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Nada que añadir a lo ya dicho por muchos sobre esta maravillosa obra e interpretación. Sí recomiendo comprar el SHM-CD frente al CD "convencional": poseo los dos y noto una calra diferencia en favor dle primero en mi equipo de música. Para prevenir discusiones: ni sé ni me importa si el sonido es mejor por la tecnología SHM o porque el proceso de fabricación del CD, máster, impresión, etc. es más cuidado: el resultado es que es.
I have frequently referred to Universal’s eccentric policy with regard to their separate arms in different countries, and it is perhaps no more marked than in Japan. There is still a voracious demand for classical music performed by “the greats” in that country, and cd is still the medium of choice. Whereas in Europe the word on the street is that cd is a dying medium to be replaced soon by downloads-FLAC files and the rest-in Japan at least further research has been ongoing into the cd medium. While this is to be welcomed, the annoying thing is that we in Europe are not benefitting from some of these advances other than by expensive import, as in the case of this famous recording.
The particular development which has made such a remarkable difference to this recording-more of which anon-is that the cd is manufactured in S-HMCD. “High Material” is used to produce the disc, developed by Universal Japan/JVC and this material not only holds more information than the conventional polymer but enables the laser in the cd player to easily read much more stored detail than previously-with startling results.
The DG arm of Universal has always had a more discreet remastering policy than the Decca arm-where Decca engineers would rebalance, use alternative takes and generally “patch up” a recording, DG’s “Original Image Bit Mastering” simply sought to use the latest technology to extract more information from the original master tapes, possibly alter the transfer level and filter hiss. Balance etc. was not tampered with.
The simple transfer of ANY recording to S-HMCD- a different plastic in simple terms!-produces results SUPERIOR to that of the OIBM process, producing results that rival SACD!
This is certainly the case with this venerable 1986 recording produced by Hans Weber and engineered by Klaus Scheibe. On its release in 1987 the artistry of Giulini and the VPO was universally praised, and rightly so, and though the recording was one of DG’s better efforts of that early period, it was still “edgy”. It was re-mastered in 1995 for release in the “CD Masters” series, and that was a big improvement, but it has been generally unavailable for over 15 years.
This new release is a revelation! The sheer impact of orchestral sound is hard to describe-it is immense. The DETAIL exposed is EXTRADORDINARY-I can hear melodic lines revealed that I have never heard before, the balance is perfect-I can almost hear the contact between bow and string, the valve being closed on a trumpet! The recorded sound is richer, more detailed and with more of a sense of presence than any much vaunted 24 Bit/192kHz recording I have yet heard!
Sonically then, this disc is a triumph but this would pass for little if it were not one of the great performances of this glorious work-and it is certainly that. 30 years ago I subscribed to the view that the opening 2 movements were dangerously slow but held together by the magnetic presence of Giulini. With (hopefully!) the maturity of age and experience, I now recognise that Giulini’s reverential approach is an ideal conception of the lyrical cosmos that is this sublime work.
Broad though the tempo may be-though nothing like that of Celibidache!-there is no lack of impetus and in the scherzo and finale there is more than sufficient bounce to offset the grandeur. The playing of the VPO is breathtaking-every note is played through fully as the conductor allows time to extract the maximum “dirty” string tone, and the full glory of this unique orchestra is caught to perfection, and reproduced as never before. There is no better orchestral performance of this great work.
Giulini uses Nowak’s 1954 Edition, based on the 1885 published Gutmann score which includes the cymbal and triangle clash at the climax of the Adagio, which the most advanced music scholarship now deems to be definitely Bruckner’s intention (reputedly added on hearing of the death of Wagner-a nice idea but most likely apocryphal).
Having recently praised the Thielemann version at what is a bargain price as it includes a second work by Wagner it seems unlikely that I should be recommending a version of the symphony alone at twice the cost, but this is an experience not be missed by lovers of this work.
Shame on Universal for not making this available in Europe at a reasonable cost, but I do not begrudge a penny of the £28 or so I paid for this extraordinary recording. The notes and liner are all in Japanese-and if you are ordering a Japanese import be careful to order the right one-an earlier Japanese release at less cost is a revamp of the 1995 reissue, and you must ensure that you are ordering the 2014 S-HMCD version. You won’t regret it-trust me! Sublime! Unlimited Stars. Stewart Crowe.
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![Carlo Maria Giulini / Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra - Bruckner: Symphony No.7 [Japan LTD CD] UCCG-5073](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51M9VoXQ54L._SX300_SY300_QL70_ML2_.jpg)
