On Sirius XM now: Alan Hovhaness, Sym. 2 "Mysterious Mountain." If having a distinctive voice is the mark of a great composer, Hovhaness is definitely a member of the club. Nobody, but nobody, sounds quite like Alan Hovhaness.
I know that these topics had been discussed earlier, but can anyone comment on the sound quality of the two big Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli box sets, compared to individual CD earlier releases? The box sets are not "mega", but they are cheap and easy to get, I am just a little anxious about any damages via too much filtering, noise reduction or "original image bit processing". 10 CD set "Complete Recordings On Deutsche Grammophon" Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli – Complete Recordings On Deutsche Grammophon (2016, CD) 14 CD set "The Complete Warner Recordings": Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli – The Complete Warner Recordings (2015, CD)
Regarding the first set, I will have to listen more closely for any damages. Nothing really has really stood out to me as being way overboard as to NR or anything else compared to other recordings.
Deutsche Grammophon does not use NR as far as I know, but some of their 1995 and later remasters have a more processed and trebly sound than their 1980s CDs. The "Originals" remasters of Carlos Kleiber's Beethoven symphonies come to mind.
I have been going thru some of the discs in the first set. They do not sound as bad as the Kleiber remasters. Maybe a little harsh in the strings at times but not as bad as the Kleiber remasters. Excellent DR.
David Zinman Netherlands Chamber Orchestra J.C. Bach 15 Symphonies Overture to La Calamita Newton, 2011 2 CDs recorded 1974-1975; 1976-1977 These are excellent performances and recordings.
Rosemary Tuck makes the case for a few of Carl Czerny's concert compositions. Rosemary Tuck, piano English Chamber Orchestra Richard Bonynge Naxos, 2019
I'm not an expert on this either, but my understanding is the Shaded Dog's that are highly prized are the U.S. releases from the earliest days of stereo, starting in 1958 and going for several years after that, more or less ending with the introduction of Dynagroove. Isn't that about right, folks? What adds to the confusion is Canada kept using the Shaded Dog label after it had been discontinued in the U.S. The original U.S. release of the album you're talking about here was on RCA's White Dog label.
Now enjoying Schubert's second piano trio (I've always loved the second movement) from the above CD set. Gotta love these duo sets!
Now enjoying Schubert's Unfinished symphony. It's Sinopoli's earlier, mid-eighties recording. Dark and dramatic. Lovely.
Now playing CD2 from the following Philips twofer for a first listen ... @misterjones, Can't say I am too enamored with this twofer so far, as CD1 has a combo performance on harpsichord and fortepiano. I would have preferred the entire recording to be on either instruments but not switching between the two. IMHO, WTC's sound much better on regular piano. Now I am hearing organ on this track!
Jochum is much underrated IMHO as he was active during an era when there were many other outstanding conductors. I also have his Beethoven Symphonies cycle on Philips ...
No. Just...no. I’m sick and tired of these arrangements for Mahler’s music. These arrangements do not do any kind of justice to this man’s music.
I guess it might constitute a good tutorial on the differences between the instruments, but it would bother me if I just wanted to listen to the collection.