# Best sound quality of any classical recording you've heard



## DavidMahler

The Pentatone release of the Brahms violin concerto is superb!


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## norman bates

this one









http://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninoff-Symphonic-Dances-Vocalise-Etudes-tableaux/dp/B00005QD5Z


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## Polednice

After a certain point, I don't really notice the difference between recordings. Sometimes I might listen to a new recording of a familiar work and think "Ooo, that instrument's part is brought out much better!", but I usually (perhaps incorrectly) put this down to the conductor.


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## Vaneyes

I've found Tacet, BIS, Hyperion, naive, harmonia mundi reliable in the sound game.

Two collection "starters" from Tacet...


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## Ukko

Japanese Victor did some high-tech engineering on several of RCA's 'Living Presence' stereo issues. Their release of St.Saens 3rd Symphony with Munch and the BSO is, well, after my first hearing I picked my lower jaw up off the floor and re-installed it so I could speak, I commented: "That is friggin' amazing." Incredible detail, yet everything in balance.

JMXRCD-002

Those XRCD issues were listed at about double the usual CD price when they were issued. Dunno what they go for now.


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## Lisztian

I recently bought a BBC music magazine which came with a CD of Liszt's orchestral works. In the Totentanz I heard many different things i'd never heard before...I'm not sure if it was due to the sound quality or the slow tempo.


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## bigshot

de Falla Three Cornered Hat: Ansermet/Suisse Romande
Offenbach Gaite Parisienne: Fiedler/Boston Pops


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## TrazomGangflow

I find most of the Decca recordings I own to be of good quality. These include Vladimir Ashkenazy, Jorge Bolet, and the Vienna Philharmonic.


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## TrazomGangflow

TrazomGangflow said:


> I find most of the Decca recordings I own to be of good quality. These include Vladimir Ashkenazy, Jorge Bolet, and the Vienna Philharmonic.


For some reason I can't delete the second Jorge.


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## Lisztian

TrazomGangflow said:


> For some reason I can't delete the second Jorge.


I had that problem the other day, and have seen quite a few others have it.


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## kv466

I like Telarc recordings but for the most part and as I've stated before,...I don't care if it's hissing and crackling and has a thick, long hum throughout the whole thing...if it's the right performance by the right performer, I prefer that to the highest quality sound ever being wasted on some whatever players.

Thankfully, there have been fine recommendations here so far and I look forward to seeing more. I don't know, though...things I've read that bother other people have never had the slightest negative effect on me; I'm just looking for performance gold and that comes from an inspired orchestra and soloists and conductor and not from using the newest state-of-the-art recording equipment with the best microphones ever designed specifically for orchestras.


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## Crudblud

Antoni Wit's recording of Turangalila (the *only* recording of Turangalila) has probably the most gorgeous sound I've ever heard, but then I am incredibly biased.


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## Sid James

Sibelius Lemminkainen Suite - Philadelphia Orch. / Eugene Ormandy came to mind straight away. Analogue stereo from late 1970's on the EMI label. Very clear sound but not artificial.

Naxos recordings of string quartet repertoire seem to be pretty good as well, esp. those done from the 1990's onwards. The ones of British composers done by Maggini Quartet are great in terms of sound (& interpretation as well, as far as I can tell with my untrained ears). Also the quartets of Michael Tippett played by his namesakes The Tippett Quartet (a more recent one, it's only a few years old). Ditto the USA based Pacifica Quartet's recordings of Elliott Carter's quartets done for his centenary in 2008.

Even some of the earlier chamber recordings on Naxos sound great, eg. the Kodaly Quartet's traversal of the Beethoven & Haydn cycles...


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## andorra

Look at this website maybe it's the best in this subject : http://soundquality.uphero.com/


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## DavidA

The new Decca recordings of Beethoven by Chailly are amazing.

For their day, the old Decca / Culshaw recordings were incredible. Karajan's Aida and Carmen, Britten's War Requiem, Solti's Elektra and The Ring still sound wonderful.

Then there are the old Mercury recordings.


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## Andreas

When I think about, I've rarely been amazed by the sound quality of recordings. But here are some such cases:

Oehms Classics: Simone Young/Philharmoniker Hamburg - Bruckner, Symphonies 3, 4 and 8. SACDs, live recordings, 2006-2008. I was really quite stunned. And I'm only listening to the regular CD layer. Even in the fff passages, the sound remains clean and transparent.

Naxos: Gerhard Markson/National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland - Strauss, Heldenleben. 1998. Booklet says the recording was made and edited at a sampling rate of 176,4 kHz. The vibrant strings right at the beginning of the Heldenleben impressed right away. I knew the beginning, but had never heard it sound so full and fresh.

Brilliant Classics: Hudson/Klinger/Kruse - Pärt, Spiegel im Spiegel. 2006. SACD. Marvellous sound, which is very important for Pärt's works in general and this piece in particular. In my opinion a much more beautiful sound than on the ECM album Alina.

Naxos: Tonus Peregrinus - Pärt, Passio. 2001. Booklet proudly states: "24-bit recording". Extraordinary clarity and depth.

Telarc: Mackerras/Scottish Chamber Orchestra - Schubert, Symphonies 8 & 9. 1998. 20 Bit. Amazingly clear and transparent, yet full and rich and the same time. Conductor's perspective: engulfed by the orchestra.

Telarc: Maazel/Berlin Philharmonic - Wagner, The Ring Without Words. 1988. Telarc again. I've heard they made some pretty good recordings, and this is one of them. Incredible brass, crucial for Wagner.

Those are the ones that really impressed me a great deal.


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## julianoq

Reiner/CSO Beethoven 5&7 RCA Living Stereo impresses me every time I listen to it. Fantastic sound.


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## bassClef

Some of the 24-bit downloads from 2L are extremely realistic when piped through appropriate equipment:
http://www.2l.no/
I've not purchased a full download since the material isn't quite to my personal taste, I've only tried the free samples (test bench HD audio files), but for sheer sound quality alone they are probably the best I've heard.


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## Prodromides

Not being an audiophile, I nonetheless think that there are hundreds of well-done recordings. Selecting merely one album as the "best" is a task I'm not up to. However, listed below are a half-dozen CDs whose sound qualities are superlative to these ears (such that they are):

ORCHESTRAL


Conifer Classics' album of Malcolm Arnold's Symphonies 7 & 8, recorded by Tryggvi Tryggvason










3 symphonies by Roger Sessions on Argo, recorded by John Dunkerley










Recording engineer Michael Petersen (who has also produced albums) here offers us a splendidly realized program of music by Florent Schmitt on the Valois label:










CHAMBER

The quintettes of Charles Koechlin on Cybelia, superbly captured by Michel Pierre.










Robert de Godzinsky, formerly of Finlandia Records, surpassed his own very high standards with this electrifying program of cello music by Einar Englund:










Composer Luis De Pablo has been blessed with a discography full of fine recordings of his music and this Stradivarius album engineered by Renato Campajola may very well be the pick of the litter:


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## millionrainbows

*
*
The voice is exquisite on this recording.


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## geoffrey terry

*Most Natural sound recording*

New version uploaded


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## geoffrey terry

Most *NATURAL, MUSICAL* recordings of all time:
In 1957 the old, Great Northern Hotel on 57th and Madison in New York City was made available to recording engineer Robert Fine so that he might undertake some of the most important recordings in history and carry out experimental work. 
In addition to creating the series of orchestral recordings known as, 'Mercury Living Presence', his brief was: 
To finally determine if it were possible to record a full symphony orchestra with just two microphones. He was provided with unlimited resources, in the form of:
1. Some of the leading engineers and technicians of the day 
2. A full armory of the most sophisticated and advanced recording equipment 
3. And even a Symphony Orchestra. 
Should he achieve his goal one of the major problems of the recording process would be eliminated!

Robert had already established his credentials with his single-microphone, monophonic recordings of symphony orchestras. They were renowned for their natural sound and good standard of balance. 
The proposed investigation would be very important because, should it prove feasible to capture the full symphony orchestra with just two microphones, the conductors work could then remain unadulterated; whereas if more than two microphones were found to be essential to achieve perfect balance, the resultant multi-channel signals would need to be 'mixed down', albeit by a highly skilled balance engineer; the implication of which would be that the work of the conductor would be compromised; a most unsatisfactory situation. 
To move directly to the result. 
Following exhaustive trials, with all imaginable combinations, Robert concluded that the minimum number of microphones required for such a task was three. With only two, regardless of where they were positioned, left and right channels were clearly evident but there was a 'hole in the middle', created by the dominance of left and right. Therefore, for optimum results three microphones would need to be positioned left, right and centre of the orchestra. 
Furthermore, as a result of Robert's findings, it became necessary to construct a three, track recording machine. The drawback was that, following completion of the live recording process, a balance engineer, in this case Robert or his wife to be Wilma Cozart, were obliged to mix the three channels, down to two-track stereo. The resultant tape becoming the 'master' recording. 
Should there be too much signal from the centre microphone, during the mixing process, the stereo balance became unclear and the orchestra seemed to move. In fact, depending on how the signals were adjusted, there could be too much or too little left channel, too much or too little right channel - a tricky process indeed. 
Despite the slightly disappointing result with the new, three channel recording process Robert and his wife went on to make some of the most successful recordings in history; even today their work is considered to be a benchmark by which others are judged. 
The extraordinary technical advances of the subsequent forty-plus years have resulted in considerable changes to the recording process. Generally speaking, contemporary recordings are undertaken employing what is known as 'multi microphone' technique. 
In the first stage as many as sixty-four microphones are scattered amongst the instruments of the orchestra; on occasions even that number is exaggerated. The conductor then provides his highly skilled directions in the three fundamentals:
1. Balancing the instruments.
2. Setting the tempo.
3. Controlling the dynamics. 
Unfortunately, all his work is then overridden by a balance engineer, who constantly adjusts the signals to what HE believes to be the correct balance.
In the preparation of the digital Master, engineers replace fluffed notes, thereby suggesting that the orchestra is super human, and make yet more adjustments to the recorded signals to arrive at a final 'balance'; by now a long way from the conductors' original direction. Reverberation is added, to give the impression that the recording was undertaken in a huge concert hall or cathedral. Even the playing-time length is varied to suit the capacity of the CD. The resultant sound is technically correct but lacks the natural sound of a live performance. 
The 'development', or 'progress'. of the techniques involved in recording a symphony orchestra have, in effect, been retrograde and today the majority of CDs sound like 'CDs'. They do not truly reflect the original sound of the orchestra, chamber ensemble, soloist; or, in the case of an opera recording, the soloists, chorus and orchestra. The decline, even 'death' of the classical music, recording industry is in no small way attributable to the industry itself, which has become more and more technical, when it should have become more and more musical. 
Returning for a moment to the 1950s/1960s. At the same time that Robert Fine was so heavily engrossed in his endeavor, I was putting into practice a passion I had held from when I was a small boy. 
Previously, on each occasion that I had the joy of attending a symphony concert, I was convinced that it was possible to record the event to a very high standard, near to the actual sound that I had enjoyed during the performance. 
In 1953, following a five-year stint in the RAF, I joined the staff of the Philips recording studio in the West End of London, but quickly became disillusioned with the methods employed by the senior engineers and moved on; working as a sound engineer in film radio and TV studios. With each recording session I was able to see the errors of the studio managers, although, since I was a junior member of the team, there was no question of commenting and finally I could no longer continue with work that was so unsatisfying and I left the industry to set up a Hi Fi business in the south of London. 
Until a couple of years ago I was completely unaware of the work of Robert Fine, and had given no thought to there being a potential problem in recording a symphony orchestra with two microphones, always in my mind was the dream of one day having the opportunity to put into practice a technique I had envisaged for as long as I could remember. 
Through my passion for music I began to work, part time, with an orchestral impresario by the name of Adolf Borsdorf who, initially, negotiated terms, then accompanied the orchestras from Europe during their tours of the UK. I received no payment for very long hours and considerable stress but the joy of living and working with an orchestra for a couple of weeks was ample recompense and one day, following my continued persistence, I was granted permission to record a live concert in the Royal Festival Hall London. The concert was to to be given by the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Janos Ferencsik. An historic occasion indeed.
In the early morning, on the day of the concert, I stood at the back of the RFH and studied the stage upon which the orchestra would be assembled. Instinctively I knew exactly where the two microphones must be positioned so as to capture every instrument, from pp to ff. A commentators box, on the side of the stage, was made available to me and from there I would have an uninterrupted view of the orchestra and conductor. 
The next task was to suspend the two microphones; to achieve that end I was obliged to clamber over the ceiling of the hall from where I then lowered the omni-directional microphones to their predetermined positions. That having been achieved I decided to confirm the original placement selection, during the rehearsal, by making small adjustments to the microphone positions, however, it quickly became obvious that the first choice provided the most satisfactory results. 
Following the concert maestro Ferencsik and Adolf Borsdorf joined me in the commentators box to listen to the results of the recording. The general consensus was that the sound was a true, acoustic, mirror image of the concert. All three of us were amazed, we had never heard anything to compare with what we were then listening to. I would go so far as to say we were shocked.
The following evening there was a concert in another city and so it went on until the tour was completed. Thoughts of the recording faded until the same process was repeated during the tours of other orchestras and when the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra with their conductor Witold Rowicki and soloist Wanda Wilkomirska gave a concert in the Royal Festival Hall, I positioned the two microphones in the identical positions as on all previous occasions; those that had, by then, been fully tried and tested. 
Forty seven years later a CD I had mastered from the recording of the Warsaw Philharmonic, concert was submitted to the German Record Critics' Association and, on the 5th November 2012, just a few days before my 77th birthday, much to my great delight, I received notification that the CD had won the prestigious prize for 'Best Historical Recording'. The comments of the jury spokesman confirmed my belief that I had achieved my dream of making perfect recordings of a symphony orchestra using just two microphones. Wolfgang Wendel wrote: Wanda Wilkomirska presents herself as one of the great storytellers on the violin. She plays one of the most important concertos of the 20th Century, and the recording technique is sensational. An unrepeatable constellation. (For the jury: Wolfgang Wendel). 
The website of the German Record Critics' Association: 
http://www.schallplattenkritik.de/bestenlisten/562-bestenliste-4-2012 
Over a period of approximately twelve years I accumulated a small library of live concert recordings and during the following forty years derived great pleasure from being able to listen to and relive the experiences of the tours that had occurred so long ago. 
In 2008 I began to become concerned that the recordings would be lost forever upon my demise and I set about the process of publishing them on CD. 
The accolade of the prize has given me the courage to declare the existence of a collection of recordings, I have published, entitled the 'Virtual Concert Hall Series' - on the Orchestral Concert CDs, (OCCDs), label. Each of the CDs has the acronym CNSTR, or 'Certified Natural Sound Technique Recording', prominently displayed, in the form of a logo. It is a nomenclature intended to describe, in expressive terms, the individual process employed in the production. 
Maybe there are others, it is not possible for me to state categorically, but if there are they should be brought into the limelight to help highlight the difference between naturally-recorded two-microphone CDs and those with more technical interference.

NB Considering the comments of the judges, when awarding the 'Schallplattenkritik' prize, it is reasonable to assume that had there been a 'hole in the middle' it would have been impossible to achieve an even balance between the solo violin and Orchestra in the Britten concerto and some reference would have been made to the fact. 
Other reviews have confirmed that, as with all recordings in 'The Virtual Concert Hall Series', balance is a feature without fault; the collection of reviews on the www.occds.org website have been highly complimentary and sound is invariably a highlight of the review.


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## Mal

Difficult question to answer. Of the top of my head, I like the sound on this:


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## MarkW

Even back in the days when my equipment approximated a lazy susan, screwdriver, and ear trumpet, I was blown away by the Klemperer recording of Das Lied von der Erde. It had extraordinary stereo separation, remarkable balance (due, I'm sure in part to close miking and really good engineering), and really fine instrumental detail. At that time it was the Philharmonia's turn to be the best orchestra in London, the EMI engineers had had practice doing the same work with Kletzki about a decade earlier, Klemperer was at the top of his game (Christa Ludwig and Fritz Wunderlich were no slouches either), and the result was remarkable. The CD reissue is no less good.


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## Mal

I've just listened to Klemperer's Mahler Symphony #2 again and (again) was amazed by the sound quality; it's with the Philharmonia on EMI, from 1963, digital remastering 2000 on CD.


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## Andolink

This recording of *W.F. Bach* harpsichord concertos and sinfonias on the Mirare label was my favorite in terms of sound engineering during 2015. Listening to this with highly resolving headphones is a truly breathtaking experience.


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## Pat Fairlea

I don't get hung up on sound quality so long as the quality of the music comes across. However, here are two contrasting examples from my CDs.
Gilels playing Grieg's Lyric Pieces, on Deutsche Gramophon 449721-2. For 1974, the sound quality is excellent. Gilels shows his real genius by taking as much care over these simple little pieces as he did over virtuoso masterpieces.
Britten's Spring Symphony on Decca 440 063-2. This is a muddy recording of the world premiere, in Amsterdam in 1949. The sound quality is pretty bad, frankly, as the original tape recording was not made for commercial release. However, it is a joy to hear the Concertgebouw under Van Beinum, with Peter Pears, Kathleen Ferrier and Jo Vincent taking the solo roles, launch this lovely piece amidst the wreckage of post-War Netherlands. The poor sound quality simply doesn't matter.


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## Triplets

Brendel's Schubert recordings in the 1970s is the most naturally reproduced Piano sound that I know of


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## Triplets

geoffrey terry said:


> Most *NATURAL, MUSICAL* recordings of all time:
> In 1957 the old, Great Northern Hotel on 57th and Madison in New York City was made available to recording engineer Robert Fine so that he might undertake some of the most important recordings in history and carry out experimental work.
> In addition to creating the series of orchestral recordings known as, 'Mercury Living Presence', his brief was:
> To finally determine if it were possible to record a full symphony orchestra with just two microphones. He was provided with unlimited resources, in the form of:
> 1. Some of the leading engineers and technicians of the day
> 2. A full armory of the most sophisticated and advanced recording equipment
> 3. And even a Symphony Orchestra.
> Should he achieve his goal one of the major problems of the recording process would be eliminated!
> 
> Robert had already established his credentials with his single-microphone, monophonic recordings of symphony orchestras. They were renowned for their natural sound and good standard of balance.
> The proposed investigation would be very important because, should it prove feasible to capture the full symphony orchestra with just two microphones, the conductors work could then remain unadulterated; whereas if more than two microphones were found to be essential to achieve perfect balance, the resultant multi-channel signals would need to be 'mixed down', albeit by a highly skilled balance engineer; the implication of which would be that the work of the conductor would be compromised; a most unsatisfactory situation.
> To move directly to the result.
> Following exhaustive trials, with all imaginable combinations, Robert concluded that the minimum number of microphones required for such a task was three. With only two, regardless of where they were positioned, left and right channels were clearly evident but there was a 'hole in the middle', created by the dominance of left and right. Therefore, for optimum results three microphones would need to be positioned left, right and centre of the orchestra.
> Furthermore, as a result of Robert's findings, it became necessary to construct a three, track recording machine. The drawback was that, following completion of the live recording process, a balance engineer, in this case Robert or his wife to be Wilma Cozart, were obliged to mix the three channels, down to two-track stereo. The resultant tape becoming the 'master' recording.
> Should there be too much signal from the centre microphone, during the mixing process, the stereo balance became unclear and the orchestra seemed to move. In fact, depending on how the signals were adjusted, there could be too much or too little left channel, too much or too little right channel - a tricky process indeed.
> Despite the slightly disappointing result with the new, three channel recording process Robert and his wife went on to make some of the most successful recordings in history; even today their work is considered to be a benchmark by which others are judged.
> The extraordinary technical advances of the subsequent forty-plus years have resulted in considerable changes to the recording process. Generally speaking, contemporary recordings are undertaken employing what is known as 'multi microphone' technique.
> In the first stage as many as sixty-four microphones are scattered amongst the instruments of the orchestra; on occasions even that number is exaggerated. The conductor then provides his highly skilled directions in the three fundamentals:
> 1. Balancing the instruments.
> 2. Setting the tempo.
> 3. Controlling the dynamics.
> Unfortunately, all his work is then overridden by a balance engineer, who constantly adjusts the signals to what HE believes to be the correct balance.
> In the preparation of the digital Master, engineers replace fluffed notes, thereby suggesting that the orchestra is super human, and make yet more adjustments to the recorded signals to arrive at a final 'balance'; by now a long way from the conductors' original direction. Reverberation is added, to give the impression that the recording was undertaken in a huge concert hall or cathedral. Even the playing-time length is varied to suit the capacity of the CD. The resultant sound is technically correct but lacks the natural sound of a live performance.
> The 'development', or 'progress'. of the techniques involved in recording a symphony orchestra have, in effect, been retrograde and today the majority of CDs sound like 'CDs'. They do not truly reflect the original sound of the orchestra, chamber ensemble, soloist; or, in the case of an opera recording, the soloists, chorus and orchestra. The decline, even 'death' of the classical music, recording industry is in no small way attributable to the industry itself, which has become more and more technical, when it should have become more and more musical.
> Returning for a moment to the 1950s/1960s. At the same time that Robert Fine was so heavily engrossed in his endeavor, I was putting into practice a passion I had held from when I was a small boy.
> Previously, on each occasion that I had the joy of attending a symphony concert, I was convinced that it was possible to record the event to a very high standard, near to the actual sound that I had enjoyed during the performance.
> In 1953, following a five-year stint in the RAF, I joined the staff of the Philips recording studio in the West End of London, but quickly became disillusioned with the methods employed by the senior engineers and moved on; working as a sound engineer in film radio and TV studios. With each recording session I was able to see the errors of the studio managers, although, since I was a junior member of the team, there was no question of commenting and finally I could no longer continue with work that was so unsatisfying and I left the industry to set up a Hi Fi business in the south of London.
> Until a couple of years ago I was completely unaware of the work of Robert Fine, and had given no thought to there being a potential problem in recording a symphony orchestra with two microphones, always in my mind was the dream of one day having the opportunity to put into practice a technique I had envisaged for as long as I could remember.
> Through my passion for music I began to work, part time, with an orchestral impresario by the name of Adolf Borsdorf who, initially, negotiated terms, then accompanied the orchestras from Europe during their tours of the UK. I received no payment for very long hours and considerable stress but the joy of living and working with an orchestra for a couple of weeks was ample recompense and one day, following my continued persistence, I was granted permission to record a live concert in the Royal Festival Hall London. The concert was to to be given by the Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Janos Ferencsik. An historic occasion indeed.
> In the early morning, on the day of the concert, I stood at the back of the RFH and studied the stage upon which the orchestra would be assembled. Instinctively I knew exactly where the two microphones must be positioned so as to capture every instrument, from pp to ff. A commentators box, on the side of the stage, was made available to me and from there I would have an uninterrupted view of the orchestra and conductor.
> The next task was to suspend the two microphones; to achieve that end I was obliged to clamber over the ceiling of the hall from where I then lowered the omni-directional microphones to their predetermined positions. That having been achieved I decided to confirm the original placement selection, during the rehearsal, by making small adjustments to the microphone positions, however, it quickly became obvious that the first choice provided the most satisfactory results.
> Following the concert maestro Ferencsik and Adolf Borsdorf joined me in the commentators box to listen to the results of the recording. The general consensus was that the sound was a true, acoustic, mirror image of the concert. All three of us were amazed, we had never heard anything to compare with what we were then listening to. I would go so far as to say we were shocked.
> The following evening there was a concert in another city and so it went on until the tour was completed. Thoughts of the recording faded until the same process was repeated during the tours of other orchestras and when the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra with their conductor Witold Rowicki and soloist Wanda Wilkomirska gave a concert in the Royal Festival Hall, I positioned the two microphones in the identical positions as on all previous occasions; those that had, by then, been fully tried and tested.
> Forty seven years later a CD I had mastered from the recording of the Warsaw Philharmonic, concert was submitted to the German Record Critics' Association and, on the 5th November 2012, just a few days before my 77th birthday, much to my great delight, I received notification that the CD had won the prestigious prize for 'Best Historical Recording'. The comments of the jury spokesman confirmed my belief that I had achieved my dream of making perfect recordings of a symphony orchestra using just two microphones. Wolfgang Wendel wrote: Wanda Wilkomirska presents herself as one of the great storytellers on the violin. She plays one of the most important concertos of the 20th Century, and the recording technique is sensational. An unrepeatable constellation. (For the jury: Wolfgang Wendel).
> The website of the German Record Critics' Association:
> http://www.schallplattenkritik.de/bestenlisten/562-bestenliste-4-2012
> Over a period of approximately twelve years I accumulated a small library of live concert recordings and during the following forty years derived great pleasure from being able to listen to and relive the experiences of the tours that had occurred so long ago.
> In 2008 I began to become concerned that the recordings would be lost forever upon my demise and I set about the process of publishing them on CD.
> The accolade of the prize has given me the courage to declare the existence of a collection of recordings, I have published, entitled the 'Virtual Concert Hall Series' - on the Orchestral Concert CDs, (OCCDs), label. Each of the CDs has the acronym CNSTR, or 'Certified Natural Sound Technique Recording', prominently displayed, in the form of a logo. It is a nomenclature intended to describe, in expressive terms, the individual process employed in the production.
> Maybe there are others, it is not possible for me to state categorically, but if there are they should be brought into the limelight to help highlight the difference between naturally-recorded two-microphone CDs and those with more technical interference.
> 
> NB Considering the comments of the judges, when awarding the 'Schallplattenkritik' prize, it is reasonable to assume that had there been a 'hole in the middle' it would have been impossible to achieve an even balance between the solo violin and Orchestra in the Britten concerto and some reference would have been made to the fact.
> Other reviews have confirmed that, as with all recordings in 'The Virtual Concert Hall Series', balance is a feature without fault; the collection of reviews on the www.occds.org website have been highly complimentary and sound is invariably a highlight of the review.


Mr Terry

How does one go about ordering some of your CDs? I found your website somewhat hard to navigate for someone living in the States.


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## Pugg

Decca made some stunning recordings, the last release in vinyl from Mahler/ Solti 8 is stunning.
Tosca/ Karajan 1/ Madame Butterfly/ La Boheme also with Krtajan on Decca.
And to top it all , Turandot with Dame Joan Sutherland on Decca. 
Give your equipment a run for its money :tiphat:


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## geoffrey terry

Hello Triplets,

On the opening page of the Website select 'Complete List' from the menu on the left hand side. From the complete list click on the CD of your choice, the individual CD page will open. On the top right hand side you will see an icon of the actual CD. Underneath the icon there is an 'Add to Cart option'. If you click to Add to Cart the Paypal page will then open with the selected item shown and an option to add other CDs if you wish. I hope that makes the process clear.
Ciao
Geoffrey


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## Pugg

geoffrey terry said:


> Hello Triplets,
> 
> On the opening page of the Website select 'Complete List' from the menu on the left hand side. From the complete list click on the CD of your choice, the individual CD page will open. On the top right hand side you will see an icon of the actual CD. Underneath the icon there is an 'Add to Cart option'. If you click to Add to Cart the Paypal page will then open with the selected item shown and an option to add other CDs if you wish. I hope that makes the process clear.
> Ciao
> Geoffrey


Do you have authorisation to this selling on this forum?


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## geoffrey terry

Hello Pugg,

No I do not. My original intention was to provide information that I thought might be of interest, naturally I was obliged to back up my statements with some samples. From the lack of comments on the post, I took so much trouble with, it would seem that no one is interested in the facts I have outlined anyway.

I am curious as to why it is perfectly in order to name the major companies, who make millions, and yet obliterate any reference to those who are genuine. In my case I have spent my entire life devoted to music and recording, loosing a fortune into the bargain. I have just produced my final CD using part of mine and my wife's pension, we are both in our eighties.

Originally I worked as assistant to Adolf Borsdorf, (impresario), unnaturally long hours, for which I received no payment. I was just happy to be living with orchestras for a few weeks. Then I began working as an agent, representing Alfredo Campoli, Ivan Moravec, The Czech Trio, the Polish Radio Symphony orchestra etc. I lost a great deal of money, the orchestra tour alone lost £5,000, which had to be earned by working extra hard in my regular job. Then I decided that my age would ultimately result in the loss of the collection or live concert recording I had made, once again without any payment to me, so I decided to publish them on CD, knowing that there was no possibility of making a profit. I was right, OCCDs is running at a huge loss and even though the recordings have been highly praised by international critics, once again I am so small that the BBC and Gramophone ignore my devoted efforts, which have involved me working all my waking hours, when I should have been enjoying my retirement - in the hope of giving pleasure to the few remaining classical music devotees. Not only that but since I achieved a perfect balance of sound for a symphony orchestra, using just two microphones, I hoped to draw attention to the very unnatural sound that has become the norm.

The bankruptcy of T2, in the Netherlands, acting as international distributors for OCCDs, was responsible for my losing more than 1.000 CDs and once again a great deal of money. 

I can do no more.

If you wish I will delete the post.
Geoffrey


----------



## Adam Weber

geoffrey terry said:


> My original intention was intended to provide information that I thought might be of interest, naturally I was obliged to back up my statements. From the lack of comments on the post, I took so much trouble with, it would seem that no one is interested in the facts I have outlined anyway.


For what it's worth, I found it very interesting. Thanks for posting.


----------



## geoffrey terry

Thank you Adam, I expected to receive a torrent of negative comments and insults. Civilisation reigns - it would seem, well for the moment.

Ciao
Geoffrey


----------



## Orfeo

*Bruckner's Symphony no. VIII*: Gunther Wand and the Berlin Philharmonic (RCA/BMG).
*Bruckner's Symphony no. V*: Jochum and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Tahra).
*Gustav Holst's The Planets*: James Levine and the Chicago Symphony (DG).
*Glazunov's Symphonies nos. III & VI*: Jose Serebrier and the RSNO (Warner).
*Wagner's Ring*: Barenboim with the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra and Chorus with vocal soloists (Warner).
*Strauss's Salome*: Sinopoli & the Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin with Studer (DG).
*Strauss's Die Frau ohne Schatten*: Solti with the VPO with Norman, Domingo, et al (Decca).
*Tchaikovsky's Mazeppa*: Jarvi and the Gothenburg SO and Chorus, et al. (DG).
*Merikanto's Juha*: Saraste and the Finnish Radio SO, Chorus, vocal soloists (Ondine).
*Rachmaninoff's Symphony no. I*: Ashkenazy and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Decca).
*Schumann's Symphonies*: Levine and the Philadelphia Orchestra (RCA/BMG) _*or*_ Barenboim and the Berlin State Orchestra (Warner).
*Atterberg's Symphonies*: Rasilainen, et al. (CPO).
*Scriabin's Symphonies*: Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra (EMI).
*Mahler's Symphonies nos. I, V, IX*: Bernstein & the NYP, Royal Concertgebouw.
*Sir Arnold Bax's Symphonies nos. II, III, V, VII*: Thomson and the London Philharmonic.
*Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique*: Chung and the Bastille Opera Orchestra.
*Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe*: Boulez and the Berlin Philharmonic.

That's all, for now.
:tiphat:


----------



## Mal

geoffrey terry said:


> I can do no more...


Why not upload your work to YouTube?


----------



## geralmar

Recording engineer Bert Whyte's classical recordings for Everest. In 1960 the Everest studio and recording equipment were sold to C. Robert Fine who then used them for Mercury Living Presence and Command recordings.


----------



## SONNET CLV

I agree with several here who suggest there are many great sounding classical recordings. 
I do recall mentioning one of my favorites in a post from last year -- http://www.talkclassical.com/29853-placebo-philes-2.html . That post refers to the 1968 ARGO LP (ZRG 553 Stereo) featuring Rawsthorne's Symphony No. 3 and Gerhard's Concerto for Orchestra in interpretations by the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dorman Del Mar.










The orchestra sound is rich, open, deep and wide in soundstage. Instrumental timbres sound right; strings are silky as need be, forceful when need be; horns are brassy ...

A good one for demonstration purposes.

The back jacket notes were penned by John McCabe. The recording engineer is not listed on the recording but such information may be available on line. My copy, still encased in the original clear plastic protective cover, is in great shape, both jacket and record. A sticker on the protective cover reads: "KOUSSEVITZKY INTERNATIONAL RECORDING AWARD 1969".

This is one good record.


----------



## Arsakes

For us poor people who don't have +300$ headphones and Large Audio Systems, genuine 192-256 kbps music is good enough!


----------



## dsphipps100

The best-sounding recording that I've ever heard is the Michael Tilson Thomas/San Francisco Symphony recording of Mahler's Symphony # 5. I have been an avid Mahler listener for almost 34 years, and in all that time, I have never encountered any other recording of Mahler (or anything else, for that matter) that has such clarity and penetrative depth into the densest of Mahler's intricately complex polyphonic writing. You can really hear _everything_, even in the parts that, on most Mahler 5 recordings, sound like chaos. On the Thomas-San Francisco recording, they make sense, because you can actually _hear_ everything.

Thomas' interpretation and the orchestra's performance are also quite excellent as well. Thomas takes the 1st movement funeral march somewhat on the fast side, or so I thought when I first hear it, but then I listened to the piano roll recording (from the Kaplan-London album of Mahler's 2nd) of Mahler himself playing the same funeral march movement on a piano, and realized that Thomas was, in fact, taking exactly the same speed as Mahler himself - which means that everybody else is going far too slow!

So between that and the superb sound quality of the recording, Tilson Thomas/San Francisco is my favorite Mahler 5.


----------



## vampireslugger

Oh I second MTT's Mahler 5. Fantastic recording. But I think by far the best sounding recording is Andrew Litton's The Rite of Spring. I also bought recently the Petrenko and RLPO shostakovich cycle and find the sound recording to be excellent, certainly the best quality Shostakovich recordings around.


----------



## TxllxT

This Chandos live recording has a richness of detail + really deep bass sound that is unsurpassed. Plus that it is that most exhilarating interpretation ever of Prokofiev's fifth symphony.


----------



## jegreenwood

Pugg said:


> Decca made some stunning recordings, the last release in vinyl from Mahler/ Solti 8 is stunning.
> Tosca/ Karajan 1/ Madame Butterfly/ La Boheme also with Krtajan on Decca.
> And to top it all , Turandot with Dame Joan Sutherland on Decca.
> Give your equipment a run for its money :tiphat:


The overall quality of the Decca Analog box is very high.

I'm also a big fan of Channel Classics. My favorite of the dozen or so I have is "La Cetra" with Rachel Podger.


----------



## geoffrey terry

I think you would find that Koss Porta Pro would provide a very satisfactory natural sound at about $35. Not only that but they are very lightweight and do not separate one from the outside world.

Geoffrey


----------



## Gordontrek

Some of André Previn's recordings have unusually good quality. His Symphony Fantastique with the RPO and Shostakovich 5 with the Chicago Symphony are quite stellar in quality. As a general rule his recordings sound very good, in my experience anyway.


----------



## geoffrey terry

Oddly enough yesterday I had the same thought, and intended to upload the closing bars of the Beethoven Leonora No 3, a virtually unknown recording with Kurt Masur and the Berlinner Statskapelle. Unfortunately, at present, I do not have any video files that would be suitable, so the process will need to be delayed until I can get out when the temperature is above the current -5C.
I have loaded up some bars on Dropbox if you would care to listen. Here is the link

https://www.dropbox.com/s/827dj7jyr2eftbo/Asrael Sample.wav?dl=0

It is a sound sample from the Suk Asrael Symphony, part of the 3rd movement, I cannot upload the complete movement for copyright reasons.

I should perhaps mention that the dynamic range is unadulterated and as a result you might need to reduce the volume of the fff passages, on such recordings normally limiters are employed to keep the dynamic range within what is considered to be more comfortable, I do not go along with the concept considering that it is necessary to retain a perfectly natural sound when producing a CD . My suggestion would be to be peaceful and listen at normal level, which might seem a little low on the pp passages, then you can enjoy the full orchestra in all its glory.

Well that's the philosophy I have lived with for the past seventy years! 
Geoffrey


----------



## Guest

John Eliot Gardiner's recordings seem to have consistently high recording quality.


----------



## SalieriIsInnocent

Pretty much anything I've gotten from Archiv or Telarc. The recording that has blown me away the most recently would definitely have to go to The Vivaldi Album, by Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers.


----------



## hpowders

The older stereo recordings sound a lot better to me than the relatively dead "improved" digital ones.

For example, I love the old RCA Brahms' Fourth and First Symphonies on CD with the Boston Symphony conducted by Charles Munch. Very natural sounding. Terrific sound engineering!


----------



## geoffrey terry

*Best sound quality*



Triplets said:


> Mr Terry
> 
> How does one go about ordering some of your CDs? I found your website somewhat hard to navigate for someone living in the States.


Dear Triplets,
I read your question for the first time today, (22nd Jan. 2017) and cannot imagine how it was possible that I didn't find it earlier, my apologies for the excessive delay in reply.
I'm sorry and rather surprised that you had difficulty with navigating my website, possibly there was some technical problem at the time you visited the web address.
However: on the first of January this year I made a resolution that I would offer a "pay for one and receive two CDs", for any of the titles listed on my website, maybe that will be a sort of consolation for apparently being ignored!.
Are you able to open the page: http://www.occds.org/cat/issue.html ? If so then it is simply a case of clicking on any of the titles you find of interest and since my webmaster hasn't yet made the announcement concerning 2 for 1, I would suggest that you email me directly with any questions or requirements that you might have and I will be happy to reply - very quickly!
[email protected]
I hope to hear from you.
Kind regards,
Geoffrey


----------



## DaveM

Geoffrey Terry:

I just read your January 13 post (and subsequent posts) and what a wonderful story it is. Please know that the originality and innovation those many years ago is recognized and appreciated. I don't know why some people luck into fame and fortune and others not when they create something important.

In the 1980s I wrote and sold one of the first medical business software packages designed for the new 'microcomputers'. There was nothing comparable available at the time. Even though it was a quality package, after 6 years, I had to close the company and concentrate on my day job since I was only making a minimum wage even though people had said I was going to make a fortune! 

Anyway, you should be very proud of your accomplishment. It was your own original 'discovery'. I admire and appreciate anyone who tried/tries to make the classical music experience more realistic and accessible.


----------



## jailhouse

The osmo vanska sibelius symphony cycle (the new one) has impeccable sound quality

The messiaen organ works by olivier latry

This new bruckner cycle w Zweden conducting is also incredible sound quality

suzuki playing bachs wtc book 2 on harpsicord, suzuki's brandenburgs and orchestal suites. Suzuki bach recordings almost all have immaculate sound quality


----------



## pcnog11

Archiv seems to be a great label when it comes to sound quality. Decca is a second and then EMI Angel.

In terms of the best sound quality recording, it is a 32-bit audiophile version of Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Cinema Classic. I can listen to this everyday. There are few different disc covers available of the same recording on the market, but I have the following cover.

https://www.discogs.com/Royal-Philharmonic-Orchestra-The-Carl-Davis-Cinema-Classics/release/1163143


----------



## chalkpie

dsphipps100 said:


> The best-sounding recording that I've ever heard is the Michael Tilson Thomas/San Francisco Symphony recording of Mahler's Symphony # 5. I have been an avid Mahler listener for almost 34 years, and in all that time, I have never encountered any other recording of Mahler (or anything else, for that matter) that has such clarity and penetrative depth into the densest of Mahler's intricately complex polyphonic writing. You can really hear _everything_, even in the parts that, on most Mahler 5 recordings, sound like chaos. On the Thomas-San Francisco recording, they make sense, because you can actually _hear_ everything.
> 
> Thomas' interpretation and the orchestra's performance are also quite excellent as well. Thomas takes the 1st movement funeral march somewhat on the fast side, or so I thought when I first hear it, but then I listened to the piano roll recording (from the Kaplan-London album of Mahler's 2nd) of Mahler himself playing the same funeral march movement on a piano, and realized that Thomas was, in fact, taking exactly the same speed as Mahler himself - which means that everybody else is going far too slow!
> 
> So between that and the superb sound quality of the recording, Tilson Thomas/San Francisco is my favorite Mahler 5.


Agreed! MTT catches some flack for his Mahler, and yes at times he does that the "Look at me, I can be like Lenny, too!" route; that aside, there is some absolutely beautiful playing and engineering in his Mahler recordings. Some of the most well recorded Mahler CD's out there, and I am not even listening to the SACD layer.


----------



## Vaneyes

Adding to, since post#4, Linn, Neos, Avie, Onyx, Arabesque, Dorian, Denon, Chandos, DG, Praga, Opus 111, Montaigne, Mirare, col legno, Wergo, Sisyphe, Caro Mitis, mode. 

A few may no longer exist, or have changed direction, or limited distribution. Most excellent sound seems more often than not to come from smaller labels, 'cepting Hyperion and Chandos, which in the true sense, haven't been small for a long time. Also, DG must be noted for much of their improved sound work of recent years.:tiphat:


----------



## starthrower

Royal Concertgebouw Horizon 5 
Marin Alsop's Barber series on Naxos
Norgard symphonies on Chandos
Schreker's Der Shatzgraber on Challenge Classics
Rihm series on Hanssler

Others I have on BR Klassic, CPO, Telarc, BIS


----------



## geoffrey terry

DaveM said:


> Geoffrey Terry:
> 
> I just read your January 13 post (and subsequent posts) and what a wonderful story it is. Please know that the originality and innovation those many years ago is recognized and appreciated. I don't know why some people luck into fame and fortune and others not when they create something important.
> 
> In the 1980s I wrote and sold one of the first medical business software packages designed for the new 'microcomputers'. There was nothing comparable available at the time. Even though it was a quality package, after 6 years, I had to close the company and concentrate on my day job since I was only making a minimum wage even though people had said I was going to make a fortune!
> 
> Anyway, you should be very proud of your accomplishment. It was your own original 'discovery'. I admire and appreciate anyone who tried/tries to make the classical music experience more realistic and accessible.


Hello David,

Thank you for your kind words. I'm sorry to hear that you have experienced a similar situation but then success seems not to depend on 'something special' or 'outstanding'. Of course with adequate finances, to the extent of trampling over all and everyone, then something ordinary or very mediocre can succeed.

One can only wonder as to how many intellectual or industrial inventions or creations have been left by the wayside.

I also wrote and published four novels which readers seemed happy to acquaint themselves with, (12,000 copies of a trilogy for example). However, without my intervention, and book signing tours in the US, the interest just stopped abruptly. An author needs to be 'in the club' to succeed - Fifty Shades of Grey for example, now that could hardly qualify as even the scribblings of an uneducated moron!

Wish you well,
Geoffrey


----------



## Barelytenor

geoffrey terry said:


> Hello Pugg,
> 
> No I do not. My original intention was to provide information that I thought might be of interest, naturally I was obliged to back up my statements with some samples. From the lack of comments on the post, I took so much trouble with, it would seem that no one is interested in the facts I have outlined anyway.
> 
> I am curious as to why it is perfectly in order to name the major companies, who make millions, and yet obliterate any reference to those who are genuine. In my case I have spent my entire life devoted to music and recording, loosing a fortune into the bargain. I have just produced my final CD using part of mine and my wife's pension, we are both in our eighties.
> 
> Originally I worked as assistant to Adolf Borsdorf, (impresario), unnaturally long hours, for which I received no payment. I was just happy to be living with orchestras for a few weeks. Then I began working as an agent, representing Alfredo Campoli, Ivan Moravec, The Czech Trio, the Polish Radio Symphony orchestra etc. I lost a great deal of money, the orchestra tour alone lost £5,000, which had to be earned by working extra hard in my regular job. Then I decided that my age would ultimately result in the loss of the collection or live concert recording I had made, once again without any payment to me, so I decided to publish them on CD, knowing that there was no possibility of making a profit. I was right, OCCDs is running at a huge loss and even though the recordings have been highly praised by international critics, once again I am so small that the BBC and Gramophone ignore my devoted efforts, which have involved me working all my waking hours, when I should have been enjoying my retirement - in the hope of giving pleasure to the few remaining classical music devotees. Not only that but since I achieved a perfect balance of sound for a symphony orchestra, using just two microphones, I hoped to draw attention to the very unnatural sound that has become the norm.
> 
> The bankruptcy of T2, in the Netherlands, acting as international distributors for OCCDs, was responsible for my losing more than 1.000 CDs and once again a great deal of money.
> 
> I can do no more.
> 
> If you wish I will delete the post.
> Geoffrey


Mr Terry I too found your comments quite interesting and certainly understand having a passion for music. The Bach Orchestral Suite with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra is simply stunning, among the very few tracks I have sampled so far. From one retired musician to another, I wish you the very best.

:tiphat:

Kind regards,

George


----------



## gardibolt

Mr. Terry,

What a fascinating story! I look forward to checking out your website and your samples.


----------



## Chordalrock

geoffrey terry said:


> Hello Pugg,
> 
> No I do not. My original intention was to provide information that I thought might be of interest, naturally I was obliged to back up my statements with some samples. From the lack of comments on the post, I took so much trouble with, it would seem that no one is interested in the facts I have outlined anyway.
> 
> I am curious as to why it is perfectly in order to name the major companies, who make millions, and yet obliterate any reference to those who are genuine. In my case I have spent my entire life devoted to music and recording, loosing a fortune into the bargain. I have just produced my final CD using part of mine and my wife's pension, we are both in our eighties.
> 
> Originally I worked as assistant to Adolf Borsdorf, (impresario), unnaturally long hours, for which I received no payment. I was just happy to be living with orchestras for a few weeks. Then I began working as an agent, representing Alfredo Campoli, Ivan Moravec, The Czech Trio, the Polish Radio Symphony orchestra etc. I lost a great deal of money, the orchestra tour alone lost £5,000, which had to be earned by working extra hard in my regular job. Then I decided that my age would ultimately result in the loss of the collection or live concert recording I had made, once again without any payment to me, so I decided to publish them on CD, knowing that there was no possibility of making a profit. I was right, OCCDs is running at a huge loss and even though the recordings have been highly praised by international critics, once again I am so small that the BBC and Gramophone ignore my devoted efforts, which have involved me working all my waking hours, when I should have been enjoying my retirement - in the hope of giving pleasure to the few remaining classical music devotees. Not only that but since I achieved a perfect balance of sound for a symphony orchestra, using just two microphones, I hoped to draw attention to the very unnatural sound that has become the norm.
> 
> The bankruptcy of T2, in the Netherlands, acting as international distributors for OCCDs, was responsible for my losing more than 1.000 CDs and once again a great deal of money.
> 
> I can do no more.
> 
> If you wish I will delete the post.
> Geoffrey


Might you be able to release these albums digitally via GooglePlay and maybe some other digital stores, and keep them there for as long as these net stores exist? A lot of the younger generation of classical music listeners have been moving toward buying music digitally, myself included. Going digital would presumably also be less expensive than printing CDs, though I suppose some sort of information about the history of these recordings would need to remain available online for people to find and access, and you might not be able to include information or links alongside digital downloads (though that's something worth investigating as well).


----------



## hpowders

The most fantastic, realistic sonics I have ever heard comes from an all Brahms solo piano CD by Peter Miyamoto featuring the Brahms Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel.

I would swear this guy was playing in my living room. Incredibly realistic dynamic range.


----------



## Marsilius

Even 60 years after it was made, the sound on the Decca album "Espana" - lollipops performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under Ataulfo Argenta - is quite astounding.


----------



## Andolink

I find certain labels to be consistently exceptional in the area of sound engineering such as(in no particular order):

Timpani
Wergo
Mirare
Christophorus
Hänssler Classic
Challenge Classics
Arcana
Kairos
Bis
Col Legno (especially recently)
Ricercar


----------



## Pugg

Marsilius said:


> Even 60 years after it was made, the sound on the Decca album "Espana" - lollipops performed by the London Symphony Orchestra under Ataulfo Argenta - is quite astounding.


Amen to this!....................


----------



## cerutonin

Yes Thomas/San Francisco is excellent. Also check out the Rattle/Berlin of Mahler 10. Nice lows and balance, clarity. Opening of the Finale is impressive. Love it when the low strings/brass play! Very effective in the first mvt and finale.


----------



## hoodjem

Those old Reiner/CSO RCA recordings by Layton/Mohr.
Hovhaness.
Respighi.
Rimsky-Korsakov.
Mussorgsky.
Prokofiev.
Bartok.
R Strauss.
https://www.discogs.com/artist/905683-Lewis-Layton
https://ontherecord.co/category/top-engineers/top-engineers-lewis-layton/

Or, the Kenneth Wilkinson Decca recordings.
Schubert.
Mendelssohn. 
Tallis.
Britten.
Debussy.
Holst.
Brahms.
Handel.
https://www.discogs.com/artist/833089-Kenneth-Wilkinson


----------



## hoodjem

SONNET CLV said:


> I agree with several here who suggest there are many great sounding classical recordings.
> I do recall mentioning one of my favorites in a post from last year -- Placebo-philes . That post refers to the 1968 ARGO LP (ZRG 553 Stereo) featuring Rawsthorne's Symphony No. 3 and Gerhard's Concerto for Orchestra in interpretations by the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dorman Del Mar.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The orchestra sound is rich, open, deep and wide in soundstage. Instrumental timbres sound right; strings are silky as need be, forceful when need be; horns are brassy ...
> 
> A good one for demonstration purposes.
> 
> The back jacket notes were penned by John McCabe. The recording engineer is not listed on the recording but such information may be available on line. My copy, still encased in the original clear plastic protective cover, is in great shape, both jacket and record. A sticker on the protective cover reads: "KOUSSEVITZKY INTERNATIONAL RECORDING AWARD 1969".
> 
> This is one good record.


According to Discogs, Kenneth Wilkinson was the recording engineer.

https://www.discogs.com/Rawsthorne-...Symphony-No-3-Concerto-For-Orch/master/584062


----------



## Simplicissimus

hoodjem said:


> Those old Reiner/CSO RCA recordings by Layton/Mohr.
> Hovhaness.
> Respighi.
> Rimsky-Korsakov.
> Mussorgsky.
> Prokofiev.
> Bartok.
> R Strauss.
> https://www.discogs.com/artist/905683-Lewis-Layton
> https://ontherecord.co/category/top-engineers/top-engineers-lewis-layton/
> 
> Or, the Kenneth Wilkinson Decca recordings.
> Schubert.
> Mendelssohn.
> Tallis.
> Britten.
> Debussy.
> Holst.
> Brahms.
> Handel.
> https://www.discogs.com/artist/833089-Kenneth-Wilkinson


A number of the Reiner/CSO RCA Living Stereo recordings are available as SACDs - in my collection I have all of the ones available in that format including the Respighi Pines+Fountains/ Debussy _La Mer_ pairing, R-K _Scheherazade_, Mussorgsky _Pictures_, R. Strauss Op. 53+60 pairing, Bartók triple-play (_Concerto for Orchestra _, _Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta_, and _Hungarian Sketches_), as well as another sonic extravaganza in the form of Dvorak's Symphony No. 9. That I know of, the Hovhaness isn't available in SACD.

What's interesting about these recordings is that they're 3-track (left, center, right), not 5.1 like a lot of newer recordings in the SACD format. 3-track is my absolute favorite way to listen to recorded music. If you have an SACD player (a few years ago I got a used one) and good amp and speakers, these recordings sound magnificent.


----------



## Guest

I have a CD of the Berlin Philharmonic/Rattle and "The Nutcracker". It is PHENOMENAL SOUND quality which sounds well on my pretty good hi-fi system. Also, "The Magic Flute" - on period instruments/Rene Jacobs. Glorious sound. You can nearly hear them swallowing when they're talking.


----------



## Allegro Con Brio

Going to have to give this award to Respighi's "Pines of Rome" performed by Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra on Warner/EMI. The last movement is quite literally earth-shattering and makes you feel like you're right in the middle of the huge column of marching soldiers.

Other great ones:
Holst's Planets by Dutoit/Montreal (that organ bass in Saturn!)
Nielsen symphonies by Blomstedt/San Francisco
Mahler 6 by Thomas Sanderling/St. Petersburg
Mozart late symphonies by Mackerras/Scottish Chamber Orchestra on Linn
Pretty much anything on BIS, although sometimes it leans toward the overly bright
Monteverdi Vespers, Gardiner 1989, a real treat to hear the work within the acoustic dimensions of a grand cathedral
Böhm's Ring cycle

Oh, and for piano recordings, anything by Krystian Zimerman on DG is great, remarkably rich and resonant.


----------



## adriesba

Allegro Con Brio said:


> Going to have to give this award to Respighi's "Pines of Rome" performed by Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra on Warner/EMI. The last movement is quite literally earth-shattering and makes you feel like you're right in the middle of the huge column of marching soldiers.
> 
> Other great ones:
> Holst's Planets by Dutoit/Montreal (that organ bass in Saturn!)
> Nielsen symphonies by Blomstedt/San Francisco
> Mahler 6 by Thomas Sanderling/St. Petersburg
> Mozart late symphonies by Mackerras/Scottish Chamber Orchestra on Linn
> Pretty much anything on BIS, although sometimes it leans toward the overly bright
> Monteverdi Vespers, Gardiner 1989, a real treat to hear the work within the acoustic dimensions of a grand cathedral
> Böhm's Ring cycle
> 
> Oh, and for piano recordings, anything by Krystian Zimerman on DG is great, remarkably rich and resonant.


I just love _The Planets _and _Pines of Rome_! I'm not familiar with Muti's _Pines of Rome _recording, but if he conducts, it's probably good. One thing with _Pines of Rome _is that no recording I've sampled has the gong at the end as conspicuous as when I heard the piece in person. And with _The Planets _when I heard that live, the organ was definitely audible like it is on the Dutoit recording (yes, the bass in Saturn is excellent, as well as the loud part at the end of Uranus, incomparable!) In many recordings though, you can't hear the organ. A lot probably depends on the position of the listener or recording microphone as well as the size of the orchestra.

Blomsted's recording of Nielsen's _Aladdin Suite _is also enjoyable with good sound.

Indeed, Böhm's _Ring _as well as his _Tristan und Isolde _sound great especially considering they are live recordings from the 60s. The 1955 Keilberth _Ring _which was recorded by Decca also sounds good.

EMI, Deutsche Grammophon, and Decca have all tended to sound really good, but Decca is the most consistently good from what I have heard. I haven't heard anything from them that sounded unsatisfying. There are too many Decca recordings to list, but Solti's Wagner and Richard Strauss recordings stand out.


----------



## Joe B

Recorded at Wyastone Leys (Nimbus), this disc has amazing sound. The play of both instruments appears to come out of 'the void'. Really nice recording. Sonic gold.


----------



## Joachim Raff

I tend to look at consistency. Which labels can be relied on to produce audiophile recordings? 
BIS, ONDINE, ALPHA, SIMAX are four that i can think of. Very rare you get a dud with these companies.


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## Gallus

That Mackerras recording of Mozart's symphonies with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. The SACD sound quality is out of this world...shame the playing itself is unremarkable and it's a thin HIP offering not to my taste.


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## Judas Priest Fan

This one sounds absolutely fantastic! Close your eyes, and you are THERE!


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## Simplicissimus

Judas Priest Fan said:


> This one sounds absolutely fantastic! Close your eyes, and you are THERE!
> 
> View attachment 146432


Interesting! Is this SACD stereo or multi-channel? The audite label is intriguing. I also like the idea of incredibly good sound quality with chamber music. I mean, it's not just for orchestral works, though almost all of my SACDs are.


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## Simon Moon

Reference Recordings are among the best available. Huge, 3d soundstage, clarity, full frequency, dynamic. Can't think of anything they lack.

https://referencerecordings.com/

Yarlung is another great label.

Not only are they incredibly lifelike, but they donate money to young artists.

https://www.yarlungrecords.com/

Channel Classica is also quite notable. As is, 2L.


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## Ariasexta

I Will only list labels I can 100% percent make sure that are consistently good and never have bad reissues or new issues. (All CD formats), I can not come up with all I would intend to listm, so settle with the current list as samples only.

1-Old Philips classical music records.
2-Sony Vivarte, Naxos, Sony-DHM, CPO, Hyperion, Metronome.
3-Alpha, Naive, Auvidis, OPUS111 from France
4-Nordrheinische Musik des 17. Jahrhunderts, Performer Wolfgang Kostujak. Label: Musicom. Since I only have one Cd from this label, but the sound quality is mind-blowing, I can only list the CD I own, not the label name.


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