Thread: Handley's Bax

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Post by Johnno January 6, 2004 (11 of 20)
I couldn't agree with you more and I made a similar comment to Ms Cooper when I sent a second e-mail to her yesterday. I bemoaned the fact that there seems to be (in my opinion at any rate) far too much emphasis placed on the importance of multichannel recordings and that they are increasingly appearing to be the be-all and end-all of company decisions regarding SACD releases.

I had already heard a similar story about the Hyperion situation from engineer Tony Faulkner and he was not pleased with the decision.

Post by Johnno January 10, 2004 (12 of 20)
Interestingly, I've never back from Chandos after I made those comments about multichannel recordings and wonder whether I touched a nerve?

Post by nucaleena January 11, 2004 (13 of 20)
Johnno said:

Interestingly, I've never back from Chandos after I made those comments about multichannel recordings and wonder whether I touched a nerve?

johnno, same here, - i dont think chandos know how to reply to freindly criticism.

Post by Johnno January 11, 2004 (14 of 20)
I notice I missed the word 'heard' out from my previous message (apologies are in order) but it was obviously understood anyway.

To continue. I'm sure we were both meaning to be constructive, and I would have thought that such comments, whether they agree with the company's current policy or not, would have been in its best interests to indicate how its customers feel about SACD in general.

Post by Johnno January 26, 2004 (15 of 20)
I received another e-mail from Chandos recently, taking me to task (in a friendly way) about my mentioning to them that the Bamert/Herschel symphonies was their sole DSD recording. (They have apparently made two others which feature composers whom I had never heard of before). What I really meant was that it is the only such recording that I was aware of, as I have it in my SACD collection.

I took that e-mail as an opportunity to mention that I thought it a pity that they were concentratng on releasing SACDs only when they came from multichannel sources. I mentioned that a significant section of their recent back catalogue in plain ol' stereo would benefit from DSD remastering and eventual SACD release, but I expect my comments will fall on deaf ears.

Post by raffells January 29, 2004 (16 of 20)
I must admit as a vinyl lover that the Handley Bax cycle didnt do much for me and quality of recording with a touch of reverb wasnt my analogue taste...Didnt find they convinced me of Bax...I was a great fan of Chandos analogue,not so with most of their digital recordings and did communicate effectivly with them prior to the commercial decision to go SACD.....Since then I purchased the Vaughan Williams London which I like "sonically" and have demonstrated this to non classical valve lovers forum..Comparing a £2000 high end CD to a lowly un modded Pioneer...Suprising which was preffered.....Havent heard a pure DSD from them yet but I am not yet convinced that this is the Main factor in playback pleaseure..Also got that Adams Fearfull Symetry Sacd which is only up to CD standards in parts....Dave

Post by Castor February 11, 2004 (17 of 20)
raffells said:

I must admit as a vinyl lover that the Handley Bax cycle didnt do much for me and quality of recording with a touch of reverb wasnt my analogue taste...Didnt find they convinced me of Bax...I was a great fan of Chandos analogue,not so with most of their digital recordings and did communicate effectivly with them prior to the commercial decision to go SACD.....Since then I purchased the Vaughan Williams London which I like "sonically" and have demonstrated this to non classical valve lovers forum..Comparing a £2000 high end CD to a lowly un modded Pioneer...Suprising which was preffered.....Havent heard a pure DSD from them yet but I am not yet convinced that this is the Main factor in playback pleaseure..Also got that Adams Fearfull Symetry Sacd which is only up to CD standards in parts....Dave

The Handley Bax set, like most of the BBC Philharmonic recordings, was made in BBC Studio 7 in Manchester. The sound heard live in that venue is clear but unalluring. Chandos don't seem to be able to improve it much and I have asked them and the BBC why they don't use the Bridgewater Hall. Answer - Cost!
The complete Bax symphonies set,however,is a great achievement for both Chandos and the BBC. I understand that the original plan was to record just the 3rd symphony and Tintagel as a cover CD for the BBC Music Magazine but thanks to the efforts of Brian Pigeon at BBC Manchester, it was decided to record all 7 symphonies.
I think it unlikely that in the near future we will see any SACD recordings from the BBC Philharmonic but I hope that I am proved wrong.

Post by nucaleena February 11, 2004 (18 of 20)
Castor said:

The Handley Bax set, like most of the BBC Philharmonic recordings, was made in BBC Studio 7 in Manchester. The sound heard live in that venue is clear but unalluring. Chandos don't seem to be able to improve it much and I have asked them and the BBC why they don't use the Bridgewater Hall. Answer - Cost!
The complete Bax symphonies set,however,is a great achievement for both Chandos and the BBC. I understand that the original plan was to record just the 3rd symphony and Tintagel as a cover CD for the BBC Music Magazine but thanks to the efforts of Brian Pigeon at BBC Manchester, it was decided to record all 7 symphonies.
I think it unlikely that in the near future we will see any SACD recordings from the BBC Philharmonic but I hope that I am proved wrong.

dear castor, Chandos has already released one BBC Phil SACD, - the Faure requiem (and other pieces). Recorded in Studio 7, Manchester

Post by Castor February 12, 2004 (19 of 20)
nucaleena said:

dear castor, Chandos has already released one BBC Phil SACD, - the Faure requiem (and other pieces). Recorded in Studio 7, Manchester

Whoops! Thanks nucaleena I forgot this one. Have you heard it and is the acoustic suitably 'churchy'?

Post by morris_minor February 3, 2006 (20 of 20)
Of course what's really needed for the best sound quality is the set issued on vinyl . . . ;o)

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