[DarkAngel]

Lots of negative vibes here for Rattle........cannot let it bias my initial listening session, must start with clean slate. I will say the packaging is pretty cool, the booklet is actually a little hardbound book in faux gold finish and a fancy ribbon to lift CDs from box cavity.

After much debate I did finally order a Blomstedt set from Ebay for under $20, now Bunny will forgive me ...........

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel Lots of negative vibes here for Rattle........cannot let it bias my initial listening session, must start with clean slate. I will say the packaging is pretty cool, the booklet is actually a little hardbound book in faux gold finish and a fancy ribbon to lift CDs from box cavity. After much debate I did finally order a Blomstedt set from Ebay for under $20, now Bunny will forgive me ...........

packaging for the Rattle sounds like the packaging for the complete Ella songbook also at yourmusic. Let me know how the rattle is. I seem to acquire Beethoven cycles left and right...

I hope you really don't feel that I have been upset because you haven't bought the Blomstedt! I'd would feel awful if you had bought it solely on my recommendation and disliked it. That would be so much worse than you not buying the set.

 

[Vicious Tyrant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel Lots of negative vibes here for Rattle........cannot let it bias my initial listening session, must start with clean slate. I will say the packaging is pretty cool, the booklet is actually a little hardbound book in faux gold finish and a fancy ribbon to lift CDs from box cavity. After much debate I did finally order a Blomstedt set from Ebay for under $20, now Bunny will forgive me ...........

Ha. I just got the set from the library and you're right - regardless of the music inside, the packaging is awful cool!

 

[osoucy]

Anyone know which version is this:

http://soury.ca/Ode_to_Joy.mp3

If anyone knows which version it is, please let me know.
I would also be interested in something similar (same kind of choral).

Thank you again

 

[mbhaub]

No idea, but I like it very much. Nice, forward trumpets, bright choral sound, and it moves at a good clip.

 

[Bunnyears]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicious Tyrant Ha. I just got the set from the library and you're right - regardless of the music inside, the packaging is awful cool!

Yes, and the Blomstedt packaging is the bare bones minimum! But it is perhaps a reflection of the two conductors where one is a triumph of style over substance and the other pure, unadorned and glorious substance.

Meanwhile, the Colin Davis cycle is now on my purchase list. He also recorded it with the DSK, but the orchestra is supposed to be just a little darker in tone than on the Blomstedt recording. I am looking forward to hearing that.

BARGAIN ALERT

The Leibowitz cycle (Scribendum) is now available at Bershire Record Outlet for a mere $34! Just put Leibowitz into the search box (or Scribendum) and you will find it.

 

[Doc Sarvis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears BARGAIN ALERT The Leibowitz cycle (Scribendum) is now available at Bershire Record Outlet for a mere $34! Just put Leibowitz into the search box (or Scribendum) and you will find it.

The Leibowitz set is amazing. It was originally recorded for Reader's Digest recordings (!) and was OOP for a long, long time. It was semi-legendary for many years; audiophile CDs of it from Chesky fetch high prices. I picked it up as soon as it came out again - fast tempos and high-energy playing.

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears BARGAIN ALERT The Leibowitz cycle (Scribendum) is now available at Bershire Record Outlet for a mere $34! Just put Leibowitz into the search box (or Scribendum) and you will find it.

I paid bloody fortune for that set on Chesky label..........hopefully new issue has decent sound since Chesky label is famous for getting great sound from older masters.

 

[GIGANTOID]

I'll reccomend this recording if only for when, where and why it was recorded. Beethovens, 9th 'Ode to Freedom' Technically its an excellent recording IMO catching many subtleties as the audience and page turning which I like in this session as it helps put me there.

Recorded in Berlin, Christmas 1989 months after the fall of the Berlin wall. Perhaps this quote from an AMzon review says it best...

"The flaws in the quality of the recording may not be that serious, but Bernstein manages to convey spontaniety to make this performance sound electric and compelling. Yet this is one of those wonderful performances of the Ninth which, along with Karajan, Gardiner, Szell, Abbado and others, can take its place near the top of the list of recommended readings." - Yi-Peng

 

[mbhaub]

I know we've liscussed Leibowitz before elsewhere. I picked up the RD cd several years ago at a used shop for a pittance and loved it. The Leibowitz LP set was the first Beethoven Nine I had some 40 years ago (still have it!). When Scribendum released it last year I ordered it, too, but have been sadly disappointed with the sound transfers. I don't know why, but that company doesn't seem to spend much time or thought on sound: you don't just connect the tape player to a cd burner. The RD sound is actually better, and I then assume the Chesky is better still.
Scribendum releases some fine recordings to be sure, such as the Svetlanov Tchaikovsky set, the Maazel Brahms symphonies and more. But I wish they would let someone else do their cd mastering.

 

[squee116]

I hate to necro a thread, but I've been putting my headphones through their paces by getting all sorts of music and listening to them like crazy.  I went through this thread to decide on my Beethoven picks, and had some questions.
 
I have the Chesky Leibowitz performance for the 9th and hear this bizarre hiss in the background that's just too distracting.  I can't even properly concentrate to decide if I like the performance.  The rip should be good, as cdripper confirmed it's a good rip.  My Blomstedt recording sounds much clearer by contrast.  Is it supposed to sound that way, and I'm supposed to just overcome that hiss?
 
Additionally, I got my Blostedt first, and went through all the symphonies.  Great recommendation, I couldn't have enjoyed it more.

 

[HPiper]

  I hate to necro a thread, but I've been putting my headphones through their paces by getting all sorts of music and listening to them like crazy.  I went through this thread to decide on my Beethoven picks, and had some questions.
 
I have the Chesky Leibowitz performance for the 9th and hear this bizarre hiss in the background that's just too distracting.  I can't even properly concentrate to decide if I like the performance.  The rip should be good, as cdripper confirmed it's a good rip.  My Blomstedt recording sounds much clearer by contrast.  Is it supposed to sound that way, and I'm supposed to just overcome that hiss?
 
Additionally, I got my Blostedt first, and went through all the symphonies.  Great recommendation, I couldn't have enjoyed it more.

What are you listening too/through when you hear the hiss. Do you have another system of some type you could try and see if the hiss is still there. Even going so far as to put the cd in your dvd player and listening to it through your TV.. I am just wondering if it is the recording itself or some component in your system. A lot of the old recordings were done on analog tapes which had audible hiss but it was of such a low level it seldom was as loud and annoying as you say your's is.

 

[jk47]

i'm late to this thread but there's a version that apparently hasn't been mentioned:
 
the vpo under hans schmidt-isserstadt with the unbeatable lead vocal quartet of  joan sutherland, marilyn horne, james king and martti talvela.  
 
when the bass talvella starts the choral section, he sounds like the voice of god.