Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #14)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by George P, Aug 5, 2010.

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  1. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I have recordings by all the above artists except the ensemble that recorded for CPO. These are all excellent choices IMO. I am really not too gung ho about HIP. A mediocre ensemble performing on period instruments certainly is not too exciting. OTOH, ensembles such as the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, which performs on modern instruments, has produced some excellent recordings of baroque works. BTW, I am still not completely sold on HIP for the classical period, even though I do have the Complete Beethoven Symphonies by John Eliot Gardiner and Christopher Hogwood.
     
  2. Graphyfotoz

    Graphyfotoz Forum Classaholic

    Location:
    South-Central NY
    True nuff!!
    I had forgotten about those. :rolleyes:
    I have a buncha Jarvi......there are two of em right? Related?

    The once popular companies seem to be dropping like flies.
    A real disappointment IMHO...DG....Philips were HUGE when I first got into CD's. :shake:
     
  3. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    My thoughts were about Karajan too, although do we really need any more re-editions from his labels? KarajanBay eBay sells tons of them, and not so many are really worth SACD treatment.
     
  4. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Philips, the giant Dutch electronics company, has decided a few years back that its future should be in the hardware business and not in the music business. Philips used to own DG, London/Decca, Philips, etc. OTOH, Sony clearly believes in the music business and Sony and Philips together invented CD and then SACD. Go figure! :confused:
     
  5. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I have Karajan 1963 Beethoven Symphonies in SACD format and that is probably the only recordings that are worth SACD treatment.
     
  6. Graphyfotoz

    Graphyfotoz Forum Classaholic

    Location:
    South-Central NY
    While we are on the subject.....
    Can you please list the "Foreign" labels that are worth getting and the ones that are "Crap"?

    VAI....Iron Needle.....ect ect
     
  7. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Also, you may try this terrific bargain series. Some notable names, uniformly excellent playing and overall good 20-bit PCM sound (with a fake surround as a bonus). And the prices are sweeeet, especially at jpc.de! :righton:
     
  8. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Noway! Crap, indeed. They seem to like some cheap fake stereo effect for their mono transfers, which makes for veeery weird sounding CDs. Better avoid like a plague.
     
  9. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    :cheers:
     
  10. Graphyfotoz

    Graphyfotoz Forum Classaholic

    Location:
    South-Central NY
    So I hear from notables here at SHMF!
    It's really too bad about Iron Needle.....they seem to have some great OLDIES!
    If the quality was there ....imagine the possibilities!! GASP!!
     
  11. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Actually, I have only one CD from Iron Needle (it's Kreisler's Beethoven, see below) - and this was enough for me. There still exists a chance that they actually used some LP (not the original '78 mono vinyl) which already had that stupid fake stereo. Thus, other Iron needle CDs may be better. But I really doubt it, and anyway it was a dubious transferring choice.

    BTW, there is another similar Italian label called Grammofono 2000, which IS good - its transferring/mastering methods seem to be quite similar to those of Naxos (i.e. no fake stereo and quite moderate no-noising). I have a very nice 2CD set of vintage Traviata from them. :edthumbs:

    Edit: just did some search and here's quite symptomatic result. So stay away from those coasters!
     

    Attached Files:

  12. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    [​IMG]

    I second the recommendation for this splendid disc. I have yet to hear a recording/performance from that label that wasn't superb.
     
  13. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    We went over this on the old version of the Classical Forum I belong to. After much effort, I have located the list we compiled over there:

    The Good


    Marston, APR, Pearl, VAI, Arbiter, Music & Arts, Testament, Biddulph
    BBC Legends
    Naxos Historical
    Brilliant Classics
    Le Chant Du Monde, Praga- Mixed, though for Richter its legit
    Centaur
    Orfeo
    Archiv
    Tahra, Preiser, Opus Kura, Dutton, Symposium
    Live Classics
    Vanguard
    Metronome
    AS Disc CDs
    Vox (to date, exclusively LP)
    Parnassus (though source material is very early 50’s and quite primitive)


    The Bad (Pirated)


    Piano Library, Iron Needle, Grammofono 2000, Istituto Discografico Italiano, Classica d’Oro, Urania, Archipel
    Opera d'Oro, Andromeda, Documents, Arkadia, Dante, Strings.
    Memories
    AS Disc
    Ermitage
    Intaglio
    Eterna
    Nuova Era
    Stradivarius (most are pirate but one or two discs are late studio recordings [Bach] in which Richter gave his blessing to release)
     
  14. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    I have no clue as to what Iron Needle is. VAI is a good label if you are into historical recordings and it is big on DVD.

    Among the foreign labels, Harmonia Mundi, Glossa, Alia Vox, Gimell, Linn. Hyperion and BIS are all excellent labels. Since I have been seeking out less familiar works, these are great labels to deal with as the big boys are only interested in recording or re-releasing workhorse pieces and do not care to break any new grounds.
     
  15. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    Actually, some, if not all, of these may be kind of legit under the European law. Documents is an example, despite their CDs are a mixed bag (I have some, and masterings vary from decent to dreadfully no-noised). I mentioned above, that Grammofono 2000 makes some good CD transfers that are on par with Naxos (and, BTW, their CDs are being sold by CDUniverse, among other big e-tailers). Dante, IIRC, also used to make some decent transfers.

    Labels like Classica/Opera D'Oro seem to be a part of some corporate groups that may own some copyleft, usually utilize some second-rate (but mostly robust) performers and sell their CDs at supermarkets. I have one CD from Classica D'Oro - it's a good rendition of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, there's no "brand" names involved, but the CD itself is GOLD, it's actually 24-Karat-like - for some 5 bucks only. :goodie: :shh: :laugh:

    As for Eterna - not sure, what it actually is. There was a 100% legit East-German label with the same name.
     
  16. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Aside from the issue of them being legal or not is whether or not they do their own transfers of the performances and if they do good work with the transfers that they (legally or illegally) pass as their own. Often, the answer to both of these questions is no. Noise reduction is the norm, unfortunately.
     
  17. Bronth

    Bronth Active Member

    Location:
    Riga, Latvia
    In the case of Iron Needle, agreed. But after you've heard that spooky fake stereo monstrosity, excessive no-noising won't bother your laughing remains at all... :winkgrin:

    Grammofono 2000 seem to be completely from a different world though...
     
  18. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    I don't know about that. I hate no noising with a passion.

    One thing I will say is that some of those on the pirate list have splendid performances not available anywhere else. Ermitage comes to mind.
     
  19. Casino

    Casino Senior Member

    Location:
    BossTown
    Agree - I have a bunch of Mozart Concertos by I Musici on Archiv which are "molto bene" (I think they're among the best interpretations), but on the Brandenburgs, I Musici somehow didn't quite hack it.

    Have since obtained Pinnock's Brandenburg set (also on Archiv also, no less) and it does better the one by my paisani, I Musici.
     
  20. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Most English ensembles generally do a decent job on Brandenburg Concertos. Perhaps there is some cultural affinity?
     
  21. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Now playing CD8 from this set for a first listen ...

    [​IMG]
     
  22. coopmv

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

    Location:
    CT, USA
    Now playing CD3 - Chorale Preludes from this set for a first listen ...

    [​IMG]
     
  23. GreenDrazi

    GreenDrazi Truth is beauty

    Location:
    Atlanta, GA
    Playing this now. Such a terrific version.
     

    Attached Files:

  24. Interesting find Sunday, at one of the local thrift stores for $1.99.

    Gidon Kremer (Violin) / Christoph von Dohnány / Vienna Philharmonic - Philip Glass - Violin Concerto / Alftred Schnittke - Concerto Grosso No. 5
    DG - 1993

    [​IMG]

    This Columbia House Canada edition CD was pressed in Canada, by CINRAM.

    Didn't realize back in the day that Columbia House sold any "modern" classical CDs titles. Always thought they stuck to "Bach, Beethoven and the boys".
     
  25. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Listening to the nocturnes from that Marston 4 CD Chopin box and I must say, they are breathtaking. Poetic playing with lots of rubato.
     
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