[ScottCHI]

what is(are) your best-sounding classical hirez disc(s)?

[Sathyan]

Best sounding overall: Ravel - Bolero (Mobile Fidelity SACD)
Best sounding modern: Ravel - Bolero (Mobile Fidelity SACD)
Best sounding baroque: Vivaldi - La Stavaganza (Channel Classics SACD)
Best sounding solo: Bartok - Miraculous Mandarin (Praga SACD)
Best sounding opera: Anna Netrebko - Opera Arias (DG SACD)
Best sounding jazzy take on classical music: Jacques Loussier Trio - The Best of Play Bach (Telarc SACD)


All are hybrid multichannels and evaluated as such with unmatched speakers.


Note: I have CDs (JVC XRCD and Reference Recordings HDCD) and LPs (Classic Records) which sound better than these high rez discs on my system.

[Chris*Liberti]

best sounding and best performance for me is Reference Recordings (www.referencerecordings.com) Pines of Rome

[Lee Scoggins]

Quote:

Best sounding solo: Bartok - Miraculous Mandarin (Praga SACD)

Quote:

Best sounding baroque: Vivaldi - La Stavaganza (Channel Classics SACD)

Ditto on both.

Plus add in any of the Michael Tilson Thomas Mahler Series.

[Felix Martinez]

Quote:

Plus add in any of the Michael Tilson Thomas Mahler Series.

I'm a huge fan Zander's Mahler cycle on Telarc. The recent Symphony #3 release is outstanding.

[Hartwig Hanser]

I second Mahler/Zander from Telarc on SACD. Also Dvorak 8th and 9th symphonies by Ivan Fischer from Philipps. For Piano: Beethoven sonatas from Pentatone (Mari Kodama).

[Todd Phillips]

Liszt: Dante Symphony; Tasso / Leon Botstein, LSO

Already mentioned:
Dvorak: Symphonies 8&9 / Ivan Fischer
Vivaldi: La Stavaganza / Rachael Podger

[Mike Broadman]

I prefer the Zander performances, but still think the Thomas sonics are superior.

I've been really digging the Scheharazade, I think it's from UMG's label.

[Anthony Monaco]

Adding my 2 cents in - the Tilson's Mahlers as well as Podger's Vivaldi La Stravaganza are incredible. In SACD I also like the London Mozart Players - Herschel's Symphonies (one of Chandos pure DSD recordings). For DVD-A's - Vivaldi's 4 Seasons (NAXOS - London Mozart Players) sounds great. Where as the Mozart Sym #'s 26 & 41 + Stravinsky's Firebird Suite (both by the "George Enescu" Philharmonic Orchestra on the AIX label)leave me absolutely breathless.

Oddly the items I added all use a center channel as an 'equal' partner with the front's left & right. Just something I noticed (although I still like the Mahlers & Podger).

[Doug Otte]

Ravel/Jarvi - various works on Telarc

Wakao - various oboe works by various composers on Pentatone

Sweet! Enjoy
Doug