Tag: Berliner Philharmoniker

SACD

Mstislav Rostropovich, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan – Dvorák: Cello Concerto – Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme (1968/2012) [SACD / Universal (Japan) – UCGG-9045]

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Mstislav Rostropovich, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan - Dvorák: Cello Concerto - Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme (1968/2012)

Title: Mstislav Rostropovich, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan – Dvorák: Cello Concerto – Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme (1968/2012)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO

This timeless masterpiece, which swept the world’s major recording awards—Germany’s Schallplattenpreis, France’s Grand Prix du Disque, and Japan’s Record Academy Award—can be declared Rostropovich’s greatest performance.

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SACD

Berliner Philharmoniker, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay – Dvořák: Symphony No. 9; Smetana: Vltava; Kodály: Hary Janos Suite (2020) [SACD / Tower Universal Vintage – PROC-2267]

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Berliner Philharmoniker, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay - Dvořák: Symphony No. 9; Smetana: Vltava; Kodály: Hary Janos Suite (1959-1961/2020)

Title: Berliner Philharmoniker, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Ferenc Fricsay – Dvořák: Symphony No. 9; Smetana: Vltava; Kodály: Hary Janos Suite (1959-1961/2020)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

Furichai’s iconic masterpiece. Overwhelming with its fierce intensity, “New World” and others are newly mastered from the original analog master tapes in Germany for the world’s first SA-CD release! Superb recording. Newly mastered in Germany from the original analog master tapes. This golden combination album pairs Furtwängler’s definitive DG recording of the “New World Symphony” with his equally masterful “Moldau,” also conducted with the Berlin Philharmonic, and Kodály’s “János Károlyi Suite,” one of the composer’s major works which Furtwängler championed with extraordinary passion throughout his life, alongside Bartók. The 1959 recording of the “New World” Symphony showcases the Berlin Philharmonic’s formidable power with its low center of gravity, combined with Furtwängler’s exceptional sense of tempo and masterful transitions. Beyond just this recording, one feels the tremendous intensity poured into the performance. It is a compelling interpretation that stands out among the many recordings, and even 60 years after its release, it remains a masterpiece worthy of the forefront. The Moldau begins at a brisk tempo, with the middle section offering a sense of liberation rich with lingering resonance and a flowing tempo that is truly outstanding. As seen in rehearsal footage, the meticulous direction and the orchestra’s ability to respond to it make this a rare masterpiece. While this piece is often performed separately and many recordings exist, this performance is also one that captures the essence of Fricsay. Furthermore, Kodály’s representative orchestral work, the suite “Háry János,” is nothing short of definitive in this recording. Though made just seven years after the first recording in 1954, this re-recording—despite the difference between stereo and mono—paints Kodály’s world with even greater intensity. His approach to music, emphasizing universal musicality over excessive nationalism, undoubtedly results in performances that satisfy many listeners. Moreover, this recording was made just two months before Fricsay abandoned his conducting career, making it one of his final recordings, a fact that lends it profound significance.

The DG recordings from that era possess a robust, almost rugged thickness with a solid foundation. Yet, thanks to high-resolution remastering, the soundstage has become sharper and the ambient sound richer, allowing one to feel the atmosphere and passion of that time. As these are highly regarded, important recordings, both the “New World” and “Moldau” were previously released on Blu-ray Audio. However, this time they have been remastered from the original analog master tapes in the country of origin, digitally converted to 192kHz/24bit, and given the latest mastering, allowing for an even more detailed sound. Furthermore, the recording technology for the “Hary János” suite had advanced even further, achieving a quality that holds up remarkably well even when listened to today. For this reissue, we traced back to the original analog master tapes from the country of origin and performed high-quality digitization. Using the highest-grade flat master tape, not just for this release, has yielded an exceptionally strong presence. Texture and spatial positioning have become astonishingly clear and distinct, combined with the benefits of DSD conversion to reproduce unprecedentedly superb sound quality. For this release, the original analog master tapes from the country of origin underwent physical maintenance and restoration before being digitized at high resolution (192/24 PCM). Mastering was then meticulously performed over an extended period at Berlin’s Emil Berliner Studios by the label’s dedicated engineer, following a detailed process specifically for this series. The SA-CD layer delivers the high-definition master sound. The CD layer also features the latest digitization and mastering, setting it apart from the sound quality of previous releases. This series adopts the original jacket design and includes a new introductory essay by Kotaro Yamazaki. This 21st installment of the “Vintage SA-CD Collection” will release a total of three titles.

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SACD

Claudio Abbado, Berliner Philharmoniker – Brahms: The 4 Symphonies (Esoteric Japan 2018) [SACD / Esoteric Company – ESSG-90192/4]

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Claudio Abbado, Berliner Philharmoniker - Brahms: The 4 Symphonies (Esoteric Japan 2018)

Title: Claudio Abbado, Berliner Philharmoniker – Brahms: The 4 Symphonies (Esoteric Japan 2018)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

For collectors of Claudio Abbado’s recordings, the performances on this three-discs Japanese Esoteric label’s remastered release of the Italian conductor’s digital recordings of Brahms’ symphonies with the Berliner Philharmoniker may seem redundant, since the symphonies were previously released as single discs in the late ’80s and early ’90s on Deutsche Grammophon. But this box set marks the first hybrid SACD release of historical recording selections. These new audio versions feature Esoteric’s proprietary re-mastering process to achieve the highest level of sound quality.

These performances are technically impeccable; Abbado is a tremendously skillful conductor who knows these scores like the back of his hand, and the Berliner Philharmoniker is one of the two or three finest orchestras in Europe, with a collective virtuosity that no other orchestra on the planet can match. The performances are also interpretively irreproachable. Some might find Abbado a bit stiff – there’s no tempo bending here – but even they would have to admit that there is nothing in Abbado’s accounts that does not come directly out of the score: his First’s resolute heroism, his Second’s dappled lyricism, his Third’s sensual romanticism, and his Fourth’s unrelenting tragedy are all rooted in the music, not in Abbado’s personal psychology. This set is additionally worthwhile because the single-movement works are as well-played and interpreted as the symphonies, particularly the choral works Nänie and Gesang der Parzen. Deutsche Grammophon’s digital sound was crisp, clear, and vivid, and Musical Heritage Society’s reissues are identical. If you’re looking for a single set of digitally recorded Brahms orchestral works, this set cannot be bettered.

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SACD

Berliner Philharmoniker, Wilhelm Furtwängler – Brahms: Symphony No. 1 · Gluck – “Alceste” Overture (1951-1952/2011) [SACD / Universal (Japan) – UCGG-9018]

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Berliner Philharmoniker, Wilhelm Furtwängler - Brahms: Symphony No. 1 · Gluck -

Title: Berliner Philharmoniker, Wilhelm Furtwängler – Brahms: Symphony No. 1 · Gluck – “Alceste” Overture (1951-1952/2011)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

Furtwängler’s broadcast recording of Brahms, which he was most skilled at alongside Beethoven. The recording venue, Titania-Palast, was a movie theater that had been renovated for use as a concert hall during this period, as the old Philharmonie had been destroyed by bombing.

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SACD

Berliner Philharmoniker, Rudolf Kempe – Brahms: 4 Symphonies [3 SACDs] (2020) [SACD / Tower Records – TDSA-150/2]

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Berliner Philharmoniker, Rudolf Kempe - Brahms: 4 Symphonies [3 SACDs] (1955-1960/2020)

Title: Berliner Philharmoniker, Rudolf Kempe – Brahms: 4 Symphonies [3 SACDs] (1955-1960/2020)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

A project commemorating the 110th anniversary of Kempe’s birth. Includes Kempe’s first complete symphony recordings with the Berlin Philharmonic in numbered order. Newly reissued from the original analog master tapes in Japan. New commentary included. World’s first SACD release! The long-awaited release of the latest reissue of Kempe’s masterpieces from his prime years with the Berlin Philharmonic: No. 2 in 1955, No. 4 the following year, and No. 1, No. 3, and others in stereo in 1959 and 1960. The former Berlin Philharmonic sound and the old EMI label’s masterpieces with Kempe’s characteristic drive and wit are revived in the best possible sound quality. The monaural Haydn Variations, recorded at the same time, will be recorded separately at a later date. All the recordings will be released on SACD for the first time in the world. The latest reissue of the Haydn Variations has been newly made to achieve the best sound quality in the current state. The masters were digitized at 192kHz/24bit from the original analog master tapes and mastered separately for the SACD and CD layers. New commentary included. Limited to 1,000 numbered sets. There are two recordings of Kempe’s complete Brahms symphonies, the famous BASF original with the Munich Philharmonic in his later years (reissued in March 2020 on Tower’s SACD hybrid ATKSA1003), and the new Berlin Philharmonic recording, recorded in sessions from 1955 to 1960, is a masterpiece of the same period. The Berlin Philharmonic recording of No. 2 and No. 4 is also a masterpiece that will remain in the history of recordings. Perhaps due to the fact that Nos. 2 and 4 were monaural recordings, they were rarely reissued on the EMI label as complete works in the CD era (the TESTAMENT disc was the most widely circulated). However, even in comparison with later recordings, the Kempe performance is still highly acclaimed because of the combination of Kempe’s agility, precise conducting based on a thorough understanding of the structure of the music, and the profound sound of the Berlin Philharmonic, which still retained the local color of northern Germany. This reissue is the first digitalization in a long time from the original analog master tapes, and the tapes in their home country were in good condition. Therefore, the sound has been reproduced in a way that is quite different from that of the previous discs. In particular, the sound quality and balance of the two monaural recordings are excellent, and even though the demand for high-quality monaural recordings has not been high in Japan, we can recognize that the high sound quality of the No. 2 and No. 4 recordings this time is very effective. Above all, you may feel less discomfort even if you listen to them one after the other. The other Brahms recording between Kempe and the Berlin Philharmonic is the Haydn Variations. When this piece was first released, it was coupled with Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 3. This reissue was supposed to include the Haydn Variations, but the master could not be received due to the corona effect, so we have no choice but to include the Haydn Variations on a different disc in the future. 

The sound quality of past CDs was perceived to be hard, with a narrow range and soundstage, but this time, the latest mastering was done using a flat master that was digitized from the original 2-channel analog master tape in Japan at a speed of 192kHz/24bit, which is higher than ever before. This may be the reason why the sound quality is so precise this time. The sound quality this time is more precise, wider in range, and closer in proximity, allowing you to enjoy the best performance with more realistic sound quality. Although some noise can be heard in some parts, we have tried to respect the originals this time as well, and have aimed for musical mastering, including balance, to the minimum extent possible. The jacket design of the box is based on the British version, and the digipak is based on the German version, with the exception of a few parts. The SACD layer aims for high resolution and a rich sound field with extended high frequencies and soft nuances, while the CD layer aims for a cohesive, solid sound with a realistic tone quality. Please enjoy it as a SACD hybrid disc, where you can enjoy the best of both worlds. For the 29th release of the Definition Series, Kempe’s masterpieces, two titles in total, will be released.

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SACD

Berliner Philharmoniker, Joseph Keilberth – Weber: Der Freischütz [2 SACDs] (1958/2019) [SACD / ]

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Berliner Philharmoniker, Joseph Keilberth - Weber: Der Freischütz [2 SACDs] (1958/2019)

Title: Berliner Philharmoniker, Joseph Keilberth – Weber: Der Freischütz [2 SACDs] (1958/2019)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

The masterpiece “Die Zauberflote” by Kiehlbert and the BPO, which can be called the origin of German opera, has been restored in excellent sound quality! The fine and fresh singing has been reproduced in high sound quality. The world’s first SACD release of this overwhelming masterpiece! The second in the “Opera Series.” The second disc in the “Magic Bullet Shooter” series, the 1958 recording by Kilebert and the Berlin Philharmonic on the old EMI label has been reissued in the best sound quality available today. The exemplary performance of Grünmer and Schock’s clean and lush singing is still an ideal representation of the work. This is a top-quality masterpiece that appeals to the modern age beyond audio enhancement factors such as sound quality, texture, and sound field. For this reissue, the SACD and CD layers were mastered separately, using new 192kHz/24-bit digitized masters from the original masters in the original country of origin. This is a permanent preservation disc. Includes a 100+ page booklet with new commentary and bilingual lyrics. The 1958 recording of “Die Zauberflote” by Kilebert and the Berlin Philharmonic has long been considered by many fans as an exemplary performance of this work. It was recorded just as EMI was beginning to make stereo recordings in Berlin’s Grünewaldkirche, but unfortunately the sound quality remained unsatisfactory in the CD era because the early digitized recordings were still being used. In the CD era, the early digitized recordings were still being used, and unfortunately, the sound quality remained unsatisfactory. In the first installment of our Beethoven series, we reissued a Beethoven recording by Cluytens recorded at the same location in 2015, which was well received. This latest reissue of “The Magic Bullet Shooter” has also been reissued to great acclaim, and the sound quality has been restored to its former glory. As Daisuke Hirose says in his commentary, “No matter what masterpieces may be produced in the future, the value of this recording and the conductors and singers who performed it will never be diminished. As for the singers, Grünmer and Schock’s clean and fresh singing still shows the ideal way to perform this work, and I am sure that you will fully understand that this is a masterpiece that is well worth reissuing. 

In this series, the SACD layer aims for high resolution and a rich sound field along with extended highs and soft nuances, while the CD layer aims for a realistic tone that is pushed out with a cohesive and solid sound. The CD itself has great potential, and you can rather enjoy the best of both SACD hybrid Please enjoy it as a SACD hybrid disc, where you can enjoy the best of both worlds. The 25th release of the Definition Series will feature two titles in total. ＜The voices are originally suitable for SACD playback, and since opera recordings (with the exception of some old EMI labels) have not been reissued very often, the master tapes have been replayed only a few times and have not been deteriorated much. In the analog recording period, the label put a great deal of effort into opera recordings, and depending on the work, there are many high-quality sound sources with high musical quality that are worth listening to. We have decided to make it a series. The booklet containing the lyrics translation and commentary is quite large, so the production will be limited to a limited number of copies, due to the limited quantity of printed materials.

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