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December 2, 2007
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First-class playing from an orchestra that was established only ten years ago. The reason is that it functions like the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra. Its members are drawn from top ensembles across Germany, including the Berlin and Munich Philharmonics. The chief conductor, Enoch zu Guttenberg, ... more |
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April 29, 2007
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A first-class recording. I have always admired Ashkenazy as an interpreter of Sibelius although his approach may be less idiomatic than that of other conductors (e.g. Davis or Berglund). He emphasizes the warmth and colour of these scores rather than the chilling and enigmatic quality associated ... more |
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March 11, 2007
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Sonically this Liszt recital is in a class of its own. It is difficult to think of a recording that captures the piano sound more faithfully or with more dynamic graduations. The sound engineer, Friedemann Engelbracht, noted in a full-page interview with the German classical music magazine "Rondo" ... more |
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February 25, 2007
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This is one of the best-sounding SACDs in the Membran series. The engineers have been content to use the rear channels for ambience only, eschewing any artificial effects. As usual, the recording level is quite high, but I did not notice any shrillness in the upper strings or trumpets (the piccolos ... more |
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January 27, 2007
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In a crowded field, this new recording can easily hold its own. Right from the start you know that this is a pure DSD recording - shimmering strings, mellow horns, sweet woodwind. David Zinman, who has been widely praised for his account of Beethoven's symphonies and Strauss's tone-poems generally ... more |
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September 29, 2008
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| I agree that studio recordings are preferable. But it is unfair to describe Exton recordings generally as "not particularly good". There are a number of excellent recordings among them, especially those conducted by Macal (Mahler's Third is superb) and Ashkenazy (Beethoven, Sibelius, Mozart).
But does anybody know why the "Direct Cut" releases ... more |
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September 26, 2008
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| Here is some additional information:
The cast includes Claire Watson (Marschallin), Brigitte Fassbaender (Octavian), Lucia Popp (Sophie) and Karl Ridderbusch (Ochs).
The live recording was made in July 1973.
The hybrid SACD contains three layers: CD stereo, SACD 2.0 and SACD 5.0. ... more |
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September 25, 2008
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| Good news for Richard Strauss fans. According to the HMV Japan website a complete recording of Der Rosenkavalier will be released as a 3-SACD set by the Orfeo label on October 31. Carlos Kleiber conducts the Bavarian State Opera Orchestra. ... more |
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September 20, 2008
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| I would like to draw your attention to the fact that not a single recording of Les Preludes is available on SACD. The one with the Philadelphia under Sawallisch (which mainly featured Dvorak overtures) on Water Lily Acoustics has been withdrawn.
If Mahler had composed this warhorse, things would be different. ... more |
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September 20, 2008
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| We also need (more) modern recordings of:
Handel: Concerti a due cori (spectacular sound effects)
Beethoven: Overtures
Beethoven: Musik zu einem Ritterballett
Schubert: Rosamunde
Mendelssohn: Overtures
Rossini: Stabat mater
Weber: Der Freischütz
Weber: Overtures
Goldmark: Ländliche Hochzeit (Rustic Wedding)
Glinka: Kamarinskaya, Jota ... more |
(10 of 11 found this review helpful) 
(1 of 1 found this review helpful) 
