Category: SACD

Title: Nathan Milstein, Wiener Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado – Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn – Violin Concertos , Geminiani – Sonata in A major (1972-1975/2018)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

This release combines all of Milstein’s concerto recordings left at DG with recital albums including “Paganiniana.” This is the world’s first SA-CD release. Newly mastered from the original analog masters in Russia. This two-disc set combines two concertos and one collection of short pieces recorded by the renowned Russian violinist Milstein (1903-92) for DG, and is the world’s first SA-CD hybrid release. His recording career began with SP records in 1932 and spanned over half a century, culminating in the CD of his “final recital” in June 1986. He recorded his favorite works multiple times. The recordings included in this two-disc set were made between 1972 and 1975, during his most mature period, and with the exception of Schubert’s “Rondo Brilliant,” which he recorded only once, and Liszt’s “Consolation No. 3,” which he performed at his “final recital,” all of the recordings are his last. Here, the stability of his youthful technique and his outstanding beautiful tone remain intact, while the addition of a profound flavor in his later years creates a beautiful culmination, like the twilight of a great artist. Among these, the deepening of his interpretation of Brahms’ Violin Concerto, which he recorded twice for EMI, is remarkable. He himself noted that it was “a more romantic interpretation” compared to his previous recording, “People progress in the direction that the music demands.” After the self-composed cadenza in the first movement, the violin sings the theme softly in the coda, and this recording has a beauty that is unmatched among CDs of the same piece. The 1972 recording of Tchaikovsky and the 1973 recording of Mendelssohn are also more relaxed than his previous recordings, with extremely supple and refined performances that are surprisingly noble. In Tchaikovsky, he plays his own version based on the Auer edition rather than the original edition, incorporating his own ideas. All three concertos feature the Vienna Philharmonic as the backing orchestra, but while Jochum emphasizes a rich, string-dominated sound, the younger Abbado highlights a bright sound and light rhythm with a focus on woodwinds, showcasing the distinct personalities of both conductors. The 1975 recording of “Violin Recital” is a collection of masterpieces that will leave you breathless. The tone, technique, and form are all polished to perfection, and the music is filled with an indomitable elegance, yet it also has a gentle, enveloping quality that wraps the listener in warmth. The improvement in sound quality is most notable in this album, with the piano and violin sounds and tones reproduced on stage with enhanced realism and a heightened sense of presence.

For this reissue, we went back to the original analog master tapes from the country of origin, remixed them, and digitized them in high quality. You will notice that the DSD conversion brings out the characteristics of the recording location and the conductor’s preferences in a surprising way. The central violins are reproduced with a realistic three-dimensional sound and a prominent resonance. The background orchestra spreads out before you with a rich, uncluttered sound, making it clear that this is a large-scale performance. For this release, we physically maintained and restored the original analog master tapes from the home country, then digitized them at high quality (192/24) using PCM. The home country’s label-dedicated engineer then spent considerable time meticulously mastering the recordings for this series. On the SA-CD layer, you can enjoy the high-resolution master sound. The CD layer has also been digitally remastered using the latest technology from 2018, resulting in a sound quality that stands apart from previous releases. This series features the original jacket design and includes a new introductory essay. The booklet includes color reproductions of the original jacket designs from each release. Additionally, this 11th installment of the “Vintage SA-CD Collection” will feature a total of three titles.

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