Lani Spahr became a member of the SOMM family in 2014 when I was presented by mutual friends Andrew Neill and Arthur Reynolds with a 4-CD set of “Elgar Remastered” (SOMMCD 261-4). This consists of Lani’s miraculous sound restorations of the 1928 studio sessions of the Cello Concerto with Beatrice Harrison as well as several unused takes and stereo realisations of other major works, all drawn from Elgar’s personal library of 78s.
This was the beginning of a fascinating journey of previously unheard of recordings and live broadcasts during the 1940s – 1960s in the company of Sir Adrian Boult, Sir John Barbirolli and Sir Malcolm Sargent, Toscanini et al, exploring anything from music by Sir Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams and E.J. Moeran to Sir Arthur Bliss with sound wonderfully restored by the extraordinary Lani Spahr!
We didn’t stop there. During the 200th Anniversary of Anton Bruckner we issued previously unheard of recordings and broadcasts of the complete symphonies in collaboration with John F. Berky, responsible for maintaining the Bruckner Archive containing over 11,000 recordings, and booklet notes written by prominent Bruckner scholar Professor Ben Korstvedt, President of the Bruckner Society of America. Here again Lani Spahr excelled himself. The reviews speak for themselves.
If you would like to stay informed of progress, Lani has been busy restoring the sound in SOMM’s new issues of The Beecham Collection, Szell in New York, Elgar from the Archives up to Vol 4 so far and many more!
Lani Spahr’s work for SOMM has enlarged and enriched the SOMM catalogue beyond measure and we are proud to include him in the SOMM family. Long may it last.
—Siva Oke, Founder and CEO, SOMM Recordings
Reviews for Lani Spahr’s SOMM Recordings
Elgar Remastered:
“There are historic releases that make the grade because they are just that – ‘historic’ – and there are releases that make history because they are musically overwhelming. This set is both.” –Gramophone
“Spahr’s restorations are revelations”–The Whole Note
“borders on the miraculous”–BBC Music Magazine
Boult’s Elgar
“an invaluable album which expands our appreciation of Sir Adrian Boult’s direction of Elgar’s music” –MusicWeb International
Vaughan Williams Live Vol. 1
“essential listening”–The Arts Desk
“a most precious audio document…Urgently, passionately recommended”–Fanfare
“This release is of tremendous importance…an essential acquisition for all lovers of RVW’s music“–Fanfare
Ernest John Moeran: Symphony in G Minor & Violin Concerto
“I can’t recommend it strongly enough, and the reissue production is, as a whole, first-rate“–Gramophone
Elgar from America
“he fullness of the sound is expertly restored by Lani Spahr’s remastering”–BBC Music Magazine
“I’ve never heard a finer restoration”–Gramophone
“a disc of major historical importance”–Music Opinion Quarterly
“Lani Spahr’s superb restorations bring the performances fully to life”–Gramophone
Bruckner from the Archives
“Mass in E minor is “a spine-tingling performance”–BBC Music Magazine
“a most valuable release”–Gramophone
“beautifully transferred in Lani Spahr’s restoration”–Fanfare
“What a journey, a superbly conceived and executed project“–BBC Music Magazine
Wagner conducts Wagner
“Lani Spahr’s transfers…could hardly be bettered”–Gramophone
“The transfers by Lani Spahr are superb”–Fanfare
Elgar Rediscovered
“a fascinating haul of historic Elgar recordings expertly…restored by Lani Spahr”–Gramophone
“a treasure trove of ‘forgotten’ recordings that will interest and intrigue dedicated Elgar enthusiasts.”–The Elgar Society Journal
Schmidt 150
“An altogether superlative release”–Gramophone
“If Schmidt’s music means something to you…these are important documents, and it is wonderful to have them available in such a fine restoration” –Fanfare
Szell conducts Smetana
“Lani Spahr’s remastering is up to its usual high standards and so is his detailed annotation”–Gramophone
Boult’s Elgar
“an invaluable album which expands our appreciation of Sir Adrian Boult’s direction of Elgar’s music”–MusicWeb International
Elgar from the Archives
“These transfers by Lani Spahr excavate, release and polish hidden treasures from the grooves”–Elgar Society Journal
Leoš Janáček: The Makropulos Affair & The Diary of the One Who Disappeared
“a fine…cast and Mackerras’s total belief in Janacek’s music [makes] it irresistible”–Gramophone