Westminster Choir - O Magnum Mysterium

180-gram gatefold LP

Lacquers cut by Scott Hull at Masterdisk

Full analog mastering from the original 2-track master tapes!

Pressed at Pallas in Germany

"What better time than now for the all-analog resurrection of this Chesky classic? ... O Magnum Mysterium is a mesmerizing, transportive album of sacred music for mixed choir and organ performed by the 25 men and women of the Westminster Choir accompanied by organist Nancianne Parrella, conducted by Joseph Flummerfelt. ... Chesky originally issued this in 1993 on both vinyl (CR83) and CD (CD83), but I've heard neither. However, I suspect this reissue will top the original. Chesky Records supplied to Scott Hull at Masterdisk the original 2 track master tape. He cut it directly from the tape, which used no noise reduction, equalization, compression or limiting. That was true of the lacquer mastering as well (of course it uses RIAA equalization but that's all). Pallas pressed it and the result is a dead-quiet record. If this record doesn't sound as I've described it, it's your system's fault! Available from Acoustic Sounds." — Music = 10/11; Sound = 11/11 — Michael Fremer, AnalogPlanet.com. Read the whole review here.

"Working in conjunction with David Chesky ( Chesky Records ) We were handed the original 2-track analog masters and I have kept the entire audio path analog. What you hear on this vinyl is exactly what the producer intended. In this case, the result is very detailed and pure. Moving and emotional only partially describe my reaction when hearing these tapes. The choir's performance and the richness of the recording are outstanding." — Scott Hull, mastering engineer, Masterdisk

O Magnum Mysterium featuring the Westminster Choir, Joseph Flummerfelt, conductor. Originally released by Chesky Records. Recording engineer Bob Katz captured the performance in St. Mary's The Virgin Cathedral, New York City, July 30th-August 1st 1992 using a stereo AKG C-24 tube microphone "...placed on a high boom 30 feet in the air and about 40 feet out in front of the choir," according to David Chesky's jacket notes.

The pieces here range in length from a 1:42 "O Magnum" composed in 1960 by Peter Maxwell Davies, to Brahms' 5:07 "Geistliches Lied" composed in 1856, listed here as "Lass dich nur nichts nicht dauren" (Do not be sorrowful or regretful), which is the text written by Paul Flemming in the 1600s. In between are pieces by Mozart, Bruckner, Poulenc, William Byrd and others; music inspired by Christian Eucharistic and celebratory texts.

 

Music

Sound

Ratings from Michael Fremer @ AnalogPlanet.com

Side A

1. And I Saw A New Heaven

2. Kyrie (from “Requiem”)

3. Ave Verum Corpus

4. O Magnum Mysterium

Side B

1. Ave Verum Corpus

2. O Magnum Mysterium

3. Lass dich nur nichts nicht dauren

4. Ave Maria

5. O Magnum Mysterium

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