Classical Music Favorites in Surround Sound

[ubertrout]

A few classical blu-ray audio things. CDJapan is still selling a number of Japan-only BD-A releases, including the Mravinsky cycle of the last three Tchaikovsky symphonies, for $9 apiece.

Also, Naxos(through their storefront "classicalmusicsuperstore") and Rarewaves are also selling selected Naxos blu-ray audio releases at blowout prices with free shipping, typically $4-6.
Rarewaves: https://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_ss..._from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=blu-ray+audio&_sop=15
Naxos direct: https://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_ss..._from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=blu-ray+audio&_sop=15

 

[humprof]

A few classical blu-ray audio things. CDJapan is still selling a number of Japan-only BD-A releases, including the Mravinsky cycle of the last three Tchaikovsky symphonies, for $9 apiece.

Also, Naxos(through their storefront "classicalmusicsuperstore") and Rarewaves are also selling selected Naxos blu-ray audio releases at blowout prices with free shipping, typically $4-6.
Rarewaves: https://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_ss..._from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=blu-ray+audio&_sop=15
Naxos direct: https://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_ss..._from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=blu-ray+audio&_sop=15

Any Naxos standouts that you would recommmend, ubertrout?

 

[ubertrout]

The German Requiem is pretty good IMO, but there aren't any really bad apples in the bunch. Naxos's house sound is typical for modern studio classical - the rears support the front but don't really add unique information, and dynamic range is very good.

For instance, the March to the Scaffold in Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique (from a HD Download) has a dynamic range of 19: http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/107391

 

[4-earredwonder]

Any Naxos standouts that you would recommmend, ubertrout?

I have 99% of the Naxos BD~As and I thought in terms of performance and Sound Quality [the rears are discrete] Antoni Wit's performance of Mahler's 8th was a standout: https://www.ebay.com/p/Mahler-Symphony-No-8-Symphony-of-a-Thousand-CD-Mar-2011-Naxos-Distributor/103107477?iid=142691472795&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIM.MBE&ao=2&asc=50544&meid=d37d2c6d0fad48f8b628a5504f93738c&pid=100005&rk=6&rkt=12&sd=391391546522&itm=142691472795&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

I was more than a bit disappointed in Naxos' choices for BD~A release and the surrounds at times were encoded so low I gave up and played the BD~As in LPCM 2.0 [IMO, with greater satisfaction] than the 5.0 surround versions.

As with all of the high definition launches [DVD~A, SACD, BD~A] I don't feel the record companies put their best recorded works out there, especially if they were REALLY trying to WOW the buying public with the technological advances these new formats promised....and indeed would've delivered if more prescient CEOs were in charge of those launches in the first place.

NEVER hire a boy to do a MAN'S job!

 

[humprof]

I have 99% of the Naxos BD~As and I thought in terms of performance and Sound Quality [the rears are discrete] Antoni Wit's performance of Mahler's 8th was a standout: https://www.ebay.com/p/Mahler-Symphony-No-8-Symphony-of-a-Thousand-CD-Mar-2011-Naxos-Distributor/103107477?iid=142691472795&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIM.MBE&ao=2&asc=50544&meid=d37d2c6d0fad48f8b628a5504f93738c&pid=100005&rk=6&rkt=12&sd=391391546522&itm=142691472795&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

Music Web International's reviewer didn't care for that one, apparently--I'm assuming your perception was more favorable.

I'd love to find a Mahler 8th that really captures the power and dynamic range of this symphony. I have Rattle's on EMI and Zinman's on Red Seal, and neither of them wows me, though the Zinman is more immersive.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Music Web International's reviewer didn't care for that one, apparently--I'm assuming your perception was more favorable.

I'd love to find a Mahler 8th that really captures the power and dynamic range of this symphony. I have Rattle's on EMI and Zinman's on Red Seal, and neither of them wows me, though the Zinman is more immersive.

I read his review and although he loved the performance he stated that the BD~A's SQ was a disaster [?]. Hardly TRUE on my system. I was utilizing an OPPO BD 105 with a Shunyata Research venom HDMI Cable into my Meridian 861 pre/pro and the sound is MAGNIFICENT. For the link I offered you $ [$12.99 incl s/h] I'd advise you to find out for yourself. It certainly won't break the bank and I personally think you'll be delighted with it. And it is discrete.

BTW, I have the Michael Tilson Thomas Mahler 8th multichannel SACD and actually prefer this discrete version over his.

 

[4-earredwonder]

I read his review and although he loved the performance he stated that the BD~A's SQ was a disaster [?]. Hardly TRUE on my system. I was utilizing an OPPO BD 105 with a Shunyata Research venom HDMI Cable into my Meridian 861 pre/pro and the sound is MAGNIFICENT. For the link I offered you $ [$12.99 incl s/h] I'd advise you to find out for yourself. It certainly won't break the bank and I personally think you'll be delighted with it. And it is discrete.

BTW, I have the Michael Tilson Thomas Mahler 8th and I actually prefer this over the MTT SACD which is ambience only in the rears.

 

[ubertrout]

Music Web International's reviewer didn't care for that one, apparently--I'm assuming your perception was more favorable.

I'd love to find a Mahler 8th that really captures the power and dynamic range of this symphony. I have Rattle's on EMI and Zinman's on Red Seal, and neither of them wows me, though the Zinman is more immersive.

I suspect we're going offtopic and will be moved to a new thread. But I can't resist answering.

I've seen mixed reviews, but the comments are great on the new Thierry Fischer recording on RR: https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=12604
Gergiev's cycle is a very mixed bag, but the 8th is clearly the highlight, and has the best sound too. And you can get the whole darn thing for the price of 2.5 regular price discs: https://lsolive.lso.co.uk/collections/box-sets/products/mahler-symphonies-nos-1-9
Dudamel's performance from Caracas with some 1,200 choristers and two orchestras is about as big as you can get. The audio on the BD-Video of the performance is I believe 24/96 5.1. The reviews are good, too: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2012/Nov12/Mahler_sy8_0734890.htm

 

[4-earredwonder]

I suspect we're going offtopic and will be moved to a new thread. But I can't resist answering.

I've seen mixed reviews, but the comments are great on the new Thierry Fischer recording on RR: https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=12604
Gergiev's cycle is a very mixed bag, but the 8th is clearly the highlight, and has the best sound too. And you can get the whole darn thing for the price of 2.5 regular price discs: https://lsolive.lso.co.uk/collections/box-sets/products/mahler-symphonies-nos-1-9
Dudamel's performance from Caracas with some 1,200 choristers and two orchestras is about as big as you can get. The audio on the BD-Video of the performance is I believe 24/96 5.1. The reviews are good, too: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2012/Nov12/Mahler_sy8_0734890.htm

Ubertrout, I just received RR's Mahler 8th in the mail today [2 mch SACDs] and haven't auditioned it yet. I'll play it tonight and comment. Love all of RR's SACDs......strictly ambient rears.

 

[humprof]

I suspect we're going offtopic and will be moved to a new thread. But I can't resist answering.

I've seen mixed reviews, but the comments are great on the new Thierry Fischer recording on RR: https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=12604
Gergiev's cycle is a very mixed bag, but the 8th is clearly the highlight, and has the best sound too. And you can get the whole darn thing for the price of 2.5 regular price discs: https://lsolive.lso.co.uk/collections/box-sets/products/mahler-symphonies-nos-1-9
Dudamel's performance from Caracas with some 1,200 choristers and two orchestras is about as big as you can get. The audio on the BD-Video of the performance is I believe 24/96 5.1. The reviews are good, too: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2012/Nov12/Mahler_sy8_0734890.htm

I love this place! Thanks, both of you. I've ordered the Wit, but I'm glad to know about the others.

 

[bmoura]

Yes, there are many Classical Music favorites in Surround Sound.
With more released every week.

 

[Lute]

Music Web International's reviewer didn't care for that one, apparently--I'm assuming your perception was more favorable.

I'd love to find a Mahler 8th that really captures the power and dynamic range of this symphony. I have Rattle's on EMI and Zinman's on Red Seal, and neither of them wows me, though the Zinman is more immersive.

You might also want to try conductor Markus Stenz's performance on Oehms SACD.
It offers a solid performance & an immersive surround mix.
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2013/Mar13/Mahler_sy8_OC653.htm

 

[JonUrban]

It saddens me when I think about what a great job Quadro-Surround has done with their 4 Channel DVD-Audio discs and how few people have actually tried them out.

Their classical disc is amazing. I write about it in the thread listed below, even including a DTS sample of the HiRez audio. For those looking for a 4 channel spectacular classical demo disc, this one is it:

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/fo...o-surround-goes-classical-its-a-winner.15590/

 

[humprof]

ubertrout, do you (or others) know the Abravanel/Utah Mahler cycle? Vanguard recorded and released some of them--I don't know which, without doing some research--in quad in the 70s (and others in 3-channel stereo), and Silverline apparently reissued them on DVDA and/or DualDisc as 5.1 upmixes.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

ubertrout, do you (or others) know the Abravanel/Utah Mahler cycle? Vanguard recorded and released some of them--I don't know which, without doing some research--in quad in the 70s (and others in 3-channel stereo), and Silverline apparently reissued them on DVDA and/or DualDisc as 5.1 upmixes.

They have not aged well, imho

 

[humprof]

They have not aged well, imho

I've read that some--most?--of the performances aren't top-tier. What about the surround recording?

 

[ubertrout]

ubertrout, do you (or others) know the Abravanel/Utah Mahler cycle? Vanguard recorded and released some of them--I don't know which, without doing some research--in quad in the 70s (and others in 3-channel stereo), and Silverline apparently reissued them on DVDA and/or DualDisc as 5.1 upmixes.

They've been bargain re-released so many times. The SACD of the Berlioz Requiem with the Mahler 1 is pretty good. A lot of the Silverline discs are actually upmixes from stereo sources - many of them were only recorded in 2 or 3 channels - I think the 3rd and 5th were quad recordings as well (not a surprise given their practices elsewhere, alas). Overall they're not first choices, although not disasters either.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I've read that some--most?--of the performances aren't top-tier. What about the surround recording?

Hard to say since they lack resolution and dynamic range. I find them somewhat grainy. The performances are not top-tier technically but are often interesting aesthetically.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Hard to say since they lack resolution and dynamic range. I find them somewhat grainy. The performances are not top-tier technically but are often interesting aesthetically.

I have just about all those Silverline~Vanguard DVD~A Discs and Silverline went to great lengths to advertise that they were remastered from the original analogue master tapes and via my Meridian 800 Reference DVD~A player they don't impart that grainy sound as described by Kal.

But as ubertrout points out, the performances by Maurice Abravanel which are not considered top tier admirably hold their own and were 'once' considered audiophile darlings 'in their day.'

For what AmazonUS is charging for them brand new [pennies on the dollar] I still consider them worth investigating. The Leroy Anderson 'Fiddle Faddle' DVD~A is lots of fun! https://www.amazon.com/Fiddle-Faddl...&keywords=leroy+anderson+fidsdle+faddle+DVD~A

 

[bluelightning]

Any Naxos standouts that you would recommmend, ubertrout?

I am not ubertrout, but I would suggest the Naxos Corigliano Circus Maximus disc. Discrete surround. If I remember correctly, there is a marching band in the surrounds. I also have the Janacek Glagolithic Mass, been too long since I hear that, but my impression was favorable, though surrounds might have been discrete only.
As for Mahler 8th, another choice is the Bluray with Ricardo Chailly and Gewandhaus Leipzig? Orchestra. I have mostly enjoyed all the Chailly Mahler blurays (video). Phenomenal sound on all of them that I have (2,5,7,8). Though they are recorded low, so play them loud. I wonder why I rarely see any talk of them.