Quick Overview Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Philharmonia Orchestra, Ettore Gracis, Rachmaninov, Ravel – Concerto No. 4 In G Minor Concerto In G Major

First stereo recording of the Ravel concerto. International Audiophile Recording featuring iconic high audio quality recordings from the greatest classical legends, opera stars and orchestras of the last century.

"Music is a right, but only for those who deserve it!" and "It is not a profession to be a pianist and musician. It is a philosophy, a conception of life that cannot be based on good intentions or natural talent. First and foremost there must be a spirit of sacrifice." - By Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

YES, simply the greatest interpretation of Ravel's Concerto ever to be recorded. The second movement will transport you into another world. Rachmaninov's Concerto is not any less amazing, thanks to the perfect mix of virtuosity and interiority, magical phrasing and intensity. Without a doubt one of the greatest LPs of the second half of the 20th century.

International Audiophile Recording presents a new collection of reel-to-reel tapes produced as a result of a special collaboration with Warner Music, which in turn has allowed us direct access to original session tapes available at Abbey Road Studios, London, United Kingdom.

Album: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli - Concerto No. 4 In G Minor Concerto In G Major
Label: IAR - TRRC001
Format: Reel-To-Reel, 15 ips, ¼", 2-Track Stereo, 10.5" NAB Reel, Album, CCIR OR NAB Equalization
Country: Italy
Released: 2022
Genre: Classical
Style: Impressionist, Neo-Romantic

Tracklist:

Rachmaninoff: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli And The Philharmonia Orchestra Conducted By Ettore Gracis Concerto No. 4 In G Minor, Op. 40
1 – 1st Movement: Allegro Vivace
2.a – 2nd Movement: Largo
2.b – 3rd Movement: Allegro Vivace

Ravel: Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli And The Philharmonia Orchestra Conducted By Ettore Gracis Concerto In G Major
4 – 1st Movement: Allegramente
5 – 2nd Movement: Adagio Assai
6 – 3rd Movement: Presto

Artist:

Piano By Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Conductor By Ettore Gracis
Orchestra By Philharmonia Orchestra
Composed By Ravel (tracks: B1 to B3), Rachmaninov (tracks: A1 to A2.b)

Record Company BY E.M.I. Records Limited - Recorded In November 1957 in London, United Kingdom First stereo recording of the Ravel concerto. His Master's Voice - Warner Classics.

High-Fidelity Original Master Tape Source

This high-fidelity master tape copy was produced under a license from Warner Classics in collaboration with International Audiophile Recording. Warner Classics is based in Paris, Warner Classics and its sister label Erato together comprise one of the world’s leading global classical music recording companies, with an artist roster covering all genres of classical music. It is home to the fabulous classical music catalogues from EMI Classics, Virgin Classics, Teldec and Erato, featuring many iconic albums which have made history in the world of the record industry. The company boasts an unrivalled catalogue of legendary artists – Maria Callas, Herbert von Karajan, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Yehudi Menuhin, Mstislav Rostropovich, Maurice André, Jacqueline du Pré, Otto Klemperer, Samson François – and of international superstars such as Itzhak Perlman, Daniel Barenboim, Nigel Kennedy, Hélène Grimaud, Natalie Dessay… amongst many others.

From Original Master Tape

Playback of the original masters: a crucial operation

Recording location: Abbey Road Studios, Studio 1, London
Recording date: 7,8,10 March 1957
Recording equipment: EMI BTR III, 2 track
Tape speed: 15 ips (38 cm/s)
Tape width: quarter-inch
Tape stock: EMITAPE
Producer: Victor Olof
Sound engineer: Christopher Parker
The original recording appeared on LP EMI HMV ASD 255

In the case of the first three releases the original, first-generation quarter-inch masters were played back on a modified Studer A-80 and checked out by Abbey Road Studio engineers to ensure maximum qualitative playback. This does not entail verifying solely the quality of the tapes themselves but also the set-up of the correct frequency response of the recording curve (CCIR or NAB) as well as the correct set-up of the azimut of the playback heads. This might sound banal but it is one of the most crucial steps in the remastering process.

When stereo technology appeared, recording engineers, for various reasons, did not always set up the recording heads at the correct 90° angle (azimuth). As a result, many recordings were made with an incorrect azimut. This can create sonic problems like flattened sound stages and high-frequency emphasis if the original tapes - having been recorded with an Azimut different from the standard 90° angle - are then played on a recorder that has a perfect Azimut alignment. This is one reason why we have opted to work with experienced Abbey Road Studio engineers who can spot this problem and playback the original tapes with the Azimut angle of the recording heads of the recorders used to make the original recordings. This is a difficult task and only engineers with experience and outstanding musical ears can do this kind of fine-tuning. As obvious as it may seem, many new remasterings of recordings of the so-called Golden Age sound worse than their previous releases, precisely because the original tapes were played back with the wrong Azimut on the recording heads.

The first generation tapes were subsequently copied onto another A 80, this time one equipped with half-inch recording heads for a near-perfect copy of the original master tapes. This copy then became our own master and used to duplicate your reel-to-reels.

Our masters are therefore an almost identical copy of the original quarter-inch, first generation, master tapes. Because they were duplicated on a half-inch tape, the loss in quality compared to the first-generation tapes is very, very small: for all intents and purposes, the masters we use for the final duplication of your reel-to-reels are nearly identical to the original masters of the recording sessions.

In order to avoid, insofar as is possible, further degradation of the signal when we duplicate the master onto your reel-to-reels, we copy them back-to-back: i.e. the signal coming out of a Studer A80 playing back the master, is sent directly into the inputs of another A80 which is recording the master on your reel-to-reels.

Warner Classics Ultra-Master Tape Copy Features:

• 1st Generation Reel to Reel Tape made from the Original Master Tape
• Pure Analogue Recording
• Analogue Tape Copies from original analogue masters
• Each tape copied with CCIR equalization with reference level 320 nWb/m on half-track 1/4" Recording The Master's Tape
• High-class cardboard box features production cover picture labelled to the box
• EQ: 320 nWb
• Half-track format
• Tape Speed: 15 ips, 1/4-inch 2-track analogue tape
• Made in Italy

Equalization Curves: CCIR or NAB, you choose which one is the best for your reel-to-reel tape machine to play this master tape copy. Master Quality Reel To Reel Tape Copy – Exceptional Audiophile Sound as Close To The Original Master Reference Quality As Possible.

Before You Play The Tape: Please Note The Tape Is Tailed Out. Before playback please rewind the tape first. Make sure that you clean open reel-to-reel tape recorder heads regularly for optimal frequency response.


The Tape Ordering - On-Demand Orders Only

Master Quality Reel To Reel Tape are made to order, one at a time, transferred and assembled by hand. Each package includes 15IPS 1/4" tape in individual boxes, complete booklets, and a certificate of authenticity with information about this tape release. This analogue tape is not eligible for any further discount offers!

OpenReelToReel Hub is passionate about the sound quality of analogue tape, we stock the very best audiophile-grade records and have probably the largest music on reel-to-reel tape stockholding in the UK and Europe.

Analog Fidelity Sound: Desirable for discerning audiophile listeners. OpenReelToReel Hub is happy to offer analogue recordings from trusted recording studios allies, labels and independent musicians. The Music On Reel-To-Reel Tape: The master tape duplication copy is a handmade product in real-time, by sound engineers and studio professionals with today's technology advantages: greater dynamic range, especially at frequency extremes; minimal signal processing; and unsurpassed richness and realism - it's the closest to hearing the music on master tape copy.

Are you ready for the move to open-reel perfection? Magnetic Tape and the Emergence of High-Fidelity Recording. Each copy is transferred in real-time, using studio-level reel-to-reel tape recorders on the freshly made RTM audiotape. Production of audiotapes is a very time-consuming process, so each label usually can only release a new album in batches.

High-Fidelity Analogue Sound For Life: All Our Products Reel To Reel Tapes, Vinyl LP Records, and CDs Are Original Record Label Releases, No Bootlegs, No Fakes or Copies. We’re always ready to help: If you are looking for audiophile quality releases or discovering the best in new music in the format that they were meant to be heard on a HiFi audio system.

Thousands of other critical listeners are hooked on open-reel audio tapes, look no further and order one for yourself.