|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
184.36.158.39
I ordered five of the EMI JSACDs to see how they compare to previous issues:
Brahms: Violin Concerto/Double Concerto (Oistrakh/Szell)
Brahms: German Requiem (Klemperer)
Elgar: Cello Concerto/Sea Pictures (Du Pre/Baker/Barbirolli)
Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 (Szell)
Holst: Planets (Boult)
I'm planning to audition these over the course of the weekend. Opinions to follow. (BTW, this was my first order from CD Japan, and I am very much impressed. I shall be using them again--unless the dollar keeps shrinking against the yen!)
Follow Ups:
You can order Japanese SACDs directly from HMV.co.jp -- they ship internationally. Click on the word "English" in the upper right hand corner.
http://www.hmv.co.jp/
The Brahms German Requiem (Klemperer) needs no introduction; it's been a basic recommendation for half a century. This new SACD incarnation, however, displays the clearest superiority over the RBCD version than any of the other EMI SACDs I've heard. The warm Kingsway ambience is very much in evidence, and the weight and spaciousness of the performing forces sounds very non-digital, if you know what I mean. Since this recording will always have a spot in my collection, I might as well have it in the best sound possible.
With the Dvorak 8th Symphony (Szell), the differences were more subtle. This is not a particularly great-sounding recording to begin with, so the SACD format can only do so much. This is the only disc among the EMI SACDs that I kind of regret buying. (I love the performance though--very genial, warm, and relaxed.) The booklet cover replicates the EMI LP sleeve from back in the 1970s. IIRC, there was a sticker on the front that said "Dr. Szell's Last Recordings." Nice to hear him go out on a high note (if you'll pardon the expression).
The Adrian Boult Holst Planets has always sounded great regardless of format, and that's certainly the case here. So which version is it? As I understand it, Boult recorded The Planets in stereo 3 times: once for Westminster and twice for EMI (1967 and 1978). This is definitely the 1978 recording, and no mistake. The SACD sounds wonderful. I don't have the Chandos SACD with Andrew Davis--it would be interesting to compare the two. (Has anyone here heard them both?) BTW, the booklet lists the recording venues as Kingsway Hall and Abbey Road. It would be interesting to know what parts of the album were done in which location.
Final assessment: I'm glad to have these wonderful recordings on SACD, but the price is of course uncomfortably high. If these discs find a more affordable domestic outlet, I will definitely acquire more. But I do not see myself making wholesale replacements for my existing EMI discs.
:I just finished listening (again) to the entire disc, at leasure, and loved it all. 'Beni Mora' and 'Japanese Suite' were both highly enjoyable, and this 'The Planets' may turn into my fave.
I LOVE the 1978 Boult recording (with the LPO), and Davis's is often VERY much like it, especially in 'Uranus', my favorite movement. He does use slower tempos in Mercury, which I love, and in Jupiter, which I mostly like and probably will get used to.
Excellent multichannel recording by Chandos and orchestral playing by the BBC Phil.
This may turn into my favorite."
----------
Tin-eared audiofool, former fotografer, and terrible competitive-pistol shootist.
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted." Albert Einstein.
Reports over at SA-CD.net that some of these titles will be released internationally at more normal prices beginning in April. Simon Gibson has been hinting as much for some time. If you're interested in these titles it might be worth holding off for a few more weeks.
I didn't get as much time to listen this weekend as I'd liked, but I have to say that what I've hear so far impresses. Generally, the sound of these SACDs is as close to good vinyl as we're likely to hear from any digital media. The differences between these discs and the corresponding RBCDs are very real, and all to the benefit of SACD. The Elgar disc in particular seems far less congested than the GROC edition, which really wasn't too bad to begin with. Balance between soloist and orchestra, whether Du Pre or Janet Baker, was much more natural sounding. Instead of the usual 5-minutes-of-this, 5-minutes-of-that audition, I found myself listening straight through to the entire Elgar disc. I loaded the Brahms Violin Concerto/Double Concerto, and before I knew it the final chords of the second piece were dying away. These discs invite that kind of long-term engagement.
Despite the undeniably stiff tariff, I'm very pleased. Tomorrow night: Holst, Dvorak, and more Brahms.
...DB. Very fine, excellent mastering so far...including the Casals Bach Suites mastered from 78s done in the late 1930s (!). Quite moving.
Ditto the Gieseking mono recordings of the impressionists in the earlier 1950s.
Fine stuff!
david
Your 'opinions' eagerly awaited - this series has some great performances and if they are good enough I'll order some.
Dave
...and that was issued originally on the LP ASD-3649. (As a parttime hi-end audio-eq./record dealer in the early-to-mid-'80s, I sold dozens of those, but I've not seen one for maybe 20 years.) I have 2 copies of the I-believe-first CD release, CDM 7 64746 2 F PM 517, and a copy of the 2nd CD release that has the Elgar Variations placed first, but I've never seen an SACD of it. This is my absolute-favorite performance of this work, which is one of my top-dozen Classical works.
Could you post a link to the order site?
----------
Tin-eared audiofool, former fotografer, and terrible competitive-pistol shootist.
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted." Albert Einstein.
I think this is the recording you are looking for.
Is this possible. Went to CD Japan for the Boult. $35 for the sacd but $45 for shipping. Is this an error or a scam? I buy table tennis equipment from Hong Kong and shipping is typically $8. I think i will wait until a US dealer has these
Alan
I recently ordered 5 of their CDs and the shipping for the lot was about $24.00. I wouldn't hold my breath expecting to see the majority of these titles ever becoming available in the U. S.
Earlier I failed to write that the recording engineers got the mics too close to the trumpets--or turned their levels too high, but otherwise it's a gorgeous recording, by Christopher and Christopher*, IIRC.
* Yes indeed, it is. Bishop and Parker, Producer and Balance Engineer, respectively. They did a LOT of EXCELLENT recordings for EMI.
----------
Tin-eared audiofool, former fotografer, and terrible competitive-pistol shootist.
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted." Albert Einstein.
Csofan's link is accurate, but I would suggest going to SA-CD.net, clicking on the "Support" tab, and then going to CD Japan. That way, SA-CD.net will benefit from your order.
And I too am hoping/assuming that the EMI SACD enshrines Boult's final version, which I consider his finest. The 1978 recording date suggest that this is the case. That one's up for audition on Monday evening.
Remember Boult gave the original performance of the planets. His recording is also my favorite in very thrilling sound. I hope they did a really good remastering because the original is superb
Alan
The stereo performance and recording from maybe 10 years earlier was not nearly as good IMO, but some like it more. :-) That was with the LSO IIRC.
----------
Tin-eared audiofool, former fotografer, and terrible competitive-pistol shootist.
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted." Albert Einstein.
I have an Angel/EMI LP (S 36420) of Sir Adrian Boult conducting The New Philharmonia Orchestra with The Ambrosian Singers. It's always been one of my favorite classical recordings. It appears to have been recorded in 1967.
Could this be the one you're referring to?
Joe
Post a Followup:
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: