Monthly Archive: November 2007
HQV Benchmark DVD & HD Benchmarks (2007) Image Quality Assessment Tool Test Discs
Very useful tests for some different parameters than the DVE & Avia test DVDs
BACH: Mass in B minor – The Netherlands Bach Society/ Jos van Veldhoven, conductor/ Dorothee Mields, soprano/ Johannette Zomer, soprano/ Matthew White, alto/ Charles Daniels, tenor/ Peter Harvey, bass – Channel Classics
An excellent new recording that gets to the heart of the work, and only the fifth in SACD.
BERLIOZ: L’enfance du Christ – Yann Beuron, Narrator/ Karen Cargill, Marie/ William Dazeley, Joseph/ Matthew Rose, Herod/ Peter Rose, Polydorus/ Tenebrae Choir/ London Symphony Orchestra/ Colin Davis, conductor – LSO Live
Audiophiles will want this, as will many others attracted to the unmistakable authority of Colin Davis
Cars, Blu-ray (2007)
Pixar has done it again – putting together cutting-edge computer animation with a great story, and now bringing it out on one of the best-looking Blu-rays to date.
Pixar Short Films Collection: Vol. 1, Blu-ray (1984-2007)
One can see the evolution of computer animation from primitive to cutting edge in these 13 shorts
“Daughter of Zion, Rejoice” – The Pfeiffer Trumpet Consort – Cantate
This music will surely put to the test any audio system; it is a marvelous audio demonstration for all 5.1 channels.
Oppo DV-980H Universal DVD Player
The fourth Oppo player offering shines in the universal audio playback area as well as value.
BACH: Cantatas, Vol. 6 (Köthen/Frankfurt) – Monteverdi Choir/Gardiner – Soli Deo Gloria (2 CDs) BACH: Cantatas, vol. 16 (New York) – Monteverdi Choir/Gardiner – Soli Deo Gloria
More exciting Bach from Gardiner’s 2000 Pilgrimage
The Welte-Mignon Mystery, Vol. VII: Artur Schnabel 1905 Interpretations – Works of STRAUSS, SCHUBERT, LANNER, BRAHMS, CHOPIN, BACH, & WEBER – Tacet
1905 performances on a Steinway in stereo, without the noise, scratch and distortion of early disc recordings.
ERNST TOCH: Symphony for Piano and Orchestra Op. 61; Quintet for Piano and Strings Op. 64 – Diane Andersen, piano/ Staatskapelle Halle/ Hans Rotman/ Daniel Quartet – Talent
The Piano Quintet is also an unusual work in that Toch wrote later that he never should have written it
Audio News for November 13, 2007
Speaker Correction for Flat Displays; The Digital Living Network Alliance; Hitachi Refunding Customers Over HD Claim
NIELSEN: Symphony No. 4, Op. 29 “The Inextinguishable”; SIBELIUS: Symphony No. 3 in C Major, Op. 52 – Halle Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli – BBC Legends
The frenetic immediacy of Nielsen’s Fourth Symphony under Barbirolli compels our undivided attention from the blazing opening.
Serenade – [TrackList below] The Turtle Creek Chorale/ Timothy Seelig, conductor – Reference Recordings
If you are among Turtle Creek’s legion of fans, you will of course want this.
BEETHOVEN: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61; PROKOFIEV: Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 63 – Berl Senofsky, violin/Boston Symphony Orchestra/ Pierre Monteux (Beethoven)/American Symphony Orchestra/Leopold Stokowski (Prokofiev) – Cembal d’amour
An important document of a major violin talent – among the Best of the Year.
“Piazzini Meets Mozart” – MOZART: The Complete Piano Concertos; The Complete Piano Sonatas; Performer video interviews – Carmen Piazzini, piano/ St. Petersburg Soloists/Michael Gantvarg – Edition Hera 2 DVDs
An amazing compilation of 16 1/2 hours of music on just two discs, at the same resolution as standard CDs!
YORK BOWEN: Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor; Piano Concerto No. 3 in G minor; Symphonic Fantasia Op. 16 – Michael Dussek, piano/ BBC Concert Orchestra/Vernon Handley – Dutton
The Second Concerto’s slow central section is by far the most expressively Romantic, and reminded me of Dream of Olwen, or the Warsaw Concerto.
BEETHOVEN: Complete Works for Cello and Piano – Martin Rummel, cello/ Gerda Guttenberg, piano – Musicaphon
The performances are lively, clean, well-thought out, and immaculately played.
CARL FREDRICH ABEL: Music for Solo Viola da Gamba – Susanne Heinrich, viola da gamba – Hyperion
Abel’s specialty was the viola da gamba, an instrument already archaic and exotic by this period of history, but his playing started at least a small revival of the instrument and people flocked to hear his concerts.
Ratatouille, Blu-ray (2007)
I found I enjoyed this Blu-ray twice as much as I did seeing the movie at the theater.
Aleratec DVD/CD Disc Repair, Commercial Grade
A cleaning machine intended for the demanding user who needs to perform frequent restorations of various types of optical discs.
Audio News for November 9, 2007
Courts Orders Recall of Chinese DVD Players; LG Electronics Chooses SRS Labs Technologies; ArkivMusic Expands Its CD Reissue Project; One-Box Home Entertainment Solution Called New Electronic Product Category
FAURE: Requiem, Op. 48; VERDI: Quattro pezzi sacri – Janet Baker, soprano/ Gerard Souzay, baritone/Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra/Carlo Maria Giulini – BBC Legends
Solemn, rarified, dignified, and extremely detailed performances under the great Italian maestro Carlo Maria Giulini
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
