| Review by vonwegen March 4, 2004 (1 of 1 found this review helpful)
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Performance:  Sonics: |
This one is a stunner. Superbly recorded & performed, the timpani on Bolero literally make my hair stand on end when they come in.
The other selections are impeccibly performed too. If you're looking for definitive Ravel, check this one out.
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| Review by Al September 30, 2004 (0 of 4 found this review helpful)
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Performance:  Sonics: |
| Has anyone else noticed that the channels are reversed on the Stereo SACD layer ? For example, on Bolero, the constant drum should come from the left-rear, but on this disc it comes form the right-rear instead.
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| Review by Valimight December 28, 2004 (7 of 7 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics: |
This recording is first of all an engineering challenge (recorded in Minneapolis November 1974 in a space surrounded by large cubes). It is one of the rare quadraphonic productions (Sansui SQ), for which there was used a curtain of four Schoeps M221B microphones as front channels, downmixed to two by a Studer 169, as well as two Schoeps CMC60's for hall ambience through Gately amplifiers. All four channels where recorded with a Scully 4 track machine with Dolby A noise reduction, on a Scotch 1/2 inch 207 tape. In the very core of it there is of course the Minnesota Orchestra under the inspired guidance of maestro Stanislaw Skrowaczewski.
All these sound good but what could have it been if there was not Mobile Fidelity. I have many SACDs already but I really did not know if anything could sound better from the best. Do not fear the 4.0 nature of it. You can study how the guys at Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs work and how can a recording be brought to life through the GAIN 2 system, but none of your reading can make you immagine the sound content of this disc (bravo as well for the very informative booklet that accompanies it). This is not another SACD. This is a piece of gold for your collection.
Due to its full dynamic richness and transparency, it is considered that you listen to it at a high quality setup and -not preferably-, but absolutely a multichannel one. The Stereo CD/SACD layers are excellent, but can not compare to the surround one, which so perfectly unfolds the beautifully recorded vast ambience of the hall. The distant vail of speechless chorus at Daphnis et Chloe (Suite 2) is a must hear, from which a special segment (Chloe is Accosted) is also provided in a 5.0 mix, where an AGM TSS1 processor based on ambisonic algorithms was used to extract the extra center info. You can faint at the moment you press -Play-, but if you resist, listen to "La Valse" first. Crystal clear it is, but at the moment you will feel the first blast of low-frequency energy from the orchestra, you will need to grip on to your couch. But even if you do so, you must lend a hand to sustain your dropping jaw...
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| Review by thepilot December 30, 2004 (2 of 3 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics: |
| For this I have no reservation and although there are splendid recordings of these works, this is a splendid example of Vox's miracle stuff at its best. Highly recomended to all lovers of reference recordings, classical music and the art of bringing the real thing (the music hall) to our house.
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| Review by dschawv July 30, 2005 (2 of 2 found this review helpful)
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This is an absolutely fantastic issue for an SACD.
Bolero is an absolute surprise. The othe pieces are great.
If you have not heard SACD in full regalia, do it with this recording.
I may even buy the other Minnesota Orchestra recording.
Truly a new listening experience.
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| Review by flytomars June 30, 2007 (3 of 13 found this review helpful)
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Well, I have to say I was a little bit dissapointed with this one...
True, the performance is great and the sound is as good as it gets-
my gripe is with the multichannel mix.
The MC here gives the best seat in the hall- but for a piece like Bolero, I`de rather sit INSIDE the orchestra, with the instruments surrounding me in the climatic orgasm, rather than be a spectator from above.
Instead of sitting in the middle of the orchestra, the rear channels only give ambience, reverbed reflections of the music... quite dissapointing for this specific piece.
That said, Daphnis et Chloe does have information coming from the rear channels (the aformentioned choir) and gives an example of what this whole SACD could have sounded if those rear channels were used more wisely (for my taste, that is :) ). This piece alone is worth the price of addmission- amazing.
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