Haydn, Cello Concertos, Orchestra da Camera Roma Classica with Rocci Filippini, cello - Fone 008-45 "
Club of 496"
I've been listening to several of these limited issue
Fone recordings on vinyl and I continue to be impressed by them, particularly the 45 rpm issues. The recordings are all analog, minimally miked (with tube microphones), no electronic manipulation, and capture the instruments very accurately and naturally. The pressings themselves are one-step masterings, meaning that the lacquer is used to create the stamper directly, destroying the lacquer in the process, so only a limited number of LPs can be pressed from each lacquer. What this typically allows is even greater transparency to the finished LP because two intervening mold/plating steps (father and mother) have been eliminated. For the Club of 496 series, Fone presses only 496 records from each stamper. To make more LPs, a new mastering and new lacquer is required (which may or may not happen).
This particular LP has a lot of high frequency energy which sounds like it comes from the acoustically very live, and resonant, recording venue. Once attuned to that balance, the instrumental timbre sounds spot on to these ears, with a marvelously resolved cello that is very forward in the soundstage, but not unpleasantly so. The performances are top drawer, with excellent work by cellist Filippini.
After listening to these Fone LPs and the various Music Matters 45 rpm Blue Note reissues, my wife observed that they made many of our other LPs sound "cotton-y" - her expression for a bit of veiling over the sound. And that is very true: these LPs sound very transparent and alive. Quite a joy to hear.
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