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Re: [ARSCLIST] Vanguard Classics reappears in 2 cd sets
This is the key fact about Everest, from the Vanguard Classics website:
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WHAT ABOUT EVEREST?
That's the most asked question from consumers who visit our site. When Artemis Records purchased
Vanguard Classics from the Omega Records Group in 2003, we declined to purchase the license to the
Everest label held by Omega. We know that many of you are looking for the catalog of recordings
available from Everest, but Vanguard Classics no longer distributes the Everest label.
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As I understand it, and I might be wrong ...
Everest is now owned by Universal, and Omega no longer exists as a working entity so they no longer
have a license to release any Everest recordings. Universal also owns the libraries of the only two
other labels to extensively use 35mm mag-film, Mercury (which Universal acquired as part of
Polygram) and Command (which was owned by former MCA group that morphed into Universal, acquired by
MCA as part of ABC Records).
As I understand it, and again I might be wrong, Omega made their 3ch SACD's from the backup 3-track
tapes (or the original sessions were done on tape, not film), not from Everest's magnetic films,
which I've been told are in terrible condition and many are not around anymore.
Everest and Command mag-films have the same problem in that they were improperly stored and the
acetate-based film has warped and shrunk. There are treatments for this, but they are very costly.
The Mercury films were still very playable (as evidenced by the CD's), but were not in great shape
when they were remastered. One thing that was helpful then was that the films were played back on
the old Westrex machines used to record them and it just so happens that Westrex has very small
sprocket-drive wheels which makes them very forgiving on shrunken lengths of film. More modern
machines generally use larger sprocket drive wheels with larger sprocket teeth, so they are more
particular about what they can pass without tearing the film. If one could construct, for instance,
a headblock and guides for an Ampex ATR-100, with a mechanism to push the warped film against the
heads, one might be able to get a pretty good transfer of those films. I have no idea if the splices
would hold up under that playback, so it could be time-consuming. I also don't know if it's possible
to get an ATR to handle the size or weight of film master reels. Perhaps a 2" machine would be a
better candidate but I'm not sure a capstan drive would be ideal.
Given the cost of fixing warped/shruken acetate film base, it's not likely any of the damaged films
will ever get remastered.
Some of the Everest jazz stuff has turned up on a small label the name of which escapes me (Woody
Herman, Tito Puente and some others). If I recall correctly, they noted that the material was
licensed from Universal, which backs up my belief that Everest is now owned by Universal.
I recently found out that at least some if not all Command Classics were mastered to 2-track at the
same time the LPs were cut, the same MO as Mercury Living Presence. If that's true, those 2-tracks
are probably around and in decent shape. Several of the Virgil Fox records have been licensed for CD
issue, mastered from the 2-track tapes. However, at least one side of one album was not found and a
terrible LP transfer with super-aggressive noise-reduction was used for part of the CDs. The same
group did a DVD of the Fox Wannemaker album, with the video being a "digital light organ" and the
2-track tape turned into a 5.1 channel Dolby surround presentation. It's actually not bad at all,
just turn the TV off if you don't like the strange light show. There's a regular 2-channel CD with a
pretty good transfer from the 2-track tape included in the package. I wish there was enough interest
in the Command orchestral stuff to license and reissue some of it. The Pittsburgh/Steinberg stuff
was really good.
-- Tom Fine
----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas Stern" <sternth@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, June 03, 2006 4:07 PM
Subject: [ARSCLIST] Vanguard Classics reappears in 2 cd sets
Purchased a 2cd set of Erich Kunz-German University Songs (slightly more than $8) bearing the
VANGUARD CLASSICS label. The parent company is ARTEMIS CLASSICS, a division of Sheridan Square
Entertainment, NY.
The tray card lists six other 2cd sets of Bach, Rameau, Frescobaldi etc. from
Leonhardt/Harnencourt.
The website for Vanguard Classics (http://www.vanguardclassics.com/) doesn't clarify much since
releases listed are from 2004. The only significant piece of information is that the Everest
material which Omega issued is NOT part of the Artemis acquisition from Omega. The Artemis site
(http://www.artemisrecords.com/about.aspx) gives some history of that company, but little detail
related to plans for Vanguard.
Does anyone know anything about Artemis/Sheridan Square, and particularly what is planned for the
Vanguard Classics catalogue?
Thanks.
Best wishes, Thomas.