Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #24)

The set has been quite good. When MDT or Presto Classical runs sale on WarnerClassics, you can get a pretty good deal on the set ...

 

Didn't magnetic tape recording pioneered by BASF also have its origin in military application?

 

Good sound often is not equal to good performance ...

 

Tis true, though its Telefunken, I think, then Les Paul got a hold of one after WW2 and look what happened

 

With a twist of lime please!

 

Decca developed an 18-bit recorder when other companies still used Sony's 1610/1630 16-bit convertors. Antal Dorati's remake of The Rite of Spring with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra is sonically superior compared to similar recordings made around the same time. Having a locker full of good old microphones certainly helps.

 

No, the first recordings on tape that I'm aware of feature Sir Thomas Beecham back in 1934. The Neumann/Telefunken development of large diaphragm condenser microphones together with the Magnetophon recorder did result in the broadcast of Hitler's speeches from relatively remote locations via tape recordings. The fidelity was high enough as to confuse British and US intelligence concerns as regards the whereabout of "Der Führer."

 

By "best red-books" I meant the sound+performance (and often +price) combo. Nowadays I've become very picky with my purchases, so a pretty sounding coaster (be it SACD, DVD-A or CD) doesn't necessarily make for an essential purchase, but overall I love good performances in good sound.

And, IMO, the Decca catalog has a lot of them - personally, I find it a bit more attractive and consistent than both EMI and DG. There were uneven eras in the recording history of DG, while most of pretty old Decca recordings tend to have excellent balance and rather natural and vibrant sound.

 

This may make some sense - I often felt a kind of that "hi-rezish WOW factor" in the Decca productions which was absent in their contemporaries from other companies...

 

I'm still sorting this huge work....fourth play:

Messiaen
Turangalîla Symphony
François Weigel, piano
Thomas Bloch, ondes Martenot
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Antoni Wit

According to Messiaen it's pronounced "too-rahn-ger-lee-lah".

 

One must ration the honey lest it not taste so sweet.

 

A masterpiece and a great recording to boot.

 

Regarding Decca RBCDs-- is the old red book standard still employed by the Universal classical labels in new releases, or are the latter in some version or other of hi-res? I recently purchased Mitsuko Uchida's Philips recordings of the late Beethoven sonatas, and the sound knocked me out-- a far cry from brittle-sounding digital piano discs of old. Hard to believe they're standard PCM recordings.

 

You sure are a bunch of "Wild and Crazy Guys" ...

 

Currently spinning one of the greatest piano concertos of all time and possibly the best recording of it.

Prokofiev Third





Rumor has it that she learned the concerto by listening to her roommate practice it. Amazing.

 

Just placed an order on the following sets this evening ...

 

I am still on the fence with ordering some of those. Where is a good place to buy them? Thanks.

 

This could be big. Since we will be celebrating with recordings of Richter, I'll bring some vodka for a Russian toast.

 

..

 

Presto Classical, which has one of the lowest shipping costs from Europe

 

WOW...

Just finished my first listen to this CD:



VIVALDI - The Complete Works for Lute
Rolf Lislevand, lute (Auvidis/Astrée, E 8587)


I already had these same pieces on a CD by Dániel Benkö & the Liszt Ferenc Chamber Orchestra, Budapest (Lute Concertos & Trios, Hungaroton Classic, HCD 11978), and enjoyed it for the music, but this new (to me) CD by Lislevand - well, I have to say, "Wow"! The ensemble playing is so much more spirited. It almost felt like hearing the pieces for the first time, as cliched as that sounds. Although both discs share the same material, the total running time of the Lislevand is about 5 minutes shorter, so you know some of the tempos are quicker! But it's more than just that... there's a passion in the playing that I didn't feel from the Benkö.

For anyone who's curious about this one, the currently in-print version adds two Mandolin Concertos and is retitled Musica per Mandolino e Liuto, available on the Naïve label.

 

I don't know the Maazel in Pittsburgh. Let us know what you think. I have the Maazel Sibelius in Vienna on London. Maazel's Sibelius Symphony #3 in Vienna is considered one of the contenders by some.

 

Now playing CD1 from this set from my Chopin collection ...

 

Did anyone manage to see James Levine conduct the Met Orchestra at Carnegie Hall last Sunday afternoon? Evgeny Kissin performed Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Scherzo No. 2 as an encore.

 

Guaranteed to put a smile on your face!
Highly George Recommended....part of my collection thanx to Him!
I give it a EASY 5 stars!!