Jump to content
IGNORED

Bartok


Recommended Posts

Any suggestions for hi-res recordings of "Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta" and "Concerto for Orchestra"?

Headphones: ZMF Atrium Closed, ZMF Bokeh, Audeze LCD-X, Meze 109 Pro, Focal Clear Mg, Noble Katana IEMs, Dan Clark Aeon 2 Closed
Amp/DAC: Decware MKIII Tube Amp, ZMF Homage, Schiit Bifrost 2/64, Woo Audio WA8, Burston Playmate 2, Mytek DSD192 DAC, Cayin RU7, Chord Mojo, Fiio M11 Plus DAP
Cables: Promitheus XLR Interconnects, WyWired red cables, Meze Silver, ZMF 6.35 ofc and 4 pin xlr stock, Arctic Cable, Audio Envy Cable balanced, balanced Silver Interconnects
Other: Aurender N100H, Macbook Pro (2023) running Audirvana Studio

Link to comment

I have not heard them all and, I must admit, I still prefer older performances of these by Solti and Dorati. However, I can recommend:

Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra etc. - Zoltan Kocsis Hungaroton HSACD 32187

Bartok: Music for Strings, Percussion and Celeste etc. - Mackerras Linn Records CKD 234

Kal Rubinson

Senior Contributing Editor, Stereophile

 

Link to comment

Do you mean hi-res digital recordings, or do analogue recordings available in hi-res count?

 

An audiophile classic is the Reiner performances on RCA Living Stereo, available on SACD and hi-res download. Recorded in 1955 and 58 with state of the art sound

 

Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta; Hungarian Sketches

Bartok: Concerto for orchestra, etc./Reiner SACD - Classics Today

Claude

Link to comment

+1 on Kal's recommendation of the Mackerras/SCO recording of MFSPC.

 

My current favorite recording of the Concerto for Orchestra is the Budapest Festival Orchestra/Fischer, but I haven't been able to find it in high-res.

Office: MacBook Pro - Audirvana Plus - Resonessence Concero - Cavailli Liquid Carbon - Sennheiser HD 800.

Travel/Portable: iPhone 7 or iPad Pro - AudioQuest Dragonfly Red - Audeze SINE or Noble Savant

Link to comment

I really like the Reiner - Bartok's countryman. I have the original vinyl of both - but Chad has reissued the Con for Orch album on a superb vinyl album, and SACD should be available or coming soon. The Reiner MSPC is not scheduled for an Analogue Productions redo (IIRC) but the older SACDs for both are available as Claude has mentioned . Larry

 

Do you mean hi-res digital recordings, or do analogue recordings available in hi-res count?

 

An audiophile classic is the Reiner performances on RCA Living Stereo, available on SACD and hi-res download. Recorded in 1955 and 58 with state of the art sound

 

Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta; Hungarian Sketches

Bartok: Concerto for orchestra, etc./Reiner SACD - Classics Today

Analog-VPIClas3,3DArm,LyraSkala+MiyajimaZeromono,Herron VTPH2APhono,2AmpexATR-102+MerrillTridentMaster TapePreamp

Dig Rip-Pyramix,IzotopeRX3Adv,MykerinosCard,PacificMicrosonicsModel2; Dig Play-Lampi Horizon, mch NADAC, Roon-HQPlayer,Oppo105

Electronics-DoshiPre,CJ MET1mchPre,Cary2A3monoamps; Speakers-AvantgardeDuosLR,3SolosC,LR,RR

Other-2x512EngineerMarutaniSymmetrical Power+Cables Music-1.8KR2Rtapes,1.5KCD's,500SACDs,50+TBripped files

Link to comment

There is an old Stokowski recording with the Houston Symphony that was recorded on 35mm tape - very good sound and I like the performance. Restored to 24.96. Available at HDTracks. Also at other vendors.

 

As far as MSPC, there is the Solti with the LSO - old, but well restored. I got it in hi-res from High Definition Tape Transfers.

 

cover.jpg

 

folder.png

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

Link to comment

As far as MSPC, there is the Solti with the LSO - old, but well restored. I got it in hi-res from High Definition Tape Transfers.

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]23102[/ATTACH]

 

Australian Eloquence has Solti's 1963 LSO MSPC scheduled for 2016. It should be from the master tapes rather than a commercial tape copy, and they usually do an excellent job with these older Decca recordings.

Link to comment

Here's the Kocsis SACD of MSPC:

 

B. Bartok - Bartok: Musiques Pour Cordes Percu - Amazon.com Music

71ZXqCALFQL._SX425_.jpg

 

I listened to this on Tidal. The MSPC is excellent, but I was particularly impressed with the Divertimento, a work that often fails to come alive in many other recordings.

 

http://tidal.com/album/31672470

 

A few other thoughts:

 

I think the Reiner Concerto for Orchestra is somewhat overrated as a performance. I find it too cool.

 

And the sonics are not RCAs best from that period; It sounds rather opaque to me (either the CD layer of the hybrid SACD or the Classic Sounds Lp). Is the DSD layer that much better?

Link to comment
Here's the Kocsis SACD of MSPC:

 

B. Bartok - Bartok: Musiques Pour Cordes Percu - Amazon.com Music

[ATTACH=CONFIG]23255[/ATTACH]

 

I listened to this on Tidal. The MSPC is excellent, but I was particularly impressed with the Divertimento, a work that often fails to come alive in many other recordings.

This entire Bartok series is greatly underappreciated. They are uniformly well-recorded in stereo and multichannel and many of the performances are outstanding.

Kal Rubinson

Senior Contributing Editor, Stereophile

 

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...