Claire de Lune/ Snowflakes remaster

2004 Claire de Lune/ Snowflakes remaster

I'm listening to "Claire de Lune" on speakers (international title "Snowflakes are Dancing") BMG Red Seal (Japan) BVCC-37405

It has a some tape noise but nothing at all serious. It doesn't have the crazy extended dynamic range the 2000 U.S. remaster had that makes some parts ultra loud or soft. The strings are nice and warm sounding. There is definitely distortion in many places, it's not really disturbing. Nothing sound harsh and brittle like the last U.S. remaster either. Some of the highs sound a touch not clean and analog, others are fine. All and all certainly worth looking into. My greatest impression is while it doesn't knock you over being the most incredible or repaired Tomita album nothing at all bothered me or seemed wrong and even though the snowflakes were dancing the midrange was definitely nice and warm. Haven't tried headphones.

the booklet has the US front and back covers - the back cover has an english bio ending in '75, so it's not the first and you can see his Moog 55 and his Moog IIIp (Japanese covers are on the actual cardboard sleeve with the reverse a different layout and picture of the same english language bio). theres a photo of a younger Tomita with 3 grammy nomination certificates and some kind of big cup shaped award trophy.

On Pictures, there is still a bit of distortion, nothing much in the way of noise, what it sounds like to me and shared with "Snowflakes" is some of the highs might have suffered a little tape deterioration. It's not really severe and it doesn't soun drolled off or anything, but one can imagine some of the higher timbres more sparkling. It's not easy to explain because it's not crap, but I don't know, like there's a touch of fuzz up there.

there's a photo of a CS-80 and Microcomposer in the "Pictures" booklet, oops! (the didn't exist back then). The gear list seems to be taken from "Snowflakes", no changes but he must have had some more gear (like I just heard a sitar). Now I'm thinking some choir sounds must be real too.

So that explains it! Tomita's music comes out so good because he travels years into the future to get new synthesizers.

If anyone can give me track and exact time positions of problems on Snowflakes, Pictures, Firebird, Tomita Planets or Daphnis/Bolero I can tell you if the problem is still there

 

Hey buddy!

thanks for sharing all that info, I think we would love some scans or pics to see the whole package and CD. I've the '91 Japan CD editions of those first titles, and I'm REALLY curious about the new versions.

I checked cdjapan.co.jp and those are already out of print!! gosh!

If the sound is really that better maybe I should consider get Snowflakes and Daphnis.

(btw, haven't heard the 2000 USA release of Snowflakes yet)

 

I'll try to do this for Pictures. It may take me awhile though. Funny thing is, I totally forgot that I bought the previous Japanese CD of Pictures (it's old age creepin in!). I'll have to compare that as well and see what the differences are.