New Releases

[Todd]

Pardon my ignorance, but when played on a regular stereo system, what can one expect from these Blu-Ray discs compared to their standard cd incarnation ?

Can they actually be played on a standard sound system, or is some expensive paraphernalia involved ?

As was posted, the sets come with both CDs and BDs.  You need a BD player for the BDs.  Cheap ones run under $50.  The new remasterings may or may not sound better. 

[André]

Thanks Todd !

I had read that (the discs come in 2 formats) but I couldn't understand the implication machine-wise or figure if there was a sonic advantage with the new format vs the old. I suppose it's meant for the audiophile.

[Parsifal]

Thanks Todd !

I had read that (the discs come in 2 formats) but I couldn't understand the implication machine-wise or figure if there was a sonic advantage with the new format vs the old. I suppose it's meant for the audiophile.

It's a gimmick. Do you really need to listen to a 50 year old analog recording in 24 bit resolution? To get to hear the tape hiss and saturation as though that old ampex tape recorder is in the room with you?  New surround sound recordings on bluray would be a good alternative to SACD, since you could avoid the need for dedicated and otherwise useless hardware. But for old two channel programs it is pointless.

[Paul_Thomas]

Eugen Jochum conducts the Concertgebouw in Bruckner 5 from Ottobeuren, Germany, 30 May 1964

12th May release.

[Mr. Minnow]

The latest in Eduardo Paniagua's long-running series of recordings of the Cantigas de Santa Maria, released earlier this month:

[Mandryka]

11 suites by Georg Böhm. He started recording these by himself in his personal studio a week last Sunday, and now 10 days later, he's released them.

[Spineur]

Diana Damrau wil be releasing "Grand opera", devoted to Meyerbeer in june.  Is Meyerbeer making a comeback ??

[Paul_Thomas]

A very exciting release on Testament coming on the 13th April!

Never before published, the world premiere of Benjamin Britten's Cello Sonata with Britten & Rostropovich, live from Aldeburgh in 1961.

Also included on the 2-disc set

Debussy: Cello Sonata
Schubert: Arpeggione Sonata
Schumann: 5 Stucke in Volkston

with Rostropovich & Britten

and even more excitingly a performance of Bach's 3rd cello suite by Rostropovich, years before he recorded it for EMI.

and

The aria 'Woferne du den edlen Frieden' from Bach's Cantata BWV41 'Jesu, nun sei gepreiset' with Peter Pears alongside Britten and Rostropovich.

[Paul_Thomas]

Sony has a new batch of classical masters set available from the 28th April.

4CDs - Charles Rosen plays modern piano music
7CDs - Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts Stravinsky
3CDs - Ormandy conducts Mozart wind music
6CDs - Claus Peter Flor conducts Mendelssohn - including his highly regarded Midsummer Night's Dream music

[Paul_Thomas]

More Classical Masters:

11CDs - The complete Caruso recordings on RCA Victor
3CDs - de Larrocha plays Granados
6CDs - Perahia plays Schumann (including a recital with Peter Pears)
5CDs - Gunter Wand conducts Schubert

[Paul_Thomas]

And last but not least, Pinchas Zuckerman plays Vivaldi on 6CDs

As I said all 9 are available from the 28th April

[Brian]

Guess Claus Peter Flor isn't photogenic enough for that cover.

[Paul_Thomas]

Guess Claus Peter Flor isn't photogenic enough for that cover.

Ha yes! only just noticed that, this was his reaction when he discovered he was left off the cover...

[king ubu]

@Paul: do you have any specifics on the Erick Friedman bix coming from Sony?

[Paul_Thomas]

@Paul: do you have any specifics on the Erick Friedman bix coming from Sony?

No not yet, I was a bit surprised to see this as the details haven't arrived from Sony at Presto towers yet (to my knowledge).

If I find out the track listing before anyone else does on here i'll put the details up.

[king ubu]

No not yet, I was a bit surprised to see this as the details haven't arrived from Sony at Presto towers yet (to my knowledge).

If I find out the track listing before anyone else does on here i'll put the details up.

Appreciated!

(Had five Presto parcels with Glossa discs in my mailbox yesterday ... got scolded ...)

[Todd]

Some old Bohm, Australian Eloquence digs deep, and Bavouzet finally get his next Haydn disc out.

Also, no image is available yet, but Pietro De Maria has a Goldberg Variations set for release shortly.  A must-buy.

[Paul_Thomas]

Also on EMI (sorry Warner ) Icons, the complete CBSO recording of Louis Fremaux, who sadly died aged 95 earlier this month.

Out 21st April, the Bohm above is released on the 7th June, which is why it hasn't arrived at Presto towers yet - good spot Todd!

[Paul_Thomas]

Also on Warner, they commemorate / comiserate the end of Rattle Berlin years with this 7CD set of some of his recordings with the orchestra.

Track listing

Berlioz:
Symphonie fantastique, Op. 14
Cléopâtre - Scène lyrique, H36
Borodin:
Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances
Symphony No. 2 in B minor
Debussy:
La Mer
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
La Boite A Joujoux
Holst:
The Planets, Op. 32
Mahler:
Symphony No. 5
Matthews, C:
Pluto, the Renewer
Mussorgsky:
Pictures at an Exhibition
orch. Ravel
Orff:
Carmina Burana
Stravinsky:
The Rite of Spring
Apollon musagète
Symphonies of Wind Instruments

A good set, if you haven't acquired these when they were released initially

13th April for this one.

[André]

I will definitely be watching reviews of the Kolassi/Jobin box. Mouth-watering contents 

Well, it didn't take long  . Here are Presto Classical's reviews:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Australian%2BEloquence/ELQ4824621

And:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Australian%2BEloquence/ELQ4824637