Post by brenda November 2, 2004 (11 of 21)
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Kristen in Berlin has replied to my email to tell me that she will try and get me a copy at wholesale through the Choir (the Rundfunkchor) but that she's not sure when it will be as the disc hasn't yet been commercially released. It has definitely been produced as the Choir has received advance/promo copies (it has a photograph of some of the young dancers from the february performances on the cover) - it is definitely an M/C SACD and is the full work, in three parts, total time just under an hour. She is not sure what the official commercial release date is yet but it should be very soon.
For SACD-info readers she recommended keeping an eye on the BPO or the Rundfunkchor web pages, each of which has an english language facility.
Both the February concerts and the recording were sponsored by Deutsche Bank.
Apparently this is the Choir's third commercial recording of the wor (that she knows of), the other two being a decade ago, one of them (also) with the BPO and the other with the Berlin Symphony O.
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Now that I've had a chance to calm down: I hope we won't hear 100 kids' feet bouncing on the stage in surround....
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Post by todd November 2, 2004 (13 of 21)
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diw said:
Now a full version of Daphnis and Chloe on SACD would be incredible! I searched jpc.de and could not find this disc, however. Can anyone find a link?
Is the Munch/Living Stereo Daphis & Chloe not a full version?
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Post by diw November 2, 2004 (14 of 21)
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it is, but not a modern surround or dsd recording.
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diw said:
Now a full version of Daphnis and Chloe on SACD would be incredible! I searched jpc.de and could not find this disc, however. Can anyone find a link?
The new RCA Living Presence series has the full version by Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony Orchestra and several different choruses. Sonics are excellent...I don't have an appropriate frame of reference to evaluate the performance.
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Post by diw November 25, 2004 (16 of 21)
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Has anyone had an opportunity to hear the "Rhythm is It!" SACD yet? Was it recorded during the live performances?
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Post by tream November 25, 2004 (17 of 21)
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theaudiohiffle said:
The new RCA Living Presence series has the full version by Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony Orchestra and several different choruses. Sonics are excellent...I don't have an appropriate frame of reference to evaluate the performance.
Excellent performance as well.
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diw said:
Has anyone had an opportunity to hear the "Rhythm is It!" SACD yet? Was it recorded during the live performances?
My copy came yesterday and naturally I want a few more days before commenting in depth about the quality of sound & performance. However the actual contents are as follows:
1) A 90 second speech from Rattle introducing the project
2) RoS played in concert (Philharmonie - Grosser Saal) so the tapping of little feet does not intrude on the sound
3) A very, very bland & offensively inoffensive piece written for the soundtrack to the film played by the BP Academy (not the BP)
4) A cross-over "rap" track performed by some German artistes and with some contributions from the BP Academy
As such it's a disc that for music lovers contains just one piece and so even at the relatively low price it's being sold at in Germany, the disc suddenly becomes expensive.
More in depth comments to follow...
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Post by Daland November 26, 2004 (19 of 21)
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diw said:
Has anyone had an opportunity to hear the "Rhythm is It!" SACD yet? Was it recorded during the live performances?
The SACD is a rather unlikely combination of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" and the soundtrack of the documentary film "Rhythm is it!" about a dance project for young people. Stravinsky's masterpiece is played by the Berlin Philharmonic, the film score by the Academy (training unit) of the Berlin Philharmonic. My impression is that both were recorded under studio conditions.
Surprisingly, the film score does not emphasize rhythm, but revels in lush orchestral colours and sentimental tunes along the lines of, say, "King Arthur" or "First Knight". The last track brings a change of style with a song featuring "The Wickeds".
The sound quality can hardly be bettered. Sir Simon Rattle obviously relishes Stravinsky's rhythmic bite and variety, and the orchestra is fully up to the task. Some may find the sound of the Berlin Philharmonic just too beautiful for this score, which once struck audiences as brutal and aggressive.
The second part of the SACD (the soundtrack) makes greater use of the rear channels, and as a result the sound is even more opulent although the music was recorded in the Kammermusiksaal, the chamber music room of the Philharmonie.
The most important thing for me is that Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic have obviously found a way of producing SACDs despite Rattle's contract with EMI.
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Many thanks for the detailed description of SACD. I'm glad to hear the Rite was recorded under studio conditions! Sounds like the rest of the SACD may be ear-candy or completely disposable. Such a complilation may be very user-friendly to those just getting into Classical though, and this is a good thing for SACD. It was for me when younger.
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