Archive for SACD
Kansas City Saint-Saëns on Fanfare’s Want List
Fanfare critic Andrew Quint has named Michael Stern and the Kansas City Symphony’s Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 “Organ” to his 2016 year-end “Want List”: “San Francisco’s Reference Recordings, issuing musically worthy recordings in audiophile sound for more than three decades, continues its rewarding relationship with Michael Stern and the over-achieving Kansas City Symphony. This all-Saint-Saëns program is anchored by the well-worn “Organ” Symphony, played here with sure-footed metrical precision plus plenty of cinematic splendor. “Professor”…
New Hybrid SACD Release — Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 “Organ”
NEW HYBRID SACD RELEASE! 5.1 Surround and Stereo SACD, Stereo CD with HDCD Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 “Organ” Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A Minor for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 28La Muse Et Le Poère for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra, Op. 132 Kansas City Symphony Michael Stern RR-136SACDStreet Date: July 8, 2016 PRE-ORDER NOW! The 2015 release on compact disc garnered a GRAMMY® nomination for Best Classical Engineering. We now present this recording in brilliant…
SA-CD.net Reviews Miraculous Metamorphoses SACD
Graham Williams reviews the new Miraculous Metamorphoses SACD featuring the Kansas City Symphony under Michael Stern: “The 5.1 multi-channel SACD is sonically streets ahead of the CD/HDCD version of these performances issued some months ago. The listener is placed some way back in the hall but the sound has a wide spread between the speakers with a convincing depth and a pleasing ambience, most apparent in the quieter sections of these scores. …the visceral impact…
MusicWeb International Calls Dvořák & Janáček “Stunning”
A new MusicWeb International review finds Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony’s new Dvořák/Janáček SACD deserving of “significant praise”! “This excellent disc is the second in the ‘Pittsburgh Live!’ series. Earlier this year I reviewed the first in the series (Strauss tone poems) and was delighted by the elevated quality of performance and sound. … With playing of such captivating expression in the opening Allegro con brio the PSO conveys a colourful, fresh outdoor effect.…
End of Summer Sale Begins Now!
Now through September 15th — Buy Two or More Items and Save 20%! Save During our Annual End of Summer Sale Order Two or more items and receive a 20% discount on your entire order!The more you order, the more you save!FREE SHIPPING be Media Mail in the U.S. (Priority and International Shipping available extra)Sale ends Monday, September 15th at Noon PST Now Available at RR.com — Organ Polychrome Organ Polychrome: The French School Jan…
Pre-Order September Releases Today!
Coming in less than one month from today — Organ Polychrome: The French School featuring organist Jan Kraybill, and the Kansas City Symphony’s Miraculous Metamorphoses on SACD! Click the cover art to pre-order on Amazon today!
Audiophilia Recommends New Pittsburgh Symphony SACD
Audiophilia recommends the new Pittsburgh Symphony Dvořák/Janáček recording in their July Recommended New Releases: “Here, under a warm Bohemian sun, the Pittsburgers and their man have scored a home run. … And, though the opera Jenůfa is about child loss and redemption, conductor Honeck’s ‘conceptualization’ of the opera’s themes into a ‘Suite’ makes for very enjoyable listening. The pathos is there but with such wonderful and infectious rhythms, it’s hard to feel down. … Taken…
Now Available — The Pittsburgh Symphony: Dvořák & Janáček!
Dvořák • Janáček Manfred Honeck Pittsburgh Symphony OrchestraFR-710 SACD Antonin Dvořák Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88 Leoš Janáček Symphonic Suite from “Jenůfa”(Conceptualized by Manfred Honeck, realized by Tomáš Ille) Thrilling Live Performances From The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, In Brilliant Audiophile Sound! This release is the second in the “Pittsburgh Live!” series of multi-channel hybrid SACD releases on the FRESH! series from Reference Recordings. For more than 116 years, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra…
Classical Ear Reviews Elgar/Vaughan William SACD
The Classical Ear iPhone Review App has a new review for our Kansas City Symphony Elgar and Vaughan Williams SACD! “The Wasps makes a dashing curtain-raiser – and what a treat to hear the other irresistible numbers in Vaughan Williams’s inimitably titled ‘Aristophanic Suite’. Stern also masterminds a commendably sensitive, scrupulously prepared traversal of Elgar’s vernally fresh masterpiece… the engineering, which is of simply splendiferous, demonstration-worthy realism… Recommended if…you feel like giving your hi-fi components…
CD Choice Reviews Elgar/Vaughan Williams SACD
Barry Forshaw raved about the Kansas City Symphony Elgar/Vaughan Williams recording when it was first released. Now he has a second review of the recording after hearing the new SACD version: “…this writer was so impressed by the performance and sound quality of this cherishable disc in its CD version that I contacted Reference Recordings with my one caveat: that the disc was not afforded the company’s inestimable SACD spruce-up. And here, after some delay,…
Canada Free Press Raves for Strauss & Horns for the Holidays!
Canada Free Press reviewer, Jim Bray, has a double-rave review for our Pittsburgh Symphony, Strauss, and Dallas Wind Symphony, Horns for the Holidays, recordings. Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Strauss “A new SACD from Reference Recordings brings the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra to life in your home via a fantastic recording of a trio works from composer Richard Strauss…when you fire up this disc you might just think you’re in the ‘historic Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts’…This…
Der Neue Merker Reviews Strauss
German magazine, Der Neue Merker on our new Pittsburgh Symphony Strauss SACD — “This absolutely worth listening to.” The review is full of praise for the orchestra and conductor, Manfred Honeck, making special notice of the wide range of colors and dynamics the orchestra brings to all three works. Find the review in the original language at www.der-neue-merker.eu! Purchase during the RR Holiday Sale and Save!
SA-CD net reviews Elgar/Vaughan Williams SACD
SA-CD.net has a review of next month’s new SACD release of our latest Kansas City Symphony recording: “Those who, like me, already have the superb CD/HDCD of this disc will discover an even greater depth of sound and stunning realism from this 5.1 channel hybrid SACD release…the surround channels have been used purely to capture the warm ambience of the recording venue – Community of Christ Auditorium, Independence, Missouri. “The delightful illustrations in the accompanying…
Three More Reasons To Get Excited about the End of Summer Sale!
Three more reasons to get excited about the End of Summer Sale! Buy two or more of these SACDs and save 20% on your entire order! Start Saving Today!
“Prof” Keith O. Johnson & David Frost Win a Grammy!
2010 Grammy Award for Best Surround Sound Album Reference Recordings is proud to report that our own “Prof.” KEITH O. JOHNSON and DAVID FROST have received a 2010 Grammy Award! Category 94 Best Surround Sound Album For vocal or instrumental albums. Albums only. BRITTEN’S ORCHESTRAMichael Stern & Kansas City SymphonyKeith O. Johnson, surround mix engineer; Keith O. Johnson, surround mastering engineerDavid Frost, surround producer[Reference Recordings} Click to order RR-120SACD BTW: This is RR’s first release…