Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #51)

Ironically, I am considering going multichannel so I can better enjoy the hundreds of 5.1 surround SACD titles in my collection. Since I have a number of spare amps, 3 extra speakers and the preamp/processor are all I need to add.

 

This decline has been going on for at least a decade. It appears it is not only limited to classical music, though the latter probably experiences the steepest decline of all genres ...

 

My first recording of the work and an "Open sesame" to classical music back in the spring of 1968. The orchestra is sloppy, the performance is dark and menacing. Argenta with the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra on Decca [mine's on STS] is nearly a Historically Informed performance, with strange sounding "French Brass" and curt phrasing. Munch with Boston is wonderfully well recorded and very crisp and forward pressing—it's in the RCA Living Stereo SACD series, grab it while you can. And Ormandy/Philadelphia is beautifully played and well recorded. All older versions, all have something in the playing that is now lost as the sound of orchestras becomes more consistent and less regional over time.

 

At first I read the title as "Kaspersky"... and that racket almost proved me right, so I double-checked if it's not a software forum. What does it sound like?

 

I think Argenta might be my all time favorite conductor.

 

That is one of the few 60s Red Seals I never saw.

 

The Mitropoulos Transfigured Night came out in stereo,too.It turns up quite a bit.

 

Any relation between this Argenta and the soprano Nancy Argenta?

 

This is a must have for this work.

 

No relation as far as I know. I don't knwo If Argenta, the conductor, had any children. He died prematurily from carbon monoxide poisoning. It was a very "stupid" death.

 

This LP is next on my list of future purchases.

 

Curious - I don't stream movies, but are they streamed in surround?

 

Spotify and MOG both claim 320 kbps for their premium service. Acceptable to me in many instances.

 

I haven't seen this one before. The last recording of the Symphonie Fantastique that I listened to was this:



This is with period instruments, it is definitely very interesting to hear but did not do much for me.

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Just finished enjoying Munch's Harold in Italy also available on SACD. As I've mentioned before, the appeal of Symphonie Fantastique eluded me for quite a while. The performance that really grabbed me Paray on MLP.

Also listened to the Rubinstein/Toscanini Beethoven 3rd.

 

That technology may become available in 2025 ...

 

Agreed, the regional character of the classical orchestras is mostly a thing of the past nowadays.

 

I'm not sure you even need a processor. As I understand it (from another thread), you plan to use the Oppo 105's DAC and send an analog signal to the pre-amp. I believe (and someone here please correct me if I'm wrong) if you do the processing in the preamp/processor the preamp will convert the signal back to digital processing and then reconverting back to analog. The Oppo can do the processing before the DAC.

I know from other threads that a lot of multi-channel preamps convert to digital in all events, but I think I've seen mention of some that offer pure analog.

 

looks like it became available 6 months ago.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/20...now-to-stream-movies-using-dts-surround-sound

Edit - or maybe 2010

http://www.webpronews.com/netflix-adds-dolby-surround-sound-to-streaming-content-2010-10

 

My top five of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique (no ranking):

1) Pierre Monteux - San Francisco SO 1945
2) Leonard Bernstein - NYP 1963
3) D. Mitropoulos - NYP 1957
4) Colin Davis - LSO 2000
5) Eduard van Beinum - Concertgebouw 1951

 

No love for Gardiner? I have only heard his and Norrington's, but I like the former quite a bit more.

 

Perhaps it is mostly surround experience in front of a desktop ...

 

It's not a feature I use, but the Oppo can stream from Netflix and other services. There's even a Netflix button on the remote. I think they were trying to get a deal with Amazon. My $100 Sony Blu-Ray can stream from a wide variety of services.

 

Amazon definitely wants to preempt Apple in the contents business. Hey, I don't even have an iPod and will never get one anyway.

 

On the contrary, I like Gardiner's version quite a lot. It was actually recorded at the same room where the premier took place and it is a very good HIP reading.
The main reason that it is not in my top list is because I find that these HIP recordings no matter how good they sound are more like historical exercises or very interesting time travel trips. I prefer the conductor to put his inner personal soul into his interpretation and not being a mere musical historian.

I know that many will disagree with this (Robin? ) but that's just how I feel.