Silje Nergaard Nightwatch (2003) Sacd

Vladimir Ashkenazy's recording career spans almost four decades, beginning in the heyday of LP and now encompassing the arrival of the latest audio disc technology, SACD. For his first SACD release on Decca, the great Russian pianist returns to his beloved Chopin with a program framed by two of the composer's greatest works, the Fourth Ballade and the Barcarolle. And, for the first time, Ashkenazy's Chopin can be enjoyed in four-channel SACD surround sound. This solo recital also demonstrates the advantages that SACD surround sound can bring to a solo piano recording ­ greater clarity and fidelity of piano sound, but also a compelling immediacy that brings the listener 'into the presence' of the actual performance.

This is a welcome addition to my collection. These little gems sparkle and make me want to look at other Vivaldi pieces. It's time to go beyond the Four Seasons. These pieces show compositional variety, the playing is nuanced and exciting, and the SACD recording is superb.

Leonard Bernstein’s recording with the New York Philharmonic of Gustav Holst’s famous The Planets, along with Benjamin Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from his opera Peter Grimes. There is a difference of opinion as to whether this multi-channel SACD is a good re-mastering of the original discrete 4 channel Quadriphonic master in which the orchestra actually surrounds you or is it taken from a 2 channel master and the rear channels and center channel have been re-produced artifically with just reverberation sounds which means the orchestra only sounds like it’s in front of you, but not behind you.

The title of this exceptional disc, “Night Music”, should not be taken to mean that the performances are in any way dark, mysterious, droopy, sluggish, or otherwise conventionally “nocturnal”. Rather, the term evokes its 18th century musical meaning: a time for fun, relaxation, parties, entertainment both indoors and out, and of course, romance. Indeed, “Romantic” is perhaps the best way to describe these virtuosic, impulsive, and extravagantly expressive performances by the inimitable Andrew Manze and his team of crack “authentic-instrument” players.

Not just because this disk is the only 1 in the series without a review on this site, but also because it concerns a re-issue in SACD format, I thought it might be useful to share my views with the Super Audio community. To start with the end: My verdict is a wholehearted positive 1 in both artistic & technical sense.