SPOTLIGHT The classical music general discussion thread

[humprof]

I've really enjoyed their work. I don't really need another Beethoven cycle (in fact, I just purchased the Miro cycle in 24/96 stereo, as mentioned), but I might buy it as a bundle when done anyway.

If you haven't bought it yet, they've just put it on sale for 11.50 USD:

eClassical - Beethoven - String Quartets Op. 18, Vol. 1

For a string player, Beethoven’s 16 quartets are of an importance similar to that of his sonatas to a pianist, or his symphonies to a conductor. As a body they form the

www.eclassical.com

(I'm gonna pass, since I just shelled out for the Prokofiev bundle. And I'm happy with my Quartetto di Crimona set on Audite...)

 

[mkt]

If you haven't bought it yet, they've just put it on sale for 11.50 USD:

eClassical - Beethoven - String Quartets Op. 18, Vol. 1

For a string player, Beethoven’s 16 quartets are of an importance similar to that of his sonatas to a pianist, or his symphonies to a conductor. As a body they form the

www.eclassical.com

(I'm gonna pass, since I just shelled out for the Prokofiev bundle. And I'm happy with my Quartetto di Crimona set on Audite...)

There are a couple of tracks available on apple music (stereo).

What complete Beethoven quartets are available in surround? Any in addition to Quartetto di Crimona, Prazak Quartet, and Tokyo Quartet?

 

[humprof]

There are a couple of tracks available on apple music (stereo).

What complete Beethoven quartets are available in surround? Any in addition to Quartetto di Crimona, Prazak Quartet, and Tokyo Quartet?

Well, speaking of Apple Music: I could've sworn I saw at least one of the volumes of the Berg Quartet's cycle in the "Classical in Dolby Atmos" "room," but now I can't find it.

Of the complete sets from DG/Decca and Warner--two labels going all out on remixing high-profile back-catalogue titles in Atmos--none (Takacs, Berg, Emerson) is marked as Atmos. But that can be deceptive: if some tracks, or some of the component albums, are Atmos and some aren't, there's no way to tell just by scrolling through them, since the Atmos logo doesn't actually display until you play the track in question. Takacs sounds good through the Dolby Surround Upmixer, though...

Edit: wait--here's Berg's Opus 95 album (it keeps appearing, then vanishing, as I scroll down and then back up!)

Beethoven: String Quartets, Op. 95 "Serioso", 130 & 133 by Alban Berg Quartett

Album · 1996 · 11 Songs

music.apple.com

 

[humprof]

Well, speaking of Apple Music: I could've sworn I saw at least one of the volumes of the Berg Quartet's cycle in the "Classical in Dolby Atmos" "room," but now I can't find it.

Of the complete sets from DG/Decca and Warner--two labels going all out on remixing high-profile back-catalogue titles in Atmos--none (Takacs, Berg, Emerson) is marked as Atmos. But that can be deceptive: if some tracks, or some of the component albums, are Atmos and some aren't, there's no way to tell just by scrolling through them, since the Atmos logo doesn't actually display until you play the track in question. Takacs sounds good through the Dolby Surround Upmixer, though...

Edit: wait--here's Berg's Opus 95 album (it keeps appearing, then vanishing, as I scroll down and then back up!)

Beethoven: String Quartets, Op. 95 "Serioso", 130 & 133 by Alban Berg Quartett

Album · 1996 · 11 Songs

music.apple.com

I suppose one could also painstakingly go through this playlist and see if they got lucky...

Beethoven: String Quartets

Playlist · 71 Songs

music.apple.com

 

[ubertrout]

There are a couple of tracks available on apple music (stereo).

What complete Beethoven quartets are available in surround? Any in addition to Quartetto di Crimona, Prazak Quartet, and Tokyo Quartet?

Tacet has a cycle with the Auryn Quartet on four DVD-Audio discs, super discrete/active mixes.

Edit to add: I'm a little critical of some of Tacet's recordings as being mediocre musically. The Auryn Quartet recordings are definitely not, and in fact I've found them to be excellent on their own merits without the surround element considered.

 

[mkt]

First time that I have ever seen anything from Hyperion on any streaming platform. (It doesn't play for me though)

British Solo Cello Music by Steven Isserlis on iTunes

Preview, buy, and download songs from the album British Solo Cello Music, including "Tema "Sacher"," "Cello Suite No. 3, Op. 87: I. Introduzione: Lento," "Cello Suite No. 3, Op. 87: II. Marcia: Allegro," and many more. Buy the album for $10.99. Songs start at $0.99.

music.apple.com

 

[mkt]

New in surround, Beethoven, Berg & Bartok Violin Concertos from Frank Peter Zimmermann and the Berliner Philharmoniker. Blu-ray and download.

Frank Peter Zimmermann: Violin Concertos

Zu den wichtigen künstlerischen Begleitern der Berliner Philharmoniker zählen nicht allein die großen Dirigenten der Welt. Immer sind es auch außergewöhnliche Solistinnen und Solisten, die regelmäßig mit dem Orchester auftreten, in der Zusammenarbeit in..

www.berliner-philharmoniker-recordings.com

EDIT: I am seeing (in audacity) and hearing (in Roon) some clicks at the end of some of the surround files (flac and wav)

 

[humprof]

Gramophone's 2021 Spatial Audio winner: Stile Antico, The Golden Renaissance: Josquin Des Prez. The winner is perhaps a bit suspect, since it's only available on Apple Music. (Indeed, the entire category--which employs Apple's trademarked term rather than "surround" or even "immersive"--exists "in association with Apple Music.") Still: it is a nice recording.

Spatial Audio

www.gramophone.co.uk

Other awardees that do have physical releases: Josquin Masses on BIS (Early Music), Peter Grimes on Chandos (Opera), Boston Modern Orchestra Project (Special Achievement), Minnesota Orchestra (Orchestra of the Year).

 

[humprof]

A new concert performance of Bernstein's Candide with the LSO under Marin Alsop. (2xSACD and DSD download. Also on Apple Music, probably?) Should be good, though it was recorded live--and I want to say that those LSOs, while sonically excellent, aren't typically very active in the rears anyway? (Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.) Can't beat the 1974 off-Broadway revival recording for discrete...

Blog | News | Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein, American composer, conductor, pianist, educator, and humanitarian.

www.leonardbernstein.com

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Listening now in 24/192. Wish they had not included the dialogue..................

 

[J. PUPSTER]

A new concert performance of Bernstein's Candide with the LSO under Marin Alsop. (2xSACD and DSD download. Also on Apple Music, probably?) Should be good, though it was recorded live--and I want to say that those LSOs, while sonically excellent, aren't typically very active in the rears anyway? (Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.) Can't beat the 1974 off-Broadway revival recording for discrete...

Blog | News | Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein, American composer, conductor, pianist, educator, and humanitarian.

www.leonardbernstein.com

I always thought this LSO enveloped the listener well; but check me on that, it's been awhile?

Beethoven - Bernard Haitink, London Symphony Orchestra - Symphonies Nos 1-9

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2007 SACD release of "Symphonies Nos 1-9" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

 

[ubertrout]

I really don't know why Magnard is so obscure...this is wonderful.

 

[windhoek]

I really don't know why Magnard is so obscure...this is wonderful.

That's excellent!

 

[mkt]

Now that’s something else

New Sounds Live: Veils and Vesper - Brookfield Place New York | BFPL

Experience an immersive sound installation within the Winter Garden!

bfplny.com

 

[humprof]

Now that’s something else

New Sounds Live: Veils and Vesper - Brookfield Place New York | BFPL

Experience an immersive sound installation within the Winter Garden!

bfplny.com

Whoa--I would love to hear that. I hope it's been slated for a recording.

 

[humprof]

A new concert performance of Bernstein's Candide with the LSO under Marin Alsop. (2xSACD and DSD download. Also on Apple Music, probably?) Should be good, though it was recorded live--and I want to say that those LSOs, while sonically excellent, aren't typically very active in the rears anyway? (Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.) Can't beat the 1974 off-Broadway revival recording for discrete...

Blog | News | Leonard Bernstein

Leonard Bernstein, American composer, conductor, pianist, educator, and humanitarian.

www.leonardbernstein.com

Here's a review from Presto, where it's "Recording of the Week":

Marin Alsop conducts Leonard Bernstein's Candide

Marin Alsop conducts the London Symphony Orchestra in a new recording of Leonard Bernstein's comic operetta based on Voltaire's satirical novella, in a performance that is full of dry wit, absurd humour, and stirring optimism.

www.prestomusic.com

 

[humprof]

Another collection of Atmos classical demo tracks--warhorses, but I don't mind--appeared on Apple Music sometime recently. Good, full mixes, with lots going on overhead:

The 3D Orchestral Collection by Marko Letonja & Orchestre philharmonique de Strasbourg

Album · 2021 · 16 Songs

music.apple.com

 

[humprof]

New York Times feature article on composer David Sanford. His latest album doesn't have a surround mix--more's the pity--but his previous one, Black Noise, does, and his work was also featured on several Matt Haimovitz albums, including Meeting of the Spirits, one of my favorites of the Pentatone Oxingale series.

David Sanford’s Music Has Flown Under the Radar. It Shouldn’t.

Few composers have broader stylistic reach. But on a new album, “A Prayer for Lester Bowie,” he makes it all cohere.

www.nytimes.com

 

[humprof]

Major story on NPR's Morning Edition today about the Boston Modern Orchestra Project and its label, BMOP/sound. I wish the label's surround mixes were more noteworthy, but the important thing is that they're recording works that no one else would.

Boston Modern Orchestra Project is honored for championing overlooked American music

The Gramophone Classical Music Awards recognized the group known as BMOP for its extraordinary service to overlooked American composers of the 20th and 21st centuries.

www.npr.org

 

[kap'n krunch]

I just "discovered" Vaughan Williams' "The Lark Ascending" via Iona Brown (RIP) which I have on an Angel XDR cassette which I have to transplant to a new shell cause it's one of those that keeps stopping on my deck because there's too much tension. The cassette is nowhere to be found on Discogs...
So I kept looking and found Iona's wiki page and what she said about performing "The Lark Ascending"... I found the 1976 recording on utoob and it's sublime...
I found that there is no Quad version but I did find a version by Hilary Hahn on MCH SACD but my educated guess is that it's probably an "Audience" mix cause it's a Deutsche Grammofon disc.

Can anyone confirm this? cause if it's an "Audience" mix I'd rather get Iona's version with Sir Neville Marriner...