Well, even the best label, and AliaVox is definitely one of those, can have an off day, but remember: you never know who's behind those Amazon reviews. I have no doubt the record companies have minions who spend their days overpraising their employers' wares as Amazon reviewers (much as I'm sure every manufacturer on the face of the planet has somebody whose task is to keep the Wikipedia entry suitably favorable). By the same token, some of those guys are probably instructed to trash the competition when they get a chance. And of course you have the random grumps who don't like something because it doesn't play well on their Crosley or isn't in the latest DDD sound (or *is* in the latest DDD sound) or was played by one of those upstart American orchestras instead of a good, dependable English one. I always take Amazon reviews with a healthy pinch of that NaCl stuff.
CD1 was excellent and it really has given me a totally new perspective on Malcolm Sargent. My only prior experience with his conducting was his Handel Messiah on cassette tapes, which with their somewhat grainy, mono sound hardly did any justice to his artistry ... About half the box is English music, including Handel Messiah, this box is a gem IMO.
I own this but I'm sorry to say that I haven't listened to the SACD layer, only the CD. But based on that, I would recommend it. Good luck.
I believe this is the live broadcast performance (originally on the Everest/Baroque label) in which Gilels has a major memory lapse and the orchestra has to vamp until Gilels recovers.
I think the CD layer sounds fine as well. I bought it after Robin L heaped praise on it. It's a shame he's left the thread.
Interesting. I hadn't heard of that. Thanks! I only have the set Gilels did of the Tchaikovsky concertos with Maazel.
These are all the Brandenburg Concertos by Karajan I have in my collection ... The first two CD sets and the LP set (the last set) may well be the same recording. The third set was recorded live in Salzburg in 1968 ...
Converting a PAL tape to digital isn't that hard. but services to do it are even cheaper. A service called Southtree seems to charge $10 per tape.
Now listening to "Bach - The Three Sonatas For Viola Da Gamba And Harpsichord" performed by Leonard Rose and Glenn Gould from the Sony box set.
Now listening to CD 12 from "Leonard Bernstein - The Symphony Edition" on Sony. With the New York Philharmonic: Brahms - Symphony 4 Chavez - Sinfonia India (Symphony 2) Diamond - Symphony 4
I did some quick research. Gilels' memory lapse is in the third movement. Kondrashin and the orchestra carry on by themselves for two minutes until Gilels recovers his memory.
I have so many copies of these recordings - the 2-disc Masterworks Heritage edition, the two SACDs, and I think the DSD-mastered CD of the 8th and 9th as well.
I did not pay too much attention, doing stuff around the apartment, but I definitely will next time I play it and confirm!
Now listening to "Francesco da Milano - Intabolatura da Leuto" performed by Paul Beier on Stradivarius.
Now listening to CD 1 from "RCA Living Stereo Vol. 2". "Beethoven - Concerto No. 1" performed by Arthur Rubinstein with the Symphony of the Air led by Josef Krips.
Thousand thanks to all of you that have posted about my Marin Marais/Savall Boxset concern. I'm very glad to read that those you have it are happy with the sound of it. As I said and J.A.W. posted, as far as I know, Alia Vox takes special care on the quality of their releases, aesthetically and sonics, so I was quite surprised when I read that negative review about the sound of this new reissues. Btw, I guess the reviewer had his reasons, but I don't think he was a troll or something like that. In fact he ended the review saying that he started to search for the original vinyls of these releases, originally edited by the french label Astrée. So I gave him the benefit of the doubt, but I wanted to ask here, because I know people on this forum takes special care about sonics quality. And if I'm allow to give my opinion, Karajan could had been an excellent conductor for some particular composers & periods of music, but honestly, imho his vision of baroque music is not interesting at all. Ditto this with all the due respect to those who likes their baroque recordings. For the Brandenburg concerts in particular, I warmly recommend a very recent reissue by Alpha label with the recording of this very popular Bach's work in a very freshly performance, by the ensemble Café Zimmermann
Now listening to "Haydn - Symphonies 22, 78 & 82" performed by the Stockholm Chamber Orchestra led by Esa-Pekka Salonen on Sony.
This AM: CD 17 from the Decca Analogue box: Robert Schumann, Piano Concerto in A minor and Edvard Grieg, Piano Concerto in A minor, Radu Lupu, piano. Andre Previn conducting the London Symphony Orchestra.
Now listening to CD 9 from "Delius - 150th Anniversary Edition" on EMI. Twilight Fancies To be sung of a summer night on the water To be sung of a summer night on the water Wanderer's Song Heimkehr (The Homeward Journey) Twilight Fancies (Evening Voices) Whither (Autumn) The Violet Whither The Violet I-Brasîl Klein Venevil Twilight Fancies (Evening Voices) Cradle Song The Nightingale Irmelin Rose So white, so soft, so sweet Is she Le ciel est, par-dessus le toit La lune blanche To The Queen Of My Heart Love's Philosophy Caprice and Elegy
