orchestra, accomplishing a mellower performance in place of the youth and dynamism of his earlier recording. Among Japanese fans, this VPO version has been much more appreciated.

A great recording in the Sofiensaal, where the Decca sound was created... The album was produced by Ray Minshull who was responsible many of Kertész's recordings for Decca, working with engineer James Brown. The Sofiensaal was built as a bathhouse in the early 19th century, was later used as a dance hall, and is famous for Johann Strauss's frequent appearances on its stage. From 1956 to the 1980's, it served as the home of Decca's stereo recording sessions in Vienna. This venue is the most suitable for Decca's recording policy of clearly recording and reproducing the details of the sound, and the legendary recording of Solti's "The Ring of the Nibelung," has been accompanied by recording after recording representing the Decca sound. This From the New World is one of them, definitively and three-dimensionally reproducing the crisp sounds of the tympani, the delicate brightness of the brass, the unique resonance of the Vienna oboes, clarinets, and other woodwinds, and the silky, deep string parts - particularly the solid low strings. And even after nearly 50 years since its recording, its enchanting clear sounds have never lost their freshness.

"...an ideal version of From the New World...with all of the required elements" (excerpt from the liner notes on the original LP).

"A magnificent orchestral tapestry with such depth must be the result of Kertész's symphonic interpretation of the score, but in its approach, it's much greater than that of Karajan. This is due to not only the symphonic interpretation, but also all of the types of elements included. Changes of tempo are dynamic and many, and while in some cases they intensely liven up the music, in others they sing touchingly, arousing in the listener a feeling of nostalgia. Taking full advantage of the VPO's strengths, the string instruments express a nuance of graceful adoration. Meanwhile, the brass section is required to play forcefully, with a robustness that doesn't sound like the VPO, emphasizing the folk tradition behind the composition. This is also expressed in the powerful sound of the powerfully struck tympani...I have to say this is an ideal version of From the New World, that is truly magnificent with all of the required elements"
- Koho Uno, LP Techo, 1962

This Esoteric Master Press Recording is one of a select few titles available from Esoteric Company of Japan.  Every title in the Master Press Recordings Series has been remastered by Esoteric and pressed by JVC using the best possible processes and procedures available. The goal of this project is to provide the closest experience possible to the original master tape. 

Esoteric meticulously remastered the original master tape to DSD under the watchful eye of Esoteric's president Motoaki Ohmachi.  This project was given unfettered access to the world's best equipment, including Esoteric's flagship D/A converters, Master Clock Generators & Esoteric Mexcel cables.  The jaw-dropping results were then released on hybrid SACD, to instant acclaim and worldwide demand.

But Ohmachi-san wanted to showcase vinyl as well, so Esoteric approached JVC Mastering Center in Japan, world renowned for their outstanding remastering work.  Through extensive testing and listening sessions, Ohmachi-san and the remastering engineer agreed, the best source was actually the DSD master created for the SACDs.  Although using the DSD master resulted in a single additional D/A conversion stage in the signal path, the sonic superiority of the DSD master was clear. 

The cutting process used custom-made Neumann gear, specially built to Esoteric's specs by JVC using no filters, EQ or other devices, which created an exceptionally pure and uncluttered signal path.

This collaboration between JVC and Esoteric has resulted in vinyl recordings that are unprecedented in their faithfulness to the original master tape.  Master Press Recordings are pressed directly from the lacquer master, a process which eliminates two full steps in the pressing process.  Every single record in this series is pressed in this manner, with no intermediate copies used in the pressing process. Combined with the superior groove depth that only 200Gm vinyl can offer, Esoteric's Master Press Recordings offer transparency, immediacy and power unlike anything heard on vinyl before.