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The article is about how the "High Performance" series has changed the perception of classical music reissues, as well as about an incredible combination of knowledge and technology that has led to this change. We have got used to the fact that Japanese companies are the driving force in the field of Compact Disc/Super Audio... Read More »

FAURÉ Orchestral works. Seattle Symphony/Ludovic Morlot. Seattle Symphony Media SSM1004.  TT: 70.29. Masques et bergamasques. Fantaisie for Flute (orch. Talmi; with Demarre McGill, flute). Pelléas et Mélisande: Suite. Berceuse for Violin and Orchestra (with Alexander Velinzon, violin). Élégie for Cello and Orchestra (with Efe Baltacigil, cello). Dolly (orch. Rabaud). Pavane (with Seattle Symphony Chorus). Full disclosure: I haven't... Read More »

The musical form I had the most commercial success in (as a classical-music record producer and label owner), was the string quartet. Granted, my remarkably successful string-quartet recordings consisted of quartet arrangements of sacred and traditional Christmas music. But those recordings are a lot more "classical" in character than "crossover" in character. In other words,... Read More »

Telarc Stereo TEL00005. 33.3 RPM, 180 gram vinyl. Retail $24.98. Robert Shaw conducts the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus for this recording of Stravinsky's Firebird Suite paired with Borodin's Polovetsian Dances. Igor Stravinsky The Firebird:  Introduction The Firebird:  The Firebird and Her Dance The Firebird:  Round Dance of the Princesses The Firebird:  Infernal Dance of King Kastchei The Firebird:... Read More »

Congratulations to Fedor Rudin! The Vienna State Opera has appointed him to fill one of their vacant co-concertmaster positions. I am tempted to say "Even better" that in parallel with that, he will be on probation for two years as an (I assume co-) concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic. (So, yes, I have a slight bias... Read More »

Record labels usually focuses on promoting the music itself, forgetting that it is closely related to sound. Every now and then, companies are created that try to do something about it. One of the newest is the Dutch company TRPTK, which is the following text is about. (See their distribution site at trptk.nativedsd.com.) Let's be honest:... Read More »

Courtesy www.maritasolberg.com; photo credit Felix Broede. Marita Sølberg: Opera Arias. Opera arias by Catalani, Mozart, Gounod, Bizet, Leoncavallo, Puccini, Bellini, Rachmaninoff, Dvořák, Verdi, and R. Strauss. Norwegian National Opera Orchestra. John Fiore, conductor. CD Simax Classics PSC1336 Say "Hello" to Marita Sølberg! Marita Sølberg's name was unknown to me when I stumbled upon her upcoming new release (which came out in 2016, which... Read More »

My relationship with box sets? Well, you might say its complicated. I recently reached the 100 mark with box sets in my collection, a bit of a milestone for me. This seemed like a great time to share some of my observations about collecting them, potential issues, the hurdles I've encountered and the solutions I've... Read More »

After a holiday season of good cheer, John Marks returns to the pages of PF with a new reflection on the music of Gordon Lightfoot, one of blessed memory for him, as well as for me. John maintains a worthy blog site at The Tannhauser Gate, always worth regular visits for those who value fine reflections and... Read More »

Surprise! I'm back with another installment of my "Perfect Song" series! As I started thinking about writing this article, I reminded myself that perfect isn't the same as favorite. A Google search for the word favorite netted this definition: preferred before all others of the same kind. A search for the word perfect provided this... Read More »

Lyn Stanley (photograph by Evelina Pentcheva) Part I Synopsis: There is some confusion in the audio world about the difference between a Direct to Disc recording and a One Step Record. Lyn Stanley has made both and she will explain in detail what they are and what is required to make each. First, I would like... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 82. Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon. Harvest – SHVL 804, 1E 064 o 05249 (UK) (1973), 582 1361 (UK) (2003) (30th anniversary edition), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: space rock, art rock, progressive rock, electronic, jazz fusion, and funk touches. Ahh, at last, there it is.... Read More »

Roberta Invernizzi, soprano; Auser Musici/Carlo Ipata. Glossa GCD 922905.  TT: 59.30. Astianatte: Se la Grecia s'armerà. L'oracolo del Fato: Qui ti scrivo o nome amato; Se non canti più per me. Il Ciro: Nell'orror della procella. Bajazette: Par che mi nasca in seno. Sinfonia. Il Tamerlano: Svena uccidi; Cor di padre. Santa Eufrosina: Qui dal porto. Amleto:... Read More »

Here are some LPs that I've gotten in recently and I want to bring to your attention. Espresso, Bob James Trio, EVLP023, from Tappan Zee Records. 2018, Featuring Bob James, Billy Kilson, and Michael Palazzolo. $32.99. Tracks Recorded by Ken Freeman, KFP Studios, Bethlehem, PA. Tracks Recorded at Stagg Studios, Van Nuys, CA.. Assisted by Josh Frank. Mastered by Steve Vavagiaskis for Bang... Read More »

Sweetbeats Productions, Digital download available at Apple Music and Google Music $8.99 I know I've raved about recordings in reviews, even in the last year, where I remarked that I put it in my CD player or an LP on my turntable and I didn't take it out/off for a very long time. That's a... Read More »

ORA Singers: The Mystery of Christmas. Music of Allain, Anonymous, Byrd, Hall, Hyde, Lauridsen, Macmillan, McDowall, Peacock, Rowarth, Rutter, Samitz, Sixten, Tallis, Williams, and Weir. CD Harmonia Mundi HMM 905303. Downloads (24-bit/96kHz stereo AIFF, ALAC, FLAC, and WAV) available from HDTracks. Streaming available from Tidal. Recorded at St. Augustine's Church, Kilburn, London, January 23-28 and August 7-12, 2017. Nicholas Parker (all... Read More »

So, yeah… I buy a lot of music every year and little if any of it will ever be mistaken for that of the typical audiophile genres: jazz, female vocals, classical, or whatever. No, the music I buy tends to fall way outside what is heard at audio shows or seen in various audiophile magazines…... Read More »

Saariaho and Koh. Jennifer Koh, violin. Nicolas Hodges, piano. Hsin-Yun Huang, viola. Wilhelmena Smith, cello. Anssi Kaarttunen, cello, Curtis 20/21 Ensemble, Conner Gray Covington, conductor. Çedille CDR 90000183. There is some contemporary music we listen to because we just want to know what's going on. This is not the same as keeping up with fashion,... Read More »

The Beginner's Guide to Vinyl: How to Build, Maintain, and Experience a Music Collection in Analog, by Jenna Miles. ISBN-10: 1440598967. ISBN-13: 978-1440598968. Published by Adams Media (2017) Rating Global Appreciation: 8.5. Presentation: straightforward, non-deluxe. Category: music, vinyl record guide. Format: paperback book. 5.5 x 8.5 inches approx. 256 pages all B&W except for 8 semi-gloss colored pages located... Read More »