Henry Szeryng – Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo BWV 1001-1006 [2 SACDs] (1967/2017) [SACD / Deutsche Grammophon – UCGG-9095/6]

Henry Szeryng - Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo BWV 1001-1006 [2 SACDs] (1967/2017)

Title: Henry Szeryng – Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo BWV 1001-1006 [2 SACDs] (1967/2017)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

J.S. Bach’s Unaccompanied Works, known as one of the greatest treasures among the many recordings by the famous Polish violinist Henryk Schelling, is finally available on SA-CD-SHM. The unique tone, which combines power and nobility, will overwhelm the listener with even more vividness thanks to the latest DSD mastering. [Latest DSD master produced in 2016 at Emil Berliner Studios in Germany from the original DG analog master].

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1 min read

Münchner Bach-Orchester, Karl Richter – Bach: Brandenburg Concertos 4, 5 & 6 (1967/2016) [SACD / Archiv Produktion – UCGA-9009]

Münchner Bach-Orchester, Karl Richter - Bach: Brandenburg Concertos 4, 5 & 6 (1967/2016)

Title: Münchner Bach-Orchester, Karl Richter – Bach: Brandenburg Concertos 4, 5 & 6 (1967/2016)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

[In commemoration of the 90th anniversary of Carl Richter’s birth, the immortal masterpieces of J.S. Bach are now available in SACD-SHM format. The “Brandenburg Concertos” by Carl Richter, one of the most famous Bach performers of the second half of the 20th century. This is a masterful performance that brings to fruition the brilliant virtuosity of the virtuosos and Richter’s precise expression. [First SA-CD to SHM release!] DSD master produced in 2004 at Emil Berliner Studios from analog masters. [Using 2004 DSD master produced by Emil Berliner Studios, Germany].

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1 min read

Münchner Bach-Orchester, Karl Richter – Bach: Brandenburg Concertos 1, 2 & 3 (1967/2011) [SACD / Archiv Produktion – UCGA-9002]

Münchner Bach-Orchester, Karl Richter - Bach: Brandenburg Concertos 1, 2 & 3 (1967/2011)

Title: Münchner Bach-Orchester, Karl Richter – Bach: Brandenburg Concertos 1, 2 & 3 (1967/2011)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

An encore pressing of the immortal masterpieces of J.S. Bach. Included are Nos. 1-3 from the Brandenburg Concerto Collection recorded in 1967 by Carl Richter, the greatest Bach performer of the 20th century. The concertmaster of the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Schneeberger, horn virtuoso Baumann, trumpeter Thibaud, and other top-notch soloists of the time are also a must-hear. [DSD Master 2004, produced by Emil Berliner Studios, Germany.]

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1 min read

Aurèle Nicolet, Münchner Bach-Orchester, Karl Richter – Bach: Orchestral Suites Nos. 1 & 2 (1960-1961/2010) [SACD / Archiv Produktion – UCGA-9001]

Aurèle Nicolet, Münchner Bach-Orchester, Karl Richter - Bach: Orchestral Suites Nos. 1 & 2 (1960-1961/2010) [SACD]

Title: Aurèle Nicolet, Münchner Bach-Orchester, Karl Richter – Bach: Orchestral Suites Nos. 1 & 2 (1960-1961/2010) [SACD]
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

An encore pressing of the immortal masterpieces of J.S. Bach. Richter’s performances of J.S. Bach are universally acclaimed for their depth of spirituality, even in today’s era of period-style music. Coupling of Orchestral Suites No. 2 and No. 1 with Nicolet as soloist. [DSD Master 2004, produced by Emil Berliner Studios, Germany.]

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1 min read

Wuerttembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn, Ruben Gazarian – Simply Strings: Bartok, Janacek, Sibelius, Britten (2010) [SACD / Bayer Records – BR 100 371]

Wuerttembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn, Ruben Gazarian - Simply Strings: Bartok, Janacek, Sibelius, Britten (2010)

Title: Wuerttembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn, Ruben Gazarian – Simply Strings: Bartok, Janacek, Sibelius, Britten (2010)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO

Bartók: Divertimento, Janáček: Suite for String Orchestra, Sibelius: Impromptus Op. 5 Nos. 5 & 6, Britten: Simple Symphony Op. 4 

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1 min read

Karl Suske, Giorgio Kröhner, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Kurt Masur – Bach: Violin Concertos (1970-1978/2021) [SACD / Berlin Classics x Tower Record – 0302713BC]

Karl Suske, Giorgio Kröhner, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Kurt Masur - Bach: Violin Concertos (1970-1978/2021)

Title: Karl Suske, Giorgio Kröhner, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Kurt Masur – Bach: Violin Concertos (1970-1978/2021)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

Zuske’s masterpiece, which is a rich fruit of the performance style nurtured in Leipzig, a city associated with Bach, has been reissued in the best sound quality! New reissue from the original ETERNA analog tape. This is the world’s first SACD release! Mastered only in the analog domain and directly converted to DSD! The world’s first SACD reissue of Bach’s Violin Concertos by Carl Zuske (1934.3.15-), recorded for the ETERNA label in 1977 and the following year under the direction of Mazur. This is one of Zuske’s most highly acclaimed recordings, which evokes the traditional style of Bach performance cultivated in Leipzig. After joining the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra (LGO) in 1954 at the age of 20, Zuske worked as the second concertmaster before becoming the first concertmaster in 1959. He was appointed as the first concertmaster in 1959. He is not only a soloist, including chamber music, but also a representative violinist of the former East Germany, leaving a great impact both at home and abroad. He has been a standard-bearer especially in the performance of Bach and Beethoven, and many people in Japan are familiar with his performances of these works. This recording is a milestone in modern instrumentation and technique, and the neatness and emotion of the playing is captivating. The recording is also excellent, and since the effect of the latest high-definition digitalization is significant, the SACD version will allow the listener to appreciate the beauty of the recording even more. The three Beethoven pieces in the margins were originally recorded as a coupling of three solo pieces by Zuske and “Rondo for Piano and Orchestra WoO6” with Peter Lösel on the occasion of Beethoven’s bicentennial in 1970, conducted by Bongartz. (Zuske later made a digital recording of the Violin Concerto under Mazur in 1987.) Again, Zuske’s violin is naturalistic and beautiful, conveying to the listener the charm of Beethoven’s music, which is based on a solid melody line. The last part of the recording includes a rare “Violin Concerto (section)” (the last part of the piece is played up to the point where Beethoven put down his pen, where the score breaks off). For this reissue, the master tapes were flown from the label to Vienna-based mastering engineer Christoph Stickel’s studio, mastered in the analog domain, and digitized separately in DSD for the SACD layer and PCM for the CD layer. The project was then digitized into a product. This project realized the ideal method of mastering as far as currently conceivable. The effect is remarkable: it is now possible to reproduce the quality left on the master tapes with extreme fidelity, and the mastering and direct DSD conversion in the analog domain only has even greater sonic benefits. The result is a performance that is so clear and resolved compared to its predecessor that one can expect to appreciate the performance even more. The manual also includes a color photo of the outer box of the original analog master tape used in this project.

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3 min read

Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki – Bach: The Complete Secular Cantatas [10 SACDs] (2003-2017/2019) [SACD / BIS – BIS-2491]

Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki - Bach: The Complete Secular Cantatas [10 SACDs] (2003-2017/2019)

Title: Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki – Bach: The Complete Secular Cantatas [10 SACDs] (2003-2017/2019)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO

In 1995 Masaaki Suzuki and his Bach Collegium Japan began the monumental task of recording J.S. Bach’s extant church cantatas – an adventure that was brought to a close 18 years later. But Bach also composed a number of cantatas for secular occasions of which some twenty works have survived intact. Released on individual discs between 2004 and 2018, Masaaki Suzuki’s recordings of these works have now been gathered in a box set, available as a limited edition. The secular cantatas were written (both the texts and the music) for special events in the family, social, academic or political calendar – a wedding, a birthday celebration, an academic ceremony or a tribute to a prince. Although they were normally only performed once in their original form, Bach was keen to reuse material from them, if the opportunity arose. The best-known examples of using secular arias and choruses with new sacred texts are found in the Christmas Oratorio, for which Bach drew extensively on three festive cantatas written for the Prince-Elector of Saxony and his family. Included in the box is a 156-page booklet with an introduction by Bach specialist Dr Klaus Hofmann (in English, German and French) and the texts of the cantatas with English translations.

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2 min read

János Starker – Bach: Suites for Solo Cello BWV 1007-1012 [2 SACDs] (1963-1965/2016) [SACD / Stereo Sound – SSHRS-011~014]

János Starker - Bach: Suites for Solo Cello BWV 1007-1012 [2 SACDs] (1963-1965/2016)

Title: János Starker – Bach: Suites for Solo Cello BWV 1007-1012 [2 SACDs] (1963-1965/2016)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

The joy of audiophiles is to listen to great performances and recordings of masterpieces. Analog master tapes of “historical masterpieces and recordings of eternal value” are stored by record companies around the world. Stereo Sound has started the “Audio Masterpieces Collection,” which unearths high-quality master tapes from among these and uses the latest technology to create the “best sound” possible.  This product is a digital version of the original analog master tapes with virtually no processing. Therefore, as a rule, no correction processing such as equalization to make the sound easier to hear, noise cut or dropout caused by the master tapes, let alone cutting of ultra-low frequencies, has been performed. This is based on the product plan to deliver the sound of the master tapes to audiophiles as faithfully as possible, which was previously available only to a limited number of people involved in the production. The sound image of the cello, which draws on Bach’s miraculous music in a fresh way, is slightly larger, but maintains a holographic shape in medium perspective. Low-level texture and natural timbre are of a phenomenal standard. The sound of strings hitting the fretboard and breath sounds are delivered with a sense of distance, but even in single-note passages, not to mention heavy notes, the chords created in space by resonance create a grand architecture of sound. It would be too much to say that this is a moving recording that transforms the place into the center of the world. (Excerpt from “The Ultimate Guide to Classical Masterpieces” by Mamoru Shima, published by our company)

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2 min read