Also check out :
Exceptional
CDs
/ Some
Favourites / and New
Sacds
Download the CD_Rating database below in
Csv Format
(to view it in Microsoft Works or Access)
Here is my exported txt file
(insert/file/ wps3\Roland_Globalspace\Westbury_Park_Strings\CD_Ratings.txt)
converted to Formatted Paragraph)
Fields are Label, Type, Date, Catalogue Number, Musical Rating, Sound Rating,
Composer, Work, Performer, Musical Critique, Sound Quality, Volume Level
Philips DDD © 1993 434 084-2 6 7 Bach JS / CPE Sonatas 1, 2 & 6 / Sonata Wq 78 Victoria Mullova, Bruno Canino Mullova doing well in her former classical modern approach - Canino excellent throughout. Mullova exemplary tight style, but a little cold expressively - more nuances and expression from violin needed ? Best tracks are 11, 14-16 review RDJ 01/08 Quite good - Very direct and a little hard 20.0 Philips DDD r. 6/1987 420 948-2 7 8 Bach / Bartok / Paganini Partita n1 / Solo Sonata / Nel cor piu non mi sento Victoria Mullova Bach is exemplary with excellent technique. Tenacity to positive musical effect ; Doubles played with contrasting soft legato or delicate staccato tone. Very masculine and solid playing. Bartok certainly well played. Paganini exemplary playing with impeccable intonation, articulation and clarity - a touch too agressive ? rev. RDJ 01/08 Very Good. Solid. Rec in the Netherlands 20.0 Philips DDD r. 6/1982 411 466-2 9 8 Bach / Vivaldi Concerto BWV 1060, Adagio / Concerti RV 576, RV 582 Heinz Holliger, Gidon Kremer, Academy St Martin-in-Fields Super disc. Holliger and Kremer inspired. Super Ac St Martin-in-Fields. Vibrant throughout. Vivaldi not his best works, but elevated with this recording. Very pleasant all the way through. Slow movements are poetry [9] A Landmark disc. Best tracks [1-3] and very best is [4], the Adagio, where Holliger plays without breathing interruption using his famous technique rev. RDJ 01/08 Very pleasant. Larger than life Philips treatment of course. Weighty bass but Transparent and Lush however, so turn up the volume to 16+ 16.0 Philips DDD r. 10/1987 422 328-2 8 9 Bach 6 Trio Sonatas Heinz Holliger, Tabea Zimmermann, Christiane Jaccottet, Thomas Demenga Overall very good ensemble playing. Colourful thanks to Holliger, but backed up by Demenga. Harpsichord playing couldn't be better, taking the least liberties. These are taken by Demenga, not always linear, but swells a tad too much at times. However Cello is superb, for example in best track [3] and Holliger is master of restraint plus freedom. Viola playing is the perfect bonus. rev. RDJ 01/08 Excellent to unbelievable ! Larger than life, great silences, pure and good body of sound 17.0 Philips ADD r. 06/1976 416 881-2 9 7 Bach 2 Violin Concertos, Double Concerto, Air in D Henryk Szeryng, Maurice Hasson, Academy St Martin-i-Fields Szeryng and St Martin-i-Fields set the standards for Bach. Szeryng with great even sustain and solidity...and his high quality sound cannot be matched by anyone. Best track [2] because Szeryng again has the right vibrato and tone. St Martin also very smooth. Tempi are steady and stately [3 & 6] and never rushed. Good blend between soloist & orch.. rev RDJ 01/08 Usual good Philips sound. Analogue original source a tad muffled and lacking the sparkle of newer recordings. Still very weighty, with full bass and mid range. Strings still transparent. A tiny bit of hiss. Some background clutter at the start of [10] 17.0 Philips DDD r. 07/1975 411 480-2 8 7 Vivaldi 5 Oboe Concertos, Oboe and Basson Concerto Heinz Holliger, Klaus Thunemann, I Musici Holliger a genius. Thunemann very mellow and great tone in his concerto. I Musici good and solid but first violins a tad harsh. Perhaps a bit more varied in nuances, when playing forte I Musici sound a little stubborn. Good ralls. good ensemble. Great music making. Best track for chromatic passages, sequences and oboe articulation [4] rev. 01/08 Usual philips but a tad harsh if volume is up. Early digital which did improve over the next few years. A touch of hiss 19.0