Audio Fidelity Interest in Classical in Quad SACD?

[ubertrout]

I know AF has generally focused on popular stuff, but I was wondering if they've looked at classical at all? Because the repertoire is all public domain I'd imagine the licensing costs are lower, and there's a worldwide market for the music, not least in Japan. Pentatone have done pretty well working with Universal Music, but no-one is releasing anything controlled by Warner or Sony. Obviously Sony had its own SACD program at one point, where they horribly botched two of their most obvious classical quad releases - the Bartok Concerto for Orchestra with Boulez and New York, and the Holst Planets, with Bernstein and New York. In both cases they did an artificial mix from the stereo instead into surround.

RCA also did a number of recordings in quad which I think would be of public interest. The "Fantastic Philadelphians" records with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra (two volumes, fitting on one CD) was recorded in quad, and I would think it would sell well (it's a collection of popular short orchestral pieces).

 

[Franklin]

I tried looking into getting an old stereo track out at as a download at one stage in the UK and I believe the people who arranged the piece for recording are part of the publishing chain.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Because the repertoire is all public domain I'd imagine the licensing costs are lower, and there's a worldwide market for the music, not least in Japan.

HDTT has done some.

Pentatone have done pretty well working with Universal Music, but no-one is releasing anything controlled by Warner or Sony.

I suspect that the reason lies with Warner and Sony as Pentatone is pretty proactive.

 

[bmoura]

I know AF has generally focused on popular stuff, but I was wondering if they've looked at classical at all?

No. Audio Fidelity tends to stick with titles and genres they know and are comfortable with.
Classical wouldn't fit the bill.

 

[bmoura]

I tried looking into getting an old stereo track out at as a download at one stage in the UK and I believe the people who arranged the piece for recording are part of the publishing chain.

There are a lot of Classical Multichannel Downloads available today.

Check the Native DSD site - you will find over 700 Multichannel Classical DSD downloads from labels including Channel Classics, Challenge Classics, Cobra Records, Harmonia Mundi, Navis Classics, Pentatone and many more (see link below).
https://www.nativedsd.com/new_browse/#genre=1

 

[ubertrout]

HDTT has done some.

I avoid HDTT generally - they're so blatantly violating US law that they're just one legal notice from ruin. They either got atrocious legal advice or none at all in thinking that there are no legal protections in the US for sound records made before 1972. And even then they lie about it - this recording was made in 1975, not 1972: http://www.highdeftapetransfers.com...sky-eugene-ormandy-the-philadelphia-orchestra

It does seem like they did most of the Ormandy quad recordings though. I'm intrigued, but not at that price for a transfer of a consumer tape.

 

[fredblue]

No. Audio Fidelity tends to stick with titles and genres they know and are comfortable with.
Classical wouldn't fit the bill.

Wendy Carlos is off the AF table then..?

..would so love to hear S-O-B in pristine discrete Quad.. *sigh*

 

[Kal Rubinson]

No. Audio Fidelity tends to stick with titles and genres they know and are comfortable with.
Classical wouldn't fit the bill.

Yes and, as you point out, they are not really needed for something that they do not favor.

 

[bmoura]

Wendy Carlos is off the AF table then..?

..would so love to hear S-O-B in pristine discrete Quad.. *sigh*

Audio Fidelity did issue an LP of Wendy Carlos music - Disney's "Tron" Soundtrack.
As for Switched On Bach, they would need Carlos' permission and licensing assuming there is interest.