GREAT MUSIC - SO POORLY RECORDED...

Martha Argerich and Itzhak Perlman's 2016 recording, "Schumann, Bach, Brahms", has some disappointment.  The performances are stellar and the violin sounds fantastic, but the piano is farther back in the mix, such as how a supporting player, rather than the lead, would be placed.  The two parts should have equal standing in the mix, allowing the dialogue between the two players to fully be realized sonically.  Instead the recording is mixed as if Perlman is the soloist and Argerich is the accompanist. The piano lacks brilliance and sounds muffled, and is at lower volume than the violin. The performances are stellar, but everytime I listen to it I'm distracted by the engineering.

@skipskip Appreciate your post. Very interesting inside info.

skipskip: you must be an interesting guy to speak with on so many topics and levels; thank you for your post...

I listen primarily to vinyl.  One point not emphasized is the need for a clean first pressing, ideally from the country the recording was done in. Subsequent pressings almost never sound as good.  As a general guide, I have found that reissues almost never sound as good as a good first pressing, unless completely remastered and plated.  I agree with other posters that Layla sounds like it was recorded in a blanket no matter what pressing you listen to.  Too bad because that musically is an awesome album.

Journey’s (first album?) Album from about 1978 with “Lights” and “Feeling That Way”.  Had both the LP and CD.  Great music/dreadful SQ on both.