Post by nickc November 5, 2006 (21 of 27)
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Beagle said:
Like you, I haven't listened to this disc for months -- so I put it on the Shanling (via digital not tube output).
The music is, of course, Great. The music-making is as sedated as I remembered it. The sound is rich and warm ("too reverberant" to some listeners) -- but the 'sound-stage' is blurred by that richness and warmth, with the cello echoing out of the left speaker as much as it is playing out of the right. It's not a 'bad' recording, just not a 'good' recording.
Nick, if he is listening, has my blessing to disagree with all the above. What time is it in Melbourne?
Hi Beagle
lunchtime here haha!
Yes I think i noted above that there were problems with where the 1st. violin was. It sort of seems to come from the centre instead of the front left speaker (as I look at the speakers)
Cheers
Nick
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Post by Kremach November 6, 2006 (22 of 27)
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nickc said:
Hi Beagle
lunchtime here haha!
Yes I think i noted above that there were problems with where the 1st. violin was. It sort of seems to come from the centre instead of the front left speaker (as I look at the speakers)
Cheers
Nick
Hi Beagle, Nick
Great! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Comforting to know that my ears are still working.
Cheers
Kremach
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Post by Arthur December 25, 2008 (23 of 27)
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Beagle's review put me off from buying this disc for almost three years. Usually I find his comments to be pertinent.
But, to me, he's off base here.
I find it to be quite interesting and enjoyable. The sound stage was clear with the instruments appropriately placed on my system.
With other choices starting to be available, I'd hate for others to miss this fine disc.
Bret
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Post by Beagle December 29, 2008 (24 of 27)
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It is good to see a diversity of opinion about the sound and musicianship on this disc, and to see that some are quite happy with it. One attempts to be objective but there is inevitably an element of subjectivity when appreciating – or failing to appreciate – music. When I read the above comments, I immediately wondered whether this disc had arrived when Mrs Beagle and I were both work-stressed and thus in a sour mood. So, last night while we were both enjoying the stressless slack between xmas and new year’s, I set up an A-B test. I played two sacd performances of Op. 59/3, mostly the third movement, back to back four or five times; Mrs Beagle had no idea what disc or musicians were playing. Here are her comments:
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Disc A:
Sound: Bright, clear, broader dynamic range.
Playing: More energy; even if they aren’t playing any faster, they are giving the impression.
Disc B:
Sound: Softer, gentler, sweeter because not sharp and bright in upper strings.
Playing: It might just be the sound quality, but this sounds more restrained.
Conclusion: [B] is ‘nice’ but…. In comparison to [A] it is lacking.
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As mentioned in my review, I wanted the Tokyo Quartet disc to be recommendable so that I could laud their new primarius, Martin Beaver, whom we have heard perform many times in the last decade or so. Although calling this disc a dead fish is perhaps unkind, I would not otherwise alter my review.
In case you haven’t guessed, Disc B is Beethoven: String Quartets Op. 59 No's 1-3 "Razumovsky" - Tokyo String Quartet; Disc A is the highly recommendable Kuijken Two Generations by the legendary Kuijken tribe. Like Mrs Beagle I suspect that the TQ has been badly served up to us by the recording chain, but I would go further and say that the TQ themselves have failed to bring excitement to the performance. Here’s hoping that the Tokyo Quartet's soon-to-be-released Beethoven: String Quartets Opp. 74 & 95 - Tokyo String Quartet will capture them playing their hearts out, with better miking etc.
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Post by Beagle September 29, 2010 (25 of 27)
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Fitzcaraldo215 said: I really had no problem with the Op. 59 sonically. I listen in Mch with an Audyssey Pro-Eq'ed system. I just listened again a few days ago, and I was quite delighted with what I heard in terms of sonics and performance. While quite good, I am not saying it's the greatest performance ever recorded...
The Op. 59/3 on Kuijken Two Generations is an immensely satisfying performance by a family of master musicians. Although the Kuijkens play only the 'Eroica' quartet of the Razumovskies, it is the most interesting of the set in that it invites comparison with Mozart's Dissonanzen-kvartett. --And the sound captured is detailed and rich.
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Beagle said:
The Op. 59/3 on Kuijken Two Generations is an immensely satisfying performance by a family of master musicians. Although the Kuijkens play only the 'Eroica' quartet of the Razumovskies, it is the most interesting of the set in that it invites comparison with Mozart's Dissonanzen-kvartett. --And the sound captured is detailed and rich.
Thank you. I will have to check out the Kuijkens' disk.
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After further review... Yes, I got the Kuijkens' disk and I completely agree, it is a better recording and a better performance of OP 59 #3.
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