HiRez Poll Sondheim, Stephen - A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (Original Broadway Cast) [SACD]

QuadraphonicQuad

Help Support QuadraphonicQuad:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Rate the SACD of Stephen Sondheim - A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

  • 7

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 6

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 5

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 4

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 1: Poor Content, Surround Mix, and Fidelity

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    8

rtbluray

Hi-Res Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
QQ Supporter
Joined
Oct 31, 2008
Messages
9,422
Location
Middle TN
Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2018 Multichannel SACD release from Dutton Vocalion.

(y):)(y)

ACT I
1. Overture and Night Waltz - Benjamin Rayson, Teri Ralston, Barbara Lang, Gene Varrone, Beth Fowler
2. Now Len Cariou
3. Later Mark Lambert
4. Soon Victoria Mallory, Mark Lambert, Len Cariou
5. The Glamorous Life - Judy Kahan, Glynis Johns, Hermione Gingold, Teri Ralston, Beth Fowler, Barbara Lang, Benjamin Rayson, Gene Varrone
6. Remember? - Benjamin Rayson, Teri Ralston, Beth Fowler, Gene Varrone, Barbara Lang
7. You Must Meet My Wife - Len Cariou, Glynis Johns
8. Liaisons - Hermione Gingold
9. In Praise of Women - Laurence Guittard
10. Every Day a Little Death - Patricia Elliott, Victoria Mallory
11. A Weekend in the Country - Company
ACT II
12. The Sun Won’t Set - Barbara Lang, Beth Fowler, Teri Ralston, Benjamin Rayson, Gene Varrone
13. It Would Have Been Wonderful - Len Cariou, Laurence Guittard
14. Perpetual Anticipation - Teri Ralston, Beth Fowler, Barbara Lang
15. Send in the Clowns - Glynis Johns
16. The Miller’s Son - D'Jamin Bartlett
17. Finale (Reprise: Send in the Clowns) and Night Waltz - Glynis Johns, Len Cariou

Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Hugh Wheeler (suggested by a film by Ingmar Bergman)
Libretto designed by Lester Glassner
Musical direction by Harold Hastings
Orchestration by Jonathan Tunick
Recorded: Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York, 18 March 1973

Remastered from the original analogue tapes by Michael J. Dutton
Multi-ch Stereo
All tracks available in stereo and multi-channel

SA-CD
This hybrid CD can be played on any standard CD players

81Ubj4MqBbL._SL1429_.jpg
 
A SOLID 10. Based on Swedish Film Director Ingmar Bergman's 1956 comedy Smiles of A Summer Night, theater legend Stephen Sondheim has fashioned a brilliant stage production and the recording is probably one of the [how do I put it] badass QUADEST albums I have ever had the pleasure of hearing.

How the folks at Columbia in the early 70's could have ever anticipated extracting this simply astounding level of sound and four channel QUAD from their SQ matrix system is downright puzzling but Michael Dutton's brilliant remastering has to be heard to be believed.

Note: I would love for D~V to tackle Sondheim's "Company" next.....and of course the Original Cast Recording of HAIR.

I just posted a 5 star review on the Dutton~Vocalion website. https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLK4626&review=all
 
Last edited:
two words: Raymond Moore.

the surround mix on this is by the same bloke who did Bitches Brew in Quad.. so, unsurprisingly there's something going on in every corner all the time with this one too! if this is your musical cup of tea its bound to be a "10". its not my kind of thing tbh but i can appreciate everything that's gone into the album, the mix and this new MCh SACD release, so on balance i rate it an "8" (the surround mix gets 3/3, sound quality = 3/3, content 1/3 and as a package overall with sleeve notes and photos from the original recording sessions = 1/1.)
 
two words: Raymond Moore.

the surround mix on this is by the same bloke who did Bitches Brew in Quad.. so, unsurprisingly there's something going on in every corner all the time with this one too! if this is your musical cup of tea its bound to be a "10". its not my kind of thing tbh but i can appreciate everything that's gone into the album, the mix and this new MCh SACD release, so on balance i rate it an "8" (the surround mix gets 3/3, sound quality = 3/3, content 1/3 and as a package overall with sleeve notes and photos from the original recording sessions = 1/1.)

What albums, besides BB and A Little Night Music, did Raymond Moore remix? Whew, the QUADNESS on ALNM was almost exhausting.
 
What albums, :eek:besides BB and A Little Night Music, did Raymond Moore remix? Whew, the QUADNESS on ALNM was almost exhausting.

he mixed loads of Quads, Ralph! 40+!

Ray Moore (39 x QUAD mixes):
Bartok - The Miraculous Mandarin / Dance Suite ('Boulez Conducts Bartok') (1972) (MQ 31368)
A Little Night Music - Original Broadway Cast
E. Power Biggs - Bach: The Four Great Toccatas & Fugues (1974)
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew (1972)
Miles Davis - Live Evil (1972)
Mormon Tabernacle Choir - Climb Every Mountain (1972)
Andrew Kazdin/Columbia Brass Ensemble - Antiphonal Music for Four Brass Choirs (MQ-31289)
Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake Ballet Suite (Bernstein/NY Philharmonic) (MQ-30056)
Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture/Romeo & Juliet (fantasy overture) (Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra) (MQ-31276)
Haydn - Bernstein Conducts Haydn (Symphony 93/94) (MQ 32101)
Ravel - Boulez Conducts Ravel (NY Philharmonic) (MQ 32159)
Stravinsky - Petrushka (Boulez/NY Philharmonic) (MQ 31076)
Berlioz - 'Boulez Conducts Berlioz' (Boulez/NY Philharmonic) (MQ 31799)
E. Power Biggs - Bach Organ Favorites, Vol. 5 (MQ 31424)
E. Power Biggs - Bach Organ Favourites, Vol. 6 (MQ 32791)
E. Power Biggs - Scott Joplin (on the Pedal Harpsichord) (MQ 32495)
E. Power Biggs - Scott Joplin (on the Pedal Harpsichord) Vol. 2 (MQ 33205)
E. Power Biggs - Rheinberger: Two Concertos For Organ & Orchestra (MQ 32297)
E. Power Biggs - Four Antiphonal Organs of the Cathedral Of Freiburg Played Simultaneously (MQ 33514)
10 Pianos / 16 Pianists - Monster Concert (MQ 31726)
Richard Strauss - Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (Bernstein/New York Philharmonic) (MQ 30443)
Anthony Newman and Friends - Bach Concerto in D Minor / Haydn Concerto in D Major (MQ 32300)
Copland - Appalachian Spring ('Copland Conducts Copland') (MQ 32736)
Gunther Schuller - Footlifters: A Century Of American Marches (MQ 33513)
Mendelsson - Piano Concertos (Perahia/Mariner & St. Martin In The Fields) (MQ 33207)
Elliott Carter/Julliard Quartet - String Quartet No.3 / No. 2 (MQ 32738)
Wagner - Boulez Conducts Wagner (MQ 32296)
Andre Kostelanetz - Plays Music of Villa-Lobos (MQ 32821)
Falla - Three Cornered Hat (Boulez/NY Philharmonic) (MQ 33970)
Isaac Stern - Romance "FavoriteMelodies For The Quiet Hours" (1973) (MQ 31425)
Leon Kirchner - Lily/String Quartet No. 2 (1974) (MQ 32740)
Orff - Carmina Burana (Tilson Thomas/Cleveland Symphony Orchestra) (1974) (MQ 33172)
Bach - Lutheran Organ Mass (Anthony Newman/Boston Archdiocesan Boys Choir) (MQ 32497) (1973)
Stravinsky - The Firebird (Complete Original 1910 Version) (MQ 33508)(1975)
Ravel - Daphnis Et Chloe (Complete Ballet) (Boulez/NY Philharmonic) (MQ 33523)(1975)
Andre Kostelanetz - Conducts Music From Spain (MQ 32865)(1974)
Andre Kostelanetz - Plays Michel Legrand's Greatest Hits (CQ 32580) (1974)


Ray Moore with Arthur Kendy (1 x QUAD mix):
Dvorak - Quartet No.3 in F Major / Quartet No.4 in E Flat Major (Budapest Quartet) (MQ 32792)
 
he mixed loads of Quads, Ralph! 40+!

Ray Moore (39 x QUAD mixes):
Bartok - The Miraculous Mandarin / Dance Suite ('Boulez Conducts Bartok') (1972) (MQ 31368)
A Little Night Music - Original Broadway Cast
E. Power Biggs - Bach: The Four Great Toccatas & Fugues (1974)
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew (1972)
Miles Davis - Live Evil (1972)
Mormon Tabernacle Choir - Climb Every Mountain (1972)
Andrew Kazdin/Columbia Brass Ensemble - Antiphonal Music for Four Brass Choirs (MQ-31289)
Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake Ballet Suite (Bernstein/NY Philharmonic) (MQ-30056)
Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture/Romeo & Juliet (fantasy overture) (Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra) (MQ-31276)
Haydn - Bernstein Conducts Haydn (Symphony 93/94) (MQ 32101)
Ravel - Boulez Conducts Ravel (NY Philharmonic) (MQ 32159)
Stravinsky - Petrushka (Boulez/NY Philharmonic) (MQ 31076)
Berlioz - 'Boulez Conducts Berlioz' (Boulez/NY Philharmonic) (MQ 31799)
E. Power Biggs - Bach Organ Favorites, Vol. 5 (MQ 31424)
E. Power Biggs - Bach Organ Favourites, Vol. 6 (MQ 32791)
E. Power Biggs - Scott Joplin (on the Pedal Harpsichord) (MQ 32495)
E. Power Biggs - Scott Joplin (on the Pedal Harpsichord) Vol. 2 (MQ 33205)
E. Power Biggs - Rheinberger: Two Concertos For Organ & Orchestra (MQ 32297)
E. Power Biggs - Four Antiphonal Organs of the Cathedral Of Freiburg Played Simultaneously (MQ 33514)
10 Pianos / 16 Pianists - Monster Concert (MQ 31726)
Richard Strauss - Also sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (Bernstein/New York Philharmonic) (MQ 30443)
Anthony Newman and Friends - Bach Concerto in D Minor / Haydn Concerto in D Major (MQ 32300)
Copland - Appalachian Spring ('Copland Conducts Copland') (MQ 32736)
Gunther Schuller - Footlifters: A Century Of American Marches (MQ 33513)
Mendelsson - Piano Concertos (Perahia/Mariner & St. Martin In The Fields) (MQ 33207)
Elliott Carter/Julliard Quartet - String Quartet No.3 / No. 2 (MQ 32738)
Wagner - Boulez Conducts Wagner (MQ 32296)
Andre Kostelanetz - Plays Music of Villa-Lobos (MQ 32821)
Falla - Three Cornered Hat (Boulez/NY Philharmonic) (MQ 33970)
Isaac Stern - Romance "FavoriteMelodies For The Quiet Hours" (1973) (MQ 31425)
Leon Kirchner - Lily/String Quartet No. 2 (1974) (MQ 32740)
Orff - Carmina Burana (Tilson Thomas/Cleveland Symphony Orchestra) (1974) (MQ 33172)
Bach - Lutheran Organ Mass (Anthony Newman/Boston Archdiocesan Boys Choir) (MQ 32497) (1973)
Stravinsky - The Firebird (Complete Original 1910 Version) (MQ 33508)(1975)
Ravel - Daphnis Et Chloe (Complete Ballet) (Boulez/NY Philharmonic) (MQ 33523)(1975)
Andre Kostelanetz - Conducts Music From Spain (MQ 32865)(1974)
Andre Kostelanetz - Plays Michel Legrand's Greatest Hits (CQ 32580) (1974)


Ray Moore with Arthur Kendy (1 x QUAD mix):
Dvorak - Quartet No.3 in F Major / Quartet No.4 in E Flat Major (Budapest Quartet) (MQ 32792)

Whew, thanks, Adam! No wonder I loved the Andre Kostelanetz "Music From Spain" two~fer from D~V SO MUCH.
 
Sondheim in surround! This title comes as a wonderful surprise. Of course the material won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I've always found the score to be brilliant--and entirely in waltz meter (and derivatives). The fidelity is very good and, as others have reported, the mix is full-on quad. My only beef is that vocals most frequently emanate from a single speaker. This is very effective for trios and quartets, but I wish they would have centered the vocals more often for longer solos and duets (particularly in Act 1). The single-speaker approach (especially when placed in the rears) leads to some sections feeling smaller and unbalanced, diminishing somewhat the dramatic punch of the material. I'll take one point off for that, which still leaves me voting a very enthusiastic 9.
 
My only beef is that vocals most frequently emanate from a single speaker.

I think all the Broadway OST quads from Columbia have this kind of wacky "on the stage" mix. The Chorus Line OST in particular is a real quad workout, lots of vocals shooting out of the rears. Unfortunately when that one was released on SACD, Sony opted to do a new 5.1 mix with ambient rears and all the vocals centered upfront. Maybe Dutton can get the old quad out someday?
 
I think all the Broadway OST quads from Columbia have this kind of wacky "on the stage" mix. The Chorus Line OST in particular is a real quad workout, lots of vocals shooting out of the rears. Unfortunately when that one was released on SACD, Sony opted to do a new 5.1 mix with ambient rears and all the vocals centered upfront. Maybe Dutton can get the old quad out someday?

the "Company" one is amazing!!!
"Bobby!" "Bobby!" "Bobby!" popping up all over the place like what the fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuudge!!!! o_O
 
I gave this an '8'.... As I listened to this, I came to appreciate just how well this was done & actually enjoyed it!
Though this sort of music is not my cup of tea, it's an excellent work.
I had to re- balance all my speaker levels to equal volumes since the rears have a lot going on. Very discrete Quad mix...
 
Back
Top