Walt Disney Concert Hall first recording

[JohnFerrier]

Available next week (Oct. 10).

"Live performances of three pieces: Mussorgsky's St John's Night on Bald Mountain, Bartok's suite from The Miraculous Mandarin, and Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring), a Signature Piece for the L.A. Philharmonic that was also featured during its premier concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall."

Nice sound clips.

 

[mbhaub]

I sat in four different locations in that hall at four different concerts so far. One can only dream that the recorded sound is even remotely close to being there live. Fantastic impact, deep bass, clear highs, rich ensemble sound. The organ at full throttle is stunning. I'm ordering.

 

[JohnFerrier]

The rich, deep bass stands out in the clips of tracks 6 and 15. Overall, even low-fi clips are clear and musical. (It would have been nice to have the whole of The Miraculous Mandarin, though.)

Most of the 6,134 pipes are hidden, but it's impressive how the visible pipes carry the same playful Disney motif.

 

[granodemostasa]

i do love that place... (i so wish they played there during the summer so i could visit more often). there's another cd, Wing on Wing with salonen... the composed it for the LA phil and WDCH.

also, down the street at the cathederal, they got another killer organ.

 

[Jahn]

Gehry is a genius. If I ever go to LA, that's one of the things I definitely want to do - see a concert there!

 

[Zanth]

WOW! So cool! Thanks for the heads up! This is enough to entice me to travel to LA!

 

[mbhaub]

Yes, it's worth a trip. I've never had trouble getting tickets. From the outside the place is stunning. Take a tour if you have the chance. The downside is that they built it in downtown LA in a part of town I wouldn't be out alone in at night. Really too bad. But then, that's LA.

 

[JohnFerrier]

Actually, the SACD released next week is the first recording from WDCH. I'm aware that Wing on Wing was written for the opening of WDCH, but according to the liner notes Esa-Pekka Salonen conducted the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Helsinki. It was a bit sad. The CD is covered with images of the WDCH. Salonen recently began a new contract with DG, I've wondered if they hadn't figured out how this contract extends to the new concert hall. Or perhaps they are slow to record at their new digs. Recording from Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall have also been slow to emerge. As far as I'm aware, these are the two leading new orchestra concert halls in the world.

"Recording: Kulttuuritalo, Helsinki"

 

[audiophilia]

Performance and sound are stupendous!!!!

Among the best I've heard. Lots of great touches.

 

[JohnFerrier]

Arrival. Anyone else receive a copy yet? Haven't listened yet. Though I read mixed reviews of the performances, I ordered anyway to listen to the sound of Disney Hall that I've waited for a few years to hear.



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I toured Seattle's Benaroya Hall today. The tour guide said that, "it's considered the last great symphony halls build last century (1998)." It does sound good and so do recordings. Pinchas Zuckerman happens to be in town recording with the Seattle Symphony.

Benaroya Hall (Seattle)

 

[pds6]

The organ and interior are breathtaking!

I was under the impression and I could be wrong, that the Los Angeles Philharmonic was not getting very good reviews?

 

[JohnFerrier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pds6 The organ and interior are breathtaking!

WDCH--Outside shot for this thread.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pds6 I was under the impression and I could be wrong, that the Los Angeles Philharmonic was not getting very good reviews?

Not sure. It seems they find some acclaim. I hope that a new concert hall doesn't hurt : ). I heard the LAP/Salonen perform in Benaroya and enjoyed Salonen sculpting Ravel's Ma Mére L'Oye with eyes closed and batonless hands.

In my opinion, the most serious and devout orchestral work comes from the mid-US (i.e. Cleveland, include Oberlin College, Chicago) and central Europe (i.e. Germany, Austria). Scandinavia is coming up strong with the likes of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (Göteborgs Symfoniker), Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Kaija Saariaho.


.

 

[JohnFerrier]

A few thoughts, Disney Concert Hall produces bass powerfully. Ok. It's huge. Not boomy. The sound engineers are top. It's very balanced. It's smooth, deep, and rich. This SACD is a sonic show piece for bass. Though, only the suite, this version of the Mandarin is one of Bartók's versions which is "essentially the first two thirds" of the longer score--it is all of the best parts. The disc as a whole is fun, shimmery (rather than icy), colorful, and liquid. The bass seems to stand out, but I'm not used to this superb extention into low frequency. All the instruments (strings, horns, percussion) are well voiced throughout. And I'm happy with this premiere recording.

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If anyone knows what percussion instrument makes that metal spinning (???) sound, during the Adoration of the Earth during Le Sacre, I'm interested to find out.

 

[pds6]

The exterior ain't bad either.

 

[JayG]

John - How far into Part I is the percussion sound you are asking about? I should be able to tell you what it is if I can find it. I don't have the new Salonen recording, but I have plenty of others that I can listen for it on.