Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion HiFi & HT Chat Re: Recommended Music

Mahler - Symphony No. 8 & Symphony No. 10 (Adagio)
San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas
SACD/hybrid - 2 discs
Avie - 82193600212

This is a current Grammy Awards nomination in the classical category for:
Best Engineered Album
Best Producer of the Year
Best Album
Best Choral Performance

It has to be great and it was absolutely great for especially wide and deep location of the sound components, choral, and sound overall.
The best recording I have heard.

Avie? Ain't it on SFSO?

http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/6058

Kal

It's a bit unclear. They are on Avie's website as if they are Avie releases, but SFSO says that Avie only distributes them in some territories.

I am in SF now, and was thinking of buying the lot as I get a discount. Should I?

I think the set is terrific although, probably, none is my favorite performance of any one symphony. Sound quality is top-notch, as well.

Kal

Kal and Nic - about the label of Mahler's symphony 8 and the SFO.

I obtained my copy from this UK site that shows the Avie label.

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/search.php?searchString=mahler+sympony+8+san

I'm not surprised that in the USA it would be SFO label. As Nic says this different label in differenct countries can occur - and be confusing.

The link above states the following about the related series:

It all means it's a great sound.

And how do the performances compare with other major recordings?

Nic you will have to buy this one to tell me as this SFO is my only performance of symphony 8. Kal prefers another performance. The Grammy nomination here would include performance.

I use to be guided too much by performance as indicated in reviews, including remastered versions of old recordings. I focus now more on sound quality because Meridian gear will add so much to a good recording instead of highlighting problems. The more recently recorded generally give much better sound.

Also performance is more subjective than sound/recording quality. If you choose a major orchestra/conductor you are unlikely to get a poor performance. What you get is an interpretation or style you prefer or not.

Actually, I find greater variation in performance among major orchestras/conductors than among modern mch recordings. Or, at least, the differences are more important to me. And, subjectivity aside, there are name brand performances that suck and there is consensus as this.

That said, the SFO 8 is one of the few performances of that piece that make sense to me.

Kal

I already jumped and bought the lot last night. I listened to the first movement of no.3 this morning which was impressive and had many things I hadn't heard. If they are all on that level then I am glad to have them in my collection.

It's a great project - certainly a statement from both conductor and orchestra.

Nic
You have since posted on HH:
"I used to write CD reviews for an long-established London periodical"

Therefore I would be even more intested in you reviews here of your Mahler purchases.

The only time that I am willing to take the trouble to put on a disc rather than use my Sonos is for the Music DVD: Katie Melua: Concert Under the Sea.

I have just been spinning Beethoven Symphonies Nos. 3, 5 & 7 with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Georg Solti on Decca Legends ("96kHz 24-bit Super DIGITAL Transfer" it says - oh, for an SACD or DVD-A or even a hi-rez download!). These are beautiful recordings, made in the Sofiensaal in Vienna in 1958 & 1959 and produced by John Culshaw. Spellbinding stuff - bold, strong Beethoven.