J.A.W.

Michael AddeyMalcolm's son? Just kidding

Which McMaster are you referring to? McMaster is not credited on the 1989 CD reissue, Malcolm Addey is.

But it doesn't say that he mastered it, only that he remixed it.

The original CD reissue of Total Eclipse was released in 1989, not the 1990s. It was remixed by Malcolm Addey, but there are no mastering credits. There's no mention of Ron McMaster; he's explicitly mentioned on other Blue Note CD reissues from those years, so he might not have been involved in this one.

Well, if it exposes tape hiss Grundman didn't use heavy noise reduction during mastering, which is a positive point in my book. On the other hand boosting the highs generally isn't. Haven't heard that FLAC remaster, so I can't comment.

Listened to audio samples of the Salomon Quartet in several Haydn string quartets and I changed my mind; their playing is great: tight, transparent and indeed very tasteful. I think it can stand repeated listening. Unfortunately, their Haydn CDs are out of print and only available as - more often expensive than cheap - used copies or as CD-Rs directly from Hyperion for prices that are too high for CD-Rs in my opinion, around £10 after discount. Pity.

I listened to one of their Haydn discs (not the one you posted about) and found them a little "light" compared to the Quatuor Mosaïques, lacking a bit of "body". I found the latter more satisfying in that respect.

Sonny Red (AKA Sylvester Kyner), Charli Persip (he dropped the e) and Denis Charles.

That set goes for big bucks on all Amazon sites I've checked, usually more than $400. Ridiculous. I wonder if the same material is included on the more recent (2006), larger (9 CDs) and cheaper ($35 from Amazon) Philips set: "Mozart: Violin Sonatas; String Duos & Trios"? http://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Violin-Sonatas-String-Trios/dp/B00004YSBH/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1366514125&sr=8-5&keywords=Grumiaux+Walter+Klien+mozart+philips+sonatas It does include the Arthur Grumiaux/Walter Klien recordings. It also has recordings by Isabelle van Keulen (violin) and Ronald Brautigam (piano or harpsichord), Gérard Poulet (violin) and Blandine Verlet (harpsichord), and Arthur Grumiaux in various settings with Arrigo Pelliccia (viola) and the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble.

That set goes for big bucks on all Amazon sites I've checked, usually more than $400. Ridiculous.

Audio clips on AMG: http://www.allmusic.com/album/mozart-paris-1778-6-sonates-k-301-306-mw0001871677 On first hearing on my crappy computer speakers I didn't dislike the sound of the tangent piano as much as what I've heard of most fortepianos. Hm. Did they record anything else?

These non-HIP recordings are pretty good in my view: Sonatas for Violin and Piano Nos.18, K301; 21, K304; 26, K378; 27, K379 • Augustin Dumay and Maria João Pires – DG Sonatas for Violin and Piano Nos.27, K379; 32, K454; 35, K526 • Christian Tetzlaff and Lars Vogt – Ondine As I've said ad nauseam I don't like the sound of a fortepiano, that's why I don't have any HIP performances of these sonatas.

Already a thread here:

Post #3 didn't answer anything for me. Maybe I just don't understand what was meant by it, and a lengthier explanation would be helpful. If "all BN remasters were done in the digital domain," then why the distinction between "remaster" and "digital remaster"? It took some effort on EMI's part to note that on the CD covers, esp. when they didn't note personnel. If anyone has a knowledge of this, that would be great. If it's just speculation, well, anyone can speculate, right? There is no distinction between "remasters" and "digital remasters" that were done for Blue Note CDs and SACDs, they were all digital remasters; it's just that the latter description is more explicit than the former. It looks like they didn't do any research for this reissue, just to keep the cost as low as possible. Early remasters were done using 16-bit resolution, later ones used 20-bit and 24-bit resolution, but that didn't become available until some time in the 1990s - see also post #9: like Kevin said there wasn't a 24-bit mastering station in 1987, so that shows how accurate the descriptions on this release are; some are plain nonsense.

Exactly.

All Blue Note CD and SACD remasters were done in the digital domain.

So you're the opposite of Classics Today's David Hurwitz, who clearly developed a distaste for non-vibrato string playing I'm more on your side but not totally; I don't mind a light vibrato, but too much vibrato gets on my nerves, it's one of the things I don't like in "romantic" interpretations. Thanks for the recommendation of the Schuppanzighs; I've ordered those two, the Apponyi and a few Festetics.

They usually get cheaper if you wait a bit. Assuming, of course, they don't go OOP.That's the problem, some sets went OOP quite fast, while others remained available for quite a while.

Universal's Hip-O sets are always expensive, about $20 per disc.

Thanks for the recommendation, but I've listened to samples of that set several times last year and I can't get used to the fortepiano and I'm not an organ fan. I like Schornsheim's playing, though. Her Well-Tempered Clavier (4 CDs) is excellent.

I read a few very favourable reviews of the Apponyi. I think I'm going to try their CD - they only recorded one, with Op.33. Thanks.

Just heard that conductor Sir Colin Davis has died. He was 85. I have several of his recordings. Love his Sibelius and late Haydn and Dvořák. BBC obit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22148334

Mike told me he's not that interested in string quartets, so I doubt he'll post here.

It's not only the age of the instruments (some are copies), it's also the way they are played, the pitch, things like that. Plus, I'm not a fan of "romantic" interpretations of baroque and much classical music.

Thanks, but they play on modern instruments and I prefer period instruments - except fortepiano, which I don't like at all - for Haydn (and Mozart, Bach and other earlier composers). Excellent quartet, though.