La Spagna - Paniagua

Reissued on 180-gram vinyl for the first time since it was recorded

Half-speed mastered from the original analog tapes by Stan Ricker, plated at RTI, pressed at Pallas in Germany

Double 33 1/3 RPM gatefold LP

On the The Absolute Sound list of must-hear audiophile recordings

"The original was recorded by Robert von Bahr live to a Revox A77 using but a spaced pair of Sennheiser MKH 105 condenser microphones. The simple chain produces a recording of astonishing transparency, three-dimensionality and coherency ... This reissue on Fabio Camorani's AudioNautes Recordings label is special in a number of ways. First of all it utilizes the original session tapes provided by the producer/engineer Robert von Bahr, but most importantly it's one of the late Stan Ricker's final projects and I cannot think of a more fitting and fantastic tribute than this reissue to Stan Ricker's half-speed mastering brilliance and the quality of his cutting system electronics custom designed and hand-crafted by Keith O. Johnson. Ricker went through many lacquers and even broke a cutter head in an effort to inscribe onto the lacquers all of the percussive transient detail on the tape." — Music = 10/11; Sound = 11/11 - Michael Fremer, AnalogPlanet.com. To read Fremer's full review, click here.

There can be none more fitting and fantastic tribute to the late Stan Ricker's half-speed mastering brillance and the quality of his cutting system electronics (designed and hand-crafted by Keith O. Johnson) than this reissued double LP.

Ricker's devotion to the half-speed mastering technique - the lathe cutter head turns at precisely half the desired playback speed, giving the cutting head twice the time to cut complex analog grooves into the lacquer - produced this exceptional reissue on Fabio Camorani's AudioNautes Recordings label. Ricker went through many lacquers and even broke a cutter head in an effort to inscribe onto the lacquers all of the percussive transient detail on the recording tape!

This double LP set has resided on The Absolute Sound's 'Super Disc' list since dinosaurs ruled. It has an incredible variety of music and instruments from a 200-year period. There are no voices. The sound is very clean, transparent, complex and extended in the highs. The harmonic richness and decay within the hall is outstanding. The soundstage is very deep, but it is not unusually wide.

The disc is simply ravishing. It's a classic analogue recording from 1980, lovingly produced, engineered and edited by Robert von Bahr using a Revox A77 and two - presumably spaced — simple Sennheiser MKH105 omni condenser mikes (vintage early '60's design); it amply shows the merits of a simple signal path, combined with minimal intervention and post-processing.

The recording immediately astonishes with its fluid, natural and utterly truthful sound, And the acoustic of the Chapel of the Imperial College, Madrid is just beautiful. The music, all 80 minutes of it, features variations on three archetypal Spanish themes (La Spagna, a Spagnoletta and Pavane), as interpreted by different composers such as Praetorius, Farnaby, Negri, Josquin Desprez, Ortiz and others. Aided by impeccable playing and 'realisation' of the basic themes, the end result is lively, fun and eclectic.

This is the very first audiophile version of this disc. 

Music

Sound

Ratings from Michael Fremer @ AnalogPlanet.com

Side 1

1. Spagna Contrapunto

2. Spagnoletta

3. Danza Alta, Sobre “La Spagna”

4. Basse Danse Du Roy De Spaingne A XLIIII Notes A VI Measures

5. Triste Espana

6. Historia Baetica

7. La Spagna

8. Calata A La Spagnola I

9. Calata A La Spagnola II

10. Calata A La Spagnola III

11. Calata A La Spagnola IV

Side 2

12. Spaniol Kochesberger

13. Spaniol Tancz

14. The Old Spagnoleta

15. Spagnioletta

16. Triste Espana

17. Re Di Spagna

18. La Bassa Castiglya -- Falla Con Misuras

19. La Spagna

20. La Spagna

21. Olvida Tu Perdicion Espana

Side 3

22. Spagnioler Tancz - Hopper Dancz “Spagna”

23. Spanieler

24. Espagnoletta

25. Spagnoletto - Villancico Di Spagna - Pavaniglia Di Spagna - Spagnoletto Da Capo

26. La Spagna A 5

27. Recercada Primera Sobre Canto Lliano La Spagna

28. Recercada Segunda

29. Recercada Tercera

30. Recercada Quarta

31. Recercada Quinta

32. Recercada Sesta

Side 4

33. Gagliarda Quarta A 5 Alla Spagnola

34. Een Spaense Voys

35. Pavana Hispanica

36. The Spaynard

37. The Spanish Pavane

38. Triste Espana

39. Espagnoletta

40. Ricercar Spagnuola “Duna Cossa Spagnola”

41. Ain Spaniyelischer Hoff Dantz

42. Tres Sobre El Canto Ilano De La Alta

43. Triste Espana

44. Spagnoletta Nuova Al Modo Di Madriglia

45. Furioso Alla Spagnuola

46. Padvana Hispanica

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