1st Listen Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6, Marche Slave, Capriccio Italien, Mussorgsky Night on Bald Mountain, Dmitri Mitropoulos, New York Philharmonic, Disc #2, Sony Japan SACD: I love the diaphanous string sound in the doleful, mournful opening of the 1st movement (Adagio) of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 "Pathetique."I love the way that the recording engineers have captured sonic detail and instrumental texture and tone sounds very realistic. I love the zest and passion that I hear from the New York Philharmonic brass players. I love Maestro Mitropoulos ear for sonic balance and texture. I hear a great deal of passion, emotion and spirit in the interpretation. Once again, I can hear the influence of Mitropoulos on Leonard Bernstein. I love the sense of elan and lilt that I hear in the 2nd movement (Allegro con grazia). The high spirits and animation that I hear in this movement create a great sense of contrast with the first movement. I like the way that Mitropoulos and his New York Philharmonic players handles this (important) transition. I love the way that they interpret the waltz rhythm in this movement. I love the way the recording engineers have captured the performance (allowing me to hear even the most minute details). The interpreters take care of the rest with a performance of extraordinary scope and (interpretive) depth. I love the high spirits, the sense of joie de vivre (from all the players) in the 3rd movement (Allegro molto vivace). The sense of joy (in the interpretation) sounds infectious. I can't help dancing along with the music in my seat! I love the way that Mitropoulos and his New York Philharmonic players interpret the march rhythm that underlies this movement. I love the way that Mitropoulos (and his players) interpret the change of mood that marks the mournful, concluding 4th movement (Adagio lamentoso). Mitropoulos interpretation sounds very, very personal...he communicates Tchaikovsky's message authentically and forcefully. I am delighted by the beauty and the emotion and the complexity and the layering that I hear in Mitropoulos interpretation. I love the incisiveness that I hear in Mitropoulos interpretation of Tchaikovsky's "Pathetique". The performance does not dawdle or over-egg. I hear profound emotion in the interpretation without excess or maudlin qualities. The interpretation works beautifully (on multiple levels). The Pathetique was recorded on November 11, 1957 at the St. George Hotel Ballroom in Brooklyn, New York. The recording was produced by Howard Scott of Columbia Records. This stereo recording of Tchaikovsky's Slave March dates from the same recording session as the Pathetique. I love the diaphanous quality that I hear in the string tone. I love the emotion and passion and excitement that I hear in the interpretation. I love the brass fanfare that opens the Capriccio Italien. Once again I am struck by the beauty of sound that the recording engineers have captured and also struck by the passion and excitement that I hear in the interpretation. I love the latin flair that Mitropoulos and his New York Philharmonic players bring out in this music. I am inspired to get up from my seat and dance! This was recorded April 22, 1957 at Columbia's 30th Street (Manhattan) Studios. I love the drama and the sense of the macabre that I hear in Mitropoulos interpretation of Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain." I love the way that he and his New York Philharmonic players capture the diabolical mood of the piece! I love the way that Mitropoulos gets at the psychological underpinnings of the music. This (interpretation) sounds spectral, otherworldly and downright spooky and also spectacular! The recording engineers have captured a huge dynamic range and a very natural sounding sonic image. Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain was taped on November 11, 1957 in the Saint George Hotel Ballroom, Brooklyn, New York. Andreas K. Meyer and Jennifer Nulsen and their team of music restoration experts at Swan Studios New York have once again turned back time...giving us astonishingly fresh and modern sounding masterings of these classic recordings that have simply never sounded better! I cannot recommend this important, historic set of 3 SACDs highly enough and I cannot thank Sony Japan enough for bringing these recordings back!
Was Pentatone releasing SACDs of their new recordings? I don't have too many of these, my favorite for performances (and made my best of the year I bought it) is Francesco Piemontesi's Schubert CD. I found the mastering on their SACD reissues of older music to be a bit peculiar. edit: thanks for all the posts on the Mitropoulos, I've been a big fan of several of his Mahler symphonies, unfortunately not in very good transfers for the ones I have.
Yes...up until very recently, Pentatone was releasing everything on SACD Hybrid discs. Then around 2018 or so, they started quietly releasing CD-only recordings. They do little to market or publicize the CD-only recordings and based on what I have seen, the CD-only recordings don't stay in print long.
Currently listening to Brahms Cellos Sonatas, Tilmann Wick, cello, Pascal Devoyon, piano, Audite SACD: I love the attack and the joie de vivre that I hear in the opening of the 1st movement (Allegro vivace) of Brahms Cello Sonata No. 2. I am also struck by the transparent, realistic sound of this Audite SACD recording. Mr. Wick and Mr. Devoyon sound like they are in the room with me. I like the balance that the recording engineers have struck between both artists. Neither instrument seems to overpower the other. Moreover, I hear a strong connection and rapport between the soloists. They seem to anticipate one another. It's like they think, breath and react as one. I love the rich, buttery tone that Tillman Wick creates in his cello playing. I love the way that he combines this beauty of tone with a great deal of passion and emotion in his interpretation. Pascal Devoyon, responds (to the cello parts) with equal passion and commitment. I love the intensity of the dialogue that develops between these artists. I love the reflective, contemplative qualities that I hear from both artists in the opening of the 2nd movement (Adagio effectuoso). Mr. Wick's pizzicato playing throughout sounds tremendously effective. I love the way the players handle the dialogue that develops (in this movement) between the cello and the piano. They create a mood of soulfulness and romance. I hear a glowing, incandescent quality to the playing that sounds exquisite. I love the passion that I hear from the players in the 3rd movement (Allegro passionato). I hear the same soulful quality (in the delivery) that I heard in the first two movements. I love the way that the players interpret the strong rhythms in this movement. I can't help but bob my head along with the music. I feel very moved by the performance. I love the delivery of rhythm in the 4th movement (Allegro molto) as well. This sounds so foot-tapping! I continue to be struck by the strong rapport that I hear between the soloists. I want to rise to my feet with applause at the conclusion! I love the way the players interpret the melancholy melody that opens the 1st movement (Allegro non troppo) of Brahms Cello Sonata No. 1. I love the soul and passion that I hear in their interpretation! This music (when played well as it is here) always sounds like it's speaking to me. It's not music that I just enjoy but it seems to call out to me and communicate personal meaning. I feel included in the (musical) conversation! I love the way that the players interpret the dancing rhythms in the 2nd movement (Allegretto quasi Menuetto). I love the soul and emotion that I hear from the soloists and the wonderful sense of rapport and connection (that they create). I love the soul and passion that I hear from Mr. Wick and Mr. Devoyon in the 3rd movement (Allegro). I cannot help but head bob along (with the music). I love the commitment and attack that I hear from the soloists. They seem to hold nothing back! I hear a very moving intensity in their playing. They sound inspired! The wonderful sonic presentation that I hear in this recording is something of a trademark of Audite. Their SACD recordings have brought me tremendous joy over the years and this recording of Brahms Cello Sonatas (released in 2004) is no exception!
Major brain lapse on my part, I always associated that gold/silver banner on the side of the discs with reissues. I completely forgot I have Julia Fischer in the Mozart Violin Concertos that I like quite a bit.
Julia Fischer seemed to do so much better (recording-wise) when she was with Pentatone. They supported her (early) career with a healthy number of recordings that I feel really show-cased her talent and brought her playing to a wider audience. Then she jumped ship. I don't know how much money DG offered her to record for them, but I am sure it was a big wad of cash. Since joining DG though, her recordings have dried up. She seems to have gotten lost in DGs (overly large) roster of contracted artists. I feel that Pentatone did much the same (kick-start their careers) with many other artists (such as Martin Helmchen, Arabella Steinbacher, Denis Kozhukin, Johannes Moser, Andres Orozco-Estrada, Nareh Arghamanyan, & Kevin Short). Some artists have stayed with the label and some have moved on to (so-called) greener pastures. Pentatone Original SACD Recordings (separate from the Re-issues): HRAudio.net - Discs by Label
I have to agree with you. Pentatone seems to have a significant difference in the way they approach new recordings vs remastering older ones. The former I find good and the latter mostly disappointing. I wonder if they are unaware of getting the original mastertape vs some production tape. I was disappointed in a DG reissue they did, noted upthread, and it seemed that they did not get a very good source for it. Their remasters of older recordings seems to have the same gray background color on the front cover.
Just my speculation here, I think their SACD reissues were focused on multichannel. When playing back the MCH they sounded more tonally even and balanced. But since I only use the HT for films, very occasionally some fun music like pop/rock discrete surround mixes this made the Pentatone SACD reissues of older music a no go for me.
@hvbias thank you for recommending this! I am listening to it now. I was not able to find the XRCD version but I did find a copy of the original (Japan) Victor CD from a seller in Poland! I received it yesterday.
Hmmm...haven't seen this thread before. I'll need to compile a list of my classical SACDs...it's fairly substantial, but I've never attempted to document them comprehensively before.
1st Listen, Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 1-9, Disc 4, Symphonies Nos. 5 & 7, Schmidt- Isserstedt & the Vienna Philharmonic, Tower Japan SACD: In my mind it is hard thinking about or listening to this combo without comparing it Carlos Kleiber's version. I remember the Kleiber recordings being driven almost to a frenzy. That's not the case here. I am trying to take these recordings on their own merit. I love the orchestral sound but I could have done with a tad more drama and urgency in the first movement of the 5th. I am onto the second movement of the 5th now and I am once again appreciating the orchestral sound. This (realism) seems to be a specialty of the Decca recording team. The timber of the Vienna strings and woodwinds sounds very beautiful. I don't remember the Kleiber recording sounding like this. Yet, I do remember more urgency from Kleiber's recording. I am liking the declamations of the Vienna brass in the opening of the 3rd movement. I hear more of the urgency that I missed in the first two movements. I am liking the percussive playing of the woodwinds and the pizzicato strings in this movement. I hear urgency and passion in the opening of the finale of the 5th. The Vienna brass are making a distinctive (and beautiful) contribution. I hear nice rhythm. The interpretation sounds rhythmic without being over driven. This sounds like the most exciting movement in the whole symphony. Those Vienna woodwinds are really having fun. Now the 1st movement of the 7th has begun. I like the strong rhythms and the contribution of the Vienna woodwinds. I hear both excitement and momentum in this movement. I like the bite, the resin and muscle in the Vienna strings. They lend the movement power and heft (qualities that are missing from many HIP performances). The Vienna woodwinds add lively accents to the proceedings. I am listening to the 2nd movement, the slow movement now. It sounds like an elegy. It puts me in mind of Barber's Adagio for Strings. I always think of this music as Karl's music because it was used so effectively to express Karl Beethoven's grief and despair in the movie, "Immortal Beloved." The orchestra also bring out the strong rhythms in the 3rd movement. I am liking the contribution of the Vienna woodwinds. There are moments where the contributions of individual instruments are so distinctive that this could be a Concerto. I can hear individual instrumental lines clearly. The Finale opens with a great deal of excitement and strong rhythms. Again the Vienna brass are making a distinctive contribution, as are the Vienna woodwinds and timpani. I hear strong momentum, a sense of movement that pulses from the beating rhythm of the piece. I can't help but snap my fingers along with the music. I love the sense of nobility and fun in the interpretation.
1st Listen Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6, George Szell, the Cleveland Orchestra, Disc 3 (of five) from the complete set, Sony Japan SACD: I got this set for Christmas (2020). I have the CDs of these recordings. They are so sonically compromised and smudged that they are virtually unlistenable. I used to wonder if the CD producers selected the absolute worst sounding masters they could find to digitize. Then in 1999, Sony released a single layer SACD of Szell's recording of the Eroica that sounded dramatically better than the CD version. So, when Sony decided to do new DSD transfers in 2016 (in preparation for the release of the Szell big box), I was intrigued to find out if all the Szell Beethoven recordings would be restored sonically in the same way that the Eroica had been in 1999. Listening to track 1 of Disc 3, the Allegro con Brio opening of Symphony No. 5, the difference seems like night and day! The CDs sound fatally smudged, full of distortion and dropouts but I don't hear any of that now in this new SACD transfer. I can finally enjoy the interpretation without sonic artifacts distracting me! The music making now reminds me of Szell's (excellent) recording of the Schumann Symphonies. I hear careful attention to line and balance. I hear the same attention to detail in the 2nd movement, Andante con moto. I am loving the brass fanfares that open the 3rd movement, Scherzo. All the choirs sound especially clear and distinct. I can follow the woodwind parts, the string parts, the timpani and the brass parts and the realization of all the parts together sounds unusually coherent. I love the way Szell handles the bridge link into the Finale, Allegro. I hear a sense of joy, excitement and thrust in the interpretation that once again seems to anticipate the historically informed practice that had not really gotten started in 1963 when Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra taped this recording. I feel like I am in the room (Severance Hall) with the orchestra. I love the pep and zest in Szell's interpretation. The first movement of the "Pastoral" also opens with sprightly, well sprung rhythms. This is putting me in mind of my favorite interpretations (from Walter and Bohm) and I can't get over how clean and modern sounding this sounds...like it was recorded yesterday. The string sonority sounds rich and beautifully burnished. It's a very central european type sonority that is putting me in mind of the Gewandhaus or the Dresden Staatskapelle. I am dancing along with the music (in my seat) as I listen. I can't help it. The Cleveland woodwinds are really making a lovely sounding contribution to the performance. I love the beautiful lilt and rhythmic sway in the opening of the 2nd movement. I love Szell's attention to detail, his careful control of sonic balances and his ear for rhythm and texture. It's incredibly refreshing. The superb playing of the Cleveland woodwind section continues to command my attention and to delight me at every turn and in every phrase. The music makes me want to get up and dance. I can imagine ballet dancers dancing to these strong rhythms. I wonder if any choreographer has ever set (dance) choreography to this music. I love the strong rhythms that open the 3rd movement and contribution of the brass and woodwind choirs continues to enthrall me. I love the rich, burnished string sonority. I love the bite and projection of the Cleveland brass. I love the drama and passion in the storm sequence. I am getting chills. The drum rolls sound spectacular! The storm passes just as quickly as it came. I love the way the music portrays the way the clouds clear away and sun shines out again! This sequence defines romanticism for me. The power of music to evoke...anything. I love the way Szell handles the bridge link into the Finale. I love they way he (and the Cleveland Orchestra) handles rhythm. I can't help but to seat dance (and head bob) along with the music. I love the zesty accents from the Cleveland brass. This (interpretation) sounds incredibly moving. These recordings have been transformed! The DSD remastering was done in 2016 by Andreas K. Meyer of Meyer Media LLC on behalf of Sony Japan (and on behalf of humanity as a whole). I cannot praise Mr. Meyer enough!
1st Listen Beethoven Symphony No. 9, Cleveland Orchestra, Disc #5 from the complete set, Sony Japan SACD: The woodwind playing in the opening movement, Allegro ma non troppo, is really standing out to me, as is the bite and rasp of the brass instruments. I like Szell's way with the orchestral balances. I see that this was taped in 1961 and the late Robert Shaw (a highly underrated conductor in his own right) was the choral director. I am really appreciating the cleanliness of the recorded sound (which I do not remember from previous digital versions of this recording). The woodwinds sound striking (and involved) in the opening of the 2nd movement, Molto vivace, too. The brass choir are also making a distinctive (and much appreciated) contribution. I am appreciating the drum parts, the string parts...the way all the choirs interact and create dialogue sounds very exciting and involving. I feel like I am in the room with the players. The 3rd movement, Adagio, sounds tender and expressive (contradicting Szell's reputation of being an uptight, overly rigid martinet). The Cleveland woodwinds continue to make a very enjoyable contribution to the performance. I like the way Szell keeps things moving. This performance does not dawdle. The Finale, opens with a sense of drama and expectation. I like the way the Cleveland strings are playing the "Ode to Joy" theme...and now the Cleveland woodwinds have taken up the "Ode to Joy" theme. The soloists and chorus are now making a dramatic and enjoyable contribution (I would expect no less with Robert Shaw at the helm). The hurdy-gurdy does not make an impact here though. I look for the hurdy-gurdy in this section and I can't hear it here. The rest of the instruments and choirs can be heard quite well though. If I am not mistaken, I can hear Robert Shaw's voice very faintly in the background coaching his singers in the beginning of the final choral section. This is a very transparent (and clean) sounding recording...far, far more so than I ever remember it being in previous (digital) iterations. The DSD remastering was done in 2016 by Andreas K. Meyer of Meyer Media LLC, who has wrought yet another sonic miracle! The recording has never sounded better.
1st Listen Mahler Symphony No. 1, Bruno Walter & the Columbia Symphony Orchestra West Coast (Los Angeles Philharmonic), Disc 1 from the Box Set, Sony Japan SACD: I like the hushed intensity in the opening of the 1st movement. As in many Bruno Walter performances, there are (many) moments that startle. I hear great layering of the soundstage that gives a very convincing illusion of live performance. The recording sounds very dynamic (and modern). I like the sense of excitement in the opening of the 2nd movement. I love the crisp cymbal crashes in the concluding bars. I am really enjoying Walter's way with Mahler. The funeral march that opens the 3rd movement sounds extraordinary in Walter's hands. He really seems to dig into the psychology (and cultural context) of the music. I love the Jewish Folk Melodies in the development section...makes me want to get up and dance. I love the harps. The harp parts are putting me in mind of the Adagietto of the 5th Symphony. I love Walter's mastery of the subtleties in the music, his careful control of orchestral balance and the way he weaves all the choirs together. I love the sense of excitement in the opening of the Finale. I love the contribution of the Los Angeles woodwinds. I love the brass parts. I am hearing musical lines and parts that sound like they are jumping off the score (and into the room with me)! I hear a great deal of patience and care and attention to a myriad of details (that few other interpreters seem to notice). I am hearing ideas and phrases in Bruno Walter's interpretation that I don't believe I have heard before. It's a very complete (and beautifully realized) conception. The piece (in Walter's hands) sounds newly minted and utterly original. What an extraordinary interpretation! The disc concludes with the Lieder Eines Fahrenden Gesellen sung by Mezzo-Soprano Mildred Miller. She sounds like she is in the room with me! This was taped in February 1961 in American Legion Hall, Hollywood, California. For a recording taped 60 years ago, this sounds fresh as a spring daisy. I feel like I could walk on-stage and shake Bruno Walter's hand. It's extraordinary! The pieces were transferred from the original analog mastertapes and remastered to DSD by Andreas K. Meyer and Swan Studios New York in 2020. I continue to be amazed by their work!
1st Listen Mahler Symphony No. 7 Bernstein & the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Sony Japan SACD: This is a work that has long mystified me. It almost sounds like Richard Strauss, but then it is full of references to earlier Mahler pieces, reminding me that it can't possibly be Strauss. I have never been sure what the work is trying to say. It's full of beautiful interludes that don't add up, sentences that seem to start but never quite finish, and thoughts and ideas that are suggested but are never made clear. Is that the point? I feel like I am missing something. I love the playing of the New York Philharmonic in this recording...I don't know what choir to start praising first...the woodwinds sound particularly engaged...they are tearing into this piece...the brass players too...they have a lot to do and seem to savor their parts...the strings as well...the harp players...the bell players...the timpani players...they are sinking their teeth deeply into this work. Mahler has created a gargantuan orchestral canvas for the players to paint in. They fill that canvas with rich colors, textures, details, ideas and images. I am hearing quotations from earlier Mahler Symphonies in the 1st movement (of Symphony No. 7)...lots of them...but I can't follow them as well as I did in the earlier works...they seem out of context...I keep wondering, what is Mahler trying to say with these quotations? The quotes are definitely putting me in mind of the earlier "Wunderhorn" Symphonies...that I identify strongly with. I am hearing (re-worked) sections of Mahler's 3rd Symphony in this first movement of Mahler's 7th Symphony. There are so many gorgeous moments, gorgeous motifs, lovely ideas...I am just struggling to follow these ideas...struggling to follow Mahler's logic...where is he going with all of this? The 2nd movement is opening quizzically with a horn solo, which is now being answered by the woodwinds...they are clearly having a dialogue of some sort...but in an alien language. I am hearing another (re-worked) quote from Mahler's 3rd Symphony...actually a series of quotations. I am actually hearing a little more deeply into this symphony than I have before. I usually stay at surface level but I feel I am diving a little deeper now. It is a rich, imaginative and evocative sound world that I find myself entering...the more I listen...the more I recognize Mahlerisms...this is not Strauss. I like the drum solo that opens the 3rd movement. The music seems to be saying something important. I am hearing a wonderful dialogue between various choirs. Those woodwinds sound delicious...the strings too...I am hearing mini-solos...individual voices that are standing out. This 3rd movement is capturing my imagination. I can't concentrate to write because I am so intrigued. The music sounds strikingly modern in this movement. I hear echoes of Stravinsky (or perhaps it was Stravinsky who echoed Mahler). The 4th movement has opened in a pastoral mood...it's a lovely, lilting Mahler adagio (andante amoroso)...creating a very Viennese "Fin de Siecle" mood...with some modern sonic touches as well...more echoes of Stravinsky...I am hearing...a chinese melody...being played on a chinese stringed instrument (or a modern western instrument being played in the style of a chinese stringed instrument) and now the Viennese lilt has returned...the harps add a nice ethereal touch...there are just so many instruments...no instrument or choir is being left out...and here is that chinese instrument again...more gorgeous woodwind playing...the woodwinds are really outdoing themselves...now I am hearing a quotation from Mahler's Symphony No. 4...ending with a clarinet solo. The 5th movement (Finale) opens with a drum solo...really evocative playing from the orchestra...the music is full of Mahlerisms...more quotations from earlier Mahler Symphonies...this movement is really evoking of the spirit of the "Wunderhorn" Symphonies. I am loving the mood of triumph and joy in the music. My feet are tapping. This recording is moving me more than any other recording of the piece ever has. This is challenging music for sure but Bernstein and the NYPO are really opening it up to me, allowing me to hear and experience it more deeply and more fully than I ever have before. The players seem to be in heaven and are fully engaged and committed to this music. Their joy is infectious. The bells are going nuts. Every choir is making joyful music. Mahler sure knows how to end a symphony! Well I started off mystified but over the course of listening, my appreciation and understanding of this piece has simply blossomed! Wow. Thank you Leonard Bernstein and thank you New York Philharmonic (players) for making this music accessible to me for the first time. Shout out to Andreas K. Meyer, who did the analog to DSD remastering. This sounds spectacularly good. I would never know this was recorded in 1965 because the recording sounds so fresh and modern. I have been deeply impressed with Mr. Meyer's work in remastering other Sony recordings (Bruno Walter, George Szell, Eugene Ormandy...) and this recording comes from the same school of careful, considerate and loving restoration. I must also thank David Hurwitz. I never would have bought this recording without his nudging.
Here is the initial list I pulled together. I probably own another few dozen or so, but didn't like them enough to digitize them (having these listed in a file system made cataloguing them a lot easier.) The best sounding discs that also feature good performances, I highlighted. Bach – 4 Orchestral Suites (Pearlman, Boston Baroque, Telarc) Bach – 5 Brandenburg Concertos, 4 Orchestral Suites (Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan, BIS) Bach – Brandenburg Concertos 1-4 (Fasolis, I Barrochisti, Arts) Bach – Brandenburg Concertos 5 & 6; Triple Concerto (Fasolis, I Barrochisti, Arts) Bach – Harpsichord Concertos (Cera, Fasolis, I Barrochisti, Arts) Bach – Mass in B minor (Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan, BIS) Bach – Orchestral Suites (Fasolis, I Barrochisti, Arts) Bach – The Art of Fugue (Savall, Hesperion X, Alia Vox) Bach – Violin Concertos (Hahn, Kahane, LACO, DG) Bach – Violin Concertos (Szeryng, Marriner, Decca) Bartok – Concerto for Orchestra (Reiner, CSO, Analogue Productions-RCA) Bartok – Concerto for Orchestra (Solti, LSO, Decca) Bartok – Concerto for Orchestra etc. (Kubelik, Ozawa, BSO, Pentatone) Bartok – Concerto for Orchestra, etc. (Reiner, CSO, RCA) Bartok – Concerto for Orchestra, Music for Strings (Karajan, BPO, Esoteric-EMI) Bartok – Concerto for Orchestra; Miraculous Mandarin (Boulez, NYPO, Sony) Bartok – Violin Concertos (Steinbacher, Janowski, OSR, Pentatone) Bartok, Kodaly – Orchestral Works (Mackerras, SCO, Linn) Beethoven – 5 Piano Concertos (Backhaus, Isserstedt, VPO, Warner-Decca) Beethoven – 5 Piano Concertos (Gulda, Stein, VPO, Decca SHM) Beethoven – 9 Symphonies (Cluytens, BPO, Tower-Warner) Beethoven – 9 Symphonies (Isserstedt, VPO, Tower-Decca) Beethoven – 9 Symphonies (Jochum, LSO, Tower-Warner) Beethoven – 9 Symphonies (Karajan, BPO [1963], DG) Beethoven – 9 Symphonies (Karajan, BPO [1977], DG) Beethoven – 9 Symphonies (Kempe, MPO, Esoteric-EMI) Beethoven – 9 Symphonies (Szell, CO, EMI) Beethoven – 9 Symphonies (Vanska, Minnesota Orch, BIS) Beethoven – Emperor Concerto, Schumann – Piano Concerto (Van Cliburn, Reiner, CSO, RCA) Beethoven – Eroica Variations, Sonatas 21 & 23 (Gilels, Esoteric-DG) Beethoven – Late String Quartets (3CD Tokyo, Harmonia Mundi) Beethoven – Overtures (Cluytens, BPO, Tower-Warner) Beethoven – Piano Concertos (Gilels, Szell, CO, EMI) Beethoven – Piano Concertos (Kempff, Leitner, BPO, DG) Beethoven – Piano Concertos 3-5 (Mackerras, Pizarro, SCO, Linn) Beethoven – Piano Sonatas 1 – 17 (Backhaus, Decca) Beethoven – Piano Sonatas 18 – 32 (Backhaus, Decca) Beethoven – Piano Sonatas 28 & 29 (Pollini, Esoteric-DG) Beethoven – Piano Sonatas 30-32 (Pollini, Esoteric-DG) Beethoven – String Quartets (partial SACD set) (Prazak, Praga) Beethoven – String Quartets op. 59 (2CD Tokyo, Harmonia Mundi) Beethoven – String Quartets opp. 74 & 95 (Tokyo, Harmonia Mundi) Beethoven – Symphonies 1 & 4 (Kubelik, Pentatone) Beethoven – Symphonies 1, 5, 6, 7 & 9 (Reiner, CSO, RCA) Beethoven – Symphonies 2 & 5 (Kubelik, Pentatone) Beethoven – Symphonies 5 & 7 (Kleiber, VPO, DG, SHM Japan) Beethoven – Symphonies 5 & 7 (Kleiber, VPO, DG) Beethoven – Symphonies 6, 7 & 8 (Kubelik, Pentatone) Beethoven – Symphony No.7 (Fischer, BFO, Channel) Beethoven – Symphony No.7 (Kleiber, Bavarian SO, Orfeo) Beethoven – Symphony No.9 (Kubelik, Pentatone) Beethoven – Violin Concerto (Oistrakh, Cluytens, ONRF, EMI) Beethoven – Violin Concerto, Romances (Szeryng, Isserstedt, Decca) Beethoven – Violin Concerto, Triple Concerto; Brahms – Double Concerto (Schneiderhan, Fricsay, et al, Tower-DG) Beethoven & Mendelssohn – Violin Concertos (Munch, Heifetz, BSO, RCA) Beethoven, Bruch – Violin Concertos (Grumiaux, Davis, Wallberg, Philips) Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky – Violin Concertos (Kogan, Tower-EMI) Berlioz – Harold en Italie (Primrose, Munch, RCA) Berlioz – Symphonie Fantastique (C.Davis, RCO, Decca SHM) Berlioz – Symphonie Fantastique (C.Davis, RCO, Pentatone) Berlioz – Symphonie Fantastique (Cluytens, PO, Tower-Warner) Berlioz – Symphonie Fantastique (Kempe, BPO, Tower-Warner) Berlioz – Symphonie Fantastique (Munch, BSO, 1954, RCA) Berlioz – Symphonie Fantastique (Paray, DSO, MLP) Berlioz – Symphonie Fantastique, Harold en Italie, etc. (Munch, BSO [1962], RCA-Sony) Berlioz – Symphonie Fantastique; Brahms – Symphony No.1 (Munch, Orch. Paris, Erato) Brahms – 4 Symphonies (Szell, CO, EMI) Brahms – Clarinet Sonatas; Clarinet Trio (Frost, Pontinen, Thedeen, BIS) Brahms – Double Concerto; Bruch – Violin Concerto (Oistrakh, Fournier, Galliera, Matacic, Warner) Brahms – Piano Concerto No.1; Franck – Symphonic Variations; Litolff – Scherzo (Curzon, Szell, Boult, LSO, LPO, Decca) Brahms – Piano Concerto No.2 (Backhaus, Bohm, VPO, Decca) Brahms – Piano Concertos 1 & 2 (Gilels, Jochum, BPO, Tower-DG) Brahms – Piano Concertos; Mozart: Piano Concertos 19 & 20 (Serkin, Szell, CO, Sony) Brahms – String Quartets & Quintets (3CD Prazak, Praga) Brahms – Symphonies (Barbirolli, VPO, EMI) Brahms – Symphonies (Jochum, LPO, Tower-Warner) Brahms – Symphonies (Kempe, MPO, Tower) Brahms – Symphonies (Kertesz, VPO, Tower-Decca) Brahms – Symphonies (Klemperer, PO, Warner) Brahms – Symphonies (Sanderling, SKD, Tower-Denon) Brahms – Symphonies 1 & 3; Tragic Overture (Karajan, VPO [1959, 1961], Decca) Brahms – Symphonies, Overtures (Kempe, BPO, Tower-Warner) Brahms – Symphony No.1 (Bohm, BPO, DG SHM) Brahms – Symphony No.1 (Skrowaczewski, Yomiuri Nippon Orch, Denon) Brahms – Symphony No.2 (Skrowaczewski, Yomiuri Nippon Orch, Denon) Brahms – Symphony No.3 (Skrowaczewski, Yomiuri Nippon Orch, Denon) Brahms – Symphony No.4 (Kleiber, VPO, Esoteric-DG) Brahms – Symphony No.4 (Skrowaczewski, Yomiuri Nippon Orch, Denon) Brahms – Violin Concerto (Heifetz, Reiner, CSO, Analogue Productions) Brahms – Violin Concerto (Oistrakh, Klemperer, PO, Tower-Warner) Brahms – Violin Concerto (Oistrakh, Szell, CO, Esoteric-EMI) Brahms – Violin Concerto, Double Concerto (Oistrakh, Rostropovich,Szell, EMI) Brahms, Lalo – Violin Concertos (Kogan, Tower-EMI) Brahms, Tchaikovsky – Violin Concertos (Heifetz, Reiner, CSO, RCA) Bruch – Scottish Fantasy; Hindemith – Violin Concerto (Oistrakh, Horenstein, Decca) Bruch, Sibelius – Violin Concertos (Chung, Previn, LSO, Esoteric-Decca) Bruckner – Symphonies 7 & 8 (Bohm, VP, Tower-DG) Bruckner – Symphony No.4 (Bavarian SO, Nagano, Sony) Bruckner – Symphony No.4 (Blomstedt, LGO, Figaro) Bruckner – Symphony No.4 (Bohm, VPO, Decca) Bruckner – Symphony No.4 (Wand, BPO, RCA) Bruckner – Symphony No.5 (Blomstedt, LGO, Figaro) Bruckner – Symphony No.5 (Jochum, RCO, Philips) Bruckner – Symphony No.5 (Wand, BPO, RCA) Bruckner – Symphony No.7 (Blomstedt, LGO, Figaro) Bruckner – Symphony No.7 (Haitink, CSO, CSO Resound) Bruckner – Symphony No.7 (Wand, BPO, RCA) Bruckner – Symphony No.8 (Blomstedt, LGO, Figaro) Bruckner – Symphony No.8 (Wand, BPO, RCA) Bruckner – Symphony No.9 (Blomstedt, LGO, Figaro) Bruckner – Symphony No.9 (Wand, BPO, RCA) Debussy & Ravel – String Quartets (Parkanyi Quartet, Praga) Debussy, Ravel & Faure – Piano Trios (Florestan, Hyperion) Dvorak - Symphonies 8 & 9 (Fischer, BFO, Philips) Dvorak - Symphonies 8 & 9 (Kubelik, BPO, DG SHM) Dvorak – Cello Concerto (Starker, Dorati, MLP) Dvorak – Cello Concerto; Beethoven – Cello Sonata op.69 (Fournier, Szell, BPO, Gulda, Esoteric-DG) Dvorak – Symphonies 8 & 9 (Szell, CO, Sony) Dvorak – Symphony No. 9 (Reiner, CSO, RCA) Dvorak – Symphony No.7; Smetana – Die Moldau (Szell, CO, Sony) Dvorak – Symphony No.9 (Kertesz, VPO, Esoteric-Decca) Dvorak, Elgar – Cello Concertos (Fournier, Szell, Wallenstein, BPO, Tower-DG) Dvorak, Walton – Cello Concertos (Piatgorsky, Munch, BSO, RCA) Franck – Symphony in Dm; Stravinsky: Petrouchka (Monteux, BSO, RCA) Grieg – Piano Concerto, etc. (Gimse, RSNO, Engeset, Naxos) Hindemith, Reger – Clarinet Quintets (Soltan, Utrecht, MDG) Holst – The Planets (Karajan, VPO, Decca) Janacek – Orchestral Works vol.1 (Gardner, Bergen, Chandos) Janacek – Orchestral Works vol.2 (Gardner, Bergen, Chandos) Lalo, Saint-Saens, Ravel etc. - Works for Violin & Orch (Grumiaux, Tower-Decca) Mahler – 10 Symphonies (Zinman, TZ, RCA) Mahler – Das Lied von der Erde (Klemperer, PO, Esoteric-EMI) Mahler – Symphonies 2, 4, 7 & 9, Das Lied von der Erde (Klemperer, PO, NPO, Tower-Warner) Mahler – Symphony No.1 (Haitink, CSO, CSO Resound) Mahler – Symphony No.5 (Abbado, BPO, DG) Mahler – Symphony No.6 (Karajan, BPO, DG, SHM) Mahler – Symphony No.9 (Chailly, RCO, Decca) Mahler – Symphony No.9; Schubert – Symphony No.8 (Giulini, CSO, Tower-DG) Mendelssohn – Symphonies 4 & 5 (Munch, BSO, RCA) Mendelssohn, Schumann – Symphonies (Klemperer, PO, EMI) Mozart – Concertos for Winds (Bohm, VPO, Tower-DG) Mozart – Haydn Quartets (Quartetto Classico, Avex) Mozart – Mass in C minor (Bertini, Capriccio) Mozart – Piano Concertos (6CD – Zacharis, CO Lausanne, MDG) Mozart – Piano Concertos (various) (Casadesus, Szell, CBSO, CO, Sony) Mozart – Piano Concertos 20 & 21 (Gulda, Abbado, VPO, Esoteric-DG) Mozart – Piano Concertos 20 & 24 (Haskil, Markevitch, Decca SHM) Mozart – Piano Concertos 20 & 27 (Curzon, Britten, ECO, Decca) Mozart – Piano Concertos 23 & 26 (Gulda,Harnoncourt, RCO, Esoteric-Teldec) Mozart – Piano Quartets (Mozart Piano Quartet, MDG) Mozart – Requiem (Bohm, VPO, DG SHM) Mozart – Requiem (Mackerras, SCO, Linn) Mozart – Sinfonias Concertantes, Serenades (Bohm, VPO, Tower-DG) Mozart – String Quintets (Fine Arts Quartet, Lyrinx) Mozart – Symphonies 29, 31, 32, 35 & 36 (Mackerras, SCO, Linn) Mozart – Symphonies 35 – 41 etc. (Klemperer, PO, EMI) Mozart – Symphonies 38 – 41 (Mackerras, SCO, Linn) Mozart – Violin Concertos (Schneiderhan, BPO, Tower-DG) Mozart – Violin Concertos 3 & 5, Sinfonia Concertante (Grumiaux, Pelliccia, Davis, LSO, Philips) Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition (Reiner, CSO, Analogue Productions-RCA) Orff – Carmina Burana (Jochum, Esoteric-DG) Orff – Carmina Burana (Jochum, DG) Orff – Carmina Burana (Runnciles, ASO, Telarc) Ravel – Bolero, La Valse, Rapsodie Espagnole; Debussy – Images (Munch, BSO, RCA) Ravel – Daphnis et Chloe (Munch, BSO, RCA) Respighi – Pini di Roma, Fontana di Roma (Karajan, BPO, Esoteric-DG) Saint-Saens – Organ Symphonie (Martinon, ONRF, Erato) Saint-Saens – Organ Symphonie (Munch, BSO, Analogue Productions-RCA) Schoenberg – String Quartet No.4, Verklarte Nacht (Prazak, Praga) Schoenberg, Berg, Webern – Orchestral Works (Karajan, BPO, Esoteric-DG) Schubert - Quartets 13 & 14 (Italiano, Esoteric-Philips) Schubert – 8 Symphonies (Bohm, BPO, DG) Schubert – String Quartet No.15 (Prazak, Praga) Schubert – String Quintet (Prazak, Praga) Schubert – Symphonies 5 & 8 (Bohm, VPO, DG) Schubert – Symphonies 8 & 9 (Dausgard, Swedish CO, BIS) Schubert – Symphonies 8 & 9 (Klemperer, PO, EMI) Schubert – Symphony No.8 (Kempe, MPO, Sony) Schubert – Symphony No.9 (Bohm, SKD, DG) Schubert – Symphony No.9 (Munch, BSO, RCA) Schubert – Symphony No.9 (Szell, CO, Sony) Schumann, Grieg – Piano Concertos (Lupu, Previn, Decca SHM) Schumann, Lalo, Saint-Saens – Cello Concertos (Starker, Dorati, MLP) Sibelius – 7 Symphonies (Jarvi, Gothenburg SO, DG) Sibelius – 7 Symphonies etc. (Berglund, Bournemouth, Tower-Warner) Sibelius – Symphony No.5; Mussorgsky – Pictures at an Exhibition (Karajan, PO, EMI) Sibelius, Sinding – Violin Concertos (Engeset, Naxos) Sibelius, Walton – Violin Concertos (Haendel, Berglund, Bournemouth SO, Tower-Warner) Strauss – Also Sprach Zarathustra (Karajan, VPO, 1959, Decca) Strauss – Also Sprach Zarathustra (Reiner, CSO, RCA) Strauss – Also Sprach Zarathustra, etc. (Karajan, BPO, 1973, DG) Strauss – Don Juan, Don Quixote (Reiner, CSO, RCA) Strauss – Don Quixote (Fournier, Karajan, BPO, DG) Strauss – Ein Heldenleben (Karajan, BPO, 1959, DG) Strauss – Orchestral Works (9CD, Kempe, SKD, Tower-Warner) Strauss – Orchestral Works (Bohm, BPO, Tower-DG) Strauss – Symphonia Domestica; Bourgeois Gentilhomme (Reiner, CSO, RCA) Strauss – Til Eulenspiegel, Salomes Tanz, Don Juan (Karajan, BPO, DG) Strauss – Tod und Verklarung, Vier leszte Lieder, Metamorphosen (Karajan, BPO, DG) Stravinsky – Petrouchka (Abbado, LSO, Esoteric-DG) Stravinsky – Rite of Spring, Firebird, etc. (Fischer, BFO, Channel) Stravinsky – Rite of Spring, Tchaikovsky – Nutcracker Suite (Markevitch, PO, Tower-Decca) Tchaikovsky – Symphonies (Karajan, BPO, 1976, DG SHM) Tchaikovsky – Symphonies 4 – 6 (Mravinsky, LPO, 1961, Esoteric-DG) Tchaikovsky – Symphony No.5 (Jarvi, Gothenburg SO, BIS) Tchaikovsky – Symphony No.6 (Monteux, BSO, RCA) Tchaikovsky – Violin Concerto (Heifetz, Reiner, CSO, Analogue Productions-RCA) Tchaikovsky, Bruch – Violin Concertos (Grumiaux, Wallberg, Pentatone) Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn – Violin Concertos (Stern, Ormandy, PO, Sony) Tchaikovsky, Sibelius – Violin Concertos (Chung, Previn, Decca) Wagner – Overtures & Preludes (Karajan, BPO, Esoteric-EMI) If you by some chance wanted to include 24-96 / 24-192 hi res PCM in the conversation, there's a lot more where that came from...
IMO, Isserstedt is at his best in 3, 6 & 9. His Fifth is a very traditional, mitteleuropa reading, and his Seventh is foursquare in places. I still really enjoy this cycle overall.
1st Listen Faure Piano Quartets Nos. 2 & 1, Mozart Piano Quartet, MDG SACD: I am not familiar with Gabriel Faure's Piano Quartets but I saw this SACD in my local record shop last week and picked it up. I am sitting down now for a first listen. I hear a lot of emotion in the opening sequence of the 1st movement (Allegro molto moderato) of the Piano Quartet No. 2. The players have been caught in a clear sounding and not overly reverberant acoustic that gives me the impression of being seated in a small hall maybe one or two rows back from the stage. The contribution of the violinist, Mark Gothoni captures my ear. I like the singing quality that I hear in his delivery. I hear a nice sense of dialogue and rapport between all the players. I love the arresting dialogue that I hear in the opening of the 2nd movement (Allegro molto). I like the pizzicato playing from the cellist, Peter Horr. He sounds like he is in the room with me. I love the way that the players capture the strong rhythms in this movement. I find the piano part in this movement most intriguing. I like the way that the players interpret the change of mood in the 3rd (slow) movement (Adagio non troppo). The contribution of the violist, Harmut Rohde, captures my attention in this movement. I love the pizzicato sequence that I hear in the development section. I love the sense of rapport and connection between the players. I like the emotion and passion that I hear (from all the players) in the interpretation of the 4th movement (Allegro molto). I like the way the players interpret the strong rhythms in the 1st movement (Allegro molto moderato) of the Faure's Piano Quartet No. 1. I love the dialogue (and the sense of rapport) that I hear between all the players. I love the sprightly rhythms, the pizzicato playing and the (interpretation of the) piano part (from Paul Rivinius) that I hear in the opening of the 2nd movement (Scherzo). I hear a delicious sense of humor (from the players) in this Scherzo. I love the way that the interpreters handle the change of mood in the 3rd (slow) movement (Adagio). This sounds like the most Brahmsian of all the movements (in both piano quartets) so far. I am intrigued by the way that the music develops. I love the pensive, moody qualities that the interpreters bring out in this movement. I love the way that the players interpret the strong rhythms in the 4th movement (Allegro molto). I love the high spirits that I hear in the playing in this movement. I want to rise to my feet in ovation at the conclusion! This was released by MDG on SACD in 2019. I am really glad I came across this disc.
Excellent, enjoy! That is one of my desert island Brahms albums, the performances are so moving. I've noticed many of the violinists and cellists on the smaller labels like Alpha, Harmonia Mundi, Channel Classics, Hyperion, etc tend to not play with much vibrato, even in clearly romantic era music. Maybe this is considered uncool or unHIP these days. They are pretty much unanimously flawless at their instrument wrt to intonation. I love Brunello's full bodied romantic vibrato and Lucchesini's singing legato is the perfect match, IMHO for me this is how Brahms Cello Sonatas should be played instead of treating it like earlier era music. Seeing your post put me in the mood to hear a couple of my favorite Brahms late piano discs so I'll be playing these through the day, both of them would have made my best of the years they came out; only bought the Volodos last year, maybe the year before. Volodos' reference level Schubert disc was recorded in some gorgeous looking studio in Germany. The photos reminded me of the old 30th St. Studio in NYC. Like Volodos' Schubert disc there is quiet darkness to his interpretations in this Brahms disc. In many ways older Volodos reminds me of Sokolov.
Welcome, I don't think the thread is strictly for SACD discourse, if that is alright with @layman I got the impression it's alright to sway a bit from the topic and discuss classical music in general (I do try to keep it to newer recordings where recording quality would be up there with SACD quality). I prefer this thread to the big classical thread as that thread has several dozen pages of unread posts whenever I login, plus this thread is heavy on actual discussion which I enjoy more.
I am a huge fan of Volodos (heard him play live in concert some years ago). I bought the Brahms album but have not had a chance to listen to it yet (it got buried under a pile of slighter newer discs). I will have to retrieve it for a listen. Thank you for bringing it back to my attention!
