Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #42)

Thanks, I was hoping for some recommendations and will look out for some of these.

 

On original instruments, Gardiner (Philips) is very good.

 

Thanks.

 

Hope you get YouTube in your neck of the woods, this smokes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cao6WyF-61s

 

Thanks, I will check it out when I have my big PC running, the one that's connected to my audio system.

These two can be had very cheap:





Any of these worth it for a start?

 

That first one with the LSO is justifiably famous, a great performance informed by more historical awareness than most. It manages to be both dramatically intense and classically restrained. Haven't heard the later performance. As I recall, Davis re-recorded the work with the Concertgebouw for Philips, with better sound. But by all means get that first CD, it's a classic.

 

Thanks, I will order a copy of the Davis/LSO. 4 Euros for a used/very good copy seems worth a try.

 

Both great albums!

So is this one:


Thanks RRB!

Oh and Ditto on Peanuts!

 

This is the phenomenon I was thinking of -- that in a reverberant space a packed house will reduce the amount of reflected sound. I take it that in a more suitable space, whether through design or acoustic treatment, the difference is less of a factor.

The overall design goals and priorities are indeed different, though it's my sense (from only limited experience) that in dealing with acoustics and the problems of reflected sound many of the same principles apply.

Actually as I understand it there are sophisticated ways of studying acoustic problems objectively; I recently had the opportunity to witness an expert conduct a multi-day study of an arena, which generated a great deal of data, modeling, and so forth. It's fascinating stuff. But to what extent the application of these techniques actually succeeds in creating a more enjoyable experience in the end will of course be a matter of subjective personal opinion . . .

 

Sean, I sent you a PM.

 

Oh cool! I played the first side this morning (op. 2/1) and made some comparisons to my CD set. It wasn't too hard to tell after some listening how the LP set does not have the noise reduction that apparently was used in the transfers for the CD set. There were some trade-offs though; unfortunately in the fourth movement (fourth band) there was some distortion. Perhaps that's just due to the age of the records and with some more playing it'll sort itself out. I don't think it's due to a tracking issue with my stylus, though if there was a way to make sure of that I'd be interested to know it.

That sounds like a real nice deal.

I was struck by how many good deals there were to be had with classical LP's at this particular used record shop yesterday. Especially with operas. Many had boxes that looked a bit beat up, but the records themselves appeared to have been barely touched, if at all. By comparison the pop/rock stuff looked really roughed up (and sounds it too ).

It's more fun to be cheap. Finding things matters more.

 

Now playing the following CD, a recent arrival for a first listen ...

 

no, I did not know that. But it certainly makes sense of a lot of what I hear there.

 

There are. I have done a lot of reading on the subject. And apparently there is a small window for all the parameters of measured performance of concert halls that is regarded as basically the ideal acoustic. Disney Hall is one of a small handful of halls whose measurements fall within that small window.

To me the real marvel is that they managed to do that and create a hall where the view is so fantastic as well. And the dang thing looks great on the inside as well.....if you overlook the carpet and upholstery. That is shamefully tacky. My understanding is that Roy Disney Jr.'s wife was given the privilege of picking the fabric. Oh well, nothing is perfect.

 

Now playing CD1 - WTC I from the following set, a recent arrival for a first listen. This set is exactly what I need to get my hands on the WTC I & II by Leonhardt ...

 

#1, #1, you're my #1

It's in the original. My Naxos CD also has peak distortion in the finale of Op. 2, #1, not to mention a few 'clicks' that were less than completely removed. Your Angel LPs probably have a smoother presentation than the Naxos CDs as Angel used better source materials than Mark-Obert-Thorn. The EMI set was given a process, no high frequencies at all.

 

Now playing CD2 - WTC I from the following set, a recent arrival for a first listen ...

 

there were many good recordings in the Readers Digest series,produced in
England by Charles Gerhardt & very well recorded by Decca engineers like
the great Kenneth (K.E.) Wilkinson.i have some of the LP boxes,bought for as
little as $1/box,but the CDs i've been able to acquire give a better idea of
how good the sound really is.if only someone could reissue all of them in
budget CD boxes!

 

That album cover is a bit of a puzzler. My recollection was that he'd recorded the Symphonie Fantastique first with the RCO (late 70's?), for Philips, and then with the LSO only later on the orchestra's own label. Was there an even earlier recording with the LSO? The recording with the RCO is excellent, a classic, and quite well known, while the live one with the LSO was even more highly regarded by some when it was released. I have both and think they're great; I've never tried a direct comparison. The earlier one was one of the first classical CD's I ever owned.

 

I've still never seen it. I'd considered coming out to the LA area this month in fact, and would have tried to see something there, but it looks like it won't happen. Sometime soon I hope.

 

Very good to know, thanks for that.

 

Thanx Man!!
I just bought this one stupid cheap $2.99 ULN shipped!

 

I've been hang'in with you Guys too much here!

Here I already have 3 diff recordings of Berlioz Symphonie fantastique!
But hey this latest one is a HQ Audiophile Edition in 32Bit DDD!
For $3 how could I pass it up?
Can't wait to hear it to checkout the quality!

Kinda odd that the Dukas Ormandy offering don't show Berlioz on the cover.
But Berlioz Symphonie fantastique is on it.




NEW ---

 

A comment on amazon.de says that it's a recording from 1963. I'll add some details when my disc gets here.

 

Let us know what you think about it. I still wonder if the spelling of Audiofile on the cover is a typo or a clever pun referring to its all-digital production.