La Folia Says It Doesn’t Get Better than the Pittsburgh Symphony Strauss
La Folia with a wonderful rave review of the Pittsburgh Symphony’s Struass SACD: “It really doesn’t get better than this. … From Don Juan’s opening bars, it is impossible not to smile at this recording’s dynamism. In the notes Honeck itemizes a ticking clock, labored breathing, and irregular accents indicating a distorted gait, etc., all of which are astoundingly vivid. …[I] am glad that Till Eulenspiegel closes this program. The twisting clarinet precisely portrays Till’s…
Blu-Ray Definition reviews West of the Sun HRx Download
Blu-rayDefinition.com has a great review for the Joel Fan West of the Sun: Music of the Americas recording as an HRx Download: “…we simply get one of the best, most natural sounding piano recordings that I have ever heard. The image is dead center and the location of treble and bass are revealed as you would hear them in a live concert. This music frequently sings and the piano’s voice, a most difficult one for…
Anton Schwartz Flash Mob Topping the Charts
The newly released, Flash Mob recording is topping the JazzWeek charts, coming in at number 18! Make sure to get this hit recording in Studio Master Quality from HDtracks and save 15% with promo code “Flashmob15” — deal ends THIS SUNDAY! Get a “taste” of this recording below:
Austin Wintory’s Banner Saga inspires video
Featuring the music of Austin Wintory: From “Banner Saga”: The Videri String Quartet have released a music video and their inspiration was The Banner Saga. Composed by Austin Wintory, arranged by David Peacock, & performed by Videri String Quartet. The Videri String Quartet created this video after hearing the soundtrack by Austin Wintory as well as seeing the game setting. Vikings, violins, and video seem to make a great combo! Click for more information on…
New HRx — San Francisco Ballet Orchestra “Bizet”
Now available in Reference Recordings’ HRx ultra-high resolution (176.4/24) digital music format — Bizet HR-131 – Georges BIZET: Symphony in C; Jeux d’Enfants; Variations chromatiques Martin West; San Francisco Ballet Orchestra A superb new orchestral release in HRx ultra-high resolution (176.4/24) digital music format! Reference Recordings is proud to present these works of Georges Bizet, beautifully performed by the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, conducted by Martin West. The recording was made at Skywalker Sound in…
Reviewers are raving about Anton Schwartz’s “Flash Mob”
Last week we announced a new release featuring jazz saxophonist, Anton Schwartz for high-res download. Find out what reviewers are saying about the exciting new Flash Mob recording: “Blazingly hot stuff throughout, Schwartz and company serve up some of the best ensemble playing around and make it sound way too easy. A winner throughout.”– Midwest Record, (Dec 2, 2013) “Impressive and virtually impossible to resist.”– Buffalo News (Dec 20, 2013) “★★★★★… Anton Schwartz is back…
January RR News
Catch up on the latest in Reference Recording News! New 33 1/3 rpm LP RESPIGHI — Belkis, Queen of Sheba-Suite; The Pines of Rome Eiji Oue / Minnesota Orchestrai RM-1509 Grammy® Nominated: Best Engineered Album, Classical — Keith O. Johnson, Engineer “Dazzling orchestral colors,” is one one way to describe the music of Ottorino Respighi. “Belkis, Queen of Sheba” was conceived as an evening-long ballet with singing whose lavishness has kept it from view since…
Records International Sees the Pictures in Charles Denler’s “Portraits of Colorado”
Records International sees the pictures being painted by composer, Charles Denler, in the Colorado Symphony Portraits of Colorado recording: “You can almost see the red sunsets, the golden clouds scudding across the Rocky Mountain skies, the icy rivulets running through alpine valleys, the wild horses running in slow motion and smell the high pine forests, such is the pictorial, film-score quality of the 28-minute Portraits…” —Records International Read the full review at RecordsInternational.com Buy Direct…
New Release — Anton Schwartz: “Flash Mob”
RR is happy to announce a new release featuring Jazz Saxophonist, Anton Schwartz, Flash Mob. Available at 44.1kHz/16 bit and 96 kHz/24 bit resolution! Check out Anton Schwartz’ “Flash Mob” in Studio Master Quality at HDtracks. Easy to Download, Play and Enjoy. Use code Flashmob15 to get 15% off this title. Expires February 9, 2014. One time use. Apply at checkout. Buy Now! RR is also proud to distribute other fine Anton Schwartz releases at…
Ultra High Fidelity Magazine Reviews There’s A Time LP
Canadian Hi-Fi Magazine, Ultra High Fidelity has a new rave for Doug MacLeod’s There’s A Time LP! “It is, in a word, flawless. There’s an intensely natural feel to this recording… There’s a difference between hearing everything perfectly and being there with the musicians. This recording bridges the gap. It isn’t the sort of sonic powerhouse you get with a large orchestra. it is, in fact, something far more precious.” —Gerard Rejskind, Ultra High Fidelity…
Looking Back on Respighi Reviews
Now that our Grammy Nominated Respighi recording is available as a Reference Mastercuts LP, we wanted to take a look back at what critics were saying when it was first released! “Oue plays each piece to the hilt; I cannot imagine more precise, more lovingly conducted performances. As for the recording, I’m running out of superlatives – it is brilliant and weighty, with tremendous undistorted dynamics.”–Peter Aczel, THE AUDIO CRITIC “The sound given to this…
Stereophile Names “Strauss” A Record To Die For!
In the February 2014 issue of Stereophile Magazine, Kalman Rubinson names the new Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra Strauss SACD, a “Record to Die For.” “From the first note, one hears an immediate and direct instrumental sound, with instruments on a wide, deep soundstage that begins at the speaker plane and extends deeply. … I find this startlingly close to a real concert experience, where the hall acoustics have a more subtle influence and don’t intrude on…
ClassicalEar Gives Five Stars to Strauss
The ClassicalEar iPhone Review App has a new five-star review for our Pittsburgh Symphony Strauss SACD! “This is quite a disc. Manfred Honeck’s live performances from June 2012 bring so much to admire, not least a thrilling electricity, heaps of chutzpah, revelatory detail and sparky temperament… just sit back and marvel at the PSO’s breathtaking sheen, swaggering virtuosity and remarkable composure (fabulous horns throughout). … In short, an exceptionally stimulating and hugely charismatic Strauss anthology.…
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,…
RESPIGHI — Reference Mastercuts LP Available NOW!
RM1509 – Our Newest 33 1/3 rpm LP release — available NOW! RESPIGHI Eiji Oue & the Minnesota Orchestra Grammy® Nominated: Best Engineered Album, Classical Keith O. Johnson, Engineer “Dazzling orchestral colors,” is one one way to describe the music of Ottorino Respighi. “Belkis, Queen of Sheba” was conceived as an evening-long ballet with singing whose lavishness has kept it from view since its La Scala premiere. This is only the second recording of a…