Anton Bruckner Symphony No. 5 in B-flat/Marek
Janowski + Beethoven Symphony No. 9 “Choral” – Philippe Herreweghe/Royal Flemish
Philharmonic (Naxos/PentaTone Super Audio Compact Discs/SA-CDs/SACDs)
Sound:
B+ Music: B
In two of
the better Classical Super Audio CD releases I have heard lately, PentaTone has
issued two solid albums recorded in SA-CDs native digital format of Direct
Stream Digital, or DSD. One is from
composer Anton Bruckner, whose 6th Symphony has already been issued
in a fine SA-CD from fellow Naxos distribute Oehms Classics, which you can read
more about at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/9095/Gewandhauds-Quartett+Schubert-Schu
Now Marek
Janowski delivers Anton Bruckner:
Symphony No. 5 in B-flat and though it is from rival label PentaTone, is an
excellent companion to the previous release.
With the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Janowski adds to Simone Young’s
work is demonstrating that Bruckner may be one of the most underrated composers
in the genre. At 73:54, it is non-stop
excellent and though this hybrid includes DSD 2.0 Stereo and PCM 2.0 Stereo for
regular CD players, it is the 5.1 mix that impresses the most in its range,
smoothness and overall fidelity. This is
at least the third Janowski SACD of Bruckner’s work and if the others are as
good as this, I hope he records everything Bruckner ever wrote.
Obviously
Ludwig Von Beethoven is inarguable as a music force, but hearing his music in
full force is the best way to understand why.
Beethoven Symphony No. 9 “Choral”
has been recorded by Philippe Herreweghe with The Royal Flemish Philharmonic. To hear one of the most used and familiar
pieces with this kind of fidelity and clarity is a revelation and once again,
PentaTone delivers a hybrid SA-CD that has DSD 2.0 Stereo and PCM 2.0 Stereo,
but the 5.1 is one of the best versions of this classic vital work I have ever
heard and that is not just technically.
It is a revelation in many ways and Herreweghe has an exceptional grasp
of this music master.
That is
why I have rated the works high and their playback even higher. It is amazing to me that even after all the
Blu-rays I have heard in DTS-HD MA 5.1, PCM 5.1 and Dolby TrueHD 5.1, DSD 5.1
is still that much more impressive and plenty of Classical Blu-rays with those
uncompressed sound formats come to us on a monthly basis. Anyone who thinks SA-CD is dead should hear
these works. Both are of demonstration
quality and must-own SA-CDs for true Classical Music audiophiles.
- Nicholas Sheffo
