RCA Living Stereo - Gaite Parisienne - Greatest piece of recorded music in history?

Discussion in 'Classical Music' started by Dynamic Turtle, Mar 6, 2006.

  1. Dynamic Turtle

    Dynamic Turtle The Bydo Destroyer

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    Hi all,

    I take it most of you are very familiar with the RCA Living Stereo recording of Offenbach's Gaite Parisienne (Fielder conducting the Boston Pops). AFAIK it is quite famous for being a demonstration quality recording. I think this sells it a little short and would go so far to say that it is the greatest piece of recorded music I've ever heard. Nothing in my experience of hi-fi can has come close to offering the dynamic range, visceral impact and roller-coaster thrill ride that this SACD delivers.

    I'm sure the music on its own is not to everyone's tastes (myself included), but this recording and DSD transfer is so breathtaking that it totally eclipses the music. I'm usually quite embarrassed about the music I play and am constantly having the Michael taken out of me by my flatmates & colleagues, but I stand here proud and utterly invincible in my enthusiasm for this Can-Can extravaganza!

    If you own a minty vinyl version of this, I envy you with every fibre of my being. If the DSD version is this good, God only knows how amazing this must sound on a sorted turntable. Here's the Amazon link to the SACD/CD version. Sorry if this breaks the rules, but I don't care. Everyone with a hifi and SACD player should own this recording. When I'm Prime Minister, it will be mandatory!!

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...8-9/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i9_xgl/026-6099319-6753253

    Rgds,
    DT
     
    Dynamic Turtle, Mar 6, 2006
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  2. Dynamic Turtle

    tones compulsive cantater

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    The music on its own is, IMHO, excellent. As a former amateur stage hand, I love the Offenbach stuff, which is rollicking and thoroughly enjoyable - and pretty good musically too. I get the feeling that Arthur Sullivan was strongly influenced by Offenbach. It features the famous galop from Orphée aux enfers (which one wag translated as "To hell with Orpheus!"), which was to become the Can-Can.

    Never heard the recording you mention, but I'm now tempted! Old Arthur did a good job with the Boston Pops (in reality the highly-rated Boston Symphony under a different label) in bringing good music to the people and making classical more approachable.
     
    tones, Mar 6, 2006
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  3. Dynamic Turtle

    Dynamic Turtle The Bydo Destroyer

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    Oh God, seriously Tones, just buy it!

    Use google if you want further evidence of the quality of this DSD transfer. You don't have to take my word for it.

    Utterly stunning in every sense of the word. Highest possible recommendation.

    DT
     
    Dynamic Turtle, Mar 6, 2006
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  4. Dynamic Turtle

    tones compulsive cantater

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    Have just done so. Thanks for the tip!
     
    tones, Mar 6, 2006
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  5. Dynamic Turtle

    lordsummit moderate mod

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    You might also like a couple of others in the series if you haven't already got them:
    Rhapsody with Stokowski conducting, and Hi-fi another Arthur Fiedler extravaganza.

    Equally spectacular but more recent the 2 Chandos recordings of the BBC Philharmonic playing Stokowski's Bach arrangements are a wonder to behold and worth every penny they cost. I think you'll find they are equally stunning
     
    lordsummit, Mar 6, 2006
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  6. Dynamic Turtle

    Dynamic Turtle The Bydo Destroyer

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    Well done Tones - trust me, you won't be disappointed. Let me just qualify things by saying that I have about thirty living presence & living stereo recordings on both 180g vinyl & SACD, and Gaite Parisienne still stands out in this esteemed company.

    As lordsummit says, Hi-Fi Fielder is also an excellent recording and very highly recommended.

    DT
     
    Dynamic Turtle, Mar 6, 2006
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  7. Dynamic Turtle

    indolent

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    Thanks for the recommendation. I bought it and it arrived yesterday. Picking up a new SACD player to run it with tomorrow and will be playing it this weekend.
     
    indolent, Mar 30, 2006
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