Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #63)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by George P, Nov 22, 2014.

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  1. J.A.W.

    J.A.W. Music Addict

    Bruckner: Symphony 5 - Bernard Haitink/Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Decca (Japan)

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  2. RelayerNJ

    RelayerNJ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Whippany, NJ
    Just picked up this lp over the weekend during Acoustic Sounds sale. All analog 2/45s mastered by Grundman. Nice performance with terrific sound! Very live sound, it's like your at the recital.
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  3. alankin1

    alankin1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Philly
    This is from the Heifetz-Piatigorsky 21-CD box. I've considered getting the big Heifetz box now that it's been repressed, but I have to be careful with my spending right now...
     
  4. Bachtoven

    Bachtoven Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    Well, "superior" is in the ears of the beholder! ;) GC/CK's tempi are indeed faster than Podger's, but their rhythms are also more articulate, he plays with greater intensity, and with more interesting phrasing--to my ears. The sound is a bit crisper, too.
     
  5. Bachtoven

    Bachtoven Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    Yes, I imagine they have squeezed whatever is left to squeeze out of the master tapes! It is an improvement, for sure, but not enough to justify the inflated price. However, the performance is still one of my favorites. Can someone recommend a recording that features equally intense playing plus better sound?
     
  6. Fafner88

    Fafner88 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Haifa, Israel
    I'm not sure if it's 'equally intense', but Maazel with the Wiener Philharmoniker on DG is pretty good, and has a much better sound

    www.amazon.com/Strauss-Also-Sprach-Zarathustra-Sinfon/dp/B000025QD9/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1416936271&sr=8-9
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2014
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  7. Bachtoven

    Bachtoven Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    Thanks--I'll look into it. Previn and the VPO seem promising on Telarc, too.
     
  8. Fafner88

    Fafner88 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Haifa, Israel
    Previn is very good, and also well recorded, though he is no Karajan... You should also consider Haitink and Sawallisch (with the Philadelphia O on EMI) - the latter being a little known gem, very impressive recording with a really deep and realistic bass (you can clearly hear (and feel) every single organ pedal). You can read the reviews-

    www.amazon.com/Strauss-Zarathustra-Philadelphia-Orchestra-Sawallisch/dp/B000002RYF/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1416938018&sr=8-7
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2014
  9. Fafner88

    Fafner88 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Haifa, Israel
    This must be one of the most well balanced and realistically recorded Dvorak 9th's that I ever heard, very beautiful late analog sound (1977)

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  10. SquaRoots

    SquaRoots The North Star Grassman

    Location:
    AM✫dam.nl
    Returning to my DGG shelves once again.

    I decided to pick some "modern" music on LP:

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  11. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG]

    Picked up this CD recently for $2. Enjoying it now.
     
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  12. Fafner88

    Fafner88 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Haifa, Israel
    Is it only me, or many classical albums on Spotify are audio watermarked? Some albums sound really lousy, and I assumed it's just because of bad compression, but after I read on the web that it's a widespread practice with many (legal) digital files, I now suspect that Spotify does the same. Listen for example to the strings at the beginning -

    https://play.spotify.com/track/1Kyr5hWHuQp5H3hwhivyyA

    You can hear a very annoying 'flutter' that sounds like an artifact of a badly compressed mp3. I have only the free account, so I shouldn't be complaining, but I wonder if anyone of the paid subscribers here have the same problem?
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2014
  13. Bachtoven

    Bachtoven Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    I can see why this is so highly regarded in the audiophile community. By the way, the music and performances are superb, too. ;)

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  14. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I have that disc. It was the second Dvorak 9th I purchased on CD. I got rid of first (by Levine and the CSO). I need to play the Davis again.

    And speaking of Levine and Fafner, another episode of the Ring (on DVD) for me tonight.
     
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  15. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Listening to Savall conducting Rameau at the moment.
     
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  16. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG]

    Another recent $2 acquisition. Enjoying it now.
     
  17. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I can hear it on my premium account (through Sennheiser 650s), but my instinct is to attribute it to the recording. I don't have the disc, so I can't do a comparison. I did compare the opening of the Beethoven 9th from that set with my disc (the ripped redbook layer of the SACD). I didn't hear much variation in flutter, but the version on Spotify was decidedly deficient in bass. That could of course be the masterings used.
     
  18. ToddBD

    ToddBD Forum Resident

    Found these two for $1 each today…although not generally a fan of MTT, this recording and performance is quite good. The Vivaldi was recorded on October 10, 1981, Soundstream Digital Tape (no idea of any more technical specifics, I'm sure there are many on the forum who know that stuff), and Silverstein takes a few more liberties than I am used to, but the performance is solid and the sound is great.
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  19. Fafner88

    Fafner88 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Haifa, Israel
    Listen to the beginning of the third mvt. of the 9th, it is clearly audible (you can already hear it in the hiss).

    If you are not sure what audio watermarks sound like, see

    http://mattmontag.com/audio-listening-test/
     
  20. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    Can't really check as I don't listen directly through my computer. However, comparing the third movement Spotify vs (in this instance) my 88/24 conversion of the DSD layer after the SACD, the 88/24 is notably better. However, I still think it could be poor mastering of the disc in the big box.

    Edit - tried it on my iPad. On the sample, I heard fluttering on both. None of the others would play at all.
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2014
  21. Fafner88

    Fafner88 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Haifa, Israel
    But it's not the only album that sounds like that on Spotify, there are MANY. Another one for example is the recent Dudamel Mahler 9th-

    https://play.spotify.com/track/5IYdcvrPshnQcOTiCj1GLT

    (edit: this one actually sounds more like a recording glitch, it's also present on the CD)
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2014
  22. Fafner88

    Fafner88 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Haifa, Israel
    'both' which?
     
  23. coopmv

    coopmv Newton 1/30/2001 - 8/31/2011

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Now playing CD43 from the following box for a first listen ...

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  24. Fafner88

    Fafner88 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Haifa, Israel
    It's definitely not the mastering - I checked the audio samples on DG's website (which are pretty high quality) from the same remaster, and you don't hear that fluttering like on Spotify (also compare for example the opening of the Mozart requiem)

    http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/cat/4790055?

    So it's either an audio watermark or compression artifacts, and I suspect it's the former because it sounds like the audio watermark samples you can find on the web.
     
  25. john greenwood

    john greenwood Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    On the one described as a sample. I hear fluttering on both A and B. The actual test tracks would not play on my iPad.

    I do note that the the instructions in the sample are to listen to the point of highest volume, and the Dvorak and the Beethoven are soft passages, so I am not convinced the causes are the same.

    Edit - I cranked up the volume on my iPad, and listening through Etymotic IE4P's I could hear a difference between A and B on the sample this time. Unfortunately none of the test tracks after the sample will play on the iPad.
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2014
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