Pappano/LSO La Mer

[gradus]

What a fine performance heard in tonight's splendid R3 recording. I hope others enjoyed it as much as I did in the new R3 HD sound, pretty impressive stuff that really did produce some of the best radio sound I've heard. I am only using s/h kit (Yamaha amp, B and W speakers) but the soundstage was very solid with wide dynamic range.

[Daring Tripod]

Agree. Pappano and the LSO in top form. Trpceski in a lively performance of the Rach 1 with his usual musicianship and lack of exaggeration. La Mer also had that sparkle and contrasts which makes this work so enjoyable when conducted and played with such intensity.
A rare enjoyment.

[Peter Katin]

Agree. Pappano and the LSO in top form. Trpceski in a lively performance of the Rach 1 with his usual musicianship and lack of exaggeration. La Mer also had that sparkle and contrasts which makes this work so enjoyable when conducted and played with such intensity.
A rare enjoyment.

Oh dear, I intended to hear it all when I got back last night but it isn't available on iPlayer. Tonight I shall anchor myself to the radio and hear Rafal Blechacz.

[Pianorak]

. . . Tonight I shall anchor myself to the radio and hear Rafal Blechacz.

If his performances at the 15th Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 2005 (available on a 3 CD set) are anything to go by we should be in for a real treat tonight!

[french frank]

Oh dear, I intended to hear it all when I got back last night but it isn't available on iPlayer.

It's here now - available until 9:17PM Tue, 21 Dec 2010.

[Peter Katin]

It's here now - available until 9:17PM Tue, 21 Dec 2010.

Yes, I saw that it's available - perhaps last night was too soon.

[Peter Katin]

I hope others enjoyed it as much as I did in the new R3 HD sound, pretty impressive stuff that really did produce some of the best radio sound I've heard.

So it was the new HD sound! I was very impressed. How do we know which broadcasts use this, or has it come to stay? I wonder if this will see the end of BBC compression.

[johnb]

Peter,

Sadly, if you listened to the concert via the iPlayer 'Listen Again' you wouldn't have heard the new(ish) 'HD Sound'.

The 'HD Sound' (aac 320 kbps) is currently only available for 'Listen Live' and, as far as I know, it is only available through the 'HD Sound' links on the Radio 3 home page, the Radio 3 Schedule, etc, other links to 'Listen Live' will give the 'normal' iPlayer quality.

The normal 'Listen Live' and the 'Listen Again' are not in 'HD Sound' (but in aac 192 kbps) however, even so, they both have the potential to be better than FM or DAB, if people can route then through their audio setup.

I wonder if this will see the end of BBC compression.

The HD Sound is being promoted as having a wider dynamic range but I haven't compared its dynamic range with that of the standard iPlayer. (Even the standard iPlayer has a much greater dynamic range than FM, as has the otherwise flawed DAB for that matter.)

[gradus]

Thanks for the tech info. I had thought that HD would be on the iplayer too. I'd be interested to hear what you make of the dynamic range, it seems very impressive in the HD format and overall the sound of the orchestra was first class, so good in fact that I now look forward to R3 concerts with renewed enthusiasm. Thank heavens that broadcast quality is still counted as important enough to make improvements of this kind.