State-of-the-Art Recordings of Classical Works (SACDs)

[Yuen A.]

reVISIONS Claude DEBUSSY arr. Sally Beamish Suite pour Violoncelle et Orchestre Maurice RAVEL arr. Richard Tognetti Deux mélodies hébraïques Sergei PROKOFIEV arr. Vladimir Blok Concertino for Violoncello and Orchestra, Op.132 Ernest BLOCH arr. Christopher Palmer From Jewish Life Steven Isserlis (cello) Tapiola Sinfonietta/Gábor Takács-Nagy BIS-SACD-1782 (A Relisten)

These are atmospheric, emotionally charged and passionate music. The Tapiola Sinfonietta and Steven Isserlis play powerfully and emotively.

 

[Yuen A.]

Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat major, Op. 23 Edvard GRIEG Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 Denis Kozhukhin (piano) Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin/Vassily Sinaisky PENTATONE PTC 5186 566 SACD (A Relisten)

The recordings are a bit dry. Still, the piano sounded lifelike and palpable and the strings shimmer. Kozhukhin is a refined and thoughtful musician. Gramophone says: "Out of repertory that has been celebrated, picked over and just about played to death over the course of almost a century and a half, they create magic … of course, this could only be achieved by deeply cultivated musical instincts and a technique as developed and varied as it is unobtrusive. His inerrant rhythmic sense is pliant yet taut; his sound unalloyed silver. Listening to Kozhukhin, you’re left with one thing: the music – incontestable, complete."

 

[Yuen A.]

Debussy Fantaisie; Ravel Piano Concerto in G; Piano Concerto for Left Hand; Massenet: Deux impromptus; Toccata; Deux pièces pour piano; Valse folle Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano). Tortelier, Yan Pascal/BBC Symphony Orchestra. Chandos 5084 SACD

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet plays with wonderful lightness and sensitivity. It’s really an amazing performance. Gramophone rightly says: "The combination of all three works on a single CD creates a satisfying programme, especially when played with such finesse and limpid colouring as by Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, with Yan Pascal Tortelier and the BBC SO matching him in taste and eloquence. ... A group of charming solo piano miniatures by Massenet complements and at times connects with the styles of Debussy and Ravel, and Bavouzet plays them beautifully."

The piano tone is focused, liquid, sparkling and refined. The entire recording is lifelike, crystalline and transparent. Every strand of the delicate orchestration in these pieces is sublimely beautiful. The percussion is startling.

 

[Yuen A.]

Pēteris Vasks Violin Concerto 'Distant Light'; Summer Dances; Piano Quartet Vadim Gluzman (violin); Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Hannu Lintu BIS-2352 SACD

These superb recordings take the listener on an emotional roller-coaster ride and what is more, the sound is so lifelike, three dimensional and tangible.

 

[Michael S.]

Mussorgsky/ Tchaikovsky-Pictures at an Exhibition/ Theme and 8 Variations

Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra
Fedoseev

A very dark interpretation with thrilling intensity. Sound is very good I have to say. Very deep bass and high dynamic

 

[Yuen A.]

Rameau Une Symphonie Imaginaire, Marc Minkowski/Les Musiciens du Louvre (ARCHIV 477 557-8 SACD) (PCM 48kHz/24 Bit)​

The recording/performance is excellent. Before even the first note of music begins one is aware of the ambience of the hall and this recording benefits from the excellent acoustic of the Théâtre de Poissy. The first track is the spectacular overture to Zaïs - Pastorale héroïque, which begins with deep drum beats. Via my updated DAC, the drum beats sounded real, atmospheric, powerful and impactful and what is more, Instrumental timbre is lifelike.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

View attachment 131717

Rameau Une Symphonie Imaginaire, Marc Minkowski/Les Musiciens du Louvre (ARCHIV 477 557-8 SACD) (PCM 48kHz/24 Bit)​

The recording/performance is excellent. Before even the first note of music begins one is aware of the ambience of the hall and this recording benefits from the excellent acoustic of the Théâtre de Poissy. The first track is the spectacular overture to Zaïs - Pastorale héroïque, which begins with deep drum beats. Via my updated DAC, the drum beats sounded real, atmospheric, powerful and impactful and what is more, Instrumental timbre is lifelike.

Fully agreed. One of my favorites. My immediate response to your post was to think of another:

You will be stunned by the dynamics of track 2 unless you set your playback level with forethought.

 

[MarkusBarkus]

...thanks for that title, Kal.

 

[Yuen A.]

Gordon Getty Joan and the Bells: Cantata for soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra Lisa Delan (soprano) Vladimir Chernov (baritone) Eric Ericson Chamber Choir; Prokofiev Romeo & Juliet Suite No. 2. Russian National Orchestra/Alexander Vedernikov PentaTone PTC 5186 017 SACD

State-of-the-Art sound and performance!

 

[Yuen A.]

Mahler Symphony No. 2 San Francisco Symphony/Michael Tilson Thomas SFS 821936-0006-2 SACD​

Awesome interpretation and performance. Awesome dynamics, transparency, and tone color. Awesome vocals.

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[bonzo75]

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Mahler Symphony No. 2 San Francisco Symphony/Michael Tilson Thomas SFS 821936-0006-2 SACD​

Awesome interpretation and performance. Awesome dynamics, transparency, and tone color. Awesome vocals.

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Saw him conduct Mahler 3 a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Yuen A.]

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op. 17 'Little Russian'. Pentatone PTC 5186 382 SACD

One of the most life-like recordings available. The strings, the woodwinds and the brass all sounded great via my sound system. The sound is three-dimensional, atmospheric, resonant, dynamic and warm. The bassline sounded realistic.

 

[Yuen A.]

Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture, Moscow Cantata, Marche Slave Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev Mariinsky 0503 SACD​

Gramophone rightly says: "Perhaps the most notable feature of these performances is their refusal to undermine the characterful in pursuit of the sensational. The Marche slave, for instance, is resonant and resolute but what you really come away humming are the fife and drum effects and brilliant trumpetings of the orchestration. The 1812 catches one off-guard straight away with its unusually "vocal" phrasing of the old Russian prayer at the outset and throughout the performance the song quotations sound "sung". Tempo (blistering) rather than trenchancy defines the main Allegro with the Marseillaise sounding unusually corny (deliberate?) in the trumpets. Tchaikovsky, though, is most evidently (and gloriously) Tchaikovsky in the Moscow Cantata. A vintage melody turns the first page of Russian history, illuminating it in that inimitable Tchaikovskian way."

 

[Yuen A.]

Wagner Meistersinger, an orchestral tribute (arr. by Henk de Vlieger), Eine Faust-Ouvertüre, Deux Entreactes Tragiques, Overture to Columbus. Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Neeme Järvi CHSA 5092 SACD (A Relisten)

Wow, this disc has never sounded this good (transparent, detailed and dynamic) prior to updating my DAC! I was transported to the recording venue. However, I have to play it louder than usual for it to come alive. I especially love Järvi's tempo. The sound is rich and warm and the performances are world class.

 

[Yuen A.]

Wagner The Ring, An Orchestral Adventure (arr. Henk de Vlieger) Siegfried Idyll Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Neeme Järvi
CHANDOS CHSA 5060 SACD (A Relisten)

Wow, this recording of The Ring has the sound of a real, live orchestra! (Play very loud)

 

[Michael S.]

Sibelius: Symphonies 4-7, Violin Concerto, Swan of Tuonela, Valse Triste, Tapiola, Finlandia

Christian Ferras (violin)
Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan (conductor)

Wonderful music in vivid three dimensional sound.

 

[Yuen A.]

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Wagner Götterdämmerung, Die Meistersinger, Siegfried - Idyll Budapest Festival Orchestra, Ivan Fischer Petra Lang, soprano Channel Classics CCS SA 32713 SACD​

Probably the most transparent and lifelike recording of these works! Here, you can immersed in the luxuriant strings, the burnished brass and the enchanting woodwind. The ’Siegfried-Idyll’ is entrancing and Petra Lang sang superbly! Gramophone says: "The Meistersinger Overture’s sprightly pace (heading towards a total playing time of less than 10 minutes), the crisp Toscanini-like timpani attack, the distinctive mid-European wind sound and the extraordinary clarity of the harp-writing immediately promise something out of the ordinary."

 

[Yuen A.]

Wagner Parsifal An Orchestral Suite, Ballet Scene from Tannhauser & Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Järvi Chandos CHSA 5077 SACD

Neeme Järvi is on steroids! For example, "the energy of the Lohengrin prelude is quite a shock, but it is here that the speed and energy of Järvi’s reading works best. There is a real celebratory rush here, rounding off the disc brilliantly. The brass sound fantastic in the final refrain. The recorded sound is superb throughout." ((MusicWeb International)

 

[Yuen A.]

Mari Kodama & Momo Kodama Tchaikovsky Ballet Suites for Piano Duo Nutcracker Sleeping Beauty Swan lake. Pentatone PTC 5186 579 SACD

Wow, amazing Duo and sound! One of the most lifelike piano recordings.

 

[Audiocrack]

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Mari Kodama & Momo Kodama Tchaikovsky Ballet Suites for Piano Duo Nutcracker Sleeping Beauty Swan lake. Pentatone PTC 5186 579 SACD

Wow, amazing Duo and sound! One of the most lifelike piano recordings.

I have this recording available in a dsd 64 file. This is indeed a great piano recording: both piano’s ‘tinkle’ in a very lifelike way. Top notch sound.