# Classical Music in surround sound



## Neuroticdog (Sep 17, 2014)

Hi,

I'm wondering if anyone can point me to a good site that strictly reviews classical music in surround. I'm not that picky about format so either DVD-A, DVD-V, SACD or Bluray would work.

I would also love to hear any suggestions or recommendations anyone might have about multi-channel classical discs. So far, all I have in multi channel are a few Xenakis discs, a Scelsi disc, a Subodnick disc (all of these on Mode) and I just picked up Dvoraks Symphony No. 9 on Teldec in surround. All of these sound amazing and, as much as my wallet will protest....I NEED more!!.

Thanks in advance and, I'm open to all types of classical, as long as it sounds good in surround.

best
Michael


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Neuroticdog said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm wondering if anyone can point me to a good site that strictly reviews classical music in surround. I'm not that picky about format so either DVD-A, DVD-V, SACD or Bluray would work.
> 
> ...


 I am a huge fan of multi channel. I have two surround systems in my home.
I don't know of a site that exclusively reviews multichannel recordings. Fanfare Magazine publishes multiple reviews of many discs, including many by reviewers who have multi channel set ups and will comment at length on the issues involved. This was in part due to complaints by myself and other readers several years back that they were not paying attention to this issue.
I have over a hundered multi channel SACDs. Particular favorites are the Beethoven Symphonies on Bis (Vanska/Minnesota), Brahms Symphonies on Pentatone (Janowski/Pittsburgh, avoid the Pentatone Masur cycle), and the 
MTT/SFSO Mahler cycle on the SFSO house label. The Bruckner cycle with Janowski andthe Suisse Romande on Pentatone is also worth exploring. If you can find the Chandos Hickox RVW Symphonies those are great as well. 
Many of the Suzuki Bach Cantata discs on Bis are in SACD, but not the entire series, so be careful when you order a disc. The Julia Fischer violin recordings on Pentatone are recommendable, as are the Kreizberg Dvorak Symphonies.
On Blu Ray start wit hthe Norwegian 2L Label "Divertimento" disc, which will blow you away. The Abbado/Lucerne Mahler series is great. The Abbado Beethoven set has been released in Blu Ray; I have the DVD recordings. There is a competing Mahler BR cycle from the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestras with a different conductor for each Symphony, but musically I would give the nod to Abbado/Lucerne.
Miscellaneous Blu Rays that I enjoy are two featuring Andris Nelson and the Concertgebouw (Shostakovich Eighth, Scherazade and the Emperer Concerto).
There are many Blu Ray Audio only discs. Naxos has several. Many feature Marin Alsop and the Baltimore SO> I foind the performances lacking. Leonard Slatkin also has musically mediocre but good sounding Naxos Blu Rays.
DG and DEcca recordings from the 60s and 70s have been released in BR Audio. My two favorites are Karl Bohm/VPO in Bruckner/4, and Karajan/BPO in Mahler/5.
In DVD-A I wo9uld hunt out the Abravanel recordings on the Silverline label, available on Amazon or Berkshire Record Outlet.

This should get you started.


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## Neuroticdog (Sep 17, 2014)

Thank you very much for this detailed reply Triplet...it's much appreciated!!! If you were to choose between the blu-ray Mahler/Abbado box or the MTT Mahler box...what would win?

...btw...we are kind of neighbors, I'm in Chicago

best
Michael


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

Neuroticdog said:


> Thank you very much for this detailed reply Triplet...it's much appreciated!!! If you were to choose between the blu-ray Mahler/Abbado box or the MTT Mahler box...what would win?
> 
> ...btw...we are kind of neighbors, I'm in Chicago
> 
> ...


Abbado's would be my choice. All of his Lucerne Mahler recordings that I have heard are excellent.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Both the Abbado and MTT cycles have their merits. I would have to do a work by work comparison. I would give MTT the edge in 1, 3, and 6. Abbado didn't record 8. Abbado the edge in 2, 4,5. I really couldn't pick in 7 and 9 because the quality is so high. MTT also did the lieder and Das Lied.
My earlier recommendations were not meant to be comprehensive, more of stream of consciousness thing. I left out some real goodies, like the Capriccio SACD recordings of Shostakovich Symphonies (Kitaenko), the Tchaikovsky Symphonies with Kitaenko or with Pletnev, Herreweghe Schubert and Beethoven Symphonies. Then there are the remastering of classic recordings in SACD (and increasingly Blu Ray).... There are a wealth of great multichannel recordings. Enjoy!


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## Neuroticdog (Sep 17, 2014)

Has anyone heard this release on Ondine? It's fairly new. 


Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie - Lintu 
Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie Angela Hewitt, piano Valérie Hartmann-Claverie, ondes Martenot Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra Hannu Lintu

best
Michael


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

Haven't heard it. That piece doesn't do much for me


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

MTT's Ives Holiday Symphony in the Keeping Score blu-ray series is very good. Remarkably well organized performance.


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