Nojima Plays Liszt (2LP, 45RPM, Half-speed Mastering)
Minoru Nojima, piano
2LPs, Stoughton gatefold jacket
Original analog Master tape : YES
Half-Speed Mastering
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 45RPM
Size : 12'’
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : unspecified
Label : Reference Recordings
Original label : Reference Recordings
Produced by Fiona Boyes and Janice Mancuso
Recorded by Keith O. Johnson
Half-speed mastered by Paul Stubblebine
Originally released in 1987
Reissued in 2016
Tracks:
Side A:
- Mephisto Waltz #1 (Franz Liszt)
- La Campanella (Franz Liszt)
Side B:
- Feux Follets (Franz Liszt)
- Harmonies du soir (Franz Liszt)
Side C:
- Sonata in B minor – beginning (Franz Liszt)
Side D:
- Sonata in B minor – conclusion (Franz Liszt)
- Alborada del gracioso (Maurice Ravel)
Awards :
"Best Recording of the Month" - Stereo Review, May 1988
Reviews :
“One of Reference Recordings’ most beloved LPs, Nojima Plays Liszt was recorded in December, 1986. It’s been a perennial of this magazine’s Super LP List, and now RR has reissued the title as a half-speed mastered 45rpm two-LP set with original liner notes by TAS Senior Writer Robert E. Greene. … Minoru Nojima plays them with a rare touch that combines a mind-bendingly effortless technique with a poet’s voice. (The reissue also contains Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso from the follow-up, Nojima Plays Ravel.) As recorded by Keith Johnson, the sound is fabulous, spectacular, bold, and perfect for this music. From the leaping opening of Mephisto Waltz #1, the exceptional clarity and percussive nature of Nojima’s Hamburg Steinway burst from one’s speakers with a veritable peacock’s tail of shimmering color and “hey, check this out!” sass. During slower passages the beauty of Nojima’s romantic nature is allowed to shine, as the wide dynamics and remarkable layered overtones in the air between the notes makes for a riveting experience ’til the very end.” Wayne Garcia, The Absolute Sound
Half-speed mastering
In half-speed mastering, the whole mastering process is slowed down to half of the original speed. A typical 33 1/3 rpm record is cut at 16 2/3 rpm. The source material is also slowed down (reducing the pitch in the process) meaning the final record will still sound normal when played back. Slowing the whole process down allows more time, which means the end result sounds better and is more efficient — allowing engineering to minimize the effects of inherent limitations within the vinyl format. The result is a more accurate and more open high-frequency response in the half speed vinyl when compared with a normal speed recording.
Ratings :
Discogs : 4.53 / 5 , The Absolute Sound : 4.5/5 Music, 4.5/5 Sonics