Post by Luukas October 8, 2014 (1 of 4)
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This got 10/10 from ClassicsToday, and very good review from Blu-ray.com. My own favorite was Valery Gergiev's recording with London Symphony Chorus and London Symphony Orchestra (LSO Live). Robert Shaw's account with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus is also very good (Telarc). Any comments?
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Luukas said:
This got 10/10 from ClassicsToday, and very good review from Blu-ray.com. My own favorite was Valery Gergiev's recording with London Symphony Chorus and London Symphony Orchestra (LSO Live). Robert Shaw's account with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus is also very good (Telarc). Any comments?
I have this Wit performance on blu-ray - excellent indeed IMHO for both SQ and performance. I have not heard the Gergiev or Shaw performances however.
BTW, it looks as if Naxos will be issuing a performance of the Dvorak Requiem with Wit and his Warsaw forces in the not too distant future. So far, I've just seen the CD announced, and I don't know about any possible hi-rez incarnation at this point.
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Post by Arell October 9, 2014 (3 of 4)
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Luukas said:
This got 10/10 from ClassicsToday, and very good review from Blu-ray.com. My own favorite was Valery Gergiev's recording with London Symphony Chorus and London Symphony Orchestra (LSO Live). Robert Shaw's account with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus is also very good (Telarc). Any comments?
Strange, I can't see this review at ClassicsToday. Maybe because I'm not an 'Insider' member.
Anyway, I've had this recording since it was released on CD many years ago and it's one of the best Mahler 8 I have on disc. I admit to not being a collector of Mahler, but I have a few.
Also, I bought it again when it was released as bluray audio and I'm very impressed. At the same time I got the Dudamel bluray (DG) which sonically (and visually) has an advantage in its massive forces; I'm one of those 'more is more' guys.
The Wit bluray has been critisised for the sound because it's not 'realistic'. I think that means that the recording utilizes the back channels too much, it's too engulfing and doesn't represent what is heard in an average concert hall
Since I love being engulfed by orchestral and choral forces (amongst other things) that's one of the reasons I do like this recording. But it may not be your preference.
(Sorry, I don't remember where I read this, but I think it was in two publications, analogue and/or digital.)
Jan, Sweden
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My copy arrived a couple of days ago and I finally got round to playing it last night and although I don't feel ready to write a review per se, I'm more than happy to share my initial impressions, which are quite positive.
I played the 5.1 DTS HD MA (albeit it in 4.0 as per my speaker setup) and feel the balance between front and rears was spot on. The m/c mix is definitely more dynamic than most classical m/c mixes that utilise rear speakers for atmospheric purposes only as there was a considerable (probably not most) amount of choral and even some orchestral work routed through the rears.
There are of course some beautiful passages of music within this symphony and my emotive self had no difficulty connecting with them. The only other version I've heard is Abbado/Berlin PO and although I enjoyed it, I doubt it'll see the light of day again (I'm thankful to it though for the introduction to M8) because if, like me, you have a penchant for discrete m/c music and like Mahler's 8th, this is a great version to have in your collection and after hearing it, perhaps the only one you'll want.
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