• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

What are we listening to right now..

FrantzM

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
4,339
Likes
7,737
Hi
I realized yesterday that I hadn't listened to Western Classical music for a while, perhaps for 6 months. The longest in my years as a music-lover. This is due to my adoption of streaming, in particular Spotify and Apple Music... Anyway, I went to my Library of ripped CD and started listening though Apple Audio :cool: and Spotify.. Teaching the Algorithms as you would have it... I had some issues with my HDD and Power supplies and Raspberry Pi so ..
I listened to some old favorites.
Ravel: Boléro; Rapsodie Espagnole; Alborada del Gracioso; La Valse; Valse nobles et sentimentales
51ApvVVUWaL._SX425_.jpg


This recording by Telarc is superb IMHO... The famous Telarc "Bass Drum". IMHO ,it is one step over what I have experienced in concerts and that depends, on the hall itself, is there a bit overdone, if you aske me and if you attend to Classical concerts often but, in truth, not that much. bass drums in some venues can sound that way.. can explode that way, depending on the conductor.
THis happens to be a very dynamic recording also.. Measured on my iPhone .. the lowest SPL was 35 dB .. Exploding to 80 dB+

THose custs from:

1Alborado Del Gracioso
2Rapsodie Espagnole: I. Prld A La Nuit
3Rapsodie Espagnole: II. Malaguena
4Rapsodie Espagnole: III. Habanera
5Rapsodie Espagnole: IV. Feria

Are as dynamics as one would want and there are layers, front to back layering and interesting instruments positioning, yo can "see" those instruments in the soundstage... Those past few days, I have been listening almost exclusively on the TCZ IEM reviewed HERE and ... but went on my speakers-based audio system for these orchestral works. The concept of soundstage, of layers of depth of weight came to me ... If one want to evaluate how good their system can sound .. this is one of those recordings... I don't know what the DR would be on a DR-meters but informally, there're easily 50 dB swings on this CD. I had forgotten how delicious such can be :D...
Taking off my audiophile hat. The performance is good and vigorous. Maurice Ravel is one of those sublime orchestrators. He could take a simple tune and make a masterpiece of it (Bolero) of it with brio, or write something that manage to elicit Jazz idioms without offending any jazz or Classical Artist , the (to me sublime):
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G / Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 4 Great Recordings of the Century:
81jUDastH3L._SX425_.jpg


without taking himself seriously, yet an inventive and non-derivative work.

Jose Lopez-Corbos performance is good, especially, this Bolero. I do like it. There are some better performances of the Works.. among these one, of my favorite,
Ravel: Bolero - La Valse - Rapsodie Espagnole, Debussy: Images for Orchestra
81c-+2e-UEL._SL1500_.jpg


Great performance, I don't think this recording is as good as the Telarc, definitely not as dynamic but IMHO, better performance, much better...
Don't ask me to prove it. I listened to it with all my biases :D


Peace

(Edited: for clarification and omission)
 
Last edited:

Axo1989

Major Contributor
Joined
Jan 9, 2022
Messages
2,820
Likes
2,816
Location
Sydney
Fresh album MATA today from MIA:


24/96 if that interests you
 
Last edited:

Axo1989

Major Contributor
Joined
Jan 9, 2022
Messages
2,820
Likes
2,816
Location
Sydney
Soundtrack release from PJ Harvey & friend:


(great show as well, intro track is the first one on the album, I never skip it)
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom