SPOTLIGHT The classical music general discussion thread

[ubertrout]

Just when I thought I didn’t need another Beethoven cycle, I came across this fun collection of organ transcriptions by Edouard Batiste. I even found a video review by your favorite reviewer, David Hurwitz

Heh. I'll think about it - the Liszt piano transcriptions are interesting, I'm less motivated for the organ stuff but we'll see.

 

[Lute]

Heh. I'll think about it - the Liszt piano transcriptions are interesting, I'm less motivated for the organ stuff but we'll see.

No worries! I am quite aware that organ ‘stuff‘ is an acquired taste, even among fans of classical music. I just thought of you when I saw David Hurwitz speaking so enthusiastically. Liszt’s Wagner transcriptions are also good.

 

[ubertrout]

No worries! I am quite aware that organ ‘stuff‘ is an acquired taste, even among fans of classical music. I just thought of you when I saw David Hurwitz speaking so enthusiastically. Liszt’s Wagner transcriptions are also good.

Yeah. I like Hurwitz but more for entertainment. He's like a guy you talk to who has lots of opinions and some are good.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Herbert Von Karajan SIBELIUS Complete Recordings on DGG available 8/6/21 on 5 RBCDs and 1 BD~A with 2.0, 5.1 and DOLBY ATMOS

This release collects Karajan's stunning 1960s (analog) and 1980s Sibelius recordings on CD with a Pure Audio Blu-ray Audio Disc (BDA.) Includes Christian Ferras' 1965 recording of the Violin Concerto which won both the Grand Prix du Disque and Edison Prize. The booklet includes a revealing text by Austrian musicologist and Researcher of the Karajan Institute Thomas Wozonig, whose doctoral studies are focused on Karajan as conductor of the symphonies of Jean Sibelius.

https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=14929

 

[ubertrout]

Herbert Von Karajan THE COMPLETE SIBELIUS SYMPHONIES available 8/6/21 from DGG on 5 RBCDs and 1 BD~A with 2.0, 5.1 and DOLBY ATMOS

https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=14929

So, these recordings are almost all from the 1960s. I appreciate the use of surround, but I'd much rather have Atmos on a recording with more than 3 channels. As always, I'm glad to be proved wrong, but for now I'm going to stick with the 2-SACD set I have of the same recordings in stereo.

 

[4-earredwonder]

So, these recordings are almost all from the 1960s. I appreciate the use of surround, but I'd much rather have Atmos on a recording with more than 3 channels. As always, I'm glad to be proved wrong, but for now I'm going to stick with the 2-SACD set I have of the same recordings in stereo.

I pre~ordered from AmazonUS [$32]. I amended my post as it only contains Sibelius' 4~7 Symphonies plus if you access the HRAudio.net link other Sibelius 'goodies' as well.. some recorded in the 1980's so multi tracks were available for a more robust surround remix...which as we all know will be ambience ONLY!

 

[gene_stl]

That seems like a screaming bargain. I may have to order it too.

 

[ubertrout]

I pre~ordered from AmazonUS [$32]. I amended my post as it only contains Sibelius' 4~7 Symphonies plus if you access the HRAudio.net link other Sibelius 'goodies' as well.. some recorded in the 1980's so multi tracks were available for a more robust surround remix...which as we all know will be ambience ONLY!

I ordered the SACD set used from Reckless Records in Chicago, to support them during the pandemic and got the SACD set for $40, but this price is of course much better than list price for the SACD. Looks like a good package.

 

[4-earredwonder]

That seems like a screaming bargain. I may have to order it too.

About the price of a single MoFi or AP Stereo SACD with roughly 40 minutes of music. I'd say GO FOR IT!

 

[4-earredwonder]

I ordered the SACD set used from Reckless Records in Chicago, to support them during the pandemic and got the SACD set for $40, but this price is of course much better than list price for the SACD. Looks like a good package.

One can NEVER have enough Sibelius, ubertrout and I did check out ImportCD's pre order price [about $29 + s/h] so the AmazonUS price is a GREAT DEAL, IMO.

 

[humprof]

I know there's been a bunch of Martha Argerich releases lately, but I hadn't heard of this one before reading a review in the Guardian. Anybody here heard/seen it? Soundtrack supposedly has a 5.1 option.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8915807--martha-argerich

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Herbert Von Karajan SIBELIUS Complete Recordings on DGG available 8/6/21 on 5 RBCDs and 1 BD~A with 2.0, 5.1 and DOLBY ATMOS

This release collects Karajan's stunning 1960s (analog) and 1980s Sibelius recordings on CD with a Pure Audio Blu-ray Audio Disc (BDA.) Includes Christian Ferras' 1965 recording of the Violin Concerto which won both the Grand Prix du Disque and Edison Prize. The booklet includes a revealing text by Austrian musicologist and Researcher of the Karajan Institute Thomas Wozonig, whose doctoral studies are focused on Karajan as conductor of the symphonies of Jean Sibelius.

https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=14929

Why don't they just sell us the BDA? I have no use for the CDs. (Actually, I have no use for any discs and would prefer just a download.)

 

[mkt]

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/the-best-classical-albums-of-2021-so-far
These are the surround ones that I noticed:

Brahms Symphony No 3. Serenade No 2, Budapest Festival Orchestra / Iván Fischer, Channel Classics
‘Summertime’, Isata Kanneh-Mason, Decca (Apple Music Atmos)
Mouton ‘Ezekiel’s Eagle’, Cappella Pratensis / Stratton Bull, Challenge Classics
‘The Moon & the Forest’, Miloš Karadaglić, Decca (Apple Music Atmos)
Franck Organ Works, Pétur Sakari, BIS
Bartók Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, Sols; Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / Susanna Mälkki, BIS
‘Nordic Rhapsody’, Johan Dalene, Christian Ihle Hadland, BIS
‘Occurrence’, Iceland Symphony Orchestra / Daníel Bjarnason, Sono Luminus
Locatelli ‘Il labirinto armonico’, Finnish Baroque Orchestra / Ilya Gringolts, BIS
Rachmaninov Symphony No 1. Symphonic Dances, The Philadelphia Orchestra / Yannick Nézet-Séguin, DG (Apple Music Atmos)
‘English Music for Strings’, Sinfonia of London / John Wilson, Chandos
JS Bach Das wohltemperirte Clavier, Book 2 – selections, Piotr Anderszewski, Warner Classics (Apple Music Atmos)
Carter The Minotaur. Pocahontas, Boston Modern Orchestra Project / Gil Rose, BMOP/sound

 

[ubertrout]

Why don't they just sell us the BDA? I have no use for the CDs. (Actually, I have no use for any discs and would prefer just a download.)

I have to imagine it's to get all the remaining audience for physical media that remains.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I have to imagine it's to get all the remaining audience for physical media that remains.

Yeah but...................... How many people who want the BDA will have any use for LPs? Or vice versa? Everyone's overcharged.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/the-best-classical-albums-of-2021-so-farThese are the surround ones that I noticed:

I can recommend these two.
Brahms Symphony No 3. Serenade No 2, Budapest Festival Orchestra / Iván Fischer, Channel Classics
Bartók Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, Sols; Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra / Susanna Mälkki, BIS

Rachmaninov Symphony No 1. Symphonic Dances, The Philadelphia Orchestra / Yannick Nézet-Séguin, DG (Apple Music Atmos)

Has anyone heard this in "Apple Music Atmos?" Is it any good as multichannel?

 

[mkt]

Has anyone heard this in "Apple Music Atmos?" Is it any good as multichannel?

I have heard it but I only have 5.1 so maybe I have not really heard it.

Sound quality was not that different to me from the stereo version (no multichannel to compare?). Most classical apple atmos that I've heard has not grabbed my ear.

 

[humprof]

I have heard it but I only have 5.1 so maybe I have not really heard it.

Sound quality was not that different to me from the stereo version (no multichannel to compare?). Most classical apple atmos that I've heard has not grabbed my ear.

That certainly sounds like my experience with all the Atmos mixes from DG, both new releases and back catalogue, that have appeared on Tidal. Minimal use of rears and overheads--to the point where it's often difficult to tell whether there's anything there at all. You wonder why they bothered.

 

[4-earredwonder]

That certainly sounds like my experience with all the Atmos mixes from DG, both new releases and back catalogue, that have appeared on Tidal. Minimal use of rears and overheads--to the point where it's often difficult to tell whether there's anything there at all. You wonder why they bothered.

As I've stated numerous times, unless DGG STEPS UP and creates new recordings specifically tailored for ATMOS, it will always be MORE OF THE SAME.

And their mentality hasn't been altered since the 70's when the majority of their QUAD recordings were AMBIENT, ONLY!

Say what you will, but I find Vocalion's remastered DISCRETE QUADS from the RCA/Columbia QUAD analogue masters of the 70's to be POSITIVELY THRILLING.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I have heard it but I only have 5.1 so maybe I have not really heard it.

Sound quality was not that different to me from the stereo version (no multichannel to compare?). Most classical apple atmos that I've heard has not grabbed my ear.

How did you listen to it? Headphones or speakers? If the latter, how was it decoded?