Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

I don't own a player yet either, but I do have two disks (for shopping
with). I am still looking for a place in the Boston area that has the
Sony CDP-400 for sale.

I have Terripin Station (Greatfull Dead). It is superb. Quiet, and
good dynamic range. I used the LP version to shop for my speakers.

I don't remember the other disk name. It wasn't for me. I will look up
the title and comment.

-lynx-

I saw 20 or so sony CDP-400's at Tweeter in Danvers, Ma.  They had them piled
up just waiting for some person to take them home.  (Has any one else noticed
that Sony puts a handle on the box, perhaps to make them look sooooo easy to
take home!)
Anyway, the price was 625.00, and they were going fast.  The also had some
CDP-101's for sale at about 600.00, and a NAD at abut 550.00.  I bought my
CD-2 there for 600.00, and I was told not to expect any price break on that
unit for a while.  To make the deal Sweeter(pun intended) they threw in two
disks of my choice for free.

Brian L.

 I got a toshiba (I'm not sure of the model I think it is a zx-700). I like
it very much. It has a remote control that I have used only to make sure it
worked. Usually I just play a disc front to end.
 As far as the disks go I think it is a matter of taste. Also how old the
album is. A buddy at my stereo store got a Santana album that he liked but
it came out sounding dull on a laser audio. 
 I have several discs that have Yo-Yo Man. He is a cello player that does jazz
and classical work. He is technically excellent, but I have few other cello
players to compare him with.
 The wife likes Laura Branigan. I think she has an excellent voice (the jacket
says she has a four octave voice. I believe it), but I don't find it involved
enough. She doesn't convey enough emotional impact of the song.
 Also I like Genesis. I have Trick of the Tail and I'm looking for Wind and
the Weathering.

WHERE did you get "A Trick of the Tail"?!??!???!??!??

p.s.  ABACAB is an excellent CD.  (Genesis again)

[I'm going to have to start getting out of the house more often]


I have a CBS album called Japanese Melodies (Vol. 2) featuring Jean-Pierre
Rampal.  Although he does not use a traditional instrument, the quality
is spectacular.

I think several cuts of the Branigan 2 album are good.

I'd be interested in hearing about good classical guitar (or acoustic jazz)
recordings.  Like flute solos, they should sound especially nice without
background noise.


Anybody who is coming to the NetParty on 17-Nov, is welcome to bring along
some CD's.  I think it might be interesting to compare a few albums, and
get some opinions...   Unlike records, I think this can be done without 
too much concern for the disk (I always worried about dragging my records
around - turntable/cartridge variations were too great).

- dave

I have Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and the Wall.

They are by far excellent, especially the older ones done on analogue equipment.
Hiss is mostly un-noticable and, well, I think they're great. I have a total of
45 Disc's now ranging from classical to pop. (I do recomend staying away from
the Led Zepplin IV disc. It is a hiss bag.) Also, I recommend both ASIA discs
and the YES 90125 disc. For all you peep's that are advant garde listener's
King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King is a worth while investment.
I kinda grew up on the progressive British music, so I am very partial to it.
But, If you are not, It is worth checking into.

Roxy Music fan's will appreciate the release of some more selections. I have
the Manifesto, Avalon, Flesh and Blood, and Siren disc's. Though there is a
minimal amount of analogue injected hiss, The dynamics are astounding. 

I could go through all of them, but it would take a long time. One last note,
King Crimson's Three of a Perfect Pair is a beautiful test of your audio
system. There are some passages in there with synthesized drums that you can
pick out the oscillator attack. I have always felt that E.G. records produced
some of the best music. ( Could be a biased opinion again, I have talked with
David Enthoven and John Gaynor before, and have done work with them.)

Well, that's it for now, see you later ol' chap.

Jay McLeman

reply to .4)
 I got Genisis' "trick of the tail" at my local Tower record store. It must 
have been by chance or a hot seller since I have not seen others since. This
of course could be different for those of you on the east side of the U.S.

 Also a thousand apologies Mr. Ma. I had incorrectly had his name as Man. His
real name is Yo-Yo Ma. 
 Mr. Ma was teamed with a piano player whos name I don't have right now. The 
albumn was very good. The two compliment each other very well.

God, six responses and not a single Classical title yet!!! I thought
us DECcies had better taste (just kidding).

Since my taste runs almost exclusively to Classical, I thought I'd throw
in my favorite three CD's as recommendations:

1) Bach, Goldberg Variations, Glenn Gould.
   CBS MK37779

	Absolutely dynamite performance, impeccable sound. This is
   the first time I've ever heard a piano sounde like a piano when
   recorded. This is even better than Gould's ground-breaking
   1955 recording.

2) Brahms, Ein Deutches Requiem, Haitink, Weiner Staatsopernchor w/
   Janowitz and Krause on solos.
   Philips 411-436-2 (two disks)

	Best performance I've heard with the possible exception of
   the old Ansermet on London. Incredibly good balance among
   orchestra, soloists, and choir. This is the first choral CD
   I heardf that didn't suffer from miking that made you feel
   like the soloists were breathing down your neck.

3) Mozart, Piano Quartets, Beaux Arts Trio w/ Bruno Giuranna
   Philips 410-391-2

	Very solid performances, not sublime but warm and precisely
   played. I like this disk particularly because it "feels" like
   chanber music: not boomy like a concert hall or overly dry like
   a recording studio. It sounds like they're playing in a large
   libing room, which is how I think chamber music should sound.


I'd appreciate classical reviews from others - I'm just starting
to build my collection.

Dave Oran

P.S. I've heard only one TERRIBLE Classical CD so far, I Musici doing
     the Vivaldi 4 Seasons. The solo violinist sounds like he's
     always trying to get the little hairs on the back of your
     neck to stand on end.

Re: 7

I held off purchasing any classical albums until I had my CD player
(6 years was a LONG time to wait).

I have a few Classical CD albums, but it is difficult for me to rate
them (since I don't have anything to compare them to)..  I also tend to
use them in the way chamber music was meant to be - they play in the
background while I plunk on the LK201 (therefore, the various nuances of
the recording generally escape me -> but I can play the damn things as
often as I please and not feel guilty about wearing a recording out.  I
put the player in repeat mode and let Beethoven play for hours when I
work - if I notice that the melody is getting monotonous, I pick
another). 

So anyway...

Beethoven: Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2
Yo-Yo Ma (Cello) � Emanuel Ax (Piano)
CBS
(Recorded on a Sony PCM recorder - nice sound)

The quiet surface noise helps unmask some of the more subtle cello
portions.

Holst: The Planets
Berliner Philharmoniker � Herbert von Karajan
DG
(Digital recording)

Vivalidi: The Four Seasons
LA Chamber Orchestra (Elmar Oliveira soloist)
DELOS Digital Recording

Maybe CD's make the violins in the Four Seasons all sound alike.  I had
to check and see if I had a different record than Dave Oran's.
Actually, the disk is pretty decent.  The harpsichord is especially
clear. 

Mozart: Symphony No. 39 (K.543)
        Symphony No. 38 (K.504) "Prague"
Academy of Ancient Music � Jaap Schr�der
L'oiseau-Lyre (Made by PolyGram)
(Recording method not documented)

Nice recording (haven't listened to it for any problems, etc.)


- dave

I have mainly classical music, about 70 CD's in all, most of which I am happy
with.

Rather than comment on individual disks, I'd like to make a comment about
labels: namely, that I am far from happy with the engineering on some of the
disks. DG and CBS are (in my opinion) particularly guilty -- lots of analog
hiss (on some recordings), compressing the music and otherwise doing their best
to obscure what are some very fine performances.

I believe the most consistently good engineering is done by TELARC. Everyone
should own a few TELARCs. A few recommendations: the Copeland album, the Mahler
Resurection Symphony, Pictures at Exhibition, Beethoven 3rd Piano Concerto.

I have been generally pleased with L'Oseau Lyre (sp?), Denon, Philips and
London.

			Regards,
			   George

A recommendation for a Tchikovsky's 9th Symphony (I hope that's the one)
would be appreciated...

- dave

Tchikovsky wrote 6 symphonies, of which Nos. 4,5, and 6 are the most
popular. No. 6 is the real famous one. Most people overplay all of
them. No recording to recommend in any format that I can think of...

I purchased the Telarc version of Stravinsky's Fire Bird. Telarc does take
pride in what they do, this is no exception. The 3rd section of the suite
made me jump off the chair! Definitely an experience.

Jay

I have two Telarcs, both excellent.  One is the 4 seasons, this time
by the Boston Symphony Orch, and the other is Carl Orff's Carmina
Burana.

For Carmina Burana fans, the Telarc recording, either on LP or CD,
is really a good performance.  Very clear vocals.  Only drawback
to the CD version is that you don't get the all new translation
that is included with the LP.  (I have both, and used them when
evaluating CD players)

On Erato I have a CD of four mandolin concertos by Vivaldi.
Lots of fun.

Another things to watch out for on DG, especially anything by
Karajan:  he blatantly over-mikes, and plays with the mix.
The result has awful imaging.  He has also decided to only
release on CD in the future.  So write off just about anything
by the Berlin Philharmonic.

[Keeping in mind that this is the guy who doesn't remember how many
 symphonies PIT wrote...]

BACH
Telarc (CD-80049)

Five recordings done at Methuen Music Hall with Michael Murray at the
keyboard. 

Fantasia and Fugue in G Minor
Toccata in F Minor
Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor
Vater unser im Himmelreich
Alle Menschen m�ssen sterben

I thought the performance was excellent.  The Passacaglia was
spectacular piece, marred by what I thought was a lot of white noise.
I'm not sure what it was (it might be just the air passing in the hall,
but you know it is there).  [For a while, I thought it might be a
problem with my equipment, but I popped in Rampal Flute disk (single
instrument with pauses) to see if there was comparable noise - quiet as
a church mouse).  The noise was present for all the recordings, but it
was down right annoying in the opening sections of the Passacaglia.  I'd
be interested in finding out if this is the "norm" for organ recordings.]
Otherwise the detail, range, etc. was fantastic (I'm afraid to turn
it up too loud, it might fry my speakers - I've never seen my power
meters do that!]. 


- dave

re - pipe organs.  some are downright noisy, in person or as recorded.

If trackers, you will hear the clanking of the mechanism (but this is
"considered" by some to be part of the music!).  Sometimes the blowers
(which should, by rights, be buried in the bowels of the building), are
overpowering!

Listen to some in person some time.  Some are great, some terrible.

Being an organ freak, I've listened to quite a few organ records (both CD and
conventional), and the noise of which you speak (which is the sound of leaking
air and pumping bellows) is on a lot of them.  I guess it takes a lot of air
to run a big organ, and it has to have someplace to go when it's not making
noise, so it just seeps out around various joints...

I haven't heard the CD version of the Michael Murray at Methuen organ disc,
but I have the vinyl version, and it's really good.  If you want sheer gut-
shaking power, Telarc has another one out from Michael Murray; this one is
recorded in some sort of hall in Los Angeles (the name escapes me), and is
played on a Rufatti organ (Rufatti is known for making loud organs).  The
music on this disc is kind of tired, but the last couple of pieces are
pretty good.  It definitely gets loud in the last piece, though - watch out.

If you want another good organ disc to try, I've got one on the Archiv label.
It's some random large organ in Germany played by a guy named Ton Koopman.
The selections are good, and the organ is pleasant to listen to, but not
amazing.  Overall, I like this one better than the Michael Murray one, but
Koopman has a tendency to put a little too much embellishment on some of
his pieces (like little runs and trills that don't really fit the mood).
Oh, well, one has to take the bad with the good.

If anyone knows of any other really whizzy organ CDs, let me know...

				Vernon

(re: .15, "listen to a live organ sometime..")

Does anyone have any recommendations for finding good organ music in
the New England area (the Great Marcussen (sp.?) in Sweden doesn't
count as in the New England area)?

__Rich

Alright, enough of this classical crap :-), let's get back to a little
rock'n'roll...

One of my housemates just bought a Technics SLP1 and a bunch of disks,
and just yesterday, I picked up four disks of my own. I haven't listened
all the way through any of them (didn't have time yesterday), but I
thought I'd give some first impressions:

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble --- TEXAS FLOOD and COULDN'T STAND
	THE WEATHER
		From the former, I've listened to "Pride and Joy" and part
of "Texas Flood", from the latter, "Tin Pan Alley" and "Stang's Swang".
Magnificent! I can hear the lyrics much better than the LPs or tapes. And
the range is tremendous. I had found that some of SRV's high notes on the
LPs were just *slightly* distorted, but not on the CDs. And as for the bass,
I switched on the "loudness" switch on my pre-amp (a Dynaco PAT-4), which
accentuates the bass, and the bass boomed cleanly. I can't wait to listen
to "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)"!

The Eurythmics --- SWEET DREAMS (ARE MADE OF THIS)
		I haven't noticed a marked increase in the range from the LP
with this one, but again, the sound is much cleaner. I haven't done an A-B
comparison with this one (or any of them, for that matter), but the complex-
ities of some of the music seem right for taking advantage of this medium.
Certainly bears a closer listening.

Michael Oldfield --- TUBULAR BELLS
		I'm rather disappointed in this one, except for the fidelity
of the low-volume measures at the beginning. Also, there was a large number
of skips, accompanied by what sounded like scratches. I'm going to return
this one for another copy to see if it's a problem with this particular disc.

As far as skips go, there were a few on the other three discs as well, but I
found that if I reverse-searched back to where the skip started and let it go
again, there was no skip (?!).

I've also listened to parts of ome of my housemate's discs: Emerson, Lake, &
Palmer's PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION and BEST OF...; Jefferson Airplane's
SURREALISTIC PILLOW, and a Phillips' issue of Bach's Brandenburgs (I'm sorry,
I forget the conductor/orchestra at the moment). All of these sounded really
good, I'd rate each one an "A", except for PICTURES, which gets maybe a "B".


--- jerry

I just looked it up in the December issue of DIGITAL AUDIO ---

The Brandenbergs (I know I spelled it wrong in .-1) are by the Academy of
St. Martin-in-the-Fields/Neville Marriner.


--- jerry

REP .-2

 I think your friend should try and determine if his player is functioning
properly. I have over 40 discs so far, and have never had one skip yet or
be defective in any way. If some you have skip, and if they tend to skip
in different places each time they are played, I would tend to believe
the player has a problem.

re:.-1

Yes, we have suspected that it might be the player. This evening, I'm going
to bring my discs over to another friend's house to try them on his Sanyo.
He claims that he hasn't encountered a single skip yet. If mine play fine
on his player, then I can confirm that my housemate's Technics CDP has a
problem.

--- jerry

I've been building my collection slowly, but will probably speed up
now that I've gotten a Yamaha CD-2 to actually play the stuff on!

Here are three recently-acquired CDs that I can heartily recommend:

Schubert: String Quartet No. 14 in D minor (Der Tod und Das Madchen)
	  String Quartet No. 12 in C minor (Quartettsatz)
		Tokyo String Quartet
		MMG (Moss Music Group) MCD 10004

    Boy, the Tokyo Quartet sure make these sound exciting! I was on
    the edge of my chair through the whole first movement of Death
    and the Maiden. Now if their recording with the Cleveland Quartet
    of the Mendelsohn Octet would get issues on CD...

Beethoven: Piano Sonata in c minor, Op. 111
Schumann:  Symphonic Etudes Op. 13
	   Toccata Op. 7
	Ivo Pogorelich, piano

	DGG 410 520-2

    Simply wonderful playing. Piano really sounds like a piano too.

Schubert: Sonatas No. 13&14 (A Major and a minor)
	Sviatoslav Richter
	Tokyo Recital 1979 (recorded live)
	MMG (Moss Music Group) MCD 10030

   I always loved Richter's old recording of the A major on Angel, but
   this one is even better! Great sound for a live recording - the
   audience only intrudes for a few minutes of the first movement of
   the A major - a rolling coughing fit - but it doesn't detract from
   the piece at all. I didn't know the a minor until I bought this CD,
   and I've gotten to really like that piece too.

     Regarding "In the court of the Crimson King": I still am left
shocked by the amount of noise that was left on the CD!  On the
first track, there is a little preamble, and then the start of the
tune : "21st Century Physkizoid Man".  The preamble sounds like a
slow wave crashing on the beach because of all the noise.  I like
the music alot, and I understand that it's an old recording, but
really?!  The only other recording that I have thats worse is
"Disraeli Gears" by Cream.  The CD is worse than the LP!  Even when
I play the LP on a BSR automatic with a ceramic cartridge for God's 
sake.  Why do these record companies just throw these old classics
onto CD without care for quality?
     Regarding Michael Murray: Bach on the LA organ is great, the
Methuen organ sounds like it's going to shake itself into smitherenes!
There is a note however in the text saying something about how
the "noise" was left in for purist reasons.
     By far, the best CDs I have are from Japan, second place (close)
are from W.Germany.  It seems that the groups ( Rock ) that compose
complex music have much better recordings.  Pink Floyd, as mentioned
earlier, should be endlessly praised ( along with Alan Parsons ) for
their expertise in great sound!

    I am trying to locate the topic where someone had asked for few
    recommendetion on some titles.  I have not found it ye, but this
    topic seems close enough.
    
    How is the DENON (PCM) titles?  Are they as good as Telrac?  I would
    like to stock up on my favourites while Lechmere has 20% off sale.
    
    Thanks,
    - Vikas

    The Denon's that I have pretty good.  One of the organ music*
    discs didn't have the liner notes translated to English but
    the music is good.  If you can get them at a good price with
    the music you're interested in they are a good b

    					Alan

    *The Organ Concert at Holmes Church, J(o/)rgen Ernst Hansen,
     38C37-7059.
    

    Philips seems to care about the quality of their reissue CDs (the
    Classics series).  Most of their old analog recordings they digitally
    remaster (ADD).  Some of their newer digital recordings have also
    been very good.
    
    					Alan
    

    I know it's 14 months later, but in reply to finding good (live)
    organ music in New England:  St. Paul's Church in Brookline has
    an active concert series on the Bozeman/Gibson organ that was
    installed about 3 years ago.  It is an impressive tracker instrument,
    and they get impressive people to play it.
    
    The cathedral at Holy Cross college in Worchester has a very large organ
    recently completed by Taylor and Boody.  This is a 4 manual baroque
    style (no swell box anywhere, amazing selection of reeds)
    monster tracker in a stone cathedral and really should be heard.
    I know nothing about recital series, so a few phone calls might
    be in order.                                             
    
    Phillips Academy in Andover has a smallish tracker by the
    Andover Organ Company in the chapel that gets a lot of recital
    action.  To my mind, the organ is a bit small for the space, and
    so has been voiced rather on the raucous side, but it is held in
    high esteem in these parts.
    
    If in the meantime you have found other sources, please let
    me know.
    
    John

RE: .-1

Last Saturday I attended a concert given on the 3/13 Wurlitzer (previously
in the defunct Back Bay Theatre in Boston) at Knight Auditorium, Babson College
in Wellsley.  It owned by the Eastern Mass Chapter of the American Theatre
Organ Society.  It is well tuned and suited to the auditorium.  The artist,
Allen Mills - artist in residence at Proctor's Theatre in Schenectady, NY, was
fantastic.  There were several problems with valves in the relay chest that
caused interruptions, but it was still a concert well worth attending.  ATOS
also maintains a 3/12 Wurlitzer in the Stoneham Mass. Town Hall.  They 
sponsor several concerts a year at each location given by major artists.

RE: .29

The Taylor and Boody organ at Holy Cross College is in the St. Joseph's
Chapel.  Although the chapel building is built in cathedral style, it is
not a cathedral technically because it is not a bishop's seat.  Also, it
is not technically a church because it has no congregation.

--PSW

    I recently bought a Yamaha CD-450, which I play thru my Yamaha A-1
    and (now very antique) Klipschorns.  WOW!  Also bought a lot of
    CD's to go with.  
    
    The CBS reissues of the 1958-60 Mahler and Brahms sessions, conducted
    by Walter are all quite good, considering.  I bought these because
    of my preference for Dr. Walter's interepretations, particularly
    of Mahler.  Also have the TELARC Bach recital in the Methuen Music
    Hall.  I know this instrument quite well, as I used to "moonlight"
    for Charlie Fisk when he had Andover Organ Co.  This organ is a
    holy terror to find a good location to hear, as the inside-the-case
    dimensions are quite big, and the hall quite small; with the case
    as a big sound baffle.  Telarc did a superb job.  
    
    Also have a French label edition of Widor 5-6 symphony, played on
    the Cavaill�-Coll instrument in Notre Dame in Paris.  Not bad, all
    things considered.  Pipe organs and electronics just don't seem
    to mix, but these recordings are better than anything I have heard
    after a lot of experimenting myself with recording the things using
    first-class equipment.
    
    I think about the best tracker of the modern variety is the first
    that was put in; the Flentrop organ in the Busch-Reisinger museum
    at Harvard, installed in 1958.  Charlie Fisk hired Dirk Flentrop
    as consultant on his first instruments---Old North Church, Harvard
    Chapel, and Mt. Calvary (the last in Baltimore) are all good---but
    out of the Arp Schnitger school, all are lacking in really dynamite
    reeds.  There are still a lot of Hook Bros. and Hook and Hastings
    instruments around, in original state, and I have always felt that
    while they don't have the "sharpness" in their voicing, they do
    have their charm---and anyway, all that yelping about "chiff" can
    turn into a lot of coughing noises when pushed too far.
    
    The reed ranks on the Methuen instrument are about the best I know
    of around here, for the French stuff.  These are free reeds (like
    a harmonium) rather than shallot type.  The low end reeds (think
    there is a 32') is impressive as an earth-shaker.
    
    Hank

    I bought a new-model Pioneer a few months ago (it has two magazines:
    one for a single disc and one that holds six discs), which has
    converted me to CDs. I listen almost entirely to classical and can
    make these recommendations:
    
    1. Verdi's "Requiem"--Solti w/ Sutherland, Horne, Pavarotti, and
       Talvella.  I wore out at least four copies of this on LP, but
       the CD goes SO FAR beyond the LP that I can hardly believe it.
       The explosion of the "Rex tremenda majestatis" IMMEDIATELY can
       never be heard on LPs because it begins side 2. The inner detail
       of the choral work is amazing, and the dynamics would have blown
       my cartridge out of the tone arm if they had been attempted on
       LPs. The label is London. Two CDs.
    2. Liszt Piano Concertos 1 & 2--Sviatoslav Richter w/ Kyril Kondrashin.
       This is another old favorite. (My first recording was on a domestic
       Philips; the red-label import was one of the first things I bought
       when they made their appearance back in 1970.) The sound is slightly
       drier on the CD than I remember it from the LP, but the clarity
       of the piano more than compensates--along with the total absence
       of background noise. The label is Philips. One CD (full-price,
       not Silver-Line).
    3. Maria Callas Sings Verdi (Two separate volumes). These two CDs
       roughly correspond to the EMI imports, volumes I and II. But
       they both contain arias from other albums ("Arias I Love"?) to
       fill them out. If you aren't quite sure, listen to "La luce langue"
       from "Macbeth" (all three of the Lady's arias are there). The
       label is EMI/Angel. Two CDs packaged separately.
    4. Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4--Lorin Maazel with the LSO(?). This
       isn't available yet, but it's a reply to 41.11 about the symphonies.
       This is the most spectacular recording of a Tchaikovsky symphony
       that I've ever heard. I bought it years ago as part of an integral
       set of the symphonies, and I hope that Decca/London will release
       it on CD just as soon as they can. The label is London.
    5. Saint-Saens' Symphony No. 3 ("Organ")--Munch and the Boston Symphony.
       I had this on a German pressing of the RCA .5 edition, which
       was spectacular. Now the CD is available (filled out with pieces
       by Poulenc and Franck). I don't dare play it at the appropriate
       volume except on weekend afternoons for fear of the neighbors.
       It's hard to believe that this recording was made in 1959, except
       that there are a few moments when the master tape was slightly
       overloaded (seems to happen mostly in the left channel). But
       the effect is a lot less irritating on the CD than the LP! The
       label is RCA Red Seal. One CD.