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Review by thepilot December 30, 2004 (12 of 14 found this review helpful)
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Performance:  Sonics:  |
| I agree with both reviews. This is certainly awesome stuff and clearly a winner as far as SACD is concerned. We have an understanding conductor, a highly responsive orchestra and a exceedingly realistic and masterful recording. But... for those with good Universal Players (such as Denon DVD-3910) you ought to give a try to the best performance and recording of the Planets available, that is EMI's 4.0 24bit/48kHz DVD Audio with Andre Previn and the London Symphony Orchestra. Then you will witness the demonic malevolence, awesome beauty, thrilling resonance and other-wordly vision that Previn commands from his orchestra. And the sound of EMI's quadraphonic recording is even more crystalline and stunning than Mofi's SACD. But of course this is the SA-CD Net and not the DVD-Audio Net so I should stop right now. But I will give this to friend Valimight, just to spoil his view of MoFi's SACD's. He, he.
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Review by jdaniel@jps.net November 8, 2004 (6 of 7 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics: |
| There's no denying that this is an excellent recording--very roomy with incredible bloom, impact, and yes, a satisfying organ contribution--*and* a mostly inspired, sometimes unique performance. The armies of "Mars" don't march by as anonymously as one might be used to--the occasional solos are quite individualized and I liked the pitch-bending here and there, adding a little extra dash of malice to the affair. The gong player clearly relishes his part, right from the open measures. "Venus" and "Mercury" are as delicate and atmospheric as ever and the close of Jupiter is thrilling--such fulsome sounds! With Saturn and Pluto I have a nit to pick: one is constantly aware of the beat--I felt as though I were looking at an artwork in which the artist forgot to remove the template! I liked the surround effect of the choir in "Pluto," though they too sing while emphasizing the passing beats; consequently, like the all orchestral "Saturn", the choral/orchestral "Pluto" is robbed of a little bit of its necessary mystery. A keeper though, along with the redbook Dutoit who delivers the most shattering Saturn of all.
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Review by Valimight December 29, 2004 (4 of 4 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics: |
Choosing the best "Planets" out there on SACD, never seemed to be easy. One is like that, the other has this e.t.c. I have heard two versions until now (the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
with David Lloyd-Jones one as well as the Philharmonia Orchestra with John Eliot Gardiner) that were absolutely not satisfying enough. In a few words, if you seek the perfect "Planets", then this is it. Like Ravel's Mobile Fidelity SACD, this one is also a masterpiece production from VOX (1975), that has been transfered on to SACD in the best possible way. The orchestra of Saint Louis is a BIG one, Walter Susskind is of course an excellent conductor and added to this comes the work of Mobile Fidelity, that captures the whole power of the "walls of sound" emmited by Saint Louis as well as the vast ambience of the recording hall (especially speaking for the multichannel -must hear- part of the disc). The performances are superb and the energy will blast you away, bringing you back again to hear the delicate and peacful Venus, depicted with the most beautiful colours of sound. For any more details, there is always a very nice booklet with the disc that describes everything, planet-by-planet. Holst did have a bent for astrology, and this is the best way you can see if this is true... And of course, I give this five stars, although not enough. You'd better look at the night sky...
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