Mystic Messenger Opening

The Planets, composed between 1914 and 1916, is a suite of seven movements. Holst's starting point for the music was the astrological character of each planet, though his interest in astrology went no deeper than its musical suggestiveness…

This version of Holst’s endearing masterpiece, “The Planets”, sounds very good in Naxos’ super audio 5.1 technology. I do not have the point one (subwoofer) hooked up in my house and assume, by listening to the recording in 5.0, that the timpani — which are already very powerful and forward placed — would be explosive if you listened in 5.1. The sound is very good otherwise, with wide ranging and natural orchestral body and timbre. It is not the best super audio sound I’ve heard but it is good and a big improvement over the stereo sound on the last version of “The Planets” I purchased, the one Berlin Philharmonic and Simon Rattle released last year.

Karajan & Vienna Philharmonic - The Legendary Decca Recordings (2008) {9CD Box Set Decca Music 478 0155}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 3.18 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 1.47 Gb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 41 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2008 Decca Music | 478 0155
Classical / Orchestral / Symphony

5 April 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Herbert von Karajan, the legendary Austrian-born conductor who achieved a position of musical supremacy as director of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra that made him one of the most famous and celebrated conductors of the second half of the twentieth century. While the majority of his symphonic recordings were made for Deutsche Grammophon, von Karajan also recorded for Decca and EMI during the 1950s and 1960s. This set is reissued to mark this momentous anniversary and contains all of his orchestral recordings made with the Vienna Philharmonic for Decca during the late 1950s/early 1960s.

Steinberg's tenure at the helm of the Boston Symphony was cut short by illness, but his relatively slim catalogue of recordings with the orchestra produced several important examples of his art, boasting truly fine interpretations and spectacular playing. These orchestral showpieces by Strauss and Holst were long overdue for reissue. Steinberg's fast tempos make the Strauss work zip by; it's as if he takes it in one big gulp, creating as exciting a performance as you're likely to hear.

William Steinberg’s famous readings of Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra and Holst’s The Planets newly remastered at 24-bit/192kHz. 1 Blu-ray Audio disc (new quadrophonic remastering) + 1 CD (new stereo remastering) in DigiPack format. These recordings remain mementos of Steinberg’s brief tenure as the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director (1969-1972) – cut all too short due to ailing health – and are of the first rank both musically and technically. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first performance of “The Planets”. Includes booklet notes (E, D) on Steinberg and the BSO and an essay on quadrophonic recording.