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5 hours ago, Musicophile said:

My blog had been neglected for some weeks due to extensive business travel, so to compensate I revieved not only one, but three albums in one go, including this beautiful Jordi Savall album (in 24/88 from Qobuz) but if you have a possibility to rip an SACD you may want to prefer that way to get the original DSD version.

 

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Check out my review here: https://musicophilesblog.com/2017/12/16/getting-seasonal-again-with-three-beautiful-versions-of-bachs-magnificat/

 

Love Savall of course.  I think I remember from the folks at Native DSD (though I am not certain) that the DSD version may not be the original?

 

 I rip mine to DSD anyway.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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Good on you for managing to take in a play and avoid the holiday crowds.  I'm still recovering from a family Christmas pantomime that took place in a local brewery.  Which I was held hostage to while waiting on line to secure a necessary gift.  

 

Fantasiestücke (Fantasy Pieces)

 

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I've been on a Brahms symphony tear of late, so I was tickled to discover this "forgot to rip" SACD in my stack o' discs, as I was packing them away into storage.

 

After ripping, the import brought up this scathing writeup in Roon. A bit of Googling told me it was by one James Leonard, who noted (emphasis mine):

 

Plodding and even a little sloppy, Bernard Haitink and the London Symphony Orchestra's June 2004 performance of Brahms' Symphony No. 4 may not merit immortality. While both Haitink and the LSOhave both recorded superb Brahms' Fourths in the past, indeed, this one is a stinker. There are some fine moments -- one thinks especially of the cello theme in the Andante moderato -- but the performance as a whole is dull and labored, tired and turgid. Even the Allegro giocoso sounds tired and the closing bars of the finale are at the point of exhaustion. Even worse, the performance sounds sloppy, something one rarely hears from the LSO. The violins slip above the staff. The brass bleats above forte. The horns sound hollow in the opening of the Andante. The flute sounds limp in the finale. The ensemble sounds shaky throughout. Even LSO Live's sound is a little dim and a lot distant. There are dozens of better recordings of Brahms' Fourth. Try Carlos Kleiber's with the Vienna Philharmonic, but skip this one.

 

Well, gee, you don't see that every day! :D

 

I have to say - Mr. Leonard must have been in a really bad mood, or has it in for Haitink and/or the LSO. This is actually a very enjoyable 4th, with excellent sonics, worthy of DSD. Yes, it's not the best I've heard, but hardly a stinker! For the record, I do agree that the Kleiber version is memorable.

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2 hours ago, Guidof said:

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Giovanni Battista Fasolo: Magnificat, Salve Regina, Ricercates. Alternatim music for organ, choir, and harpsichord. Two organs are used in the recording: the Magnificats, the Salve Regina, the Ricercate, and the Fughe were recorded on the Antegnati organ (c. 1589) in Verona Cathedral; the Canzoni are played on the organ at Trevi in Umbria, built in 1509 by Paolo Pietro da Montefalco. Federico Del Sordo plays the organ and harpsichord; Alberto Turco directs the Dulci Jubilo choir.

 

Exemplary Brilliant Classics sound from a 24/44.1 Qobuz download (over two hours of music for the price of one album).

Thanks for this. I have but a single track of this composer on "Venetian Vespers" with the Gabrielli Consort Choir.

Best wishes for the season to one and all...

Primary System: HTPC (Win 10, 64) > Synology DS212j > JRiver MC 22 > Uptone Audio Regen Amber > Schiit Bifrost Uber 4490 > Marantz SR7010 with Marantz UD5005 > Aperion Intimus 6Bs (LR) + Intimus 5C + 4 Intimus 4BPs (Surround) + 2 Bravus 12s - Display: Samsung 55" KS9000 - Headphones: AKG Q701.

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Minnesota has more than a few renowned torchbearers of the vocal tradition.  Come Christmas the only two that matter are the St Olaf college choir and Dale Warland Singers.  Those wishing to sample the former can replay the live broadcast of this years concert series here or attend Christmas Mass.  The latter on an original Schubert Club release from 1987 (not matching the pictured album art of the reissue) was my choice for today.

 

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I'm quite sure you found my posted album on AllMusic (where short samples of all the tracks are available).  If you wish, a full performance of Paulus works written for seasonal performance by this group can be found again on MPR.

 

Stepping away from holiday specificity towards more general holidaying.  Don't blame me if you recoil from the first track or quickly forget that it happened.  Almost certainly due to this start every note of music following pulls you in and up.

 

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A couple of recent holiday compilations.

 

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - Bavarian Radio Chorus

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And while a don't consider them to be a go-to source for inspired Baroque performance, this release is the only source I'm familiar with that has the four "Christmas" concerti of the Baroque era.

 

The Christmas Album II - Berlin Philharmonic

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Best wishes to all...

Primary System: HTPC (Win 10, 64) > Synology DS212j > JRiver MC 22 > Uptone Audio Regen Amber > Schiit Bifrost Uber 4490 > Marantz SR7010 with Marantz UD5005 > Aperion Intimus 6Bs (LR) + Intimus 5C + 4 Intimus 4BPs (Surround) + 2 Bravus 12s - Display: Samsung 55" KS9000 - Headphones: AKG Q701.

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