MOZART: Violin Concertos Nos. 3 in G Major KV 216 & No. 4 in D Major KV 218 – Marianne Thorsen, v./ Trondheim Soloists/ Øyvind Gimse – 2L 180g metal-mastered audiophile vinyl 2L-038-LP *****:
This recording was made using 352.8kHz/24bit DXD resolution, in Selbu Church in Norway in 2006 and in 2008 was named by Stereophile as one of their “Records to Die For.” Since the vinyl hadn’t been released at that time, I’m not sure whether the record in question was a 2L SACD or standard CD, but anyway the original DXD recording has been transferred to the cutting lathe as a hi-res analog signal and used to make this direct metal-mastered 33⅓ LP.
These Mozart violin concertos are considered to be some of the most elegant in the entire history of music. Each is three movements, beginning with an Allegro and ending with a Rondeau movement. The Trondheimsolistene are amazingly precise and accurate in their playing, yet with plenty of emotional communication. And the extremely high fidelity standards of 2L bring the experience of both concertos to new heights. There is a well-know EMI vinyl of both concertos performed by David Oistrakh, but naturally the fidelity doesn’t even approach the clarity of this magnificent recording. I tried it both Direct—bypassing all processing in my Integra preamp—and using ProLogic IIz with the height channels. Although there was some slight loss of bass and overall clarity with the latter, the surround field was the equal of most surround SACDs.
I did hear a couple of clicks on the second side of this LP (though nothing was visible)—something I hadn’t heard on any recent audiophile vinyls. Otherwise silent surfaces.
—John Sunier