Keith, I have a CD recording of Carmina Burana conducted by Ricardo Chailly. London label, I believe. The recording itself is not that great, but I really like the performance and the conductor's interpretation of the piece.

How does this recording rate as far as performance?

I would like to get a decent DVD-Audio or SACD recording of CB. Are there any out there you would recommend?


thanks

 

I think one of my new fav's is the latest Focal Disc. #6. Track 1 and 14 are really good.

 

^ Whats the title/artist of track #1 & #14?

 

mugen 1;

A fantastic recording of Carmina Burana has been done by the North Texas Wind Symphony & Grand Chorus. This compact disc has been put out on the Klavier label (K 11136). The musical forces on this cd include; more than 30 brass instuments, seven woodwinds, percussion, harp, piano, celesta, two double basses, 58 sopranos, 45 tenors, 49 bass baritones, 3 soloists, the Texas Boys' Choir and 6 more choirs each with its own music director. The dynamic range on this recording is stupendous....from the softest passages to the loudest. This is a red book layer compact disc and it is of outstanding audiophile grade sound quality. The engineers of Klavier have done an excellent job in the recording of this cd.

[ October 23, 2005, 10:43 PM: Message edited by: Keith ]

 

thanks, I'll look into it. Hope Amazon or some online place has it.

Maybe UHF will have it.

 

UHF has it.

 

CD Title: BRAHMS: Symphony No.1, Tragic Overture, Academic Festival Overture

Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Marin Alsop
Composer: Johannes Brahms(1833-1897)
Label: NAXOS (8.557428)

On this cd, Marin Alsop conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra to Brahms'; Symphony No.1, Tragic Overture, and Academic Festival Overture.

Early in his musical career, Brahms had only written small piano concertos. In 1853, another master composer, Robert Schumann, upon hearing Brahms' piano pieces, was so impressed that he encouraged Brahms to write larger orchestral music. And so Brahms encouraged by the kind words of the great Robert Schumann commenced to write his first major classical orchestral work of music. It took him a long time to complete his first symphony...23 years to be exact. It was completed in 1876. This symphony was very well received by the public and music critics throughout Europe. In that same year, Brahms was offered an honorary doctorates degree in music from the University of Cambridge in England, but unfortunately he could not go to England to accept it.
In 1879, the University of Breslau awarded Brahms with an honorary doctorate. The Academic Festival Overture was Brahms' grateful and artistic reply to receiving this docotorate degree.
As for the Tragic Overture, there is no story here. Brahms just simply wanted to convey in musical format the inexorable force of pure tragedy itself.

Upon listening to this cd in the car, I noticed a deep and wide soundstage. I could immediately place the locations of the different insturments upon the concert hall stage. A very clean recording.

Recorded at Watford Colosseum, England, January 2004.

[ October 26, 2005, 09:47 PM: Message edited by: Keith ]

 

CD Title: BRAHMS, Symphony No.2 & Hungarian Dances
Ensemble: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Marin Alsop
Composer: Johannes Brahms(1833-1897)
Label: NAXOS (8.557429)

Having reached monumental success from his Symphony No.1, Brahms, now filled with encouragement and pride, immediately started to work on his 2nd symphony in the summer of 1877 and had it completed by the winter of 1877. A very sharp contrast to the length of time it took him to complete his symphony no.1 (23 yrs).
I found Brahms' orchestration to be magnificent in this symphony. Brahms uses alot of deep, mellow, bass-rich instruments such as the cellos, basses, kettle drums, and trombones. These instuments add a sense of warmth to the music but also add a sense of melancholy. He contrasts this "warmth" with the use of higher pitched instruments such as the upper register of the violins, and the woodwinds which are played at a faster tempo.
The recorded sound of this cd is magnificent. NAXOS has done an incredible job in the recording of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The results are outstanding.

Brahms, throughout his life, enjoyed Hungarian gypsy music. And so in 1868 he started composing his Hungarian Dances. These short pieces of music are very quick in tempo and convey a sense of utter happiness altogether. No sense of melancholy here as was with his Symphonies nos. 1 & 2.
Once again, the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Marin Alsop (who is considered by music critics to be THE interpreter of all Brahms music) have done an excellent job playing this gorgeous music. NAXOS has done its part by providing excellent engineering, giving us a beautiful and rich sound. This is audiophile quality sound from a cd which is budget priced !!!

Tracks 1-4 were recorded at Blackheath Concert Hall, London England during March 2005.
Tracks 5-12 were recorded at Watford Colosseum, Watford England during July 2005.

[ October 26, 2005, 09:38 PM: Message edited by: Keith ]

 

CD Title: Herbie Hanc0ck...Possibilities
Label: Hanc0ckMusic

An excellent recording on compact disc of jazzy-pop tunes from the '70s and '80s. There are various singers and musicians on this cd such as: Carlos Santana, Christina Aguilera, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Annie Lennox, Sting, John Mayer, Herbie Hanc0ck and a few others whom I have never heard of before.
Excellent sound quality on all 10 songs. Everything from deep sub-bass to very high frequencies and everything else inbetween is present and in full force on this recording.
All of your speakers will get a decent workout.

Recording took place at studios in California, New York and Toronto.

[ October 27, 2005, 03:57 PM: Message edited by: Keith ]

 

I must say that I enjoyed hearing the samples on the website..