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MOZART: Piano Concertos No. 12 & No. 17 – Alfred Brendel, p./ Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/ Neville Marriner – Pentatone RQR

MOZART: Piano Concertos No. 12 & No. 17 – Alfred Brendel, p./ Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/ Neville Marriner – Pentatone RQR

by | Aug 29, 2016 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

If there is any justice in the world, this will continue through the whole series. MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 12 in A, K. 414; No. 17 in G, K. 453 – Alfred Brendel, p./ Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/ Neville Marriner – Pentatone multichannel (4.0) SACD PTC 5816 236, 55:47 [Distr. by Naxos] *****: Anyone who knows the series of piano concertos of Mozart with Brendel and Marriner knows of its importance and significance. Few pairings of conductor and pianist have so successfully navigated Mozart’s supreme masterpieces with such panache and style, and when these were released both critical opinion and public acclaim merged as if one voice to proclaim them the most sensational recorded issuances of these works ever accomplished. They were not entirely complete—and this is a shame. But the greats and almost-greats were, making them mandatory acquisitions. This release, one in Pentatone’s series dedicated to reissues of recordings originally made in four-channel surround sound for quadraphonics, is a real beauty, and self-recommending, one of two the company has released so far. One hopes for a complete traversal of all the Phillips Brendel Mozart concertos, but I have no idea if this is in the offing […]

SIBELIUS: Symphonies Nos. 3, 6, 7 – Minnesota Orch./ Osmo Vänskä – BIS

SIBELIUS: Symphonies Nos. 3, 6, 7 – Minnesota Orch./ Osmo Vänskä – BIS

by | Aug 11, 2016 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

SIBELIUS: Symphonies Nos. 3, 6, 7 – Minnesota Orch./ Osmo Vänskä – BIS multichannel (5.0) SACD-2006, 82:00 (9/9/16) (Distr. by Naxos) ****: Three fine Sibelius Symphonies beautifully rendered by the Minnesota Orchestra in a lovely recording.  The Swedish label BIS Records gives us the final recording of the Minnesota Orchestra’s celebrated Sibelius symphonies series. Conducted by Music Director Osmo Vänskä, who is known for his Sibelius interpretations, the album features the Finnish composer’s Third, Sixth and Seventh Symphonies.  This is a fine recording and interpretation of the three symphonies. Of Sibelius’ seven symphonies, the Third may be the least known. He conducted the premiere himself on September 26, 1907.  Notable for its lean textures, it culminates in a broad majestic theme. Sixteen years later, Sibelius completed his Sixth Symphony and led its premiere in February of 1923. Annotator Robert Markow writes, “A cool, rarefied air seems to surround the Sixth in music of purity and luminescence. Textures are transparent, colors are muted [and] orchestral forces are modest.” Just a year later, Sibelius led the premiere of the work that would turn out to be his final symphony, his Seventh. Written in one movement, it is the culmination of Sibelius’ lifetime […]

Pioneer SE-DIR800C Digital Wireless Surround Headphones

Pioneer SE-DIR800C Digital Wireless Surround Headphones

by | Jun 4, 2013 | Component Reviews

Pioneer SE-DIR800C Digital Wireless Surround Headphones SRP: $400 Components: Infrared transmitter unit  Cordless stereo headphones Vertical stand for phones AC wall wart 2 rechargeable batteries (approx. 16 hours usage time) Coax digital cable Manual Features: Can create up to five virtual speakers in your head from DTS or Dolby Surround digital sources Built-in Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II and DTS 5.1 decoders Has three levels of Dolby Headphone technology for two-channel sources Transmission range of up to 26 ft. Built-in volume control on transmitter for plugging in corded phones as well as on wireless headphones Low profile, modern design of transmitter; use horizontally or vertically 24-bit A/D and D/A conversion, uncompressed Pioneer Electronics USA Box 1760 Long Beach, CA 90801-1760 [audaud-hr] Somehow these cordless phones have been well-reviewed online, although most reviews have pointed out that one always gets the best audio quality with wired headphones rather than wireless ones. (Just as wired audio of any sort is more reliable and sounds better than wireless.)  It’s been available for some time, but I must say this is the first unit I’ve come across that shows that the Dolby Headphone process may actually work, but unfortunately the sound quality of […]