Why some 78s are so magical?

[Inigo]

I've just finished listening to some 78s, and the old two played have been the Cortot rendition of Schumann Kinderszenen on HMV DB-2581/2. I'm so impressed by his playing, and the warm sound of the piano... I've read that he always played on French pianos, Pleyel or Gaveau, with the harp frame made of wood, as they were then. These recordings (mx. 2EA-2139/42, takes 3/½/1) were made in London. Kelly said these were recorded in studio 3, using a Steinway piano #141, but he registered the issued takes as ½/¾, recorded on July 1935, 4th & 5th.
Maybe my takes are different being Spanish pressings from Barcelona.
The Steinway piano has always had a steel frame? Indeed these records sound so warm... Wonderful.
Must transfer them and post here for all you to enjoy...
BTW, Steinway & songs say they have no register for such piano number. Countrypiano.com says number 453 was built in 1853. Ilovesteinway says this piano must have been built in Germany between 1825 and 1855, the first piano made in the States by Steinway being #483.
Could it be 100 yr old when the recording was made? Could it be a wooden harp piano?
I love 78s...!

[Governor Flyball]

I somehow do not think they would have rolled such an ancient Steinway into the Abbey Road studio. Maybe I am wrong but could the number 141 reference something else or otherwise be a misprint?

[Menophanes]

Among my first classical sets was Cortot's 1934 version of the Chopin Preludes, which must have been made at about the same time as Inigo's Schumann set. I have heard Alfred Brendel say in a lecture that the Chopin recording was an inspiration to him in his early years.

I believe that French pianos of the early twentieth century were still parallel-strung –that is, with the longest (bass) strings running parallel to the higher ones, in contrast to the modern 'overstringing' technique whereby the bass strings are mounted at an angle, crossing over those immediately above, so that they can be made somewhat longer. However, the very deep repeated A flats in Cortot's version of Prelude 17 do not sound as if they could have been achieved on the shorter strings.

Oliver Mundy.

[Inigo]

If you like Cortot playing, watch him giving a master piano lesson on Der Dichter spricht (The poet speaks), last piece in the Kinderszenen. He teaches his pupil how to play that, in his usual strongly personal interpretation of the piece. He plays it, explaining to his pupil his interpretation and feelings about the meaning of the music. Highly interesting, and very very touching.
He was unique.
https://youtu.be/rNUNNNNj_Qw
Postdata. I recommend thoroughly this two record set on Schumann Kinderszenen . The HMV recording is simply great. It conveys on the grooves the best sonorities of the piano. My copy, fortunately, is a Spanish pressing from 1948 or maybe later. The shellac is fine, and the hiss very low. Pity one side has a scratch across the first minute or so, only a line crossing the grooves, so it should be easy to remove in a digital transfer.

[larryh]

If you have decent sound equipment and good speakers a 78 record can be amazing sounding. Usually they need to be in near mint to produce that sound I have found. Some great artist and performances
in that era when music wasn't so strictly following the composers every whim. Sometimes a bit of improvised playing can add some richness to the music that a stiffer but correct version wouldn't have. The singers were the same, the great ones knew how to embellish an aria to give it a richness sometimes missed by the modern artist.

Larry

[Inigo]

That's true!
I now listen to 78s in gramophones more than before... but in the past years I've used mostly a modern audio set, and 78s sound great. Even a small solid state Phillips 523 record player I acquired last year, with its single 6" speaker, only volume and tone controls, gives a wonderful full sound in a small room, if you set the speaker on the floor, at a corner of the room. In this little player I've managed to extract the motor speed rheostat reinstalling it on the external control panel, and also added a lateral/vertical switch. It is stored in the small studio room, beside my record shelves. With these features and a good sound for my small room, this is a most convenient outfit for listening to ANY 78, Pathé or Edison record... I'm happy with it. The other Gramophones are in other rooms, far from the record shelves, so I use this little Phillips player many times... It extracts all the beauty recorded.

[Hit of the Week]

That's true!
I now listen to 78s in gramophones more than before... but in the past years I've used mostly a modern audio set, and 78s sound great. Even a small solid state Phillips 523 record player I acquired last year, with its single 6" speaker, only volume and tone controls, gives a wonderful full sound in a small room, if you set the speaker on the floor, at a corner of the room. In this little player I've managed to extract the motor speed rheostat reinstalling it on the external control panel, and also added a lateral/vertical switch. It is stored in the small studio room, beside my record shelves. With these features and a good sound for my small room, this is a most convenient outfit for listening to ANY 78, Pathé or Edison record... I'm happy with it. The other Gramophones are in other rooms, far from the record shelves, so I use this little Phillips player many times... It extracts all the beauty recorded.

Sounds like a nice set-up, Inigo!

Iowa Dale