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My rankings of some classical violin music in high resolution

Folks-

So this may be of no interest, but I thought I would provide my feedback. Upfront, let me say that I could not make it at Berklee / New England Conservatory, so I went into biomedical research instead (PhD/MD). I know a great deal about the human auditory system, and somerthing about Nyquist sampling. Music is not just some "emotional" experience - there are objective measures of comparison between individuals, shaped by our bias.

My system is modest compared to some, and was put together by the great folks at Paragon sound here in Ann Arbor, MI. It consists of almost all McIntosh components, except for computer-based downloaded high res music files, including a D150 preamp, MCT 450 SACD / CD player, C22 preamp into a MC275 tube amp. The speakers are Wilson WattPuppy 7s.

Best digital, high resolution recordings I own (so far) in this category, out of 17:
1. Josuha Bell, Tchiavoksy violin concetto, Berlin Phil., Micheal Tilson Thomas;
2. Hilary Hahn, Brahms and Stravinsky, Acad. St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Nelville Mariner;
Very Good:
3. Arthur Grumiax, Mozart, concertos 3, 5;
4. Andrew Manze, Mozart - 3 violin concerti, English consort;
Good:
5. Julia Fischer, Mozart Violin Concertos, SACD and DVD;
6. John Butt, Bach Violin Concertos (Lnn Audio);
Not recommended:
7. Hilary Hahn, Bach Violin Concertos - too brittle and "compressed" sounding, played at too rapid a tempo;
8. Henryk Szeryng (one of my favorite violinists) - Bach solo violin, Phillips - DSD SACD from Japan, but I bet the master was not great due to the age of this recording.

I find it odd that there are virtually no high res recordings available in any format from violinists such as Itzhak Perlman, Michael Rabin, and others. I love almost all music, with the exception of some pop recordings, and as a teenager listened to, and saw bands live, including the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, The Doors (infamous New Haven, CT concert), The Dead, The Who, the Allman Brothers with Duane and Dicky before they were famous, etc. I still have excellent hearing, which is remarkable. 

Thanks - Gerry
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tdimler
132 posts
 
Try a CD rip of the recent Rachel Barton-Pine disc of Bach recordings....I'd put it against any "high-rez" downloads....


Also regarding Carmingnola......not available in high-res but his Four Seasons recording is brilliantly engineered....the CD sounds great.
ejr1953
915 posts
 
Has anyone reviewed the streaming offerings from Primephonic?  I used to subscribe to a classical music streaming service (from the owner of Naxos?), but it ceased operations a few months ago.
rackon
301 posts
 
I don't know what hi-rez recordings are available from Gil Shaham but he is one of my favorite current violinists. For the greatest of all time I think that honor would go to Heifetz for musicality, if not for sound quality.

I heard Henryk Szeryng play many times, including a memorable double all Bach recital at the University of Chicago back in the 70s.

I love Dorian recordings, truly superb sounding,
rost
94 posts
 
@ tdimler  Also regarding Carmingnola......not available in high-res but his Four Seasons recording is brilliantly engineered....the CD sounds great.

With the Venice Baroque or Sonatori de la Gioiosa Marca ?

Thanks








gawdbless's avatar
gawdbless
1,235 posts
 
I maybe running against the grain of a spruce soundboard here, but I buy/beg/borrow or steal (well maybe not the last one) music if I like it rather than looking for a hi-res cd/format. I will also agree though that BIS is a superb label. I also think that if one's system is good then it will play non hi-res music with good entertainment value.
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