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Discussion: Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 3 & 7 - Macal

Posts: 9

Post by Windsurfer May 18, 2008 (1 of 9)
John,

Your review convinced me. But where did you obtain your copy? Amazon.com and CD Universe are charging almost $60.00 USD. Amazon.co.uk only asks 11.99 pounds sterling which translates to a MUCH lower price but they say it won't be released until December 2008! I wonder what is going on here? Did your copy come from Amazon.co.jp?

Bruce

Post by Geohominid May 18, 2008 (2 of 9)
Windsurfer said:

John,

Your review convinced me. But where did you obtain your copy? Amazon.com and CD Universe are charging almost $60.00 USD. Amazon.co.uk only asks 11.99 pounds sterling which translates to a MUCH lower price but they say it won't be released until December 2008! I wonder what is going on here? Did your copy come from Amazon.co.jp?

Bruce

I got both of my Macal Dvorak discs from CDJapan, a very efficient and fast airmail service, with a discount points system. The total price, including the airmail cost, was only a few pounds different to a full-priced SACD in the UK, which I thought reasonable. However, UK supplier Presto (http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/search.php?searchString=octavia) now supply quite a few Octavia records including the Dvoraks and the Jaap van Zweden Bruckner symphonies at £13.49 plus shipping.
I was a little apprehensive about the Macal discs inheriting some yet unresolved problems with surround channels on the Sibelius Symphonies from this label bought from JPC, which I verified are anomalous by getting the Askenazy Symphony 6 and 7 disc from Japan. This does have the normal if reticent surround channels. I've been very pleased with the Dvorak series, especially the early symphonies which are not otherwise available on SACD and it is a pity the first and fifth were not (so far) issued, if they were recorded. Macal resigned late last year from the CPO over some adverse criticism about his relationship with the orchestra, so I don't know if he will be doing any more recording with them; perhaps others on the spot will know more.

Regards,
John

Post by Peter May 19, 2008 (3 of 9)
John, that's sad news. I hope they got 1 and 5 in the can.

Peter

Post by flyingdutchman May 19, 2008 (4 of 9)
Geohominid said:

I got both of my Macal Dvorak discs from CDJapan, a very efficient and fast airmail service, with a discount points system. The total price, including the airmail cost, was only a few pounds different to a full-priced SACD in the UK, which I thought reasonable. However, UK supplier Presto (http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/search.php?searchString=octavia) now supply quite a few Octavia records including the Dvoraks and the Jaap van Zweden Bruckner symphonies at £13.49 plus shipping.
I was a little apprehensive about the Macal discs inheriting some yet unresolved problems with surround channels on the Sibelius Symphonies from this label bought from JPC, which I verified are anomalous by getting the Askenazy Symphony 6 and 7 disc from Japan. This does have the normal if reticent surround channels. I've been very pleased with the Dvorak series, especially the early symphonies which are not otherwise available on SACD and it is a pity the first and fifth were not (so far) issued, if they were recorded. Macal resigned late last year from the CPO over some adverse criticism about his relationship with the orchestra, so I don't know if he will be doing any more recording with them; perhaps others on the spot will know more.

Regards,
John

Sad indeed, because I would hate to see Kobayashi record the two symphonies for the label.

Post by andrewb August 22, 2008 (5 of 9)
It's welcome to have these helpful and informative site reviews but I am very surprised to find the sound quality of this disc so highly praised in all three reviews.

Personally I have found the sound disappointing: it is rather too close and has a coarseness which I do not normally associate with the best SACD sound. The sound stage is excellent between the front speakers but it seriously lacks depth. The whole result is nearer to the sound I expect from a good RBCD rather than an SACD. This listening was in multi-channel, although I did listen on headphones to the seventh one evening and found the sound to become very wearing by the end.
Definitely no better than 4 stars, perhaps only 3.5, in my view.

The performances are much better, though I did feel that the CPO lacked some subtlety and nuance in their playing. The interpretations of both symphonies are splendid and as good as I have ever heard.

A welcome release which I would recommend but don't expect state of the art sound.
What do others think of the sound on this disc?

Post by wehecht August 22, 2008 (6 of 9)
Windsurfer said:

John,

Your review convinced me. But where did you obtain your copy? Amazon.com and CD Universe are charging almost $60.00 USD. Amazon.co.uk only asks 11.99 pounds sterling which translates to a MUCH lower price but they say it won't be released until December 2008! I wonder what is going on here? Did your copy come from Amazon.co.jp?

Bruce

Bruce,

I got mine through the site link to Crochet in the UK. Even with the weak dollar, shipping, credit card service fees because of the currency exchange etc. the cost was about $25, and the service was excellent. The performances are very good, the sound a little below top drawer, 4 maybe 4.5 stars. Having heard the CPO when they last toured in North America under Ashkenazy I remember being struck by the extraordinary power of the lower strings which doesn't quite come across here, though the piquant woodwind timbres are well captured. I imagine we'll eventually get a 7th from Pentatone in even better sound, but I'm not expecting to see another 3rd anytime soon. Well worth the purchase.

Bill

Post by Domimag August 22, 2008 (7 of 9)
Hello

EXTON - Macal - Dvorak :
SACD 4 & 8 and 3 & 7 are DSD remastering.
Only the 9 is DSD recorded.

About the sound, I should give 4 stars for the two first and 4,5 stars for the 9. (stereo)
I prefer symphonies 8 and 9 by Macal than by Kreizberg (because czech music made by czech musicians)
The 3 & 4 are fresh and good to listen.

I ordered the 2 and 6 at HMV Japan (in progress). I ordered several SACD EXTON near HMV without problem. 4 days later I got my SACD at Home (France).

Regards - Domimag

Post by Peter August 23, 2008 (8 of 9)
"Piquant woodwind timbres" - absolutely, and how good it is that this hasn't vanished from the sound the CPO produced under Ancerl et al.

The sound in stereo seems excellent to me.

Peter

Post by Windsurfer November 30, 2008 (9 of 9)
Hiredfox said:

"... too often muddy and lacking refinement in detail which is surprising for a national orchestra and the miking leaves a great deal to be desired. Whatever happened to the emotional content of the 7th.

7 is better than 3 but I wonder if the Japanese recording engineers are really as well tuned into the nuances of classical orchestration as the people in The Netherlands?"


I purchased this and listened to it once, then again. I don't see how people can regard any of these Exton recordings with the same degree of esteem as those discs coming from the Netherlands! ... and several other places as well. I have to check the stereo layer, but the mch layer is pretty poor compared with what other companies are doing.

Closed