if that's Boulez conducting those songs for Soprano and Orchestra it doesn't get any better than that
I think I also prefer the sound quality of the Karajan. My copy is an old London CD from the 80s and I prefer it to the Reiner on Living Stereo SACD. To be fair the Reiner recording is five years older and I believe one of the earliest stereo recordings.
Stanley Kubrick would agree with your preference for the Karajan/Vienna Philharmonic recording of Also Sprach Zarathustra. It's the one he used in the soundtrack for his film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. (The soundtrack album, however, used the Karl Böhm/Berlin Philharmonic recording.)
The reason they didn’t use that recording for the soundtrack LP is because Decca was sort of embarrassed of being associated with a commercial film. That’s the story I heard. When the film became a big success, they changed their mind though and started using the “2001” publicity to their own advantage. I think when that soundtrack eventually came out on CD, they used the Karajan version again. My favourite recording is Karajan’s 1973 remake on DG, which is uncharacteristically detailed for a DG recording and beats both the Reiner and Karajan’s earlier Decca recording by several stratospheres, both in terms of interpretation and sound.
Have you tried the recent Karajan/Strauss recordings 11-cd/Blu Ray Audio of the first 6 cds box? Now I am tempted to get it.
I haven’t heard the Blu-ray, but I would assume it’s the same transfer as the standalone 24/96 “studio master” hi-res download, and that one is the best I’ve heard this recording sound Better than the mid-90s “Originals” CD transfer.
As a space nerd I like that Also Sprach has spawned so many space themed covers through the various recordings by different conductors/orchestras.
Now enjoying the another CD from the above box set. Once again, this is absolutely lovely playing and sound.
If you are a fan of Rachmaninoff, I urge you to grab this CD. And if you are a fan of Brahms, I also urge you grab the above 10 CD box set. It's under $18 new from amazon.
Speaking of Rachmaninov I played Richter's Carnegie Hall Prelude Op.23 No.1 and Op.32 No.9, 10, 12 recently. Completely blown away by the performances. Ashkenazy was fresh in my mind, and IMHO it was quite a let down; just bland all around with little dynamics and tonal color.
A few Angelich reviews from Jed Distler, whose articles I value although I don 't always agree with him: https://www.classicstoday.com/search-results/?searched_from=&pagination_currentpage=&pagination_totalresults=&search_composer_id=&search_soloist_id=39102&search_conductor_id=&search_ensemble_id=&search_tag=&search_composer=Enter+a+Composer&search_worktitle=Enter+a+Work/Album+Title&search_genre=-1&search_soloist=Angelich,+Nicholas&search_conductor=Enter+a+Conductor&search_ensemble=Enter+an+Orchestra/Ensemble&search_performance=0&search_soundquality=0
Richter's Rachmaninoff is superb! If you want some in much better sound, for under $10 new - https://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninov-Preludes-Etudes-Tableaux-Sergei/dp/B003CP1SRE
I am not at home to check, I think the disc I have is on Olympia and has some flowers as the artwork.
Yeah, I have that one too. It has the same performances. First issued on CD on Olympia, then Regis, then Alto - all the same performances.
Thanks for the link. Not the greatest of praise but for the price I will give the box set a shot. Some of the works on the box set I have never owned.
Yes, the set filled in a number of holes in my collection as well. I think you will really enjoy the set. I know over the years we almost always agree on classical music performances.
I'm home to check on this, these are also on the Eurodisc box. Some of those labels start to get a bit confusing with the number of times they changed name/transferred ownership I'll play it afterwards to see if the Sony mastering is better.
Now playing: Igor Stravinsky – Petrouchka (1911), Le Chant du rossignol, Quatre etudes (London / Decca Records) — Armas Maiste, piano, James Chompson, cornet, Timothy Hutchins, flute, Robert Early, trumpet, Ellis Wean, tuba – Orchestre symphonique de Montreal – Charles Dutoit