Interesting. The recordings Im mentioning are essentially new releases or created in the last few years. Havent had a chance to look at other recent Decca to confirm it yet. The older Decca I listen to does not seem to have this issue.
If I can confirm it or not I will post back when I eventually get to doing a bit of a listening survey.
Some more easy listening along the the lines of the Swedish Bob-Bons disc I recommended a few weeks back. (I ordered this from Acoustic Sounds, its on the Esoteric label but original master tapes were Philips label - now a part of the Decca family it appears).
These two works are actually standard basic rep for string orchestraâs. This recording is new to me, never had the LP or the first issue(s) CD but this Japanese re-mastered and pressed cd is outstanding in every way. The string textures are very well captured; the body resonance and rubbing of bow hairs on strings are very realistic sounding. As the recordings were made in1986/87 I suspect they are all-digital master tapes.
This is a hybrid SACD but I can only play the 2 track information.
I just signed up for the Amazon HD 3 month free trial, and now I feel like an idiot for not seeing the benefits of streaming before. Particularly for classical, where I do like to compare different conductors.
Some of you were talking about âsmall bandâ Beethoven, and this led me to try Immerseelâs complete set on Amazon, since Iâve seen some rave reviews of this set. He uses around 40 players, and his tempo is about the same as Gardiner and Zinman but the playing is very fluid and doesnât sound rushed. Iâve tried 1-3 and Iâm in the middle of #9 and Iâm really enjoying it.
Thanks for this.
I found what might be the same album on Tidal but it has a different cover. The tracks and times look the same. Makes it really confusing finding works on different services.
Looks like itâs the same, but a different cover. Yes, it must be confusing, especially when the same conductor has tackled the same piece several times.
The other amazing thing is that there doesnât appear to be a way to search by any unique id - upc code or label album number.
Itâs so obvious it makes me think itâs deliberate, to make it hard to compare different services.
Well, in checking my log book for the year it appears Iâve been a good boy more often than not, so Iâm treating myself to my annual Christmas gift from Acoustic Sounds.
From initial listening it is quite nice. I have to choose between the Hive and Hifiman HE-560. Both are good. More air on the Hive, perhaps a bit more bass with the HE-560. I have no way to tell how the different amplification (Lyr 3 vs STAX SRM-T1S) affects the sound.
Both are good enough to encourage me to stop writing crap about headphones and listen. Or rather, the music is.
With winter finally arrived in my area with typically as many overcast days as sunny ones with temps in the 30âs, wind chills, early sunsets, and Christmas on the way, this is Tchaikovsky weather (notwithstanding that this is Beethovenâs birth month and his 250th anniversary at that and his music is still as popular as ever).
Started working my way thru his 6 symphonies and Manfred with Jansons & Oslo on the Chandos label. Even though these are from the 80âs the sound still holds up extremely well, everything is in balance from section to section; terrific brass sound, nicely differentiated string groups, and the wind sections donât sound like they are as big as the entire stage. A nice perspective on distance from the orchestra. Maybe a skosh more ambience than Iâm used to to but no lack of clarity in any event. Absolutely first class performances of all these works as well. Highly recommended.
My second choice for a complete, cost effective set is Muti and the Philharmonia on EMI (issued in several different compilations), the performances are very exciting with tight ensemble. Bass is full but not as detailed, and highs a bit less open than the Chandos set.
OR 
Been trying to get my hands on this set as well, always seems to be out of stock
Nice, I like the Muti. Have you listened to Munch? I think I have his 4th and 6th Tchai with the Boston Symphony. Beautiful recordings.
I have a number of partial sets and one-offâs, the Munch / Tchaikovsky (probably RCA?) I have not heard. Sonic differences between the Muti and Jansons may be attributed to the fact that Mutiâs set is from the 70âs and the master tapes are analog, the Jansons are all digital masters and surprisingly not over bright which was a tendency in many recordings in the first decade of digital recording, especially notable with many of my early digital DGâs.
I have the original Jansons/Oslo box set that I bought in the 80s. Havenât ripped it to flac yet, so Iâll try to do that tomorrow.
The other set that I have is Petrenko, with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. I do like this set, so I should compare it to the Jansons.
Iâd welcome your thoughts on it in comparison.
Growing up on a steady diet of #'s 4,5,and 6 Iâve really come to enjoy #'s 1,2,and 3, and especially âManfredâ.
SooooooooooooâŚI just placed this order,
Iâve only compared #6 so far: my versions are Jansons, Petrenko and also Mravinsky with the Leningrad Philharmonic (there may be different recordings by Mravinsky, so mine is the stereo DG 2 CD set of 4-6)
I liked all of them. I did a poor job of getting contrasting performances, because even though there are some subtle differences, they are all on the exciting end of the spectrum.
The Jansons probably sounded the most refined. I read some reviews of the Petrenko and Mravinsky, descibing their perfomances as very Russian. Iâm not sure what that means, but both Petrenko and Mravinsky had the brass further up in the mix and a little raspier than Jansons.
All three were recorded very well (surprising for the Mravinsky, which dates back to 1960) but Petrenko had the best recording quality.
The Mravinsky was the least refined but there was something about the Leningrad Philharmonicâs playing that made it slightly more enjoyable than the others (perhaps the most âRussianâ?), but honestly, I thought all three were exceptional.
As an aside, when I got the Jansons box off the shelf, I noticed that for some reason, Chandos had included foam inserts within the CD cases for extra protection, and just like my old Grado pads, the 30 year old inserts had started to disintegrate and shed tiny bits of foam everywhere.
I have the Mravinsky /DG on the original CD issue as well as the Japanese re-master on K2, classic performances but recording quality still doesnât match some of the others, but then itâs much older too. Iâve never quite figured out why so many DG releases strike me as bass light and high frequency heavy.
I compared 1,2,3, and 4 over the weekend, both Muti and Jansons. These are very good performances, canât go wrong with either for a complete set and the Muti comes with just about every other major orchestral work Tchaikovsky did. Jansons box set is I identical to the individual CDâs I bought as they were released, the only extra content is âCapriccio Italienâ. The Muti set has 8 other selections in addition to the 6 symphonies and âManfredâ, (but no Capriccio Italien"). Very good bargain.
So far (1 to 4) Muti leads in the excitement category but only by a slim hair, his brass sections are outstanding and well recorded and perhaps the overall ensemble playing is a hair tighter. The Jansons set has more transparent sound (but then itâs analog Muti versus digital Jansons and 10 years apart in time). Mutiâs set has a more âon the podium perspectiveâ in the sound staging, Jansons is backed off just a little and the result is more like a member of the audience, say front rows slightly above the stage floor, which technically is more true to life.
Personally, I wouldnât be without either set.
Iâll be comparing 5, and 6 over the next day or so (depends on how many football games I watch. LOL - 2 today and 1 tomorrow - this crazy covid season schedule.
Iâm going to save the âManfredsâ for last even though technically it was composed in between 4 and 5, I think. Hopefully Iâll have Petrenko and Pletnev âManfredsâ by then for a 4-way shootout!
I tried 5 today, and the Jansons and Petrenko are in a dead heat.
Again the Jansons is a little smoother, the Petrenko is better recorded and a little raspier in the brass. I wasnât a fan of the Mravinsky. The recording levels sounded a bit imbalanced to me, for instance the brass would suddenly appear out of nowhere, in one channel (like they were standing right next to me), and much louder than the strings.
Following up on my post of a week ago, #5âs and #6âs of Mutiâs and Jansons Tchaikovsky symphonies follow the same performance and recording qualities as 1 to 4 in both sets. Very consistent within each set and especially considering Mutiâs was at 2 different recording locations.
Still awaiting the 2 new âManfredâsâ I just ordered, should be here Tuesday, for my 4 way shootout.
For the Mahler curious among you, I just stumbled across this âbargain boxâ on Amazon:
This set is uniformly good, it was his first cycle on Columbia and, I personally think his best in almost all of these symphonies. At this price you would only be able to buy 1 CD in most cases, this is a 12 CD set. Itâs on back order but scheduled to be back in stock 12/23. A ton of extras included but minimal documentation. This is the same set I already have issued several years back completely remastered in the 2009: [Mahler: Complete Symphonies (Carnegie Hall Presents] in a much, much more expensive box but with a fat booklet, but all the discs and extraâs are included in this for 20 bucks! I ordered one for the car, LOL!
Hereâs some reading material on this set and check the user reviews on Amazon.
The sound is very good considering the vintage; and this is the best #2 âResurrectionâ he did (of 3 possibly 4) with Tourel and Venora, and the 7th , which is an impossibly difficult symphony to pull off, he is superb. The only other 7th I would recommend is Abbado on DG.
Anyway, FWIW.D set
Hi, beginner classical listener here. Through Qobuz, I see the following leonard bernstein/ mahler.
Would this be the same as you posted above? Trying to get my bearings.
Amazing 
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