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SACD Review
Rhapsodies
- Franz Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody #2
- George Enescu: Romanian Rhapsody #1, Op. 11 #1
- Bedřich Smetana:
- Ma Vlast: The Moldau
- The Bartered Bride: Overture
- Richard Wagner: *
- Tristan und Isolde: Prelude to Act 3
- Tannhäuser: Overture and Venusberg Music
RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra/Leopold Stokowski
* Symphony of the Air/Leopold Stokowski
RCA Living Stereo SACD 82876-67903-2 Hybrid Multichannel
This is one of the SACD Hybrid discs that are the latest flavor. My experience with them has been mixed. Since I do not have an SACD player I cannot judge how they sound on such equipment, but I have noticed that some of them (from RCA, that is) have an edge to them that makes them unlistenable for me. This, on the other hand, is more than just fine… it is a significant improvement on the previous incarnations. This compilation was originally released on RCA 68569 in 1993 and sounded very good. Now, however, the sound has improved dramatically. It is as if a veil had been removed from the tapes revealing all sorts of details. The previous sound is, by comparison, "fuzzy" around the music. As my daughter, Jasmine, put it, "it sounds clearer, sharper in detail."
As for the performances, this music is the kind that Stokowski excelled in. There is all the color and energy you can ask for from the composers and if Stokowski does indulge himself, the music is the better for it. If you already have this disc you can replace it and donate it to the local library or some other music lover.
Copyright © 2006, Robert Stumpf II
