New releases

[PJPJ]

I for one think it's a pity to separate off information about new announcements from peoples' comments about them - I think it's far more likely that things will get lost that way. But I see you've restarted a thread for reviews, Barb, so let's see how it goes - and what others think.

So do I, who initiated the original thread.

I can't see any need for multiple threads on new releases; the existing one is not solely for announcements, people have made comments on them.

Several of us highlight ones which may be of interest to others, and they do indeed get commented on later when purchased.

[jayne lee wilson]

"Seattle"?

Seattle Symphony Media is the label for new recordings of the Seattle SO in live and studio recordings. The first batch includes...

Dutilleux Symphony No.1; Tout un Monde Lointain; The Shadows of Time. Xavier Philips, cello/Seattle SO/Ludovic Morlot. 24/96 FLAC rec. 2014.

What strikes you most here is the very full, rich & immediate recorded sound, perhaps slightly lacking space & air, but very dynamic - almost overwhelming. One might wish for a touch more filigree precision in the scherzo of No.1, a little more atmosphere around the orchestra, but there's such a passion to communicate, such drive & urgency here, that I would still count it as a great performance, the best since Tortelier (which has a very different balance). A wonderful album on Seattle's own new imprint.

[Petrushka]

The Karajan 1980s boxed set is out on Monday, October 13 and best price I can find is £149.95 on MDT. http://www.mdt.co.uk/karajan-herbert...d-edition.html

The Amazon price of £179 will almost certainly drop by release date so it's a question of checking it every day to see if it falls below the MDT price. The 1970s box went down to £139 I think.

I have the two companion sets so this is self-recommending for me and while I do have a fair amount of duplication it's still top of my wish list.

[AmpH]

Haydn String Quartets / Festetics recordings brought together in a boxset for reissue later this month :-

http://www.mdt.co.uk/haydn-the-complete-string-quartets-festetics-quartet-arcana-19cds.html

[MickyD]

Thanks for this, it was news to me that the Festetics had completed the whole cycle. Now, what do I do - order this set or continue collecting the London Haydn Quartet series on Hyperion? Would anyone be able to make comparisons for me?

[Dave2002]

Thanks for this, it was news to me that the Festetics had completed the whole cycle. Now, what do I do - order this set or continue collecting the London Haydn Quartet series on Hyperion? Would anyone be able to make comparisons for me?

Can't help much, other than to note that some (all?) of the Festetics Quartet's recordings are on Spotify - http://open.spotify.com/track/1JJHdvUxlq2axsWTBQZFsg As I can't find anything other than clarinet quintet recordings by the London Haydn Quartet on an online streaming site I can't make the comparison you are asking for - even if I did have the time!

[hafod]

The Karajan 1980s boxed set is out on Monday, October 13 and best price I can find is £149.95 on MDT. http://www.mdt.co.uk/karajan-herbert...d-edition.html

The Amazon price of £179 will almost certainly drop by release date so it's a question of checking it every day to see if it falls below the MDT price. The 1970s box went down to £139 I think.

I have the two companion sets so this is self-recommending for me and while I do have a fair amount of duplication it's still top of my wish list.

£132 delivered AmIt.

http://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B00M7IR5Q0/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A11IL2PNWYJU7H

[hafod]

DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI 50 CD Collection - Vol 2: released 1 December, £59.95 @ MDT (link includes contents).

http://www.mdt.co.uk/deutsche-harmonia-mundi-deutsche-harmonia-mundi-50cds.html

Volume 1 was a real treasure trove. This one for me is a little less so but still well worth acquiring.

[kea]

Can't help much, other than to note that some (all?) of the Festetics Quartet's recordings are on Spotify - http://open.spotify.com/track/1JJHdvUxlq2axsWTBQZFsg As I can't find anything other than clarinet quintet recordings by the London Haydn Quartet on an online streaming site I can't make the comparison you are asking for - even if I did have the time!

Hyperion doesn't allow streaming... end of story, as far as I'm aware. Apparently they have yet to realise that's how most people listen to music these days, or just think there's no money in it. I'm not sure which.

(Perhaps they're relying on physical CD collectors being replenished by successive generations, rather than dying of old age as they seem to have been doing so far)

[MickyD]

Thanks to the generous segment given by Andrew MacGregor on CD Review, I now have a better idea of the Festetics set - as he said, performances and recordings vary over the time span of the set. Having started collecting the London Haydn Quartet, I think I'll stick with them...even if it will probably work out more expensive.

[DublinJimbo]

Seattle Symphony Media is the label for new recordings of the Seattle SO in live and studio recordings. The first batch includes...

Dutilleux Symphony No.1; Tout un Monde Lointain; The Shadows of Time. Xavier Philips, cello/Seattle SO/Ludovic Morlot. 24/96 FLAC rec. 2014.

What strikes you most here is the very full, rich & immediate recorded sound, perhaps slightly lacking space & air, but very dynamic - almost overwhelming. One might wish for a touch more filigree precision in the scherzo of No.1, a little more atmosphere around the orchestra, but there's such a passion to communicate, such drive & urgency here, that I would still count it as a great performance, the best since Tortelier (which has a very different balance). A wonderful album on Seattle's own new imprint.

Belated thanks for the information, Jayne. It's good to see another orchestra produce its own CDs. This first crop from Seattle is certainly very good, and is especially welcome because of the adventurous repertoire. Recorded quality is very fine, and achieves the label's stated purpose of familiarising a wider audience with the orchestra and its hall.

[MickyD]

Yet another set of the Brandenburgs on its way from Florilegium on Channel Classics - this time the novelty is going from Concertos 6 to 1, building up the bigger orchestral layout!

[MickyD]

Ton Koopman's complete works of Buxtehude is now available, 29 CDs and a DVD. But much as I would love it, at around £300, I fear it is way too expensive for me.

[Barbirollians]

Rubbra fans may be interested in the new Barbirolli society disc coupling the famous 1950 HMV/British Council recording of his Fifth Symphony with a live account of the Sixth from a recording apparently in Rubbra's own private collection

[Barbirollians]

I see that there are also new CDs of a Mahler 1 with the Czech PO and a Brahms 1 on a Halle tour of Czechoslovakia too . It seems that Czech radio did not keep a Bruckner 4 from the day before the Brahms 1 -musical tragedy !!!