![King Crimson - Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (40th Anniversary Edition) (1973/2023) [High Fidelity Pure Audio Blu-Ray Disc]](https://imghd.xyz/images/2024/05/12/138741_front.md.jpg)
Julia Fischer, Russian National Orchestra – Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D, Op.35 (2006)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0, 5.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 01:08:03 minutes | 3,34 GB
Genre: Classical | Publisher (label): PentaTone
The solo violin did not occupy a central position within the oeuvre of Peter Tchaikovsky (1840 – 1893). He was himself a pianist, and composed three piano concertos, as well as chamber music, operas and ballets. That probably explains why he composed no more than one violin concerto. Certainly, it was composed shortly after the most profound crisis in his personal life, i.e. his marriage to Antonia Milyukova in 1877: “The marriage ceremony had only just taken place, and I had been left alone with my wife, realizing that fate had linked us inseparably, when it suddenly came upon me that I did not feel even simple friendship for her – rather, an aversion in the truest sense of the word. Death seemed to me to be the only way out, yet I could not even contemplate suicide.” Admittedly, his friends, such as Nikolai Kashkin, were aware of this personal disaster: “Tchaikovsky himself looked somewhat bewildered, did not say a word about this new situation during our conversations, and his marriage remained – as it did for his other friends – a mystery to us.” However, Tchaikovsky did not seem to change as far as the rest of the world was concerned, as endorsed by his colleague Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, who mentions the following in his autobiography My musical life: “After approximately 1876, Tchaikovsky – who was living in Moscow at the time – regularly visited our home about once or twice a year. Whenever he came to St. Petersburg, he enjoyed coming to see us. Usually, his visits took place on the days when our musical circle came together… In those days as also later on, Tchaikovsky was an endearing person with whom to talk and, in the best sense of the word, a noble man”. He reacted to his disappointment in the marriage with illness (gastritis, headaches, insomnia) and sought refuge in work: a hasty removal to St. Petersburg also helped him to overcome this “tense situation”, as his friend Nikolai Kashkin later recalled.
Read more
Elke Völker – Sigfrid Karg-Elert – Ultimate Organ Works Vol. 6 (2011)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0, 5.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 01:10:00 minutes | 3,21 GB
Genre: Classical | Publisher (label): Aeolus – AE-10721
Volume 6 of Elke Völkers Karg-Elert series on Aeolus contains books no. 3 and 4 of the composer’s « Chorale-Improvisations » op.65 (based on chorals for new year, easter, ascension and pentecost).
As often at Aeolus, an instrument has been chosen that has not yet been recorded on CD before: the E.F.Walcker organ of the Christ Church in Lüdenscheid, which has been restored very carefully and re-inaugurated in 2008. Today Elke Völker is considered – last but not least thanks to her series of Karg-Elert recordings on Aeolus – as an expert for his music. Her version of the chorale improvisation demonstrates skill and great respect for the work of this composer and thus can be considered as a reference.
Read more
Elke Völker – Sigfrid Karg-Elert – Ultimate Organ Works Vol. 5 (2006)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0, 5.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 01:30:00 minutes | 2,92 GB
Genre: Classical | Publisher (label): Aeolus – AE-10591
Sigfrid Karg-Elert – Ultimate Organ Works Vol.5
Read more
Elke Völker – Sigfrid Karg-Elert – Ultimate Organ Works Vol. 4 (2008)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0, 5.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 01:09:35 minutes | 3,14 GB
Genre: Classical | Publisher (label): Aeolus – AE-10511
Volume 4 of our Sigfrid Karg-Elert Edition contains an impressive collection of large scale secular organ works: Kaleidoscope, Seven Pastels from the Lake Constance, Rondo and Homage to Handel.
As already on volume 3 (AE-10431) of this editon, the Georg Stahlhuth organ (1912) of Saint-Martin in Dudelange, restored by Thomas Jann in 2002, again is an ideal instrument for Karg-Elert’s music – and Elke Völker is absolutely in her element here. She found incredibly beautiful registrations (based on Karg-Elerts indications of course!), especially in the Seven Pastels from the Lake Constance.
Kaleidoscope op.144 is a rather unknwon composition and can be considered as a brother of the big Symphonie in f sharp (op.143, recorded on Vol.1, AE-10121), because of some similarities in structure and harmonic language. The Seven Pastels are really close to the technical limits of the organ. The cycle is Karg-Elert’s only large-scale impressionistic composition and takes the expressive potential of the organ to its outer limits.
Rondo alla campanella is a dazzling 169-bar Allegrissimo in 3/8 time, in semiquavers throughout like a french Toccata.
Homage to Handel is a series of 54 variations on a ground bass of Handel. It’s a guide through all kinds of registrations of the wonderful Stahlhuth organ.
This is the first time we recorded this instrument in surround sound and as far as we know the first available Super Audio CD of this organ! The recording comes along in a nice digipack format with 28 pages booklet.
Read more
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim – Wagner: Overtures and Preludes (1992-1994/2023)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 01:07:03 minutes | 2,72 GB
Genre: Classical | Publisher (label): Warner Classics / Esoteric – ESSW-90287
https://www.esoteric.jp/en/product/essw-90287/top
Read more
Budapest Festival Orchestra, Ivan Fischer – Beethoven: Symphonies 4 & 6 (2014)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0, 5.1 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 01:18:28 minutes | 4,12 GB
Genre: Classical | Publisher (label): Channel Classics Records
Two fundamentally different symphonies: both works explore feelings from an entirely different point of view. The Fourth is about human feelings and moods: obsession, love (what a melody in the second movement!), happiness, fun, wit, (Beethoven’s most humorous finale!). The Sixth is about feelings that nature awakens in us: calmness, meditation, thankfulness.It has been an especially creative process to work on these masterpieces. We discovered that the Fourth Symphony sounds better with natural horns and trumpets. In the Pastorale we used a different seating arrangement, with the winds scattered among the strings, so that each soloist was surrounded by musicians playing the flow of Beethoven’s nature music. After the storm, when we hear the first tentative horn call with a bagpipe-like accompaniment, suggesting signals across the mountains, we found it appropriate to answer with a solo violin, which is gradually joined by the whole orchestra. Iván Fischer
Read more
Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado – Janacek & Hindemith – Orchestral Works (1989-1995/2020)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 01:10:13 minutes | 2,82 GB
Genre: Classical | Publisher (label): Deutsche Grammophon / Esoteric – ESSG-90220
https://www.esoteric.jp/en/product/essg-90220/top
Read more
Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan – Strauss: Don Quixote, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Don Juan (1983-1986/2022)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 01:16:43 minutes | 3,09 GB
Genre: Classical | Publisher (label): Deutsche Grammophon / Esoteric – ESSG-90261
https://www.esoteric.jp/en/product/essg-90261/top
Read moreAugustin Dumay, Maria João Pires – Mozart, Franck, Brahms – Violin Sonatas (1990-1993/2019) SACD ISO
Augustin Dumay, Maria João Pires – Mozart, Franck, Brahms – Violin Sonatas (1990-1993/2019)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 01:10:44 minutes | 2,84 GB
Genre: Classical | Publisher (label): Deutsche Grammophon / Esoteric – ESSG-90219
https://www.esoteric.jp/en/product/essg-90219/top
Read more
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti – Debussy: Prélude, La mer, Ravel: Boléro (1976/2012)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 00:48:36 minutes | 1,95 GB
Genre: Classical | Publisher (label): Decca / Universal Music Japan – UCGD-9036
ショルティ＆シカゴ響による1976年録音のドビュッシーとラヴェル。伝説的な管楽器の名手を多数擁していたシカゴ交響楽団による演奏は、オーケストラの機能性と楽器の組み合わせによる色彩の豊かさをフルに味わえるこれらのレパートリーにおいても極限の成果を示しています。DECCAのオリジナル・アナログ・マスターより英国クラシック・サウンドにて2012年DSD化。
Read more
Münchner Philharmoniker, Rudolf Kempe – Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1-4 [3 SACDs] (1974-1975/2020)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 02:53:11 minutes | 6,94 GB
Genre: Classical | Publisher (label): BASF / Tower Records Japan – ATKSA1003/5
ケンペ最晩年のブラームス:交響曲全集を最新復刻。ケンペの境地が最高の形で結晶した名盤が、過去最高峰の響きで蘇る!未亡人公認の復刻。オリジナルマスターを彷彿とさせるかつてない響きを再現。世界初SA-CD化!
亡くなる約2年半前から半年前にかけて収録された、ケンペの代表作のひとつである名盤。ブラームスはベルリン・フィルとも交響曲全曲を録音していましたが、2曲はモノラル録音であったため、全曲では唯一のステレオ録音です。元々BASFレーベルで収録された、晩年のケンペとミュンヘン・フィルによる貴重なセッション録音。様々なレーベルの盛衰と共にオリジナル・アナログマスターテープは消失してしまったため、今回はオリジナル盤の旧発売元から提供されたマスターを使用して製品化を行いました。これは現存するマスターの中で最良の状態のものとなります。さらに丁寧なマスタリングを施し最大限の音質改善を図りSA-CDハイブリッド盤として復刻。音質に恵まれてきたとは決して言い難いこの名盤が、今までにない鮮度で蘇りました。
ケンペは伝統や古いしきたりに影響されない、まさに「音楽の自然法則」に則って開放的な音楽作りを行ってきた指揮者であり、このブラームスにおいては特にその姿勢と成果が最大限に発揮されている、といって良いでしょう。そのため、このブラームスは発売以来、代表作のひとつとして多くの支持を得てきました。第1番では落ち着いたテンポながらも推進力が強固で、一気呵成に聴かせます。また、この全集中最も音質的にも演奏的にも最高と言える第2番は白眉であり、第3番では確かな構成力と前進する勢いにケンペならでは美学を感じます。そして、全集中最初の録音である第4番では、コントロールの行き届いた適格な指揮が非常に魅惑的。どれも傾向が同じという訳では決してなく、曲の本質を掴み、楽譜からの自然は発露によって音楽が生じているというのが、特に高音質においては顕著に理解できると思います。しかしながら録音面においてはLPでも硬質で不明瞭な印象があり、CD時代でもいくつかの輸入盤ではその状況は同じでしかも解像度が悪いなど、状態が良くない状況が続きました。約10年前XRCDでは過去最高といって良いほどの明瞭な音質で復刻されましたが、今回、最新でさらに1歩進み、潤いが増した滑らかな音質を目指してSA-CD化を行いました。収録場所は同じながらも、曲によって録音状態はそれぞれ異なっていましたが、最新マスタリングには、ALTUSの新技術〈High sampling overtone〉を採用。音質に恵まれてきたとは言い難いケンペの名盤が、過去最高峰の響きでSA-CDハイブリッド化されます。
(1/2)