In Reply to: EMI SACDs have arrived posted by Doktor Brahms on February 25, 2012 at 06:55:38:
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.
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Follow Ups
- Worked my way through the rest of them Monday night... - Doktor Brahms 19:47:52 02/28/12 (1)
- 'The Planets'. - jeffreybehr 23:10:25 02/28/12 (0)