Munch BSO Recordings of Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe

[Teasing the Korean]

Charles Munch recorded this twice - once in 1955 for a mono RCA Red Seal LP (with artwork by Andy Warhol) and then again in stereo in 1962 for RCA Living Stereo.

Apparently, the CD version that is currently available is an early stereo recording from the 1955 session, which had never been on LP (and maybe not even reel tape). Googling this topic, it seems that many people prefer the 1962 recording, both from a sonic and performance standpoint.

Does anyone have any detail on this? Is this summary accurate, and if so, does anyone know the background on the choice of the earlier session?

[Chuck Nessa]

Not sure about the currently available version but I bought the '62 lp when issued and liked it. I currently have and like the "55 version on an early cd coupling with Roussel. I like it a bunch - only rivaled by Cluytens on EMI. I'm talking about music/performance first, sonics second. YMMV.

[Teasing the Korean]

Thanks Chuck. I have the '55 version in mono on LP and love it, but I never heard the stereo version (apparently, RCA classical sessions from the early stereo era were recorded by a separate engineer with separate equipment), so I can't speak about that stereo version. I find it interesting that decades later RCA would have issued an experimental stereo recording from 1955 if a superior stereo version from 1962 was available.

[Teasing the Korean]

Chuck, is your CD with the the 1955 version stereo or mono?