SQ Archive

“Heroic Music” for Organ, Brass and Percussion – E. Power Biggs, organ/ The New England Brass Ensemble – Columbia/ Sony Classical/HDTT

by Audiophile Audition | Jan 22, 2011 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

“Heroic Music” for Organ, Brass and Percussion – E. Power Biggs, organ/ The New England Brass Ensemble – [TrackList below] Columbia/Sony Classical/HDTT HQCD218 [avail. in five different formats at https://www.highdeftapetransfers.com/], 31:02 *****: E. Power Biggs was one of the two famous concert organists and recording artists in the 50s and 60s – the other was the more flamboyant Virgil Fox. Biggs carefully researched the music he performed and helped bring the classical pipe organ back to attention. He also performed and recorded on the pedal harpsichord, including even a Scott Joplin album. He made many recordings which are prized by classical collectors, but few are still available. His “Glory of Gabrieli Vol. II” won a Grammy for Best Chamber Music Recording in 1969. Our favorite is the only one that was reissued from its SQ quad original on multichannel (4.0) SACD – Bach’s Four Great Toccatas & Fugues played from one console on four organs.  Heroic Music was also released as an SQ LP, and it appears that sometime after its original release in 1962 on a single LP it was issued as a standard double-LP album (and later CD) totaling 69:41. This transfer was made from a prerecorded Columbia […]