Spotify introduces gapless playback

[Stunsworth]

Finally, something many people have been wanting since the service began. Only seems to be the desktop client at the moment. It's turned on by default in the new version of the software. Details here...

http://www.spotify.com/uk/blog/archives/2012/02/23/spotify-now-with-gapless-playback-crossfade/

[Parry1912]

Good news!

[Martin]

Does that mean no gap between, say, movements of a symphony? Or is it no gaps in, say, an opera act where the music has been artificially split into several smaller tracks?

[Stunsworth]

Does that mean no gap between, say, movements of a symphony? Or is it no gaps in, say, an opera act where the music has been artificially split into several smaller tracks?

It means no gaps between tracks, opera or symphony. In other words it will play like the original CD - where there is usually a few seconds of silence at the beginning or ending of a track if a gap is required.

[Ferretfancy]

I don't listen to downloads, so I'm a bit confused, are we saying that classical tracks have had to be played until now like pop songs, one track at a time?

Give me CD

[Stunsworth]

I don't listen to downloads, so I'm a bit confused, are we saying that classical tracks have had to be played until now like pop songs, one track at a time?

No, that's not what we're saying. In the past if you played an album on Spotify there was a short gap of around one second between tracks which could be annoying if you were playing something with a lot of short tracks such as an opera recording. The player has now been updated and that gap no longer exists - albums play just as they would on the original CD.

There is a wealth of classical music on Spotify. I was listening to part of the Kleiber big boxed set last night for example.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It means no gaps between tracks, opera or symphony. In other words it will play like the original CD - where there is usually a few seconds of silence at the beginning or ending of a track if a gap is required.

Ah, if only that were true on all CD players. All but the most expenive ones in the range suppied for VW cars force an "explosive" gap on you whether you like it or not. I have written to VW about it many times and either receive a curt and irrelevant reply after two months, or no reply at all. They really are extremely rude.

Full marks to Spotify, therefore, for taking the matter seriously.

[Stunsworth]

All but the most expenive ones in the range suppied for VW cars force an "explosive" gap on you whether you like it or not. I have written to VW about it many times and either receive a curt and irrelevant reply after two months, or no reply at all. They really are extremely rude

I wonder why they fitted such a CD player? Even my old Mondeo has a CD player that plays without gaps.

[Dave2002]

How do

Just checked by playing some Boris Blacher variations. It was this gap "feature" which drove me to buy a CD of some of Blacher's work. Now that such CDs have been sorted how do the rest do? Do we now find one movement of a symphony crashing straight into the next, or is it all manageable?

[Stunsworth]

Now that such CDs have been sorted how do the rest do? Do we now find one movement of a symphony crashing straight into the next, or is it all manageable?

I expect it will be the same as the original CD and depend on silence added to the beginning and/or end of tracks when the CD was mastered. I'll know for sure this evening when I have a chance to play with the new version of the program.

[Ferretfancy]

I wonder why they fitted such a CD player? Even my old Mondeo has a CD player that plays without gaps.

Thanks for the earlier info, Stunsworth, I was genuinely puzzled, not being a downloader.

Ferret

[Ferretfancy]

Just checked by playing some Boris Blacher variations. It was this gap "feature" which drove me to buy a CD of some of Blacher's work. Now that such CDs have been sorted how do the rest do? Do we now find one movement of a symphony crashing straight into the next, or is it all manageable?

Dave 2002,

Is that the recording of the Concertante Musik etc. conducted by Herbert Kegel? I have that CD, plus a splendid Ondine recording of his Clarinet Concerto and other works, with Askenazy ( son) playing the clarinet conducted by Ashkenazy ( father )I'd like any recommendations for Blacher's music, all the works I've heard have been well worth getting to know.

[Stunsworth]

Is that the recording of the Concertante Musik etc. conducted by Herbert Kegel? I have that CD, plus a splendid Ondine recording of his Clarinet Concerto and other works, with Askenazy ( son) playing the clarinet conducted by Ashkenazy ( father )I'd like any recommendations for Blacher's music, all the works I've heard have been well worth getting to know.

Looking at the variations by Blacher available on Spotify I assume Dave is talking about his variations on a theme of Paganini (yes _that_ theme). The individual tracks are very short - most are a minute or less. Apologies to Dave if he was referring to something else.

[Dave2002]

Looking at the variations by Blacher available on Spotify I assume Dave is talking about his variations on a theme of Paganini (yes _that_ theme). The individual tracks are very short - most are a minute or less. Apologies to Dave if he was referring to something else.

This is what originally drove me to CDs - http://www.amazon.com/Boris-Blacher-.../dp/B00095LMDA I think the one on Spotify now is different - http://open.spotify.com/track/2eD7a4Lo10Dez4mxr0FtRL and there's also something which they call Variation I - http://open.spotify.com/track/548lJWfBuwonY0YCkWrkbU which features a vocal soloist.

Either way, the Paganini variations were completely hopeless before they made gapless tracks a possibility.

I think Blacher is worth hearing, though perhaps a bit of an acquired taste. If anyone else finds anything by him that they like, can they please let us know!

[ucanseetheend]

Recordings such as Elgars Enigma will sound like it should and other favourites, some of Richard Strauss's , also Sprach zarathustra etc and some of Ravels such as the Mother Goose will be great. any piece , suites and tone poems with multiple movements which the record companies love to split up will be restored to their originality