Arne Domnérus & Gustav Sjökvist – Antiphone Blues (1976+1994) [SACD 2001] [SACD / First Impression Music – FIM SACD 050]

Arne Domnérus & Gustav Sjökvist - Antiphone Blues (1976+1994) [SACD 2001]

Title: Arne Domnérus & Gustav Sjökvist – Antiphone Blues (1976+1994) [SACD 2001]
Genre: Jazz
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Maestro Arne Domnerus plays classical and spiritual pieces. All tracks have been mastered using HDCD technology. The first eleven songs were recorded at Spanga Chuch in 1976, the last songs were recorded in Stockholm’s Cathedral, Sweden. Recording engineer: Gert Palmcrantz. Remastered by Paul Stubblebine. Released on SACD on 2001 by First Impression Music (FIMSACD-050).

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Armand Amar – Le Premier Cri: The First Cry (Original Soundtrack) [2007] [SACD / Naïve – K 1628]

Armand Amar - Le Premier Cri: The First Cry (Soundtrack) [2007]

Title: Armand Amar – Le Premier Cri: The First Cry (Original Soundtrack) [2007]
Genre: Soundtrack
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

This SACD is the sountrack of a French documentary which observes the miracle of child birth from the perspective of different cultures – including American, French, Mexican, Indian, Vietnamese, African and Russian.

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Aretha Franklin – Aretha’s Gold (1969) [MFSL 2014] [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2142]

Aretha Franklin - Aretha's Gold (1969) [MFSL 2014]

Title: Aretha Franklin – Aretha’s Gold (1969) [MFSL 2014]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Aretha’s Gold, the first compilation of Aretha Franklin’s 1967-1968 Atlantic Records successes, features 14 tracks, including nine Top 10 hits like “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)” and “I Say A Little Prayer,” which solidified her as the Queen of Soul and defined soul music. Recorded with producer Jerry Wexler and the Muscle Shoals studio band, Franklin unleashed a bold, expressive artistry previously restrained at Columbia, creating a historic two-year run. Mastered from original tapes, Mobile Fidelity’s hybrid SACD delivers these seminal tracks with audiophile-grade sonics, revealing the full depth, clarity, and emotional power of Franklin’s voice, crowned by Rolling Stone as the greatest of all time. This collectible release enhances her timeless classics with stunning dynamics and restored balance, offering a fresh perspective on her unparalleled technique and expressiveness.

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Archie Shepp Quartet – Deja Vu (2001) [Japan 2003] [SACD / Venus Records – VHGD-13]

Archie Shepp Quartet - Deja Vu (2001) [Japan 2003]

Title: Archie Shepp Quartet – Deja Vu (2001) [Japan 2003]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

In his 2001 album, also known as French Ballads in Japan, Archie Shepp, typically known for his fiery avant-garde jazz, delivers a remarkably restrained and emotive set of French songs and France-associated ballads, recorded with a stellar rhythm section featuring Harold Mabern on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums. Following his successful late-1990s Venus Records releases, Shepp, a long-time France resident, performs rhapsodic pieces like Michel Legrand and Sidney Bechet compositions, “Les Feuilles Mortes” (Autumn Leaves), and “Sous Le Ciel De Paris,” culminating with his original “Deja Vu.” His sweet, romantic renditions carry deep emotion without saccharine sentimentality, creating riveting tension, while upbeat tracks like “L’Ame Des Poetes” and “April in Paris” showcase a relaxed, playful side, making this a compelling addition to his discography.

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Arcadi Volodos – Volodos In Vienna (2009) [SACD / Sony Classical – 88697636922]

Arcadi Volodos - Volodos In Vienna (2009)

Title: Arcadi Volodos – Volodos In Vienna (2009)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Arcadi Volodos, celebrated since his 1997 debut as a keyboard genius, delivers a mesmerizing recital at Vienna’s Musikvereinsaal, showcasing his unmatched virtuosity, poetic timing, and vivid storytelling through a program of Scriabin, Ravel, and Schumann’s Waldszenen. His commanding yet painless technique shines in Liszt’s Dante Sonata, maintaining structural clarity amid fiery intensity, while his Ravel waltzes balance warmth and neoclassical bite, rivaling Casadesus’ classic reading. Volodos’ Scriabin interpretations, from the sensuous Danse languide to the cataclysmic Seventh Sonata, outshine even Hamelin and Pletnev with their incense-laden edge. In Waldszenen, his narrative genius crafts rapt wonder in “Einsame blumen” and poignant restraint in “Abschied,” matching the artistry of Richter and Pires. Encores, including a restrained Bach/Vivaldi Sicilienne and a glorious Tchaikovsky song transcription, are sublime, with Sony’s engineering capturing every nuance of Volodos’ velvety yet steely sound in the live acoustics, making this a pinnacle of piano artistry.

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Arcadi Volodos, Berliner Philharmoniker, Seiji Ozawa – Works by Tchaikovsky & Rachmaninoff (2003) [SACD / Sony Classical – SH 93067]

Arcadi Volodos, Berliner Philharmoniker, Seiji Ozawa - Works by Tchaikovsky & Rachmaninoff (2003)

Title: Arcadi Volodos, Berliner Philharmoniker, Seiji Ozawa – Works by Tchaikovsky & Rachmaninoff (2003)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Arcadi Volodos delivers a strikingly revisionist 2003 recording of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23, with the Berlin Philharmonic under Seiji Ozawa, eschewing the expected high-powered romanticism for a delicate, crystal-clear interpretation that emphasizes emotional depth in quiet moments and subtle tempo variations, aligning with the lighter pianos of Tchaikovsky’s era. Known for his virtuosic Liszt performances and complex transcriptions, Volodos avoids bombast, navigating technical challenges with effortless clarity and breathing new life into the concerto’s modulations and arcs. The album’s seven Rachmaninov encores showcase his formidable technique with a fuller, more expansive fragrance, displaying a lightness and finesse that complement the concerto’s restrained approach. Sony’s exceptional engineering in the Berlin Philharmonie captures every detail of Volodos’ passagework, making this a highly recommended recording for those seeking a fresh take on this iconic concerto.

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Arabella Steinbacher & Robert Kulek – Cesar Franck & Richard Strauss (2014) [SACD / PentaTone – PTC 5186 470]

Arabella Steinbacher & Robert Kulek - Cesar Franck & Richard Strauss (2014)

Title: Arabella Steinbacher & Robert Kulek – Cesar Franck & Richard Strauss (2014)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Violinist Arabella Steinbacher and pianist Robert Kulek continue their great collaboration with a new PENTATONE release, the recording of Cesar Franck’s Sonata for Piano and Violin in A, which joins Richard Strauss’ Sonata for Violin and Piano in E-flat, Op. 18. While Franck’s violin sonata is epic in character, Strauss’ work is full of jovial energy, hope and anticipation. This fusion of elements brilliantly demonstrates the synergy between Steinbacher and Kulek, something we have witnessed during their recital performances over the past few years.

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Aphrodite’s Child – 666 (1972) [Japanese SHM-SACD 2014] [SACD / Vertigo / Universal (Japan) – UIGY-9561]

Aphrodite’s Child - 666 (1972) [Japanese SHM-SACD 2014]

Title: Aphrodite’s Child – 666 (1972) [Japanese SHM-SACD 2014]
Genre: Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

666 (The Apocalypse of John, 13/18) is a double album by psychedelic/progressive art rock group Aphrodite’s Child. It was released in 1972, and was the primary vehicle/effort for the Vangelis project. It had a minor Album Oriented Radio hit in “The Four Horsemen”, and the song “Break” was also released. The album was ostensibly an adaptation of Biblical passages from the book of the same name, but was also very experimental in lyrics and composition.
An amazingly bombastic concept album about the Apocalypse of St. John seen as a rock spectacle. Demis Roussos wails the lyrics in a frantically operatic falsetto, while the band pound fiercely through Vangelis’ furiously complex music. It certainly has its moments, but the entire set eventually becomes too overwhelming to sit through.

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SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart, Marcus Creed – Anton Bruckner – Mass in E Minor / Motets (2008) [SACD / Hänssler Classic – SACD 93.199]

SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart, Marcus Creed - Anton Bruckner - Mass in E Minor / Motets (2008)

Title: SWR Vokalensemble Stuttgart, Marcus Creed – Anton Bruckner – Mass in E Minor / Motets (2008)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Marcus Creed’s recording of Anton Bruckner’s sacred music, featuring the SWR Stuttgart Vokalensemble performing seven motets and the E minor Mass (1882 revised version), is a blessing for fans of the Austrian composer’s deeply devotional and inspired works. Creed, known for his skillful choral conducting, crafts musically balanced yet emotionally affecting performances, sculpting warm-hearted a cappella motets and a flowing, monumental Mass accompanied by wind band, rivaling his acclaimed Brahms recordings. While some may miss the intense spiritual passion of Eugen Jochum’s classic Deutsche Grammophon recordings, Creed’s smoother approach, paired with Hänssler’s pristine digital sound, offers a fresh perspective that highlights Bruckner’s timeless sacred music. Blending influences from medieval mysticism, Renaissance, and Baroque traditions with romantic expressiveness, as noted by biographer Ernst Kurth, Bruckner’s church music feels eternal, and the Stuttgart ensemble’s tonal balance creates a Super Audio CD of rare musical significance, making this a summit in the composer’s discography.

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Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck – Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 in E Minor, op. 88; Leos Janacek: Symphonic Suite from “Jenufa” (2014) [SACD / Reference Recordings – FR-710SACD]

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck - Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 in E Minor, op. 88; Leos Janacek: Symphonic Suite from

Title: Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manfred Honeck – Dvorak: Symphony No. 8 in E Minor, op. 88; Leos Janacek: Symphonic Suite from “Jenufa” (2014)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO

The second release in Reference Recordings’ “Pittsburgh Live!” series, a multi-channel hybrid SACD from the FRESH! series, showcases the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO), renowned for its 116-year legacy of artistic excellence under legendary conductors like Reiner, Steinberg, Previn, Maazel, and, since 2008, Manfred Honeck. Critically acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest orchestras, the PSO has completed over 36 international tours, including a historic 2004 Vatican performance for Pope John Paul II’s Silver Jubilee. With a rich recording history since 1936, including coast-to-coast broadcasts and ongoing PRI radio series on WQED-FM 89.3, the PSO’s recordings remain widely available and award-winning. This release, recorded and mastered by Soundmirror—a team with over 70 GRAMMY nominations and awards—highlights the PSO’s brilliance, supporting Reference Recordings’ mission to promote exceptional artists globally.

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