Favourite CD's for sound staging, imaging, etc.
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 871
CD Title: JANACEK.
Composer: Leos Janacek.
Ensemble: Melos (string) Quartett.
Label: Harmonia Mundi (HMA 1951380).
Leos Janacek was a Hungarian virtuoso violinist and composer. On this cd we get two of Janacek's string quartets.
The subject matter of the first string quartet(named the "Kreutzer Sonata"), composed in 1923, is based on a piece of literature written by Tolstoy, which described the story of a tragic marriage. Janacek, being more positive about marriage and women, decided to write his first string quartet about the joys of marriage...exactly the opposite of what he read in Tolstoy's literature.
The second string quartet which he composed in 1928, titled "Intimate Pages", is a musical love letter written to the love of his life...Kamila Stoslova.
The Melos Quartett is:
Wilhelm Melcher (violin),
Gerhard Voss (violin),
Hermann Voss (alto),
Peter Buck ( violincello).
As this is a string quartet, with the musicians placed fairly close to one another during recording and the mics placed close to the musicians, the soundstage is not as large and wide as would be a recording of a symphony orchestra. The quartet sounds like they are just a few feet in front of you...perhaps at your headlights. The sound is very much upfront and very close to you. This again is due to the placement of the microphones very close to the muscians.
The quality of the musicians is outstanding. They all play their respective instruments with a high degree of excellence. The tempo of the music changes very rapidly as we can go from a slow drone to a very quick and fast burst of violin within a second.
There is alot of midrange and high-range frequencies recorded on this disc. There is only a little bit of midbass and almost no subbass at all.
Harmonia Mundi, a top ranking record label, has done a marvelous job of sound engineering and capturing this string quartet with all of the nuances kept in this recording. If you have a very good system, then you will hear the sound of the bows of the violins moving along the strings. This kind of sounds like somebody is breathing close to the microphone. Well, maybe that's what it is...the musicians breathing. But nonetheless, with a decent stereo system, you should be able to clearly hear this.
An excellent sound quality recording.
Composer: Leos Janacek.
Ensemble: Melos (string) Quartett.
Label: Harmonia Mundi (HMA 1951380).
Leos Janacek was a Hungarian virtuoso violinist and composer. On this cd we get two of Janacek's string quartets.
The subject matter of the first string quartet(named the "Kreutzer Sonata"), composed in 1923, is based on a piece of literature written by Tolstoy, which described the story of a tragic marriage. Janacek, being more positive about marriage and women, decided to write his first string quartet about the joys of marriage...exactly the opposite of what he read in Tolstoy's literature.
The second string quartet which he composed in 1928, titled "Intimate Pages", is a musical love letter written to the love of his life...Kamila Stoslova.
The Melos Quartett is:
Wilhelm Melcher (violin),
Gerhard Voss (violin),
Hermann Voss (alto),
Peter Buck ( violincello).
As this is a string quartet, with the musicians placed fairly close to one another during recording and the mics placed close to the musicians, the soundstage is not as large and wide as would be a recording of a symphony orchestra. The quartet sounds like they are just a few feet in front of you...perhaps at your headlights. The sound is very much upfront and very close to you. This again is due to the placement of the microphones very close to the muscians.
The quality of the musicians is outstanding. They all play their respective instruments with a high degree of excellence. The tempo of the music changes very rapidly as we can go from a slow drone to a very quick and fast burst of violin within a second.
There is alot of midrange and high-range frequencies recorded on this disc. There is only a little bit of midbass and almost no subbass at all.
Harmonia Mundi, a top ranking record label, has done a marvelous job of sound engineering and capturing this string quartet with all of the nuances kept in this recording. If you have a very good system, then you will hear the sound of the bows of the violins moving along the strings. This kind of sounds like somebody is breathing close to the microphone. Well, maybe that's what it is...the musicians breathing. But nonetheless, with a decent stereo system, you should be able to clearly hear this.
An excellent sound quality recording.
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 871
CD Title: Ottorino Respighi....Appian Adventures.
Composer: Ottorino Respighi.
Ensemble: L'Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal.
Conductor: Charles Dutoit.
Label: Eloquence/DECCA (4761514).
Ottorino Respighi(1879-1936) was born in Bologna, Italy. He also died in Italy. He was very shy and reserved when young, but had obviously great musical talent from birth. At the age of 8, he had already started to seriously study the violin. At the age of 20, he was also a brilliant viola player and pianist. He started to study composition at the age of 13.
On this cd, we have 3 of Respighi's most famous poetic works; the Roman trilogy:
1. Pines of Rome
2. Roman Festivals, and
3. Fountains of Rome.
These 3 symphonic poems describe the nature of the Roman empire 2000 or so years ago. Their triumphs and barbarism (such as throwing the Christians to the lions in the coliseum) is displayed in his music. Ofcourse, due to the subject matter of his music, the orchestration is very tense and dramatic to say the least.
I have always admired L'Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal with its conductor Charles Dutoit. Maybe I'm a bit prejudiced in favor of this orchestra because I lived in Montreal for 10 years. There have been many different orchestras around the world which have also recorded these same 3 poems, but, the Charles Dutoit recording is considered by many to be the reference recording by which all of the other recordings are compared to.
Charles Dutoit has led this orchestra for a brilliant, dynamic, tense, dramatic, and emotional performance which depicts the joy, sorrow, anger, love, hatred, and barbarism that took place during that time in the Roman empire.
The orchestration is deep and wide, with alot of textures, colors, and thick layering throughout, from the opening lines to the closing seconds.
There is plenty to be had from subbass frequencies to midbass, to midrange and to the high-frequency range.
Recorded originally in 1983 in Montreal.
A gorgeous recording to hear on a fine stereo system.
Composer: Ottorino Respighi.
Ensemble: L'Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal.
Conductor: Charles Dutoit.
Label: Eloquence/DECCA (4761514).
Ottorino Respighi(1879-1936) was born in Bologna, Italy. He also died in Italy. He was very shy and reserved when young, but had obviously great musical talent from birth. At the age of 8, he had already started to seriously study the violin. At the age of 20, he was also a brilliant viola player and pianist. He started to study composition at the age of 13.
On this cd, we have 3 of Respighi's most famous poetic works; the Roman trilogy:
1. Pines of Rome
2. Roman Festivals, and
3. Fountains of Rome.
These 3 symphonic poems describe the nature of the Roman empire 2000 or so years ago. Their triumphs and barbarism (such as throwing the Christians to the lions in the coliseum) is displayed in his music. Ofcourse, due to the subject matter of his music, the orchestration is very tense and dramatic to say the least.
I have always admired L'Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal with its conductor Charles Dutoit. Maybe I'm a bit prejudiced in favor of this orchestra because I lived in Montreal for 10 years. There have been many different orchestras around the world which have also recorded these same 3 poems, but, the Charles Dutoit recording is considered by many to be the reference recording by which all of the other recordings are compared to.
Charles Dutoit has led this orchestra for a brilliant, dynamic, tense, dramatic, and emotional performance which depicts the joy, sorrow, anger, love, hatred, and barbarism that took place during that time in the Roman empire.
The orchestration is deep and wide, with alot of textures, colors, and thick layering throughout, from the opening lines to the closing seconds.
There is plenty to be had from subbass frequencies to midbass, to midrange and to the high-frequency range.
Recorded originally in 1983 in Montreal.
A gorgeous recording to hear on a fine stereo system.
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 871
CD Title: D.D. Jackson - Sigame.
Musicians: D.D. Jackson (piano), Ugonna Okegwo (acoustic bass), Dafnis Prieto (drums, percussion), Freddie Bryant (acoustic guitar and electric guitar), Christian Howes (violin and bass violin).
Label: JustInTime (Just 177-2).
This is a very well produced jazz/blues/gospel cd.
The soundstage is fairly deep and somewhat wide but not too wide. This is essentially a piano trio with some more musicians and instruments added into the trio.
The piano playing is smooth and always upfront while the drum kit is in the background, but always present giving the music its drive and rhythm. The acoustic bass is very deep and rich in its sound and color with plenty of subbass information. The guitar work is sweet sounding as are the sounds of the violins.
Recorded during July of 2001.
All in all, a very nice sounding cd.
Musicians: D.D. Jackson (piano), Ugonna Okegwo (acoustic bass), Dafnis Prieto (drums, percussion), Freddie Bryant (acoustic guitar and electric guitar), Christian Howes (violin and bass violin).
Label: JustInTime (Just 177-2).
This is a very well produced jazz/blues/gospel cd.
The soundstage is fairly deep and somewhat wide but not too wide. This is essentially a piano trio with some more musicians and instruments added into the trio.
The piano playing is smooth and always upfront while the drum kit is in the background, but always present giving the music its drive and rhythm. The acoustic bass is very deep and rich in its sound and color with plenty of subbass information. The guitar work is sweet sounding as are the sounds of the violins.
Recorded during July of 2001.
All in all, a very nice sounding cd.
50 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 56
i don't know about imaging and soundstage and all that crap. I'll tell you that Holly Cole's collection cd sounds pretty much the same as her live performance( she can sing, looks good too). I have seen her 4 times in mid size places and this cd sounds just like she did when I saw her. Good stuff. Take it easy and turn it up.
0 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 10
Originally posted by Keith:
Chen, I have the "Acoustic Storm" cd.
Chen, I have the "Acoustic Storm" cd.
You write 4 paragraphs on "Ottorino Respighi....Appian Adventures" , and thats all you got to say about "Acoustic Storm"? j/k.
What other acoustic guitar cds' do you enjoy?
Preferably with little to no vocals.
thanks.
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 871
Chen, check out the top of page 8. There you will find my review of Acoustic Storm.
I do have other acoustic string cd's, not necessarily ONLY guitar. An example is the cd by TAFELMUSIC, a string ensemble from Toronto, which plays baroque style classical music.
I do have other acoustic string cd's, not necessarily ONLY guitar. An example is the cd by TAFELMUSIC, a string ensemble from Toronto, which plays baroque style classical music.
