Post by diw July 25, 2010 (1 of 27)
|
|
I know folks have complained about the BSO website in the past, but I had no problem ordering this disc. It arrived in 2 business days, which is rapid order processing indeed.
I listened to the early symphony disc this morning, and cannot imagine these works being played or sounding much better than this. Great Sunday morning fare. Hopefully I'll get a chance to sample the late symphony disc later today.
I would be interested to know how the BSO label is faring, and what kind of response they've gotten for their SACD's as opposed to downloads from their site. Hopefully we will see many more SACD releases from the BSO, and in a varied repertoire. I know elsewhere on this site people have suggested releasing a recent performance of Ma Vlast. What else might have been recorded over the last couple of years that would make good releases? Perhaps we can influence the powers that be at the BSO label.
|
|
|
Post by fafnir July 25, 2010 (2 of 27)
|
|
Diw,
I can only echo your enthusiasm. My copy arrived Friday after two business days. I've only had a chance to play 39 and 41 thus far, but they are wonderful. Both performances and sound are completely satisfying.
Keep them coming, BSO.
|
|
|
Post by Chris July 25, 2010 (3 of 27)
|
|
I generally agree with the two posts above regarding this release, which I see as sitting somewhere in between Linn's HIP informed "small orchestra" and my old reference full blown, even heavy ,Berlin Philharmonic Karajan on EMI and LPs.
It is nice to have a slightly fuller warmer string sound than the somewhat thin and at times even wiry Scottish Chamber Orchestra playing the two masterworks symphonies 39 and 41.
What is not always perfect though IMHO, is the execution. There are some lapses here and there in the strings. And unless it is the leader's breath I hear especially in the last movement of 39 ,it has to be Levine himself taking deep breaths before "delivering" important entries in that symphony.
Maybe it is only to be expected with really close miking at live concerts like these .
Apart from the intake of breaths there are also some other extra-musical noises picked up by too? close miking.
A bit irritating on repeated hearings.
But on the other hand,most of the time very beautiful playing from a world class orchestra and pretty well recorded too.
And it is very nice to have the early symphonies 14,18 and 20 too.
As far as I know they appear here for the first time on SACD?
And very fresh youthful and good they too sound.
With Levine back conducting again, hopefully there will be more releases from this source soon.
Levine is a conductor I maybe underrated in the rbcd days when most of his recorded work appeared in pretty bad DGG sound and I avoided them .
His two other BSO Live recordings are IMO even better than this Mozart release.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I got my copy at Tanglewood Thursday evening. Listened to 39 and 41 Friday. My reaction is that like Chris, I would like to have had a less closely focused recording. More of the hall - less of the sense of being suspended about 2ft over the conductor's head. But I think over all this is the finest recording of Mozart's #39 and #41 I ever heard - talking in terms of my overall satisfaction. I will listen to my Mackerras set perhaps 1/10 as much (or less) as I will listen to this one. Desparately hoping for the release of numbers 35, 38, and most of all, 40.
Of course 25, 29, 33 and the Haffner Serenade would also be very nice.
James Levine did make it back to Symphony Hall last year to conduct a splendid Eroica. Previous to his back injury he conducted La Mer. Several choice items in the archives would make superb releases.
|
|
|
Post by diw July 25, 2010 (5 of 27)
|
|
As I am listening to the second disc, I do hear some of the deep breaths referred to. Is that Levine?
This is definitely big band Mozart, not historical performances. But nothing drags, and the string tone is wonderful. I echo the desire for a version of sym #40 from the BSO.
Let's hope they increase their pace of SACD releases!
|
|
|
Post by Phil W July 25, 2010 (6 of 27)
|
|
Is there any indication in the packaging of these discs whether they are DSD recordings, as were the previous releases from BSO?
|
|
|
|
|
|
diw said:
Let's hope they increase their pace of SACD releases!
If enough people purchase those already released, surely they will release more. If you want more, be sure to support the label. Get your friends to do so as well. Donate a copy to your local classical music station, with the requirement that they announce where listeners can purchase their own copies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
It would be nice to see him do Planets next or as David said, Ma Vlast.
|
|
|
Post by diw July 25, 2010 (9 of 27)
|
|
Yes, The Planets is the other one I've heard mentioned. I guess the BSO must have done a good one recently. Although I am not a Jarvi fan-boy like some, I still hold a fleeting hope that Telarc will release their Planets on MC SACD. I figure that piece of music matches their recording style the best.
I am thinking of starting a name the piece, the artist, and the label thread. So instead of just mentioning pieces of the repertiore we wish were released on SACD, you could suggest exactly who should do it.
|
|
|
Post by Allen July 25, 2010 (10 of 27)
|
|
Is this a live recording? If it is, I hope there is no applause at the end?
|
|
