Classical Music on SACD

[pentaman]

Dear forum members,

I just signed up as a member of the quadraphonicquad site.

I started looking for postings about classical music since I am one of the founders of PentaTone which is a new classical label specializing in sourround sound recordings. To my surprise I did not find anything about classical music. Did I not search properly or is noboddy interested in classical music?

For your info, PentaTone exists two and a half years now and has released some 60 classical SA-CDs. Roughly half of it is new 5.1 recordings in DSD format and released on hybrid SA-CDs. The other half is re-issues of quadraphonic recordings made by Philips Classics in the seventies.

The founders of PentaTone are all former Philips Classics executives and know what recordings were made by Philips Classics in the seventies in 4-channel. So we have licensed them from Universal Classics and remastered them in DSD. We release them on hybrid SA-CD (leaving them in the original 4 channel form as originally meant by the producers).

If you are interested in classical music and first class multi channel recordings, please have a look at our site: www.pentatonemusic.com

Best,pentaman

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I started looking for postings about classical music since I am one of the founders of PentaTone which is a new classical label specializing in sourround sound recordings. To my surprise I did not find anything about classical music. Did I not search properly or is noboddy interested in classical music?

I found the same here. The musical taste leans in other directions. They also seem to prefer a much more aggressive surround mix than Pentatone, and I, prefer.

If the locals will excuse me, there are other sites with more classical interest.

Kal

 

[daved64]

We are scum.
:banana:

 

[Quadzilla]

I found the same here. The musical taste leans in other directions. They also seem to prefer a much more aggressive surround mix than Pentatone, and I, prefer.

If the locals will excuse me, there are other sites with more classical interest.

Kal

I don't know that I would agree with that statement Kal. My tastes are varied, with a great deal of interest in classical music. I also like rock and blues, but there are a couple of other factors (from a marketing standpoint) that Pentatone should consider.

1. Many of us (especially in this forum) DO prefer a more aggressive surround mix. Right or wrong, that is a key buying decision.
2. With the general availability problems of both DVD-Audio and SACD, my guess is that many people don't even know about Pentatone ... or are unable to find them.
3. The one issue that classical music faces, that other forms do not, is that while there is only one Black Sabbath, Paranoid to release ... and to buy ( we can wish; can't we?), there are often several versions of the same classical piece. On SACD and DVD-Audio for example, how many different Beethoven's 9ths are there? I realize that this is one of the most common releases, but my point is that if there 1,000 classical SACDs, there are NOT 1,000 "different" ones ... and yes, I realize that there are some that are better than others, but that only serves to confuse things MORE. This can result in a "commodity" mentality in which price becomes the main factor in choosing one over another.

How's that Dave?

Cheers, Mike.

 

[fdrennen]

We are scum.
:banana:

Speak for yourself

 

[Quadzilla]

Speak for yourself

I think that he speaks for all Canadians. I don't think that he was including you. As a proud Candian, I am proud to be scum. Mike.

 

[daved64]

Well said Mike.
I enjoy classical, but I have yet to buy any multichannel classical because there are too many other titles I am interested in, most of them being the dreaded "other directions". AND, if I AM going to buy a classical title....I won't bother with an ambient mix. No offense.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I don't know that I would agree with that statement Kal. My tastes are varied, with a great deal of interest in classical music. I also like rock and blues, but there are a couple of other factors (from a marketing standpoint) that Pentatone should consider.

OK but that interest is not reflected in the volume of discussion here.

1. Many of us (especially in this forum) DO prefer a more aggressive surround mix. Right or wrong, that is a key buying decision.

No argument.

2. With the general availability problems of both DVD-Audio and SACD, my guess is that many people don't even know about Pentatone ... or are unable to find them.

They have been on the Telarc website for months until they changed US distributor recently. Also, they have been reviewed favorably by many, in print and on the web.

3. The one issue that classical music faces, that other forms do not, is that while there is only one Black Sabbath, Paranoid to release ... and to buy ( we can wish; can't we?), there are often several versions of the same classical piece. On SACD and DVD-Audio for example, how many different Beethoven's 9ths are there? I realize that this is one of the most common releases, but my point is that if there 1,000 classical SACDs, there are NOT 1,000 "different" ones ... and yes, I realize that there are some that are better than others, but that only serves to confuse things MORE. This can result in a "commodity" mentality in which price becomes the main factor in choosing one over another.

The multiplicity of performances is an advantage since there is no single "best" in almost all cases. There are many review sites of classical MCH to guide anyone with interest.

Kal

 

[Guy Robinson]

I have quite a few classical SACD's and DVD-A's. It's just that no one seems to discuss them here so I go with the flow.

 

[solaris]

I think we could use a section just for classical MC releases

 

[bming]

Surround Classical

I do like an agressive mix in classical - this also includes such things as film scores. I love the mix on the RCA Classic Film scores series ( and when am I going to see an SACD of these marvellous recordings) I also enjoy the the Vanguard quad mixes (Pictures at an Exhibition is a good example) So you Pentatone fellows -get me in the middle of the orchestra and I am in.

 

[bming]

Histroy Question

I am interested to know if any of these older 4 channel recordings were released in quad in the 1970's and if so what format

Dear forum members,

I just signed up as a member of the quadraphonicquad site.

I started looking for postings about classical music since I am one of the founders of PentaTone which is a new classical label specializing in sourround sound recordings. To my surprise I did not find anything about classical music. Did I not search properly or is noboddy interested in classical music?

For your info, PentaTone exists two and a half years now and has released some 60 classical SA-CDs. Roughly half of it is new 5.1 recordings in DSD format and released on hybrid SA-CDs. The other half is re-issues of quadraphonic recordings made by Philips Classics in the seventies.

The founders of PentaTone are all former Philips Classics executives and know what recordings were made by Philips Classics in the seventies in 4-channel. So we have licensed them from Universal Classics and remastered them in DSD. We release them on hybrid SA-CD (leaving them in the original 4 channel form as originally meant by the producers).

If you are interested in classical music and first class multi channel recordings, please have a look at our site: www.pentatonemusic.com

Best,pentaman

 

[The Quadfather]

There are some classical music I like, but I am primarily a rock fan. I bought one of the DTS classical discs, I believe it was Mozart. It was mostly ambience in the rear speakers, and that is not for me. If Iwanted that, I would just put a delay on my system and let it rip. Since I rarely know what to buy, I just don't. If i was asked what my preference would be, I would say put me "in the band" and I would prefer a studio type recording technique with instruments closely miked rather just a few microphones in a great hall with the orchestra. I like the music lively. But that's just me. Yes, there should be a section in this website for classical music. And being a southerner, I would like to hear some southern standards in multichannel. There is only one recording of "Dixie" in quad known to me, on Elvis Pressley's "Aloha From Hawaii". He recorded it before the P.C. ninnies started encroaching onto the nation's sanity. Of course, that's just my preference, but there could definitely be a place for classical on this webpage.

The Quadfather

 

[JonUrban]

The content of the posts here are directed by the members. There is nothing that prevents any discussion about classical music. I happen to enjoy classical music on occasion, and have a few SACDs and DVD-As of some pieces.

If anyone wants to discuss Classical, go for it. I would keep the discussion in the proper format section. If I created a "Classical" section, then someone would want a "Bluegrass" section, etc.

Frankly, if there were MORE classical discussion, I might learn a thing or two about some classical stuff I may be missing. I recall Brian Moura has posted info on new Classical SACDs in the past.

 

[Cai Campbell]

I own A LOT of classical music on SACD and DVD-A (although not so much on DVD-A). A good number of 'em are surround releases, as well. I haven't picked up any of the Pentatone titles yet, but probably will.

I very much enjoy listening to classical music. Classical music (or any other music performed live in a natural acoustic space) is very conducive to natural (less aggressive, if you will) recording and production techniques, whether it be stereo or surround-sound.

Personally, I don't talk a lot about classical music because, frankly, I can't really speak intelligently about it. I know, at best, a little about classical composers and their compositions. I know even less about conductors or particular instrumentalists. That doesn't stop me from appreciating the music, but it certainly hampers discussion!

On the other hand, popular music, in general, is something I grew up with, was constantly exposed to, and which I am very knowledgeable about (at least I like to think I am). I'm just speaking for myself here, but classical music seems somewhat detached from my life whereas popular music became a natural attraction. Said another way, classical music is something I have to work to embrace and become educated about. I can EASILY see how some are so enamored as to become caught up in it, and I probably could if I allowed myself.

I had a similar experience with jazz music. It too was detached from my regular life and I had to work to access it. I worked to become involved with it, to the point of becoming familiar with the alien artists and styles from a virtually bygone era. At some point I had a breakthrough, where I can now count jazz as part of my regular experience.

Classical music, though, remains somewhat detached. Was jazz easier to embrace because it was closer, in time, to my own existence? Maybe... I think about it from time-to-time, reading the booklets from classical discs, learning about the composers, their techniques, challenges, etc. And reading the artists' struggle to decipher the composer's intent. Fascinating stuff. But again, it requires work, and I can't talk intelligently about it. Yet.

But I'll talk your ear off about the Beach Boys, Beatles, Frank Zappa, Nirvana, Radiohead... I'm a product of our popular culture, and not ashamed to admit it, and I love classical music! Just don't expect much more from me than "wow, that was really good" when I talk about it.

So there ya go!

 

[Kal Rubinson]

And I am just the opposite. Classical is what gets my excitement up. Jazz and blues can do it, at times. Pop/rock, rarely.

Kal

 

[Cai Campbell]

I can and do get excited about classical music, it's just my inability to talk intelligently about it. It's like being in a foreign country, experiencing the natural beauty of the land, and then trying to communicate to the locals how much you enjoy it. That's not a very effective analogy but it's the best I can come up with at the moment.

 

[bmoura]

Frankly, if there were MORE classical discussion, I might learn a thing or two about some classical stuff I may be missing. I recall Brian Moura has posted info on new Classical SACDs in the past.

True, although I've not posted much here about Classical SACDs due to lack of interest.

If the interest is picking up here, more can be posted & discussed.

There's certainly plenty going on in SACD Classical releases when you look at the releases from PentaTone, Telarc, Channel Classics, RCA Living Stereo, Mercury Living Presence and Universal Music's labels - just to name some of the SACD Classical activity!

 

[pentaman]

Surround Classical

I do like an agressive mix in classical - this also includes such things as film scores. I love the mix on the RCA Classic Film scores series ( and when am I going to see an SACD of these marvellous recordings) I also enjoy the the Vanguard quad mixes (Pictures at an Exhibition is a good example) So you Pentatone fellows -get me in the middle of the orchestra and I am in.

Our plolicy at PentaTone is to try and recreate the experience the listener has in the hall during the concert in the most accurate manner. So we bring the acoustics of the concert hall or the church (or whatever other venue) into the living room. In the concert hall a lot of information reaches the ear indirectly through reflection. This is quite different compared to a good stereo recording and gives an extra dimension comparable with when we moved from mono to stereo. So we aim at "as natural as possib"le".
Therefore, do not expect aggressive mixes from PentaTone.

Our studio is Polyhymnia International, the former recording centre of Philips Classics which started experimenting with quadraphonuic recordings in the seventies. tRecently (over the last seeven years) hey have been working closely with Sony and Philips Electronices, the inventors of SA-CD. Polyhymnia made the first 5.1 test recordings for these companies.

Best,pentaman

 

[pentaman]

Histroy Question

I am interested to know if any of these older 4 channel recordings were released in quad in the 1970's and if so what format

No, they have not been released in quad in the seventies. I checked with one of the enigineers who was involved in these days and the reason is that the Philips Classics experts considerd both available systems (the matrix and the Nivico) not good enough to properly reproduce the quadraphonic recordings Philips Classics had made. They were mixed down to stereo and released on stereo LP (and later on CD).

SA-CD has sufficient storage capacity to reproduce the 4 channels and proves to be the perfect carrier to reproduce these recordings. The original producers have heard them and were rather moved when they heart these recordings for the first time in the way they were originally meant.

Best,pentatman