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On Eclassical today and I think for the week at 50% off are the late Beethoven String Quartets played by a string orchestra. So far I've only sampled parts of them from the site. They sounded pretty darned good and interesting from a quick take, so I went with 13, Grosse Fugue included, and 16. So nice not to have to buy the whole bunch.

 

Chris

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  • 1 month later...

Hard to tell from the snippets. My 2 favorite recordings are available in SACD and as downloads but onlythe Hillier is available as a hi-rez download.

 

873979.jpg

 

Rachmaninov: All-Night Vigil / Latvian Radio Choir

 

Vêpres, op.37 | Serge Rachmaninov par Sigvards Klava – Télécharger et écouter l'album

 

0093046738464_230.jpg

 

Rachmaninov: Vespers, Op. 37 / Paul Hillier, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

 

Rachmaninov: Vespers & Complete All-Night Vigil | Serge Rachmaninov par Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir – Télécharger et écouter l'album

 

There have been 2 SACD releases of the Hillier, 2005 and 2008. The later release supports multi-channel. I have the earlier.

 

Both of these sound great to me.

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Hard to tell from the snippets. My 2 favorite recordings are available in SACD and as downloads but onlythe Hillier is available as a hi-rez download.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]10597[/ATTACH]

 

Rachmaninov: All-Night Vigil / Latvian Radio Choir

 

Vêpres, op.37 | Serge Rachmaninov par Sigvards Klava*– Télécharger et écouter l'album

 

This is the only version of this piece that I have, so I definitely cannot give any comparison. What I can say is that I am very pleased with this SACD.

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any thoughts on today's special? Rachmaninov's Vespers?

Well there's no question it is very fine music. As to this particular recording, at $9.04 for 24/96, I am prepared to trust Robert von Bahr's comments. He is quite happy to state when one of eClassical's specials is mediocre, in his opinion. He gives this one a strong recommendation.

Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.

- Einstein

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Just had a listen to some of the snippets. Even streaming in MP3, it sounds terrific. I'll spring for it. You can listen to the whole performance if you click every 30 seconds and BIS high-res recordings are pretty well guaranteed to be top sound quality.

Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.

- Einstein

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Does someone have a view on the French cantatas by Rameau and Campra that are currently on offer at $6.56 for 24/44 files?

 

Edit: I have now listened to the snippets, and I don't get what the singers are saying. I really have to strain to try and understand what the soprano is singing and even so I can make out only about one in three words at best. So I'll give this one a pass.

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Today eClassical is selling a disc of music for harp and horn at half price:

4456817-origpic-d52764.jpg_0_0_100_100_250_250_0.jpg

 

As I was intrigued, I listened to the snippets, but I am not convinced: the horn is just too loud compared with the harp.

 

Still, if you are after something truly original...

 

Thanks for pointing this out. The pieces are from the much neglected transition period from natural horn to French horn. So they are quite interesting from the historical standpoint.

 

On the SQ side, the perspective is a little distant and instruments do not sound very detailed. But the overall balance is very nice. The horn doesn't seem to be overpowering the harp. I think most of the time, the composers have written the pieces so that they don't compete with each other. And they do not come from the same location on the soundstage. It is possible to hear into each instrument easily.

 

Now the not so good part: To my ear, the instrument on this album is probably not natural horn--it's totally smooth and doesn't crack like a nature horn. We're dealing with compositions of some of the greatest proponents of natural horn here. It's kind of a pity not to have the pieces played with natural horn.

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Thanks for pointing this out. The pieces are from the much neglected transition period from natural horn to French horn. So they are quite interesting from the historical standpoint.

 

On the SQ side, the perspective is a little distant and instruments do not sound very detailed. But the overall balance is very nice. The horn doesn't seem to be overpowering the harp. I think most of the time, the composers have written the pieces so that they don't compete with each other. And they do not come from the same location on the soundstage. It is possible to hear into each instrument easily.

 

Now the not so good part: To my ear, the instrument on this album is probably not natural horn--it's totally smooth and doesn't crack like a nature horn. We're dealing with compositions of some of the greatest proponents of natural horn here. It's kind of a pity not to have the pieces played with natural horn.

 

Thank you very much for the detailed review.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Interesting- a 24 bit /176.4kHz SACD rip available (today only, of course) for $6 here. Looks like one of those "how can you go wrong?" kinds of deals...any feedback from those familiar with these works or this performance? As a classical music novice, wasn't sure if this might be worth an addition to the collection :)

Office: iPod classic/iPad -> Shure SE425 IEM Home: Oppo BDP-83/Synology DS211j -> Integra DTR-7.8 -> Revel speakers

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Interesting- a 24 bit /176.4kHz SACD rip available (today only, of course) for $6 here. Looks like one of those "how can you go wrong?" kinds of deals...any feedback from those familiar with these works or this performance? As a classical music novice, wasn't sure if this might be worth an addition to the collection :)

I don't have it his version, but the music is beautiful (Mendelssohn is an underrated composer IMHO). You have a review here:

 

SA-CD.net - Mendelssohn: String Quintets - Mendelssohn String Quartet/Mann

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I don't have it his version, but the music is beautiful (Mendelssohn is an underrated composer IMHO). You have a review here:

 

SA-CD.net - Mendelssohn: String Quintets - Mendelssohn String Quartet/Mann

 

Thank you so much for the recommendation! Downloaded this evening- absolutely stellar recording quality, now to sit back and enjoy the performance and learn, thanks Musicophile!

 

If you have time today, be sure to pick this great daily deal!! Amazing quality from a recording which apparently was done originally in DSD- overall DR for the album is 15!

Office: iPod classic/iPad -> Shure SE425 IEM Home: Oppo BDP-83/Synology DS211j -> Integra DTR-7.8 -> Revel speakers

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Thank you so much for the recommendation! Downloaded this evening- absolutely stellar recording quality, now to sit back and enjoy the performance and learn, thanks Musicophile!

 

If you have time today, be sure to pick this great daily deal!! Amazing quality from a recording which apparently was done originally in DSD- overall DR for the album is 15!

+1 You won't spend 6 bucks better anywhere.

Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.

- Einstein

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Thank you so much for the recommendation! Downloaded this evening- absolutely stellar recording quality, now to sit back and enjoy the performance and learn, thanks Musicophile!

 

If you have time today, be sure to pick this great daily deal!! Amazing quality from a recording which apparently was done originally in DSD- overall DR for the album is 15!

I just bought it as well, downloading now. There is still too little well recorded high res chamber music out there. I suppose the only reason NOT to buy this is if you have a DSD DAC and want to wait for the moment when BIS finally publishes the DSD master (I think I saw some hints from Robert von Bahr somewhere this may eventually happen for their few DSD downloads). Otherwise, indeed for $6 you can't go wrong with this.

 

Let me recommend another special offer from e-classical, that just came out:

 

eClassical - Beethoven: Piano Trios, Op. 70 No. 2, Op. 97

 

4835199-origpic-cf9eb6.png_0_0_100_100_250_250_0.png

 

Faust and Melnikov already have done a spectacular cycle of the Beethoven violin sonatas, and now attack the trios, together with the great Jean-Guihen Queyras. Really well played, just got a "Choc Classica" from the French magazine.

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Thank you so much for the recommendation! Downloaded this evening- absolutely stellar recording quality, now to sit back and enjoy the performance and learn, thanks Musicophile!

 

If you have time today, be sure to pick this great daily deal!! Amazing quality from a recording which apparently was done originally in DSD- overall DR for the album is 15!

Listening to this now. Indeed a beautiful recording. The playground is very energetic, sometimes even wild, but it actually suits his material well.

 

On top of that, you probably won't be finding more GB per $ anywhere :-) 2.42GB of music for only $6... Unfortunately for everybody else, the deal seems to be over now.

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Mendelssohn chamber music

 

If you like the Mendelssohn string quintets, I encourage you to try his string quartets, which are universally considered much better.

 

I don't know a high-res version, but I can recommend two sets of all 7 string quartets:

 

The Pacifica String Quartet on the Cedille label is only $20 for a 16/44.1 FLAC download of 3 hours of music:

Cedille Records

 

The Emerson String Quartet on DG is my favorite because it is more incisive, but some critics prefer the warmer, more lyrical approach of the Pacifica Qt. The Emerson is a 4-CD box set because it also includes the popular Octet.

 

As a 16/44.1 FLAC download, DG currently offers only the equivalent of a single CD with the superb op. 80 string quartet and the Octet, plus miscellaneous movements published as op. 81. The op. 80 and Octet are complete opposites: The Octet is an extremely exciting, melodic but somewhat repetitious work of a teenager, just before he wrote his brilliant Midsummer Night's Dream overture. Op. 80 is his final and best string quartet. Unusual for Mendelssohn, it reflects the tragic death of his sister Fanny.

HQPlayer (on 3.8 GHz 8-core i7 iMac 2020) > NAA (on 2012 Mac Mini i7) > RME ADI-2 v2 > Benchmark AHB-2 > Thiel 3.7

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Mendelssohn chamber music

 

If you like the Mendelssohn string quintets, I encourage you to try his string quartets, which are universally considered much better.

 

I don't know a high-res version.

I can highly recommend this recent download in 24/44 by the Quatuor Ebène. It also features a quartet by Fanny.

Mendelssohn Felix and Fanny | Felix Mendelssohn par Quatuor Ébène*– Télécharger et écouter l'album

 

I concur on the Emerson box, but would also throw in the Quatuor Ysaye on Decca.

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Let me recommend another special offer from e-classical, that just came out:

 

eClassical - Beethoven: Piano Trios, Op. 70 No. 2, Op. 97

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11020[/ATTACH]

 

Faust and Melnikov already have done a spectacular cycle of the Beethoven violin sonatas, and now attack the trios, together with the great Jean-Guihen Queyras. Really well played, just got a "Choc Classica" from the French magazine.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Just purchased this yesterday despite having several other recordings of these two trios (by the Borodin Trio on Chandos and a coupla others). I'm glad I sprung for the duplicate - very enjoyable performance with a greater sense of life to it than others I've heard. The recording is wonderful, and I'm very pleased by the tonality of the "late era" fortepiano Melnikov uses (it's heresy to many - but I'm not a big fan of the fortepiano). Highly recommended (and a great deal to boot while it's on the "24 bit promotion" pricing).

Mac Mini (PCIe Flash; UpTone MMK; UpTone JS-2) -> SOtM sms-100 (HD-PLEX LPS) -> UpTone REGEN -> Berkeley Alpha USB/DAC -> Parasound JC-2/JC-1 -> Merlin VSM-MM w/ dual ACI subs.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Suzuki Bach Cantatas Vol. 10 is 50% off today. RvB says:

 

Sometimes people ask me which is the best Bach Cantata disc out of the 55. Of course there is really no answer, but, if one were to ask me which is the best track, the 3rd track here comes close to the top, or, indeed, maybe is the top. What the soprano and oboe do together in "Wie zittern und wanken" is as close to any divinity of your choice one can come on this earth, actually, I get goosebumps only thinking about it. So no more text here, I need to put it on. Bach Vol 10.

 

I always felt this version of Person singing Wie zittern und wanken to be very, very special. Highly recommended.

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