Recorded live in 2003 and 2004 in Royal Festival Hall, London in 4.1 surround and stereo, this is part of a continuing SACD series from another of the world’s great orchestras. The dynamic range is immense – don’t turn up your level too high at the super-low volume of the opening to Isle of the Dead, or you and your speakers may be in for a painful surprise. Jurowski and his players play out the work for all its morbidity – a fine example of Rachmaninoff’s dark side. The cover photo obviously refers to the original Böcklin painting which so inspired Rachmaninoff. But it’s not the painting. This is:
I have to observe that Jurowski’s effort doesn’t match either the sparkling and exciting performance of Jansons on the RCO disc or the sonics – which are richer with a wider and deeper soundstage than the LPO surround recording achieves.
– John Sunier
