SPOTLIGHT The classical music general discussion thread

[4-earredwonder]

It must be a good performance to remaster. I have a few versions of this work but not by LEOPOLD.

It's EXQUISITE, Jeffie. And Top Music International's 96/24 mastering is SPOT ON! And it was highly praised by the critics and audiophile press upon its release.

 

[jefe1]

Thanks for that recommendation. It will go on my look for list.

 

[ubertrout]

And LOOK what just came out of left field: Leopold Stokowski's very first London Phase 4 Recording of Rimsky~Korsakov's SCHEHERAZADE coupled with Marche Slave newly remastered [2021] in stunning 96/24 sonics on Stereo SACD

https://elusivedisc.com/stokowski-conducts-rimsky-korsakov-scheherazade-hybrid-stereo-sacd/

I saw this on Elusivedisc...curious how it will sound. I guess the main competitor is Reiner. We still don't have a world-class Scheherazade in surround, although there have been a few attempts.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I saw this on Elusivedisc...curious how it will sound. I guess the main competitor is Reiner. We still don't have a world-class Scheherazade in surround, although there have been a few attempts.

I recall listening to this on 7 1/2 ips Open Reel years ago, ubertrout and this remaster is an aural masterpiece. Exquisite performance and remastering!

Scheherazade was recorded in 1964 at Kingsway Hall in London and Marche Slave in 1972 LIVE at Royal Albert Hall. Arthur Lilley was recording engineer for both!

 

[ubertrout]

I recall listening to this on 7 1/2 ips Open Reel years ago, ubertrout and this remaster is an aural masterpiece. Exquisite performance and remastering!

Scheherazade was recorded in 1964 at Kingsway Hall in London and Marche Slave in 1972 LIVE at Royal Albert Hall. Arthur Lilley was recording engineer for both!

I've heard it, I believe on CD. It's a sonic knockout, with that somewhat artificial spotlighting that works for a showpiece like this. And Stokowski has the feel - I don't think he ever met Rimsky but he was already 18 and a conservatory student when Rimsky died, and there's a certain understanding of the idiom.

My only question is diminishing returns, especially on those without a super high-quality stereo system.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I've heard it, I believe on CD. It's a sonic knockout, with that somewhat artificial spotlighting that works for a showpiece like this. And Stokowski has the feel - I don't think he ever met Rimsky but he was already 18 and a conservatory student when Rimsky died, and there's a certain understanding of the idiom.

My only question is diminishing returns, especially on those without a super high-quality stereo system.

As I type these words it's playing in the background on separate components and NO DIMINISHING RETURNS HERE. Some of Top Music International's SACD reissues were on the 'Tizzy' side but this one is exceptional. And none of the usual suspects like Deep Discount/ImportCD carry it so Elusive Disc's sale price of $25 is a particularly good deal.

 

[humprof]

MTT back on the podium (after brain surgery):
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/05/arts/music/mtt-new-york-philharmonic.html

 

[ubertrout]

MTT back on the podium (after brain surgery):
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/05/arts/music/mtt-new-york-philharmonic.html

One of the most prolific conductors recording in surround, from the quad days to today. His Mahler cycle is still underrated I think.

 

[humprof]

One of the most prolific conductors recording in surround, from the quad days to today. His Mahler cycle is still underrated I think.

I wish SFS Media would furnish the surround versions of his cycle (and of the rest of their catalog of surround SACDs) to Apple and Tidal. Maybe eventually.

On the upside: as I reported a couple of days ago, they really have uploaded the full-on Atmos version of Henry Brant's Ice Field--pay no attention to its "Binaural Edition" title--and it's a doozy. (The album doesn't display as Atmos because one of its tracks is a video.)
https://music.apple.com/us/album/brant-ice-field-binaural-edition-ep/1463167086

 

[mkt]

New in surround, Beethoven, Berg & Bartok Violin Concertos from Frank Peter Zimmermann and the Berliner Philharmoniker. Blu-ray and download.
https://www.berliner-philharmoniker-recordings.com/zimmermann.html
EDIT: I am seeing (in audacity) and hearing (in Roon) some clicks at the end of some of the surround files (flac and wav)

Now in the November Gramophone Editor's choice.
https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/gramophone-editor-s-choice-november-2021The click problem that I mentioned was acknowledged, and I have the corrected 24-48 wav files. The flac files for download don't seem to have been corrected yet.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Now, the Sequel: Does anyone have this disc? the multichannel files from this recording? The physical release was only a CD but hi-res and multichannel downloads were offered.

My downloads from SSO are corrupted.

 

[mkt]

Now, the Sequel: Does anyone have this disc?

My downloads from SSO are corrupted.

I have this, which I think includes that.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I have this, which I think includes that.
View attachment 73364

Yes, it is Disc 3 in that set. I would love to get the multichannel files.

 

[humprof]

Channel Classics "Black Friday" sale starts today: 15% off discs & downloads (excluding four new releases).
https://www.channelclassics.com/

 

[humprof]

Channel Classics "Black Friday" sale starts today: 15% off discs & downloads (excluding four new releases).
https://www.channelclassics.com/

I can speak for the new Penderecki album by the Tippett Quartet. Upmixes nicely with Dolby Surround Upmixer:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classic...complete-music-for-string-quartet-string-trio

Speaking of Channel Classics (and Penderecki): a couple of weeks ago I was listening to the horn & violin concertos album on CC, and mentioned that it was Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood that had led me to Penderecki. Greenwood is the guest on the latest episode of Max Horowitz's Penderecki In Memoriam podcast:
https://www.nonesuch.com/journal/listen-jonny-greenwood-talks-penderecki-memoriam-podcast-2021-11-18

 

[humprof]

Yes: Fischer is my go-to for the 3d, and while Bernstein was my first experience with Mahler (and consequently my point of reference in many ways), the artificial reverb that Sony Japan added to those 3-channel stereo recordings doesn't do much for me, surround-wise.

But I'm always learning something new here: I had no idea of those Chailly and Boulez recordings in surround. Now I want to hear them all! (Including the Horenstein.)

Wow--recently laid my hands on both the Chailly and the Boulez (which as I mentioned also got an Atmos upgrade for the streaming services), and they're both fantastic. Hard to decide among these two and Fischer. All have great sonics and "big-ambient" surround. The Chailly has the most thunderous bass, perhaps...

 

[mkt]

Wow--recently laid my hands on both the Chailly and the Boulez (which as I mentioned also got an Atmos upgrade for the streaming services), and they're both fantastic. Hard to decide among these two and Fischer. All have great sonics and "big-ambient" surround. The Chailly has the most thunderous bass, perhaps...

Any thoughts on the Nott/Bamberg recordings?

 

[humprof]

Any thoughts on the Nott/Bamberg recordings?

Haven't heard any of those, I'm afraid. @ubertrout, maybe?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Any thoughts on the Nott/Bamberg recordings?

I enjoyed them but I don't find them competitive with those mentioned and others.

 

[ubertrout]

I enjoyed them but I don't find them competitive with those mentioned and others.

So, same. But...

It might be the second-cheapest Mahler Cycle on SACD today with Zinman OOP: Chor der Bamberger Symphoniker, Knaben des Bamberger Domchores, Bamberger Symphoniker, Mojca Erdmann, Mihoko Fujimura, Anne Schwanewilms, Lioba Braun, Gustav Mahler, Jonathan Nott - Mahler: The 9 Symphonies - Amazon.com Music. And I think he's better than Gergiev (on LSO) in everything but the 8th in both sound and performance. So for someone looking to explore Mahler's oeuvre you could do worse than picking up the box set.

That said, if I was starting from scratch I'd probably get the individual Fischer releases and get the Naxos BD-A of the 8th (with Wit).