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NEW-UP. ZZT. Antonio Vivaldi - Concerti 'Nuova Stagione': Amandine Beyer, Ensemble Gli Incogniti. Studio Master 24bit-88.2kHz Stereo

October 14, 2013, 11:29 pm
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Studio Master | FLACs - 24bit 88.2kHz stereo, Covers | 1.31GB
Classical | Label: Zig Zag Territoires  | Catalog Number: ZZT 310
RAR 3% Rec.

outhere-music
'Effervescence, humour, lyricism, explosion, concentration, contemplation, impatience, energy... The list could go on forever. Words escape me when trying to determine what fascinates in Antonio Vivaldi's music. This disc represents our particular homage to this ever so generous composer, who gratifies musicians by putting into their hands fabulous tools of diversity, emotion and effectiveness.' Amandine Beyer
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent performance May 29, 2013
By Toby C.S. Langen
The performance is lively, technically just about perfect. The selection of pieces showcases a side of Vivaldi that reminds one of Schmelzer.
Concerto for Violin and Organ in C Major, RV 808
01 - I. Allegro
02 - II. Largo
03 - III. Allegro
Concerto for Cello in A Minor, RV 420
04 - I. Andante
05 - II. Adagio
06 - III. Allegro
Concerto for Traverso in E Minor, RV 431
07 - I. Allegro
08 - II. Andante
09 - III. Allegro
Concerto for Violin in C Major, RV 194
10 - I. Allegro mà poco
11 - II. Largo
12 - III. Allegro
Concerto for Traverso in A Minor, RV 440
13 - I. Allegro non molto
14 - II. Larghetto
15 - III. Allegro
Concerto for Cello in D Major, RV 403
16 - I. Allegro
17 - II. Andante e spiritoso
18 - III. Allegro
Concerto for Violin in D Minor, RV 235
19 - I. Allegro non molto
20 - II. Adagio
21 - III. Allegro
Concerto for Violin and Organ in G Minor, After RV 517
22 - I. Allegro
23 - II. Andante
24 - III. Allegro

Amandine Beyer (solo violin, direction)
Manuel Granatiero (traverso)
Alba Roca (violin)
Flavio Losco violin) (RV 194, RV 235, RV 517, RV880)
Marta Páramo (viola)
Marco Ceccato (solo cello)
Rebeca Ferri (cello) (RV 403, RV 420)
Baldomero Barciela (violone)
María Crisol (bassoon) (RV 431, RV 440)
Francesco Romano (theorbo, Baroque guitar)
Anna Fontana (solo organ, harpsichord)

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NEW-UP. HYPERION. Rachmaninov - Piano Concertos, Paganini Rhapsody: S. Hough, A. Litton, Dallas SO. 2xSACD-ISO, FLAC 24bit 88.2kHz 2CH, DFF 1bit-2822.4kHz 2CH

October 17, 2013, 10:11 pm
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Sony PS3 SACD to *ISO | DST 1bit-2822,4kHz 2CH-MCH | 6.5GB
DFF 1bit-2822,4kHz-CUE 2CH | DR13,16 (3.64,5.64dB Gain) | 3.81GB
FLAC 24bit-88.2kHz-CUE 2CH | DR13,16 (3.64,5.64dB Gain) | 2.25GB
Classical | Label: hyperion | Catalog Number: SACDA67501/2 | RAR 3% Rec.

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GRAMOPHONE AWARDS 2005, EDITOR'S CHOICE 
CD OF THE WEEK (The Sunday Times)
RECORD(S) OF THE YEAR 2004 (The Sunday Times)
CLASSICAL BRIT AWARD 2005 - Critics' Choice CLASSIC FM HALL OF FAME NO. 1 

Ever since we started working with Stephen in 1996 recording these concertos has been on the agenda: it’s probably been the project closest to his heart. But it took several years before we found the orchestra and conductor that we felt would do justice to this important project.
The combination of Dallas and Litton offers a conductor who adores Rachmaninov (he has recorded all the symphonies) and understands the works from a pianist’s perspective, an orchestra with a glorious and old-fashioned string sound of the kind with which the composer would be familiar, a hall to record in which is one of the best in the world, and let’s not forget Stephen Hough who has already won two Gramophone ‘Record of the Year’ accolades for his concerto recordings. As the results here triumphantly show, all our hopes have been fulfilled, and more.
Apart from the ‘Paganini Rhapsody’, recorded after a concert performance, these are essentially ‘live’ recordings. Over a period of eighteen days eleven concerts were given, with each concerto being played several times. From these we have pieced together an ‘ideal’ performance—free of coughs, noises and the few musical mishaps which occurred, but still capturing the excitement of what was, by common consent, a sensational series of concerts.
These days a new recording of the Rachmaninov concertos has to be very special for it to be worth doing at all and it was not lightly that Hyperion proceeded with this project. Stephen’s very conscious return to the fast and lean performance tradition of the composer himself, avoiding the sentimental ‘Hollywood’ approach that has become so prevalent, coupled with the supreme level of the performances themselves has truly created a Rachmaninov cycle for the new millennium! hyperion-records

Disc 1 
01.Piano Concerto No.1 in F sharp minor, Op.1 - 1. Vivace12:32
02.Piano Concerto No.1 in F sharp minor, Op.1 - 2. Andante05:39
03.Piano Concerto No.1 in F sharp minor, Op.1 - 3. Allegro Vivace07:57
04.Piano Concerto No.4 in G minor, Op.40 - 1. Allegro Vivace09:06
05.Piano Concerto No.4 in G minor, Op.40 - 2. Largo06:22
06.Piano Concerto No.4 in G minor, Op.40 - 3. Allegro Vivace09:16
07.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Introduction00:09
08.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 100:19
09.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Theme00:18
10.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 200:17
11.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 300:23
12.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 400:27
13.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 500:27
14.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 601:05
15.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 701:05
16.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 800:32
17.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 900:30
18.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 1000:48
19.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 1101:26
20.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 1201:23
21.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 1300:27
22.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 1400:42
23.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 1501:09
24.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 1601:40
25.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 1702:12
26.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 1802:57
27.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 1900:26
28.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 2000:34
29.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 2100:25
30.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 2201:37
31.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 2300:50
32.Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op.43 - Var. 2401:23


Stephen Hough (piano)
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Litton (conductor)

Disc 2
01.Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18 - 1. Moderato09:59
02.Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18 - 2. Adagio sostenuto11:02
03.Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, Op.18 - 3. Allegro scherzando11:33
04.Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor, Op.30 - 1. Allegro ma non tanto15:05
05.Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor, Op.30 - 2. Intermezzo: Adagio09:55
06.Piano Concerto No.3 in D minor, Op.30 - 3. Finale: Alla breve13:21


'These are exhilarating performances, freshly conceived and texturally pristine … With such committed advocacy and technical bravura, Hough's interpretations demand to be heard' (The Sunday Times)
'the freshness and joy in rediscovering well-worn masterpieces are everywhere in evidence in Hough's playing … If you think you have heard these pieces once too often, this is the recording to help you rediscover their intimacies and their emotional sweep' (The Daily Telegraph)
'Hough. Litton. Rachmaninov concertos. Hyperion. Already a mouth-watering prospect, is it not? So, like the old Fry's Five Boys chocolate advert, does Anticipation match Realisation in these five much recorded confections? The answer is 'yes' on almost every level' (Gramophone)
'Overall, these live concert recordings stand out in a field jam-packed with first-rate Rachmaninov concerto cycles'(BBC Music Magazine)
'these rank among the most illuminating - and most compelling - performances in the catalog. Whether you're a Rachmaninov addict looking for fresh perspectives on the music or a neophyte looking for the cycle in up-to-date sound, Hough and Litton can be recommended without hesitation'(Fanfare, USA)
'Hough and Litton are more than scholars: they make living, flaming music from the ebbing and flowing speeds, the soloist's improvisatory airs, or the strings' willingness to revive the old portamento slide. The waves of energy at the finale's end are very exciting: no wonder the Dallas audience break out in cheers'(The Times)
'This is fin-de-siècle musical romance moulded with perception, and Hough himself is on magnificent form … Hough's set takes the palm as the pre-eminent digital edition of the Rachmaninov piano concertos'(The Independent)


password: hyperion

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UPGRADE. HDTT. Stravinsky: L'histoire Du Soldat - Ars Nova/Robert Mandell, Respighi: Rossiana - Vienna State Opera Orchestra/Robert Zeller. Flac 192kHz-24bit, 352,8kHz-24bit DXD Stereo

October 20, 2013, 1:10 am
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FLACs 192kHz-24bit | 2.15GB
FLACs 352,8kHz-24bit | 980MB (only 4 tracks)
Classical | Label: HDTT | Catalog Number: HDDL195
RAR 3% Rec.
highdeftapetransfers.com

Title: Stravinsky-L'histoire Du Soldat / Respighi Rossiana
Artist(s): Stravinsky: Conducted by Robert Mandell - Ars Nova
Respighi : Robert Zeller conducts the Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Source used for Transfer: Stravinsky: Westminster Sonotape 2-Track
Respighi: Westminster 4-track tape
Recording Info: 
L'Histoire Du Soldat: Recorded in Carnegie Recital Hall on May 25, 1956
Rossiniana: Recorded in Mozart Hall, Vienna, May 1964
Produced by James Grayson• Engineering: H. Zeithammer/P. Curiel

1-9. Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) - L'histoire Du Soldat (1918) 29:57
10-13. Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) - Rossiniana (1925) 22:58 

"This has to be one of the most amazingly "present" recordings ever made of a seven-person chamber ensemble. The original was a Westminster stereo recording made in the early 1950s and issued on a Sonotape two-track open reel tape in the mid-1950s""I have never heard a xrcd that sounded as good as this HDTT disc!" John Sunier -  Audiophile Audition




24 bit / 352.8 kHz Resolution


 Many claim that a sampling rate of 24 bits / 192 kHz should be high enough for sound reproduction (192 kHz sampling can reproduce frequencies up to 96 kHz); however, with a 192 kHz sampling rate, an Anti Aliasing Filter is still needed, and the severe phase shift, distortion, and other byproducts of the filter are wide enough that they may still impact audible frequencies. With 24bit / 352.8 kHz sampling, an anti aliasing filter is not needed, since frequencies higher than 176.4 kHz are very weak and much less likely to incur audible artifacts. This enables the use of anti-aliasing filters with far less steep filter "walls" and cutoff. Very sharp filters (also called "brick wall" filters" incur pronounced ringing and other distortions).
  Impulse response is of primary importance since the brain uses small differences in time between one ear and the other ear as spatial clues in order to reproduce three- dimensional aspects of the original signal. Thus, a digital recording at 358.2 kHz sounds closer to "real analog," which needs no anti-aliasing filters at all, and the listener is better able to capture full ambient information of sonic events with a 352.8 kHz sampling rate. Even though, higher resolution, higher sampling rates sound better than lower resolution, lower sampling rates, 192 kHz, 96 kHz and 44.1 kHz/24 bit all sound more "digital" than 352.8 kHz sampling because of the  pronounced effects of anti-aliasing filters in the lower sampling rate systems.
 Playable only on compatible hardware and software

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NEW-UP. ZZT. J.S. BACH - SONATAS FOR OBBLIGATO HARPSICHORD AND VIOLIN BWV 1014-1019: Chiara Banchini, Jörg-Andreas Bötticher. 2CD . Studio Master 24bit-88.2kHz Stereo

October 20, 2013, 2:28 am
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Studio Master | FLACs - 24bit 88.2kHz stereo, Covers | 1.87GB
Classical | Label: Zig Zag Territoires  | Catalog Number: ZZT 302
RAR 3% Rec.

outhere-music

To mark her return to the recording studio after CDs of Tartini and Albinoni (both awarded a Diapason d’Or), Chiara Banchini joins forces with Jörg Andreas Bötticher to present her version of Johann Sebastian Bach’s sonatas for obbligato harpsichord and violin BWV 1014-1019.

This interpretation is notable, among other features, for the use of a German harpsichord with the disposition 16', 8', 8', 4', freely reconstructed by Matthias Kramer (Hamburg, 2006) after Christian Zell.

Chiara Banchini (violon baroque) - Jörg-Andreas Bötticher (clavecin)

DISC 1
1  Sonate No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1014: I. Adagio 00:03:12  
2  Sonate No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1014: II. Allegro 00:02:50  
3  Sonate No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1014: III. Andante 00:03:17  
4  Sonate No. 1 in B Minor, BWV 1014: IV. Allegro 00:03:21  
5  Sonate No. 2 in A Major, BWV 1015: I. Dolce 00:02:40  
6  Sonate No. 2 in A Major, BWV 1015: II. Allegro 00:02:56  
7  Sonate No. 2 in A Major, BWV 1015: III. Andante un poco 0:03:06
8  Sonate No. 2 in A Major, BWV 1015: IV. Presto 00:04:23  
9  Sonate No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1016: I. Adagio 00:03:54  
10  Sonate No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1016: II. Allegro 00:02:48  
11  Sonate No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1016: III. Adagio ma non tanto 00:04:06  
12  Sonate No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1016: IV. Allegro 00:04:15  

DISC 2
1  Sonate No. 4 in C Minor, BWV 1017: I. Largo 00:04:38  
2  Sonate No. 4 in C Minor, BWV 1017: II. Allegro 00:04:28  
3  Sonate No. 4 in C Minor, BWV 1017: III. Adagio 00:03:18  
4  Sonate No. 4 in C Minor, BWV 1017: IV. Allegro 00:04:41  
5  Sonate No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1018: I. Largo 00:06:07  
6  Sonate No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1018: II. Allegro 00:04:30  
7  Sonate No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1018: III. Adagio 00:02:39  
8  Sonate No. 5 in F Minor, BWV 1018: IV. Vivace 00:02:36  
9  Sonate No. 6 in G Major, BWV 1019: I. Allegro 00:03:32  
10  Sonate No. 6 in G Major, BWV 1019: II. Largo 00:01:39 
11  Sonate No. 6 in G Major, BWV 1019: III. Allegro 00:04:47  
12  Sonate No. 6 in G Major, BWV 1019: IV. Adagio 00:02:38  
13  Sonate No. 6 in G Major, BWV 1019: V. Allegro 00:03:27  
14  Cantabile, BWV 1019A 00:06:19

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NEW-UP. PRD. Maurice Ravel - Orchestral Works: Pierre Monteux, London Symphony Orchestra. SACD-ISO. FLAC 24bit-88.2kHz 2CH

November 3, 2013, 6:29 am
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Sony PS3 SACD to *ISO | DST 1bit-2822,4kHz 2CH | 1.03GB
FLAC 24bit 88.2kHZ 2CH | DR13 (+6dB gain) | 1.26GB
Classical | Label: Praga Digitals | Catalog Number: PRD/DSD 350073 |  RAR 3% Rec.

sa-cd.net

Conductor Pierre Monteux had one of the longest musical careers in recent times, exceeded only by Pablo Casals and Leopold Stokowski. A champion of new music, he led the premieres of many works, among them Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (which caused a notorious audience riot) and the work recorded here, Ravel's glorious ballet Daphnis et Chloe. Monteux assumed the position of music director of the London Symphony Orchestra in 1961 at age 86. The historic remastered recordings on this hybrid SACD date from this period and include the Rapsodie espagnole, Pavane pour une infante défunte and the complete Daphnis et Chloe.

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Just as imaginary as Debussy's or Chabrier's, Spain according to Ravel surprised Falla by an authentic character that made him exclaim 'Es de nuestros' ('You are one of us') as much in the feria as in the Pavane of a dreamt infanta at the Court of Spain. It is the court of Louis XV that appears in Daphnis et Chloé, a 'choreographic symphony less concerned with archaism than with faithfulness to the Greece of my dreams' (dixit Ravel). This pastorale could have been performed at the Petit Trianon, Ravel as a brilliant Rameau of the 20th century, leaving the coherence of the gesture to Fokine. Pierre Monteux recorded the ideal version of this programme that was so familiar to him.

01.Rapsodie espagnole-I.Prelude a la nuit04:06
02.II.Malaguena02:14
03.III.Habanera02:35
04.IV.Feria06:20
05.Pavane pour une infante defunte [orchestral version]06:35
06.Daphnis et Chloe-Part One-I.Introduction et danse religieuse07:14
07.II.Danse generale02:42
08.III.Danse grotesque de Dorcon02:18
09.IV.Danse legere et gracieuse de Daphnis02:22
10.V.Danse de Lyceion-Les Pirates04:37
11.VI.Danse lente et mysterieuse des Nymphes04:38
12.Part Two-I.Introduction02:55
13.II.Danse guerriere04:05
14.III.Danse suppliante de Chloe05:13
15.Part Three-I.Lever du jour05:11
16.II.Pantomime05:28
17.III.Danse generale04:59



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UPGRADE. MLP. Emmanuel Chabrier, Albert Roussel - Paul Paray, Detroit Symphony. SACD-ISO. FLAC 24bit 88.2kHz 2CH-MCH

November 4, 2013, 11:57 pm
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Sony PS3 SACD to *ISO | DST 1bit-2822,4kHz 2.0, 3.0(5.0) |  3.06GB
FLAC 24bit-88.2kHz-CUE 2CH | DR12 (3.96dB Gain) | 1.25GB
FLAC 24bit-88.2kHz-CUE MCH |  (3.42dB Gain) | 2.01GB
Classical | Label: MLP/DECCA | Catalog Number: 4756183 | RAR 3% Rec.

amazon.com
sa-cd.net

This SACD encapsulates pure joy, both in the music of Chabrier and its performances here. 
The recordings taped between March 1957 and November 1959 in three different venues are quite remarkable in their vividness. The clarity of the sound and the attack and energy exhibited by the Detroit Symphony under Paul Paray are truly astounding in these thrilling performances. Though not major works, all the pieces are beautifully crafted and orchestrated (the Bourrée Fantasque is given in the orchestration by Felix Mottl). 
The short Suite in F by Roussel makes an excellent, if stylistically different, filler and is equally impressive in both sound and performance.
Listening to this SACD is the aural equivalent of taking a good tonic or a glass of single malt whisky – it makes you feel rejuvenated!
Those already familiar with Mercury Living Presence recordings will need no encouragement to buy this disc as the excellent transfers to SACD (3- channel) have made it sound as never before. For those new to MLP recordings a treat is in store

01.Chabrier - Espana06:38
02.Chabrier - Suite Pastorale: I. Idylle04:04
03.Chabrier - Suite Pastorale: II. Danse villageoise04:20
04.Chabrier - Suite Pastorale: III. Sous bois02:57
05.Chabrier - Suite Pastorale: IV. Scherzo-Valse04:39
06.Chabrier - F'ete polonaise from Le roi malgr'e lui07:36
07.Chabrier- Overture to Gwendoline08:43
08.Chabrier - Danse slave from Le roi malgr'e lui05:12
09.Chabrier - Joyeuse marche03:40
10.Chabrier - Bourr'ee fantasque06:15
11.Roussel - Suite in F, Op.33: I. Prelude04:02
12.Roussel - Suite in F, Op.33: II. Sarabande04:51
13.Roussel - Suite in F, Op.33: III. Gigue04:20

Chabrier is doomed to be remembered for six and half minutes of music: Espana. And to add insult to injury, the piece is not considered “serious” enough to be programmed during the regular subscription season of orchestras – it’s typically relegated to summer concerts. 
While there’s no denying a certain “lightness” to the music, it’s still masterfully orchestrated. And Chabrier did win endorsements from an impressive variety of composers, including: Ravel, R. Strauss, Debussy and Stravinsky. 
Since the 1960s these recordings have been the standard recommendation for a compilation of Chabrier’s orchestral music (though missing is the Habanera and Larghetto for Horn and Orchestra). In three channel SACD these recordings are further immortalized. 
Espana receives a particularly nuanced performance. Listen to how the tremolo clarinet flutters above the orchestra right after the first the first tutti, or how clear but not spotlit the harps are. Probably my favorite pieces are the two excerpts from “Le Roi malgre lui,” though the Detroit Symphony Orchestra cannot match the opulence of the Vienna Philharmonic in their mid 90s recording of the “Fete polonaise.”

Sound quality ranges to pretty good to not good. The Bourree fantasque and Roussel’s Suite in F are the oldest recordings in the compilation. The sound is noticeably restricted and the Roussel Suite suffers from overload distortions. The rest of the pieces were recorded two years later in 1959. They sound vibrant with a realistic sense of hall ambience – spacious but not over-reverberant. Unlike other MLP recordings, the sound is not oppressively forward. Overall, they’re a pleasure to listen to with the volume cranked up loud. There is a flaw, which is that the bass drum and cymbal sound off mic – this is the draw back of a minimal mic’ing technique. A fourth microphone placed near these instruments would have been useful.
I compared the three and two channel layers, and I have to admit to not hearing much of a difference. The location of some instruments sounds slightly different at times, but that’s about it. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised because these recordings were designed to be mixed down to two channels.
If you don’t own a disc of Chabrier’s orchestral music, get this SACD before it goes out of print.



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NEW-UP. The Genius of Cavaillé-Coll. 2CD, 3DVDx9

November 7, 2013, 2:24 am
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Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (1811 1899) built five-hundred revolutionary organs in France in the Nineteenth Century that inspired composers such as Franck and Widor to write the most famous and popular organ music ever composed. Filmed throughout France over nine months between 2011 and 2012, this magnificent boxed-set sums up Cavaillé-Coll s extraordinary life and career... Superb recordings from his fifteen most important organs, featuring the best and most famous French organists.
More than five hours of DVD extras including performances, improvisations and demonstrations of organs all recorded in full surround-sound... one of the most important and popular releases about organ music ever made.

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"The Genius of Cavaillé-Coll is a triumph - a fascinating and captivating film of huge scope and ambition. Lovers of organ music will be very grateful indeed." BBC Music Magazine"I can unreservedly commend this magnificent production which so eloquently celebrates Cavaillé-Coll, and which lays before us such a glorious banquet of ravishing sounds and images." The Organists' Review

5 Disc Pack: 3 x DVD, 2 x CD
80 Page full-colour booklet containing organ specifications and photos
16:9 Widescreen
Region Free NTSC DVD, will play anywhere in the world
DTS Digital Surround 96/24™ 2.0 / 4.0 / 5.1 (96kHz 24bit playback on compatible equipment, compatible with all DTS equipment for 48kHz playback)
Dolby Digital Surround 2.0
All music recorded by 'BBC Music Technical Excellence' award winning engineer, David Hinitt.
Languages: English and Français
Subtitles: English, Français, Deutsch
Running Time CDs: 143 mins; Running Time DVDs: 500 mins

This 3-DVD and 2-CD set contains the first ever full-length documentary about the life and work of Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, the leading organbuilder of 19th-Century France. The set includes an 80-page booklet and many recordings and filmed performances of works by Franck, Saint-Saëns, Guilmant, Boëllmann, Widor, Vierne and more. The two CDs contain performances on 16 Cavaillé-Coll organs, with repertoire selected from the same period as each organ or closely associated with it. The first DVD contains three 50-minute films comprising the documentary "The Genius of Cavaillé-Coll" hosted by Gerard Brooks with Kurt Lueders, Ronald Ebrecht, Carolyn Shuster Fournier, Pierre Pincemaille, Thomas Monnet, Olivier Latry, and Eric Lebrun. The second DVD details and demonstrates individual organs. The third DVD features improvs and compositions played by Daniel Roth, Olivier Latry, Pierre Pincemaille, Jean-Pierre Griveau, and Michel Bouvard. The films and booklet are presented in English, French, and German.





5.0 out of 5 stars The Genius of Cavaille-Coll 8 Oct 2013
By William Green
Amazon Verified Purchase
This is an outstanding set of DVDs and CDs full of information and demonstrations. Whereas many DVDs of this type often just show stills this one takes us on brief tours of the areas, the churches, the organs and performances. Brilliant organists give demonstrations of the instruments describing not only the organs of Cavaille-Coll but performing works of the period and improvising. This set should be a must for all students of the organ but will also delight those who are interested in organ music. I can only congratulate all those involved in this project and recommend it highly to everyone.





passwords: 
CDs, DVD1 - Takaji
DVD2 - Cavaille
DVD3 - Cavaille

many thanks to my friend!!!
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NEW-POST. RCO. Gustav Mahler: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. 11 x Blu-Ray Disc BOX

November 7, 2013, 10:13 am
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Gustav MAHLER (1860-1911) 
Symphonies 1-10, Totenfeier, Das Lied von der Erde 
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Daniel Harding, Mariss Jansons, Iván Fischer, Daniele Gatti, Lorin Maazel, Pierre Boulez, Bernard Haitink, Eliahu Inbal, Fabio Luisi 
rec. live, 2009-2011, Concertgebouw, Amsterdam 
Video directors: Hans Hulscher, Joost Honselaar 
Picture: 1080i Full HD 
Sound: PCM Stereo, dts-HD Master Audio Surround 
No liner-notes or credits/subtitles 
RCO LIVE RCO12102 BLU-RAY [11 discs: 14:22:00]




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NEW-UP. MLP. Bach: Six Suites for Solo Cello - Janos Starker. 2xSACD-ISO. FLAC 24bit 88.2kHz 2CH-MCH

November 8, 2013, 7:39 am
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Sony PS3 SACD to *ISO | DST 1bit-2822,4kHz 2CH-MCH |  5.84GB
FLAC 24bit-88.2kHz-CUE 2CH | DR11-12 (6.00dB Gain) | 2.57GB
FLAC 24bit-88.2kHz-CUE MCH |  (6.00dB Gain) | 3.45GB
Classical | Label: MLP/DECCA | Catalog Number: 470 644-2 (2 discs) | RAR 3% Rec.

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Review by FivePointOne February 20, 2005
Performance:  Sonics:
This 2-CD set is wonderful. Starker's playing is great, and the 3-channel sound quality is very nice.
I'd highly recommend this.

Disc 1:
01-Suite No. 1 in G Major: Praeludium
02-Suite No. 1 in G Major: Allemande
03-Suite No. 1 in G Major: Courante
04-Suite No. 1 in G Major: Sarabande
05-Suite No. 1 in G Major: Menuets
06-Suite No. 1 in G Major: Gigue
07-Suite No. 2 in D Minor: Praeludium
08-Suite No. 2 in D Minor: Allemande
09-Suite No. 2 in D Minor: Courante
10-Suite No. 2 in D Minor: Sarabande
11-Suite No. 2 in D Minor: Menuets
12-Suite No. 2 in D Minor: Gigue
13-Suite No. 3 in C Major: Praeludium
14-Suite No. 3 in C Major: Allemande
15-Suite No. 3 in C Major: Courante
16-Suite No. 3 in C Major: Sarabande
17-Suite No. 3 in C Major: Bourrées
18-Suite No. 3 in C Major: Gigue
19-Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major: Praeludium
20-Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major: Allemande
21-Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major: Courante
22-Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major: Sarabande
23-Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major: Bourrées
24-Suite No. 4 in E-flat Major: Gigue

Disc 2:
01-Suite No. 5 in C Minor: Praeludium
02-Suite No. 5 in C Minor: Allemande
03-Suite No. 5 in C Minor: Courante
04-Suite No. 5 in C Minor: Sarabande
05-Suite No. 5 in C Minor: Gavottes
06-Suite No. 5 in C Minor: Gigue
07-Suite No. 6 in D Major: Praeludium
08-Suite No. 6 in D Major: Allemande
09-Suite No. 6 in D Major: Courante
10-Suite No. 6 in D Major: Sarabande
11-Suite No. 6 in D Major: Gavottes
12-Suite No. 6 in D Major: Gigue
13-Sonata in G Major, BWV 1027: Adagio
14-Sonata in G Major, BWV 1027: Allegro ma non tanto
15-Sonata in G Major, BWV 1027: Andante
16-Sonata in G Major, BWV 1027: Allegro moderato
17-Sonata in D Major, BWV 1028: Adagio
18-Sonata in D Major, BWV 1028: Allegro
19-Sonata in D Major, BWV 1028: Andante
20-Sonata in D Major, BWV 1028: Allegro

Review by Cellophile October 23, 2004
Performance:  Sonics:
There are many recordings of these fine pieces, dug out of the dustbin by the legendary Pablo Casals, and made into true concert pieces. This rendition by Janos Starker is from 1963-1965, at the absolute peak of his cellistic powers. He, Rostropovich and Fournier are the greatest cellists of the late 20th century.
This is a Mercury Living Presence reissue. I owned it as an LP years ago and I remember how stunning these performances are. The sound was and still is a little too biased toward the upper register, a fault I was hoping would be corrected, but alas was or could not be. My initial review stated that I was not sure if the SACD layer was superior to the CD, but, I must say that is because in my enthusiasm for the SACD layer I hadn't ever really done a fair comparison. There is no doubt, the SACD layer has a more integrated, smooth sound, the timbres being far more realistically portayed than the CD. The CD layer also seems constricted in soundstage compared to theSACD. Also, the bass in the SACD is rounder and more satisfying. Perhaps this is the same as " more accurate timbral reproduction.
I love these and to me, a cellist, they are must have documents of one of the greatest cellists of all time, playing what amounts to a "bible", for all cellists. By the way, Starker recorded these 5 times in his carrear, the last at age 70. That set is not on SACD, and is different in that even he admits his technical powers were slightly less, so he went for coherent construction rather than on the first set, where he strove for technical perfection (and I say he achieved it).
There will always be debates on the cello suites. Some love the original Casals romantic version, others are more strict constructionists, searching for an authentic performance. I like listening to them all and I appreciate each approach...

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NEW-UP. ZZT. ARCANGELO CORELLI - THE COMPLETE CONCERTI GROSSI: Amandine Beyer, Gli Incogniti. 2CD . Studio Master 24bit-88.2kHz Stereo

November 10, 2013, 2:38 am
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Studio Master | FLACs - 24bit 88.2kHz stereo, Covers | 2.87GB
Classical | Label: Zig Zag Territoires  | Catalog Number: ZZT 327
RAR 3% Rec.

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There is nothing surprising in the fact that Amandine Beyer and her ensemble Gli Incogniti should tackle Arcangelo Corelli's Concerti Grossi, Op. 6. Indeed, the 12 concerti making up this opus represent a form of apogee of this musical genre in the Baroque era and, at the same time, testimony to the great Italian composer's exceptional talent as a violinist and conductor.
Amandine Beyer recorded these concerti in concert, at the Arsenal in Metz, France, once again demonstrating her dual talent as violinist and 'band leader', who already dazzled listeners with her recording of Vivaldi's Four Seasons and which is indispensable in performing such a cycle.
Let us wager that this recording, alternating between jubilation and meditation, and honouring the 300th anniversary of Arcangelo Corelli's death, will mark a milestone in the interpretation of these magnificent works.

Choc award Klara 10 award Diapason d'Or - France Inter award


DISC 1:
1  Concerto grosso No. 7 in D Major, Op. 6: I. Vivace - Allegro - Adagio 00:02:25  
2  Concerto grosso No. 7 in D Major, Op. 6: II. Allegro 00:01:45  
3  Concerto grosso No. 7 in D Major, Op. 6: III. Andante largo 00:02:39  
4  Concerto grosso No. 7 in D Major, Op. 6: IV. Allegro - Adagio 00:01:09  
5  Concerto grosso No. 7 in D Major, Op. 6: V. Vivace 00:01:03  
6  Concerto grosso No. 9 in F Major, Op. 6: I. Preludio (Largo) 00:01:33  
7  Concerto grosso No. 9 in F Major, Op. 6: II. Allemanda (Allegro) 00:02:31  
8  Concerto grosso No. 9 in F Major, Op. 6: III. Corrente (Vivace) 00:01:27  
9  Concerto grosso No. 9 in F Major, Op. 6: IV. Gavotta (Allegro) 00:00:40  
10  Concerto grosso No. 9 in F Major, Op. 6: V. Adagio 00:00:47  
11  Concerto grosso No. 9 in F Major, Op. 6: VI. Minuetto (Vivace) 00:01:27  
12  Sinfonia to the oratorio Santa Beatrice d'Este in D Minor, WoO 1: I. Grave 00:01:55  
13  Sinfonia to the oratorio Santa Beatrice d'Este in D Minor, WoO 1: II. Allegro - Adagio 00:02:09  
14  Sinfonia to the oratorio Santa Beatrice d'Este in D Minor, WoO 1: III. Largo assai 00:03:22  
15  Sinfonia to the oratorio Santa Beatrice d'Este in D Minor, WoO 1: IV. Vivace 00:01:38  
16  Concerto grosso No. 4 in D Major, Op. 6: I. Adagio - Allegro 00:03:17  
17  Concerto grosso No. 4 in D Major, Op. 6: II. Adagio 00:02:11  
18  Concerto grosso No. 4 in D Major, Op. 6: III. Vivace 00:00:54  
19  Concerto grosso No. 4 in D Major, Op. 6: IV. Allegro - Allegro 00:02:49  
20  Concerto grosso No. 11 in B-Flat Major, Op. 6: I. Preludio (Andante largo) 00:02:41  
21  Concerto grosso No. 11 in B-Flat Major, Op. 6: II. Allemanda (Allegro) 00:02:19  
22  Concerto grosso No. 11 in B-Flat Major, Op. 6: III. Adagio 00:00:40  
23  Concerto grosso No. 11 in B-Flat Major, Op. 6: IV. Andante largo 00:01:32  
24  Concerto grosso No. 11 in B-Flat Major, Op. 6: V. Sarabanda (Largo) 00:00:57  
25  Concerto grosso No. 11 in B-Flat Major, Op. 6: VI. Giga (Vivace) 00:00:58  
26  Concerto grosso No. 2 in F Major, Op. 6: I. Vivace - Allegro - Adagio - Vivace - Allegro - Adagio - Largo andante 00:04:07 
27  Concerto grosso No. 2 in F Major, Op. 6: II. Allegro - Adagio 00:01:44  
28  Concerto grosso No. 2 in F Major, Op. 6: III. Grave - Andante largo 00:02:05  
29  Concerto grosso No. 2 in F Major, Op. 6: IV. Allegro 00:02:13  
30  Concerto grosso No. 8 in G Minor, Op. 6 « Fatto per la notte di Natale »: I. Vivace - Grave 00:01:31  
31  Concerto grosso No. 8 in G Minor, Op. 6 « Fatto per la notte di Natale »: II. Allegro 00:02:01 
32  Concerto grosso No. 8 in G Minor, Op. 6 « Fatto per la notte di Natale »: III. Adagio - Allegro - Adagio 00:03:19  
33  Concerto grosso No. 8 in G Minor, Op. 6 « Fatto per la notte di Natale »: IV. Vivace 00:01:03 
34  Concerto grosso No. 8 in G Minor, Op. 6 « Fatto per la notte di Natale »: V. Allegro - Pastorale (Largo) 00:05:34

DISC 2
1  Concerto grosso No. 6 in F Major, Op. 6: I. Adagio 00:02:18  
2  Concerto grosso No. 6 in F Major, Op. 6: II. Allegro 00:01:49  
3  Concerto grosso No. 6 in F Major, Op. 6: III. Largo 00:03:36  
4  Concerto grosso No. 6 in F Major, Op. 6: IV. Vivace 00:02:08  
5  Concerto grosso No. 6 in F Major, Op. 6: V. Allegro 00:02:46  
6  Sonata a quattro in G Minor, WoO 2: I. Adagio - Andante largo 00:01:19  
7  Sonata a quattro in G Minor, WoO 2: II. Allegro 00:01:29  
8  Sonata a quattro in G Minor, WoO 2: III. Grave 00:02:08  
9  Sonata a quattro in G Minor, WoO 2: IV. Presto 00:01:01  
10  Sonata a quattro in G Minor, WoO 2: V. Vivace 00:00:59  
11  Concerto grosso No. 10 in C Major, Op. 6: I. Preludio (Andante largo) 00:02:34  
12  Concerto grosso No. 10 in C Major, Op. 6: II. Allemanda (Allegro) 00:02:09  
13  Concerto grosso No. 10 in C Major, Op. 6: III. Adagio 00:00:57  
14  Concerto grosso No. 10 in C Major, Op. 6: IV. Corrente (Vivace) 00:02:26  
15  Concerto grosso No. 10 in C Major, Op. 6: V. Allegro 00:02:14  
16  Concerto grosso No. 10 in C Major, Op. 6: VI. Minuetto (Vivace) 00:01:32  
17  Concerto grosso No. 5 in B-Flat Major, Op. 6: I. Adagio - Allegro - Adagio 00:03:21  
18  Concerto grosso No. 5 in B-Flat Major, Op. 6: II. Adagio 00:01:45  
19  Concerto grosso No. 5 in B-Flat Major, Op. 6: III. Allegro - Adagio 00:01:52  
20  Concerto grosso No. 5 in B-Flat Major, Op. 6: IV. Largo 00:01:05  
21  Concerto grosso No. 5 in B-Flat Major, Op. 6: V. Allegro 00:02:04  
22  Concerto grosso No. 12 in F Major, Op. 6: I. Preludio (Adagio) 00:02:46  
23  Concerto grosso No. 12 in F Major, Op. 6: II. Allegro 00:02:16  
24  Concerto grosso No. 12 in F Major, Op. 6: III. Adagio 00:02:08  
25  Concerto grosso No. 12 in F Major, Op. 6: IV. Sarabanda (Vivace) 00:00:49  
26  Concerto grosso No. 12 in F Major, Op. 6: V. Giga (Allegro) 00:02:30  
27  Concerto grosso No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 6: I. Largo 00:02:09  
28  Concerto grosso No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 6: II. Allegro - Adagio 00:01:56  
29  Concerto grosso No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 6: III. Grave 00:01:50  
30  Concerto grosso No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 6: IV. Vivace 00:02:06  
31  Concerto grosso No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 6: V. Allegro 00:02:01  
32  Concerto grosso No. 1 in D Major, Op. 6: I. Largo - Allegro - Adagio - Allegro - Adagio - Allegro - Adagio 00:02:28  
33  Concerto grosso No. 1 in D Major, Op. 6: II. Largo - Allegro 00:02:24  
34  Concerto grosso No. 1 in D Major, Op. 6: III. Largo 00:03:31  
35  Concerto grosso No. 1 in D Major, Op. 6: IV. Allegro - Adagio 00:01:40  
36  Concerto grosso No. 1 in D Major, Op. 6: V. Allegro 00:02:14

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NEW-UP. CALA. Respighi - Ballad of the Gnomes: Geoffrey Simon, London PO. SACD-ISO. FLAC 24bit-88.2kHz 2CH-MCH

November 11, 2013, 7:48 am
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Respighi

Sony PS3 SACD to *ISO | DST 1bit-2822,4kHz 2.0, 5.1 | 3.85GB
FLAC 24bit 88.2kHZ 2.0 | DR13 (+5.99dB gain) | 1.11GB
FLAC 24bit 88.2kHZ 5.1 | (+5.99dB gain) | 3.24GB
Classical | Label: CALA Records | Catalog Number: CACDS4028 |  RAR 3% Rec.

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Review by raffells November 24, 2006
Performance:  Sonics (S):
I can only state that I agree wholeheartedly with some of Castors comments except that I think this is even better disc that the exceptional other Respighi he mentions.Sonically and variety this would be my first choise Respighi disc on sacd.Musically more rewarding than the Trilogy..The Gnomes (Gnomettes?) is a smasher.The playing , tone and performance as well as the helpfull lines notes are top notch.BUY this sacd. stereo review.



£13.25 / €15.50    

 



When in 1913 Respighi settled in Rome where he would reside for the rest of his life, he would produce a large amount of highly varied music-some of it now well-known, much of it less so. Geoffrey Simon's championship of the little-known works of celebrated composers has proved highly successful on both record and in the concert hall, and his exploration of Respighi's catalogue has yielded a number of colourful compositions whose neglect hitherto remains something of a mystery. The works recorded here cover a wide range of moods, from the opulence and excitement for which Respighi was noted in his famous Roman Trilogy, to more reflective pieces inspired by nostalgia for the music of the past.
1 
Respighi
Ballad of the Gnomes
15:02
 
 
Respighi
Three Botticelli Pictures
18:09
2 
i.
 
Spring
5:20
3
ii.
 
The Adoration of the Magi
7:52
4
iii.
 
The Birth of Venus
4:45
 
Respighi
Suite in G major for Strings and OrganLeslie Pearson organ
22:28
5
i.
 
Preludio
3:26
6
ii.
 
Aria
5:50
7
iii.
 
Pastorale
5:21
8
iv.
 
Cantico
7:42
9
Respighi
Adagio with Variations for Cello and OrchestraAlexander Baillie cello
13:08
TT: 69:04

Review:
"This was recorded in 1990, and Steven Haller praised it in 1993...here it is at its fullest, and it’s quite wonderful" 
Don Vroon, American Record Guide



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NEW-UP. MLP. Screamers March Time - Frederick Fennell, Eastman Wind Ensemble. SACD-ISO. FLAC 24bit 88.2kHz 2CH-MCH

November 12, 2013, 7:36 pm
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Sony PS3 SACD to *ISO | DST 1bit-2822,4kHz 2CH-MCH |  3.37GB
FLAC 24bit-88.2kHz-CUE 2CH | DR12 (6.00dB Gain) | 1.32GB
FLAC 24bit-88.2kHz-CUE MCH |  (6.00dB Gain) | 2.08GB
Classical | Label: MLP/DECCA | Catalog Number: 475 6619 | RAR 3% Rec.

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Review by mwagner1962 May 11, 2005
Performance:  Sonics (S):
As a LONG term fan of anything Frederick Fennell has ever done (I confess I am a serious band freak, playing trumpet all through school and even through grad school).
I even had a wonderful experience playing in the UT-Austin summer Band Director's Symposium where Fred Fennell was a guest. Needless to say, having him conduct Percy Grainger's "Linconshire Posy" was an experience to last a lifetime.
This SACD (and I am elated that Mercury is releasing these master recordings) is a good deal better than its redbook equivalent. Just like the 1st Mercury/Fennell/ Eastman SACD, the SACD improves the air and space dramatically. Also, I can hear much more in regards to the inner band parts. As I confessed to being a band geek, I have played many of the pieces on this SACD and scarily, know them rather well.
These recordings serve as a great piece of musical history, as Fred Fennell was conducting and recording a lot of the music for the first time ever.
Needless to say, this SACD (and the one before it) sound fabulous for a nearly 50 year old recordings and kuddos to Mercury for doing a killer job on the SACD remastering!!!!
Have fun with a great SACD!!!!

1. In Storm And Sunshine
2. Whip & Spur
3. Invictus
4. The Big Cage
5. Bones Trombone
6. Them Basses
7. The Circus Bee
8. The Screamer
9. Thunder And Blazes
10. Robinson's Grand Entree
11. Circus Days
12. Bombasto
13. The Squealer
14. Rolling Thunder
15. Bennett's Triumphal
16. Bravura
17. Bugles And Drum
18. Illinois March
19. Children's March
20. The Interlochen Bowl
21. Onward-Upward
22. Boy Scouts Of America
23. Americans We
24. Officer Of The Day
25. March 'Grandioso'
26. Second Regiment, Connecticut National Guard March
27. Mad Major
28. Guadalcanal March

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NEW-UP. PENTATONE. Brahms, Beethoven: Misha Dicher, Kurt Masur, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. SACD-ISO. FLAC 24bit-88.2kHz 2CH-MCH

November 14, 2013, 9:06 pm
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Sony PS3 SACD to ISO | DST 1bit-2822,4kHz 2.0, 5.0 | 3.12GB
FLAC 24bit 88.2kHZ 2CH | DR14 (+6.00dB gain) | 1.12GB
FLAC 24bit 88.2kHZ MCH | (+6.00dB gain) | 2.21GB
Classical | Label: PentaTone | Catalog Number: 5186125
RAR 3% Rec. 


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5.0 out of 5 stars The best recording I have ever heard June 5, 2013
By Roberto Oliveira
From my standpoint this is the very best recording of Brahms 2nd Concerto I've heard. Mr. Dichter, who possesses a great technique (no questions about it) makes a remarkable reading of this concerto with very detailed and polished phrasing, a subtle and absolute control of the melodically perfect Brahms' inner voices while never losing the orchestral Brahms of sight. Orchestra is very well conducted by Maestro Masur, who found - along with Mr. Dichter - a unique prism that, at least on my particular taste, means absolute perfection.
3rd Mov here is still waiting for an adjective which could describe how it's played. I have around 1000+ CDs of classical piano music and consider myself a passionate listener with a decent musical culture, and this is my favorite CD. Thanks to the performers and to the audio engineers involved.

01.Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat, Op.83 - Allegro non troppo17:31
02.Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat, Op.83 - Allegro appassionato08:54
03.Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat, Op.83 - Andante - Più adagio11:58
04.Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat, Op.83 - Allegretto grazioso - Un poco più presto09:02
05.Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13  "Pathétique" - Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio08:34
06.Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13  "Pathétique" - Adagio cantabile05:48
07.Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13  "Pathétique" - Rondo (Allegro)04:32


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UPGRADE. Tomaso Albinoni - Oboe Concertos: Stefan Schilli, Nicol Matt, Stuttgart CO. SACD-ISO. FLAC 24bit 88.2kHz 2CH-MCH

November 16, 2013, 11:16 am
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Sony PS3 SACD to *ISO | DST 1bit-2822,4kHz 2.0, 5.0 | 3.56GB
FLAC 24bit 88.2kHZ 2CH | DR12 (+6.00dB gain) | 1.23GB
FLAC 24bit 88.2kHZ MCH | (+6.00dB gain) | 2.21GB
Classical | Label: Brilliant | Cat. Number: 93134 | RAR 3% Rec.

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Geohominid March 4, 2007
Performance:  Sonics (S/MC): /
A qualified welcome from me for this well-filled recording. There are no less than 9 oboe concertos, giving a generous total time of 69' 46". The concertos are drawn from Albinoni's Op. 7 and Op. 9 sets, and include not only favourites such as the D minor, Op. 9/2 but also ones for 2 oboes from each set.
The playing of the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra under Nicol Matt is exemplary, using modern instruments: they are sprightly and alert in the ripieno support for the soloists, both of whom are stylish and phrase the slow movements affectionately. All is thus well in the performance department.
The recording balance, however, disturbed me and made it difficult to for me to settle down and listen "into" the music. Although the sleeve notes provide ample information about the artists, there is no word about the recording other than it is mastered in DVD - my Marantz tells me it is 5.0. The overall sound is certainly clear and has a good dynamic range, although this is not called upon much in this sort of music. My first impression on listening in multi-channel was that the orchestra was strung out between the speakers without any real front-to-back information. Despite the rears providing sound, there was very little evidence of the acoustic in which they were set, and the players were relatively close, but not quite in my lap. However, the entry of the oboe was disconcerting; it seems to have been spot-miked and so was not integrated into the overall sound, and it was unduly prominent with an improbably large image. There was little or no sign of the hall "bloom". However, at Track 10, Concerto in B flat major Op. 7/3, I was immediately struck by the orchestra being set somewhat further back, exciting a good set of responses from the hall, and the solo oboe also gained a noticeable bloom. I would guess that from Track 10 onwards, either a different session was recorded, and possibly the microphone placements were altered somewhat, or a change was made in the mix. Whatever, I found the sound from Track 10 onwards much more listenable, although the large oboe still drew my attention. In the double concertos my equipment was unable to reliably resolve the two instruments spatially, a pity as Albinoni gives them antiphonal music and must have wanted them more spatially separated. Throughout, the harpsichord was hardly audible, just a faint tinkle emerging now and again. Again a pity, because the continuo is such a characteristic and vital part of the whole baroque sound and really enhances the texture when not cowed in the background. I tried the SACD stereo track, and oddly the overall balance was a little more convincing, although the soloists were still spotlit.
Despite my reservations about the balance, I would encourage lovers of Albinoni to acquire this disc, as the performances are lovely and the music is life-enhancing and full of fun, with the beguiling slow movements positively oozing charm. This is not a full-price disc, so is still good value.
Oh for a disc which has these concertos played on period instruments, and recorded in a historically-aware manner. with the baroque oboe played by the first oboist sitting in the band as he would have done. This music was written long before the days of jet-set expensive concerto soloists who demanded to be at the centre of attention!

01.Concerto in D major, Op.7 No.6 - I.Allegro02:39
02.II.Adagio01:40
03.III.Allegro02:14
04.Concerto f. 2 Oboes in C major, Op.7 No.11 - I.Allegro02:47
05.II.Adagio01:49
06.III.Allegro02:36
07.Concerto in D minor, Op.9 No.2 - I.Allegro03:42
08.II.Adagio04:13
09.III.Allegro02:52
10.Concerto in B flat major, Op.7 No.3 - I.Allegro02:47
11.II.Adagio02:01
12.III.Allegro02:14
13.Concerto f. 2 Oboes in C major, Op.9 No.9 - I.Allegro03:58
14.II.Adagio02:30
15.III.Allegro03:30
16.Concerto in F major, Op.7 No.9 - I.Allegro02:29
17.II.Adagio00:57
18.III.Allegro02:22
19.Concerto in C major, Op.9 No.5 - I.Allegro03:18
20.II.Adagio01:56
21.III.Allegro03:11
22.Concerto f. 2 Oboes in C major, Op.7 No.12 - I.Allegro02:54
23.II.Adagio02:00
24.III.Allegro02:11
25.Concerto f. 2 Oboes in D major, Op.9 No.12 - I.Allegro03:09
26.II.Adagio02:08
27.III.Allegro01:24


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NEW-UP. OEHMS. Gunther Rost (organ) - Fryderic Chopin: 24 Preludes op.28. SACD-ISO. FLAC 24bit 88.2kHz 2CH-MCH

November 18, 2013, 6:23 am
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Sony PS3 SACD to ISO | DST 1bit-2822,4kHz 2CH-MCH | 2.37GB
FLAC 24bit-88.2kHz-CUE 2CH | DR11 (6.0dB Gain) | 797MB
Classical | Label: OEHMS| Catalog Number: OC 681
RAR 3% Rec. 

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Seifert Organ of the Kevelaer Church of the Virgin Mary 
As with all cycles from this age that systematically traverse the circle of fifths, Chopin’s 24 Préludes op. 28 are written in the tradition of J.S. Bach. It is no wonder that this work holds a very special attraction for organists. In the past, Chopin Préludes have often been adapted for organ – and sometimes greatly changed. Gunther Rost takes another path in this recording. He plays the unchanged musical text of the original versions for piano, replicating the diversity of the composer’s dynamic markings by the use of imaginative registrations. The instrument heard on this recording offers possibly the best conditions of all: the Seifert organ in the Church of the Virgin Mary in Kevelaer has over 135 registers, making it the largest romantic German organ in the world.
With this release, Gunther Rost continues his series of organ transcriptions, which includes a recording of the Goldberg Variations as well as one of six instrumental concertos by Antonio Vivaldi.

Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849)
24 Preludes op. 28
1  Prelude No. 1 in C major Agitato  01:14  
2  Prelude No. 2 in a minor Lento  03:05  
3  Prelude No. 3 in G major Vivace  01:08  
4  Prelude No. 4 in e minor Largo  02:46  
5  Prelude No. 5 in D major Molto allegro  00:50  
6  Prelude No. 6 in b minor Lento assai  02:26  
7  Prelude No. 7 in A major Andantino  00:50  
8  Prelude No. 8 in f-sharp minor Molto agitato  02:09  
9  Prelude No. 9 in E major Largo  01:33  
10  Prelude No. 10 in c-sharp minor Molto allegro  01:03  
11  Prelude No. 11 in B major Vivace  01:03  
12  Prelude No. 12 in g-sharp minor Presto  01:31  
13  Prelude No. 13 in F-sharp major Lento  03:57  
14  Prelude No. 14 in e-flat minor Allegro  00:52  
15  Prelude No. 15 in D-flat major Sostenuto, Raindrop Prelude / Regentropfen-Prelude  08:55  
16  Prelude No. 16 in b-flat minor Presto con fuoco  01:18  
17  Prelude No. 17 in A-flat major Allegretto  03:34  
18  Prelude No. 18 in f minor Molto allegro  01:18  
19  Prelude No. 19 in E-flat major Vivace  01:35  
20  Prelude No. 20 in c minor Largo  01:34  
21  Prelude No. 21 in B-flat major Cantabile  02:31  
22  Prelude No. 22 in g minor Molto agitato  00.58  
23  Prelude No. 23 in F major Moderato  01:22  
24  Prelude No. 24 in d minor Allegro appassionato  03:02  

total: 50:47


many thanks to original releaser!
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NEW-UP. TACTUS ORGAN MUSIC. M.E. Bossi - Complete Organ Works. Vol. 1: Andrea Macinanti

November 19, 2013, 8:57 pm
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Artist: Andrea Macinanti, organ · Marco Bianchi, violin · Federica Mancini, harp · Manuel Zigante, cello · Choir «Città di Cuneo» · Andrea Bissi, conductor
Released: 2008
Label: Tactus
Catalog N°: TC 862711
Genre: Classical
File Format: eac_flac_cue_log scans complete, 374mb

Video

MARCO ENRICO BOSSI (1861-1925)
Marco Enrico Bossi (Born Salò, 1861 – died at sea between New York and Le Havre, 1925), studied at the Milan Conservatory under Polibio Fumagalli (organ), Francesco Sangalli (piano), Carlo Boniforti, Cesare Dominiceti and Amilcare Ponchielli (composition). He was appointed organist and maestro di cappella at Como Cathedral (1881-1889), taught the organ at the Naples conservatory (1890-1895) and was director of the Conservatories and taught composition in Venice (1895-1902), Bologna (1902-11) and Roma (1916-1923). Bossi was a famous performer, composer and teacher (he reorganised the syllabuses of the Conservatories), and was the first internationally famous Italian concert artist. He was conferred the highest ranks in the Kingdom, became an honorary member of the most prestigious foreign and Italian Academies and enjoyed the esteem and friendship of great musicians and men of letters. Amongst these there were Giuseppe Verdi – who wrote from Busseto: “…it goes without saying that all your compositions are written with great mastery…” as well as Arrigo Boito, Giacomo Puccini, Jules Massenet, Camille Saint-Saëns, Giovanni Pascoli and Gabriele D’Annunzio.

01.Fantaisie, organ     Op. 6409:58
02.Jeanne d'Arc, organ 13:48
03.Fugue on FEDE A BACH, organ     Op. 6210:11
04.Scherzo, organ     Op. 9505:44
05.Epousailles - Sposalizio, organ, violin, cello & harp   Méditation réligieuse  Op. 13411:05
06.Epousailles - Sposalizio, organ, violin, cello & harp   Improvisation  Op. 13403:18
07.Missa pro Sponso et Sponsa, voices & organ   Graduale  Op. 11004:02
08.Missa pro Sponso et Sponsa, voices & organ   Offertorio  Op. 11001:39
09.Missa pro Sponso et Sponsa, voices & organ   Communio  Op. 110 02:24
10.Missa pro Sponso et Sponsa, voices & organ   Marcia Nuziale  Op. 11008:59
11.Westminster Abbey - Hymn of Glory, organ     Op. 7605:59


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NEW-UP. TACTUS ORGAN MUSIC. M.E. Bossi - Complete Organ Works. Vol. 2: Andrea Macinanti

November 21, 2013, 2:27 am
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Artist: Andrea Macinanti, organ.
Released: 2009
Label: Tactus
Catalog N°: TC 862712
Genre: Classical
File Format: eac_flac_cue_log scans complete, 336mb
Note: Transcriptions of Music by Lorenzo Perosi - WORLD PREMIERE RECORDING - Organ Vegezzi Bossi 1916-1932/34, San Giusto Cathedral in Susa

MARCO ENRICO BOSSI (1861-1925)
Marco Enrico Bossi (Born Salò, 1861 – died at sea between New York and Le Havre, 1925), studied at the Milan Conservatory under Polibio Fumagalli (organ), Francesco Sangalli (piano), Carlo Boniforti, Cesare Dominiceti and Amilcare Ponchielli (composition). He was appointed organist and maestro di cappella at Como Cathedral (1881-1889), taught the organ at the Naples conservatory (1890-1895) and was director of the Conservatories and taught composition in Venice (1895-1902), Bologna (1902-11) and Roma (1916-1923). Bossi was a famous performer, composer and teacher (he reorganised the syllabuses of the Conservatories), and was the first internationally famous Italian concert artist. He was conferred the highest ranks in the Kingdom, became an honorary member of the most prestigious foreign and Italian Academies and enjoyed the esteem and friendship of great musicians and men of letters. Amongst these there were Giuseppe Verdi – who wrote from Busseto: “…it goes without saying that all your compositions are written with great mastery…” as well as Arrigo Boito, Giacomo Puccini, Jules Massenet, Camille Saint-Saëns, Giovanni Pascoli and Gabriele D’Annunzio.

01. La passione di Cristo secondo San Marco (arr. M.E. Bossi for organ): Parte Prima: [Preludio]05:49
02. La passione di Cristo secondo San Marco (arr. M.E. Bossi for organ): Parte Prima: Unus ex duodecim04:52
03. La passione di Cristo secondo San Marco (arr. M.E. Bossi for organ): Parte Prima: Et hymno dicto03:26
04. La passione di Cristo secondo San Marco (arr. M.E. Bossi for organ): Parte Seconda: Dormite jam08:17
05. La passione di Cristo secondo San Marco (arr. M.E. Bossi for organ): Parte Terza: [Preludio]04:15
06. La passione di Cristo secondo San Marco (arr. M.E. Bossi for organ): Parte Terza: Le Tenebre14:17
07.La Trasfigurazione di Nostro Signore Gesu Cristo (arr. M.E. Bossi for organ): Part Prima: Preludio03:36
08.La Trasfigurazione di Nostro Signore Gesu Cristo (arr. M.E. Bossi for organ): Part Prima: Et statim circumspicientes03:58
09.La Trasfigurazione di Nostro Signore Gesu Cristo (arr. M.E. Bossi for organ): Part Prima: II Variazione02:01
10.La Trasfigurazione di Nostro Signore Gesu Cristo (arr. M.E. Bossi for organ): Part Seconda: Le smanie04:18
11.La Trasfigurazione di Nostro Signore Gesu Cristo (arr. M.E. Bossi for organ): Part Seconda: Et frequenter eum02:21
12.La Trasfigurazione di Nostro Signore Gesu Cristo (arr. M.E. Bossi for organ): Part Seconda: Finale07:12

The second volume of Omnia, organ music by Marco Enrico Bossi (see Vol. I, Opere varie, TC.862711), contains his transcriptions of two works for soloists, choir and orchestra by Lorenzo Perosi [1872 - 1956]: La Passione di Cristo secondo S. Marco and La trasfigurazione di N. S. Gesù Cristo. La Passione (Trilogia sacra per canto e orchestra) originated from the cantata In Coena Domini (cantata alla bachiana), written and performed for the Eucharist Congress in Venice on 17 July 1897. In September that year, Perosi composed two more great frescoes inspired by the Passione to complete the Trilogia, which was performed on 2 December in S. Maria delle Grazie in Milano, during the National Sacred Music Congress.


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UPGRADE. MLP. Respighi - Ancient Dances and Airs for Lute - Antal Dorati, Philharmonia Hungarica. SACD-ISO. FLAC 24bit 88.2kHz 2CH

November 21, 2013, 9:13 pm
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Sony PS3 SACD to *ISO | DST 1bit-2822,4kHz 2.0, 3.0(5.0) |  2.24GB
FLAC 24bit-88.2kHz-CUE 2CH | DR12 (3.72dB Gain) | 999MB
Classical | Label: MLP/DECCA | Catalog Number: 470637-2 | RAR 3% Rec.

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Here I thought I was going to be original by nominating this recording as a desert island must have only to find thepilot has beaten me to it. I have owned and loved this recording for about 30 years, first as a Barclay Crocker reel to reel tape, then, when my tape deck's heads wore out in the early 80's, first as an indifferently pressed Mercury Gold LP, then as a CD. This incarnation is terrific, the music wonderful, and the performance the best I've ever heard. One of the classics, a must have.

01.Suite Nr. 1 - Balleto detto "Il Conte Orlando"03:10
02.Suite Nr. 1 - Gagliarda03:54
03.Suite Nr. 1 - Villanella05:13
04.Suite Nr. 1 - Passo mezzo e Mascherada04:14
05.Suite Nr. 2 - "Laura Soave", balletto con gagliarda, saltarello e canario04:07
06.Suite Nr. 2 - Danza rustica04:12
07.Suite Nr. 2 - "Campanae Parisienses" - Aria (sopra "Les cloches de Paris")05:10
08.Suite Nr. 2 - Bergamasca05:44
09.Suite Nr. 3 - Iitaliana03:43
10.Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte "C'est melheur que de vous aymer" (andante cantabile)01:57
11.Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte "Adieu bergere pour iamais" (allegretto)00:26
12.Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte "Beaux yeux qui me voyes clarement" (vivace)00:44
13.Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte "La voila la nacelle d'amour" (lento con grande espressione)01:28
14.Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte "Quelle divinit?s'imprime dans mon ame" (allegro vivace)00:15
15.Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte "Si c'est pour mon pucellage" (vivacissimo)00:41
16.Suite Nr. 3 - Arie di corte (andante cantabile)02:13
17.Suite Nr. 3 - Siciliana03:05
18.Suite Nr. 3 - Passacaglia04:08

If I could give this SACD, 10 stars in performance and sound quality I would do it without the slightest hesitation. The transfer produces miraculously realistic sound with a tremendous dynamic range and is a dramatic improvement over the previous CD transfer. The 3 channel DSD program is a splendid example of the Mercury Team art at its best, and you really don't miss the surround channels.The performances are bursting with energy and finesse. What more could you ask? A desert island SACD.



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NEW-UP. TACTUS ORGAN MUSIC. M.E. Bossi - Complete Organ Works. Vol. 3: Andrea Macinanti

November 22, 2013, 8:50 pm
$
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Artist: Andrea Macinanti, organ.
Released: 2010
Label: Tactus
Catalog N°: TC 862713
Genre: Classical
File Format: eac_flac_cue_log scans complete, 373mb
Note:

MARCO ENRICO BOSSI (1861-1925)
Marco Enrico Bossi (Born Salò, 1861 – died at sea between New York and Le Havre, 1925), studied at the Milan Conservatory under Polibio Fumagalli (organ), Francesco Sangalli (piano), Carlo Boniforti, Cesare Dominiceti and Amilcare Ponchielli (composition). He was appointed organist and maestro di cappella at Como Cathedral (1881-1889), taught the organ at the Naples conservatory (1890-1895) and was director of the Conservatories and taught composition in Venice (1895-1902), Bologna (1902-11) and Roma (1916-1923). Bossi was a famous performer, composer and teacher (he reorganised the syllabuses of the Conservatories), and was the first internationally famous Italian concert artist. He was conferred the highest ranks in the Kingdom, became an honorary member of the most prestigious foreign and Italian Academies and enjoyed the esteem and friendship of great musicians and men of letters. Amongst these there were Giuseppe Verdi – who wrote from Busseto: “…it goes without saying that all your compositions are written with great mastery…” as well as Arrigo Boito, Giacomo Puccini, Jules Massenet, Camille Saint-Saëns, Giovanni Pascoli and Gabriele D’Annunzio.

01.Suonata per Organo [op. 3a - 1879]08:47
02.Sonata 1 - Sostenuto non troppo03:51
03.Sonata 2 - Allegretto Pastorale03:29
04.Sonata 3 - Allegro vivo02:21
05.Sonata 4 - Moderato giusto04:25
06.Sonata 5 - Allegretto moderato04:57
07.Sonata 6 - Allegretto gaio, Musetta02:48
08.Res Severa Magnum Gaudium, op. 54 - Preludio02:56
09.Res Severa Magnum Gaudium, op. 54 - Allegro05:03
10.Res Severa Magnum Gaudium, op. 54 - Corale08:26
11.Res Severa Magnum Gaudium, op. 54 - Fuga08:19
12.Toccata op. 5903:41
13.Pastorale op. 5904:05
14.Meditazione op. 5905:27
15.Offertorio op. 5903:25


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NEW-UP. GLOSSA. Alessandro Striggio - Mass for 40 and 60 voices: Le Concert Spirituel, Herve Niquet. SACD-ISO. FLAC 24bit-88.2kHz 2CH-MCH

November 22, 2013, 10:07 pm
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Sony PS3 SACD to *ISO | DST 1bit-2822,4kHz 2CH-MCH | 3.11GB
FLAC 24bit 88.2kHZ 2CH | DR11 (+6.00dB gain) | 1.06GB
FLAC 24bit 88.2kHZ MCH | (+6.00dB gain) | 2.65GB
Classical | Label: GLOSSA | Catalog Number: GCDSA 921623 |  RAR 3% Rec.

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As his starting point for a brand new recording of the music from the polychoral Renaissance and the “monumental Baroque”, with Alessandro Striggio’s 40 and 60-part Missa sopra Ecco sì beato giorno leading the way, Hervé Niquet turns to the musical celebrations for a feast day occasion in the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence in honour of St John the Baptist, adding a trio of works by Orazio Benevoli, another specialist in multi-parted choral works, and Striggio’s motet Ecce beatem lucem, also scored for 40 voices.
For sessions in Notre-Dame du Liban in Paris, using an edition of the Mass by Dominique Visse, originating in 1978, Niquet gathered 60 singers (as called for in the Agnus Dei) plus instrumentalists of Le Concert Spirtuel around him in a circle (conductor and microphones inside) for a new SACD surround sound experience from Glossa, that calls on all the ceremonial pomp and flair which the French musicians have been showing themselves to be the masters of over the years in concert and on disc. And who better than the famous French countertenor Visse himself to be drawn into that circle as one of the 60 singers!
Added in, for good measure, for this programme of Florentine flamboyance from the Renaissance and Baroque - which Niquet will be continuing to tour in 2012 - are polyphonic arrangements of Gregorian plainchant Mass Propers by Franceso Corteccia, maestro di cappella in the Cathedral of Florence in Striggio’s time.

01 Plainchant (anon.): Beata viscera
02 Orazio Benevoli (1605-1672): Laetatus sum
03 Orazio Benevoli: Miserere
04 Francesco Corteccia (1502-1571): Bonum est confiteri
05 Francesco Corteccia: Gloria Patri
06 Alessandro Striggio: Kyrie from Missa sopra Ecco sì beato giorno
07 Alessandro Striggio: Gloria from Missa sopra Ecco sì beato giorno
08 Francesco Corteccia: Alleluia
09 Alessandro Striggio: Credo from Missa sopra Ecco sì beato giorno
10 Orazio Benevoli: Magnificat
11 Alessandro Striggio: Sanctus from Missa sopra Ecco sì beato giorno
12 Alessandro Striggio: Benedictus from Missa sopra Ecco sì beato giorno
13-15 Alessandro Striggio: Agnus Dei from Missa sopra Ecco sì beato giorno
16 Francesco Corteccia: Tu puer propheta Altissimi
17 Alessandro Striggio: Ecce beatam lucem

Site review by Geohominid February 9, 2012


Performance:  Sonics (S/MC): /

Alessandro Striggio (c.1536-1562) was but a footnote in the history of Renaissance polychoral music until 2007, when musicologist Davitt Moroney's official rediscovery of "Alessandro Striggio's Mass in Forty and Sixty Parts" was published. Although Moroney studied the history and detail of its composition, the MS, in fact, had already been found in 1978 by Dominique Visse and was transcribed into modern notation by her. This is the version used by Hervé Niquet, director of Le Concert Spirituel, for the present reconstruction.
In order to demonstrate the importance of this crescendo of Renaissance polyphony for the development of monumental choral styles for the forthcoming nascent Baroque period, Niquet has elected to present the Striggio Mass in the context of a celebration of the feast of St John the Baptist in Florence, a most important date in the Florentine calendar, as the saint was the city's patron. The 'Missa sopra Ecco si beato giorno' has such unusual proportions that it must have been commissioned by the Medici Duke Cosimo I and his court for a very special occasion. Striggio was in the employ of the Florentine Court for many years, providing music for State and other important affairs.
The Mass was given its first modern-day performance in 2007 by the Tallis Scholars and BBC Singers. Then Decca recorded in 2007 a performance by I Fagiolini, coupling the Mass with various motets for differently sized ensembles and including Thomas Tallis’s 40-part Spem in alium, which is thought to have been inspired by Striggio’s precedent. Here, appropriate instruments were added as historical research indicated, and the five eight-voiced choirs and instrumental groups were recorded in a circle about the listener. An accompanying DVD describing the recording process contained a Dolby 5.1 track for the surround version.
Very much in the vein of Paul McCreesh's reconstructions with his Gabrieli choir and instrumental players, Niquet has extensively researched the choral history of Florence's Duomo (Santa Croce del Fiori) and has prepared a very convincing celebratory service of the mid-1500s. Striggo's Mass is integrated into the other liturgical elements (Proper of the Mass) by Orazio Benevoli and Francesco Corteccia, as well as plainchant. This results in a wide range of styles, textures and sonorities which make up a rich tapestry of late Renaissance sacred music.
As a wonderful theatrical gesture, the disc begins with a procession of the musicians and singers singing the plainchant 'Beata viscera' in a vivid multi-voice arrangement as was a custom of the time. A number of other recordings have such a procession for the multichannel listeners, but unfortunately proceeding from the back forwards. This never works properly, because psycho-acoustically the ear cannot correctly locate rear sounds at low levels and at certain frequencies - you have to be told that musician's entrance is from behind. Wisely, Niquet's musicians enter from the front, starting in the distance of the vast acoustic of Notre Dame du Liban in Paris. This works splendidly, and there is quite a frisson as the voices and instruments come close, diverging and surrounding the listener.
Typical mid-Renaissance instruments were arranged in groups sitting with each of the choirs, and include sackbuts, cornetts, dulcians, regal, organ, harpsichord, spinetta ottovina, bass de violon and violone. These either double vocal parts or contribute a figured bass. It may seem unnatural to be sitting at the focus of the circle, with many voices singing at you and instruments playing towards you. Indeed, it does require a certain degree of fortitude for the listener, especially when the great climax of 60 voices arrives in the Agnus dei III. However, as Niquet points out, in Florence's Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore), the Medicis would seat themselves at the heart of the octagonal marble choir, so there is a precedence. The experience, heard on a well-matched and carefully set up 5.0 channel system, is simply breath-taking, far better than most of the other surround-choir engineering I have heard.
The performances are thoroughly idiomatic, with powerful bass and tenor foundation, and light, non-operatic voices for sopranos and altos (in reality, these voices would be supplied by boys). The motets and Mass have buoyant rhythms and appropriate variations in pace as well as number of voices, so that the palate does not become fatigued before the full 60 voices make their impact. In fact, Striggio begins his Mass with solos, and there are many judicial changes of choral density. Of course it is difficult to hear all the words, even though articulation is clear, because of the voices overlapping, and the glorious reverberance of the church, which takes many seconds to die away after the music stops.
Nicquet and Le Concert Spirituel, together with his producers and engineer, ought to be greatly praised for bringing to fruition such a moving and thrilling capture of a great performance. This must have been the culmination of a long and detailed project, and brings to mind the similar intense preparations which must have attended the original Florentine event. The product is very well-presented, residing in a triple digipak with a detachable booklet featuring informative historical notes in English, German, French and Spanish. Texts are in Latin, English and French, and there are numerous photographs of the musicians and their seating positions. I suspect these must have been taken at rehearsals, as I cannot locate any microphones.
For lovers of Renaissance polychoral music, this well-planned and brilliantly-executed disc is quintessential. Sonically it is first-class, offering a remarkable musical experience of true demonstration quality.




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