Jean-Yves Duperron reviews Michael Stern and the Kansas City Symphony’s new recording of One Movement Symphonies for the Classical Music Sentinel:
“The audio engineers over at the Reference Recordings label, and Keith O. Johnson in particular, one of the label’s founders, have always prided themselves on the high definition, “realistic” quality of their music recordings. You know, that just like being there type of sonic experience. And this one, like many others, is a case in point… in this new recording with the Kansas City Symphony conducted by Michael Stern, not only can you discern a pipe organ’s distinctively unique sonic signature within this ocean of sound, but you also clearly hear, or maybe I should say “feel”, the instrument’s very low pedal bass notes, which makes for an incredible sonic tidal wave within this ocean of sound. … And throughout the Jean Sibelius Symphony No. 7 as well, the woodwinds, which have always been a key element of this composer’s orchestration skills, are very well captured and naturally projected by the audio equipment, which best of all accurately reproduces the depth and scope of a large orchestra. … as far as sound quality itself is concerned, this recording scores an eleven.”
—Jean-Yves Duperron, Classical Music Sentinel
See the full review on ClassicalMusicSentinel.com