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************ Multichannel Disc of the Month *********** * DEBUSSY: Images (complete); Jeux; La plus que lente – SF Sym./ Michael Tilson Thomas – SFS Media

************ Multichannel Disc of the Month *********** * DEBUSSY: Images (complete); Jeux; La plus que lente – SF Sym./ Michael Tilson Thomas – SFS Media

by | Nov 20, 2016 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

The latest from MTT and the SF Symphony is an all-Debussy SACD. * DEBUSSY: Images (complete); Jeux; La plus que lente – San Francisco Sym./ Michael Tilson Thomas – SFS Media multichannel SACD 821936-0069-2, 62:31 (10/28/16) *****: More superb recordings and performances from one of the best orchestras in the U.S. – the San Francisco Symphony. The mastery of orchestration possessed by the French composer is exquisitely demonstrated in this collection of his impressionist style. French composers nearly always did the best job of portraying Spain in their music, and Debussy’s Images is a great example. Each one of the six parts of Images has its own national coloration. Iberia is the central panel of the Images, and is a sort of love song on a grand scale to the country which so engaged some French composers, including him. In the Night Fragrances section Debussy caresses us with the scents of oleander and sweet chestnut, wild rose and thyme. The score is marked “Slow and dreamy.”  The last of the six parts, Rondes de printemps, is dedicated to the composer’s new wife, and quotes a French children’s song.  It is actually a fierce little tone poem. Jeux is one of […]

EYCK: Fantasias for Theremin and String Quartet – Eyck, theremin/ American Contemp. Music Ens. – Butterscotch vinyl or CD

EYCK: Fantasias for Theremin and String Quartet – Eyck, theremin/ American Contemp. Music Ens. – Butterscotch vinyl or CD

by | Oct 17, 2016 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

Interesting contemporary works featuring the Theremin, on both vinyl & CD. (First Amazon button is for vinyl; second one down for the CD.) CAROLINA EYCK: Fantasias for Theremin and String Quartet – Eyck, theremin/ American Contemporary Music Ensemble (string quartet) – Green vinyl or standard CD, Butterscotch BSR-015 (10/14/16) ***: There are six Fantasias, designed to ape early-60s Nonesuch LPs with three to a side of the LP. The original recording is 96K/24-bit, but let me tell you something: Every record label that promotes the hi-res nature of the original recording is maintaining a hoax, because it all must be down-sampled to the standard 44.1K/16-bit of standard CDs, no matter what the original recording was. (Keep that in mind when you look at physical CD jewelboxes in the stores.) Also, there is no such thing as hi-res vinyl – no matter what some of the manufacturers such as Sony may advertise.  This may sound very good but it is merely an analog recording, not hi-res. Putting it in this hi-res section is just because they usually sound very good (especially the 45 rpm remasters), not because they are really hi-res. In this case the striking theremin performances of Eyck were […]