Tristan Fry – Music For Percussion Volume One – Vinyl Review
Music For Percussion Volume One – Tristan Fry – 1977
Vinyl surface noise: 4+ (not pops and clicks)
Dynamic Range: 5+
Stereo Imaging: 4+
Image depth/perspective: 4+
Overall frequency response: 5
Side One
- Toccata For Percussion Instruments
- Allegro, sempre giusto
- Largo
- Allegro un poco marziale-Vivo-Tempo
- Bacchanale
Side Two
- October Mountain for Percussion Sextet
- Symphony For Percussion
- Adagio-Conga
- Solo
- Mota Perpetuo e Cadenza
This recording is one of six released on the English label – Gale Audio. The label was started by a USA born mathematician Ira Gale who created some outstanding speaker and turntable designs that were well ahead of his time, just as the recording technique was that he employed to create his recordings. Ira Gales’ first audio project was not a speaker or a turntable, even though these are what he is most famous for, but a series of six classical LP’s under his own label called Gale Maximum Fidelity Recordings. Much coveted in the collector market today, each of these discs was supplied in a “Black Box” package complete with a detailed booklet covering both the production and recording aspects of the disc in detail. Each tarck is discussed, providing the history and inspiration of each choice together with a technical discussion of the recording aspects.
Recordings were made without compression or any other signal processing, with a claimed frequency response of 27 Hz to 22 kHz, plus or minus 1 dB. Dynamic range of the master recordings was claimed to exceed 86 dB. Gale Maximum Fidelity recordings were pressed from a new compound of 95% virgin vinyl along with a lubricant, stabiliser, plasticiser, and carbon black.
This album was recorded in 1977, and carried a ten year replacement warranty to the original purchaser.
Performers:
- Nick Cole
- Steven Coltrini
- John Donaldson
- Tristan Fry
- Peter Greenham
- Bob Howes
- Ronnie McCrea
- Derek Price
- Michael Skinner
- Andrew Smith
This recording is similar in instrumental structure to the album Nexus in that it is all percussion, except more so. There being a much wider range of percussive instruments. The musical compositions were all specifically written for a percussive only ensemble and as such will be new to any listener.
Tristan Fry was one of the founding members of the instrumental rock group Sky, (1978- 1995).
In full disclosure my wife, also a classically trained musician, knew Tristan when she attended university in London.
So with all the attention given to the signal chain, mastering and pressing process how did the album sound? Read on.
This recording is not for the faint of heart. Its dynamics will tax your cartridge and arm and give your speakers and amplifiers a demanding workout. There is no apparent compression in this recording and I can believe that it achieves the 85dB dynamic range claimed. Going from vinyl silence where you can just hear an instrument at or just below the vinyls surface noise to pianissimo and on to fortississimo. The albums dynamic range certainly matches the best of my Sheffield Lab direct to disc recordings. It only caught my cartridge out once on side 1 during an aggressive maracas interlude. I can only say that the cutting engineer really knew his business as it would appear so did the mixing engineers.
The only let down was that the vinyl surface noise was higher than I expected considering the vinyl compound was specially formulated for this pressing. There were too many pops and clicks. Maybe I could improve these if I cleaned the disc yet again. An ‘inky black’ silent vinyl background would have sealed this albums fate for all 5’s.
Each side is basically one continuos track so I will not attempt to single out any part of any performance. There are a large range of percussive instruments in play from timpani’s, snare drums, bongos, bass drum, to-toms, xylophones, gongs, cymbals, tubular bells and toy pianos to mention just a few.
The recording exhibits a very clean and open sound with terrific room acoustics and ambience. The rooms reverb being an integral part of the music as it decays in the background during the many pianissimo interludes. The bottom end was tight and extended as demonstrated by the bass drum and timpani’s. The mid range was highly detailed and punchy with the snare drums, wood blocks and xylophone really coming to life but without being too hard. While the cymbals, toy pianos and tubular bells exhibited great HF detail that was clean and bright without being too forward.
I have no idea as to how the instruments were miked but their stereo placement and imaging were very stable and precise. I just felt that the depth perspective fell just a little short.
There are several terrific dynamic peaks, particularly involving the timpani’s, snare drum and other drums. The closing bars on side two providing an astounding dynamic climax to include what I assume were wood blocks or claves.
Side 2 provided an interesting effect about 30 seconds in from the start of the track. A deep rhythmic low level ‘heart beat’ could be heard for about 30 seconds. It wasn’t part of the performance and I could see no damage to the vinyl. It went just as fast as it appeared.
So even 42 years ago it appears that even non direct to disc recording techniques could capture both a full dynamic range and extended frequency response. What has happened in the intervening years? It appears not very much. At least with 196KHz 24 bit LPCM we have the digital hardware that can do digital justice to such a performance. Now we just need the engineers to fully exploit it.
Even though this is not my kind of music, it was an educational experience to see how my system handled the dynamics of such a performance. I am pleased to say it did well and the album would certainly make for a great demonstration piece to show the capabilities of any vinyl replay system.
This is a wonderfully mastered recording with a good pressing quality, first rate dynamics and plenty of presence. Providing all the sonic qualities that I have become accustomed to with the direct cut Sheffield Lab series.
If percussion is your kind of music this album certainly knocks the ball out of the park for its sonic quality, hitting all the right timbres. Adding it to your collection of vinyl is a must.
Available on vinyl from Discogs.
