"Sound of Music" soundtrack on SACD (1 Viewer)

[RobertSiegel]

Danny, I am anxious to read your thoughts on the release, is it better sounding than the RCA 2 disc special edition cd?

 

[RobertSiegel]

Danny, did you get the soundtrack yet? Anxious to hear if it is better.

 

[Danny Tse]

Robert,

I did get the SACD and it sounds....OK. Tape hiss does exist, so it's no RCA Living Stereo SACD. I don't have any other version of "The Sound of Music" to compare this SACD to, so I really can't tell you how it ranks to the other versions. The SACD was made from a 16 bit original master, as it stated on the back, but no other technical information was included. The accompanying booklet is probably whatever that came with the regular CD. For $17.00, it's OK considering it will probably turn into a collector's item in the future. Anymore than $20.00, I would probably just get the regular domestic CD. This SACD, along with most Hong Kong-issued SACDs, retail for about US$17.00 to US$20.00 in Hong Kong's music stores. E-tailers who sells these titles for US$30.00 and up is really making a killing.

 

[Drew Salzan]

I have the gold disc that was issued with the laserdisc set of the '90's. It includes virtually the entire soundtrack (expanded versions of the original LP, as well as reprises and incidental music). This was an incredible improvement over the original RCA release (no echo, added material, etc.), but fidelity was only fair.

I have heard that the remastering job of the original RCA soundtrack is very good, but my question is which CD to get to supplement my gold disc. There are numerous versions out there. There is the 2 disc 35th Anniversary one, the 1 disc of the same year and now a 40th Anniversary one. Considering that I already have the gold disc, which edition should I get? Help!

 

[RobertSiegel]

I havn't heard the newest one, but I have the 2-dsc 35th anniversary set and the remaster of the original LP soundtrack is the best yet. I really like this transfer. I would assume they used the same one on the 40th. The 2nd disc has extras from the gold disc that came with the laserdisc set plus a pretty good interview with Richard Rodgers. The remaster of the original lp (disc 1 of the 35th) sounds much better to me than the one with the laserdisc. RCA has FINALLY reduced the echo on the voices to almost nothing.

The gold cd from the laser set was made from the original music masters.

 

[Drew Salzan]

Thanks Robert. I think I'll go with the 40th Anniversary edition then, since the gold disc has everything the 2nd disc has on the 2 disc set (minus the interview).

 

[RobertSiegel]

Drew, let me know how it is, I might want one, there isn't anything on this movie I don't own (except a 70mm print haha).

 

[Drew Salzan]

I will.

 

[Drew Salzan]

Alert! I was shopping via the Internet and was able to sample some sound bites of the 40th edition. It seems that the bonus material not included on the original LP release was taken directly from the film soundtrack and NOT from the original prerecording music masters. If you go to Buy.com and sample the Do-Re-Mi reprise, the song is followed by the applause of the audience. Strange that they didn't utilize the material from the gold disc or disc 2 of the 35th Anniversary edition.

This was a pet peeve of mine for the Oklahoma! release where the film soundtrack was also utilized for the expanded material (including sound effects, etc.). I know the music masters no longer existed, so they were forced to do so. But why for TSOM 40th? Very strange...

I guess I'll go with the 35th Anniversary 2 disc set then, since I can't seem to find the 1 disc version released at the same time.

 

[RobertSiegel]

There wasn't a one-disc version issued for the 35th, it was the 35th anniversary 2 disc set, and along with that release they repackaged the 30th anniversary remaster for the single disc version. I had no idea they used the film track for the 40th. So, if you have the gold cd from the laserdisc, you pretty much have the masters there, all you need is the 35th to get the interview and the stunning remaster of the soundtrack LP, which is, to me, the best sounding of them all. Too bad the dvd releases didn't sound as good as the RCA soundtrack.