[Klavierman]

How does the audio quality of this disc compare to Fung's?

[Bob Attiyeh]

Klavierman, thanks for your post in this thread and for your juicy question. 

Yarlung's piano albums have a similar approach to the sound because they have the same engineer and producer (me).  But the musicians, hall, instrument and microphones change from artist to artist. 

In this case, we recorded Orion in the same hall as David's Evening Conversations, using the same microphones (two U47s).  David was staying in Los Angeles during the time of the recording with Orion Weiss, so he was actually present with us and did us the huge favor of playing for us the day before Orion arrived from New York.  We did our hall and mic setup for Orion with David at the keyboard, and David gave a phenomenal concert that evening for about 40 invited guests. 

The piano we used for Orion was glorious.  Steinway gave us C&A piano 699, which Orion and David both loved. 

[S Clark]

Evening Conversations always sounded so much like what I heard from the keyboard years ago when I had a Steinway (except that David can really play, whereas I simply plinked in comparison).  If Orion is anything like it, I'll be ordering a copy soon.

...Just tried to order a cd, but had a problem with shipping!  Hopefully I'll hear back soon..

[Bob Attiyeh]

S Clark, thank you very much for mentioning the shipping problem, which I believe I have fixed in the shipping software.  Very grateful you pointed this out to me.  Many thanks,  Bob

[ACHiPo]

I'm just seeing this thread and checked out the website.  How do the vinyl versions compare to digital?  Any LP recommendations?

[Atlplasma]

I seldom seriously listen to piano recordings anymore because (to be frank) they suck for image presentation.

The Piano just sounds like it is as big as the whole room.

Well this one is different.  It sounds like you are seated in the 1st or 2nd row of a "risered" seating center stage performance.

And what a performance it is!



I received this along with the Janaki String Trio CD shown on their website, from a local recording studio at one of the LAOCAS meetings and thought I would listen to it (since it was a gift) but not expect too much.

From now on, it will be my demo Recording for clients who wish to hear piano.

Here is the site for this and the Janaki String Trio is also "beyond" audiophile quality and standards, in every area.

http://www.yarlungrecords.com/

Are you referring to David Fung, Evening Conversations? Sorry, I did not see the recording name anywhere.

[Bob Attiyeh]

Good morning ACHipo!

2016 is Yarlung's 10th Anniversary, and a few important reviewers have decided that this is Yarlung's Year of Vinyl, which has been great fun for us. 

Here's one by David Thomson in The Record Collector:  http://www.yarlungrecords.com/news/record-collector-news-year-yarlung/

and here is a wonderful follow-up comment by Gary Koh from Genesis Advanced Technologies: http://www.yarlungrecords.com/news/ciaramella-dances/

For people new to Yarlung vinyl, I usually recommend three to start: Smoke & Mirrors, Ciaramella Dances and Te Amo, Argentina.  They are all available here: http://yarlungrecords.com/180.html and of course on Amazon, Elusive Disc, Acoustic Sounds, etc. 

I think you are asking me how the vinyl releases with piano compare to our digital releases.  We haven't had executive producers who have underwritten releases of any of our solo piano albums on vinyl (yet! Do you sense my optimism?) but we do have piano well represented as part of Sophisticated Lady Jazz Quartet on vinyl with the superb jazz pianist Misha Bigos (http://www.yarlungrecords.com/news/sophisticated-lady-jazz-quartet-new-recordings/), and both of the Antonio Lysy albums, including Te Amo, Argentina mentioned above with incredible Bryan Pezzone at the keyboard. 

Your question reminds me that it is high time for us to release more piano on vinyl, and we will work on it.  Thanks so much for the nudge.  For more about Yarlung and vinyl and our incredible executive producers and underwriters, please see this article in The Absolute Sound: http://www.yarlungrecords.com/news/yarlung-records-audiophile-label-purpose/

Thanks!

Bob

[Bob Attiyeh]

Are you referring to David Fung, Evening Conversations? Sorry, I did not see the recording name anywhere.

Yes, the original album to which John Casler refers is David Fung's Evening Conversations.  In its first pressing, with different artwork, it was titled The Piano: Evening Conversations.  In the later European pressing of the CD with new packaging, we shortened the title to just Evening Conversations. 

[S Clark]

Just ordered the Orion cd from Yarlung records, and Bob has solved the shipping problems. I'll probably try one of their vinyls soon and report back.  If they are anything like the quality of their other recordings, they'll be something special. 

[John Casler]

Hi Bob,

Very Happy to see this thread has again developed legs.

Also, that you continue to engineer and produce such INCREDIBLE Product.

Keep it UP. 

[Bob Attiyeh]

Hi Bob,

Very Happy to see this thread has again developed legs.

Also, that you continue to engineer and produce such INCREDIBLE Product.

Keep it UP. 

Thanks so much John, not only for your comment just now but for starting this thread so many years ago! The meeting in upland with the Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society (where you picked up that fateful copy of David's Evening Conversations) was my first visit to any LAOCAS event.  I was there as the guest of Les Noriel. 

We were lucky you were there! From that beginning to the Audio Society Gala last December has been a remarkable journey.  Robert Harley put my speech in TAS, which we reproduced in the link above in my response to ACHipo. 

It has been a great decade.  Thanks for getting us off to such a good start John. 

Bob

[Klavierman]

Klavierman, thanks for your post in this thread and for your juicy question. 

Yarlung's piano albums have a similar approach to the sound because they have the same engineer and producer (me).  But the musicians, hall, instrument and microphones change from artist to artist. 

In this case, we recorded Orion in the same hall as David's Evening Conversations, using the same microphones (two U47s).  David was staying in Los Angeles during the time of the recording with Orion Weiss, so he was actually present with us and did us the huge favor of playing for us the day before Orion arrived from New York.  We did our hall and mic setup for Orion with David at the keyboard, and David gave a phenomenal concert that evening for about 40 invited guests. 

The piano we used for Orion was glorious.  Steinway gave us C&A piano 699, which Orion and David both loved.

Hi Bob. Thank you for the information. I used to be a recording engineer, so I'm always interested in the equipment used for recordings. In those days (1978-1990), I used B&K (now called DPA) and Schoeps mics. I ordered a copy. Sorry, but I had to get a used copy since I recently retired and my wife gave me a CD/LP "allowance"! 

[Bob Attiyeh]

I had to get a used copy since I recently retired and my wife gave me a CD/LP "allowance"! 

Hey! Used copies sound just like new ones if they're not scratched! Many thanks for your note.

[ACHiPo]

Good morning ACHipo!

2016 is Yarlung's 10th Anniversary, and a few important reviewers have decided that this is Yarlung's Year of Vinyl, which has been great fun for us. 

Here's one by David Thomson in The Record Collector:  http://www.yarlungrecords.com/news/record-collector-news-year-yarlung/

and here is a wonderful follow-up comment by Gary Koh from Genesis Advanced Technologies: http://www.yarlungrecords.com/news/ciaramella-dances/

For people new to Yarlung vinyl, I usually recommend three to start: Smoke & Mirrors, Ciaramella Dances and Te Amo, Argentina.  They are all available here: http://yarlungrecords.com/180.html and of course on Amazon, Elusive Disc, Acoustic Sounds, etc. 

I think you are asking me how the vinyl releases with piano compare to our digital releases.  We haven't had executive producers who have underwritten releases of any of our solo piano albums on vinyl (yet! Do you sense my optimism?) but we do have piano well represented as part of Sophisticated Lady Jazz Quartet on vinyl with the superb jazz pianist Misha Bigos (http://www.yarlungrecords.com/news/sophisticated-lady-jazz-quartet-new-recordings/), and both of the Antonio Lysy albums, including Te Amo, Argentina mentioned above with incredible Bryan Pezzone at the keyboard. 

Your question reminds me that it is high time for us to release more piano on vinyl, and we will work on it.  Thanks so much for the nudge.  For more about Yarlung and vinyl and our incredible executive producers and underwriters, please see this article in The Absolute Sound: http://www.yarlungrecords.com/news/yarlung-records-audiophile-label-purpose/

Thanks!

Bob

Bob,
I ordered your vinyl catalog after reading the reviews.  Looking forward to listening!

Best,
AC

[Bob Attiyeh]

Thanks AC.  Please let me (and let us on this thread) know what you think of the LPs.  If you like what you hear, maybe I can use that enthusiasm to try to encourage an underwriter for more vinyl.  That would be a fabulous gift. 

[ACHiPo]

In keeping with the original post, I just came across this YouTube recording of an all analog piano recording?  I've only heard it on my iPad so far, but seems pretty good.  Will listen more closely tomorrow.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T78FdYLejPc


By the way I purchased the high-rez Fung recording this morning.  I listened to it this evening and it is brilliant.

[Russell Dawkins]

This may  not be news to some, but it was a surprise to me when I discovered it earlier this year.

This 72 year old stereo recording of pianist Walter Gieseking in Berlin has become a reference to me for orchestral string sound as well as balance of piano and orchestra:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPSSx4jYEmg

[Bob Attiyeh]

This may  not be news to some, but it was a surprise to me when I discovered it earlier this year.

This 72 year old stereo recording of pianist Walter Gieseking in Berlin has become a reference to me for orchestral string sound as well as balance of piano and orchestra:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPSSx4jYEmg

Russell, thanks for mentioning the Gieseking.  I love this recording and I'm glad there's now been this online version.  Gieseking remains one of my favorite pianists of all time.  And the juicy wonderful irony is that several reviewers have mentioned Gieseking in connection with David Fung, especially when David plays French repertoire or Mozart concertos. 

[S Clark]

These recordings are stunning!  Excellent stereo in 1944 Germany... wow.  Are these commercially available, and if so, where?

[ACHiPo]

These recordings are stunning!  Excellent stereo in 1944 Germany... wow.  Are these commercially available, and if so, where?

+1 I was just thinking the same thing.  To state the obvious--there was a lot of stuff going on in Germany in 1944, so it's absolutely incredible that these recordings exist.  Really nice stuff (and I'm only listening on my mono computer speaker).