Thread: A letter from Polyhemia: the industry values this site !!

Posts: 3

Post by nucaleena February 15, 2004 (1 of 3)
I recently reviewed the Pentatone disc of Chopin/Loewe concertos and was critical of some aspects of the surround recording. I've just received a very friendly and informative letter from Erdo Groot, the Director and Balance Engineer of Polyhymnia International BV. The letter is reproduced below. It corrects a mistake of mine about balance intent, announces some new partnerships and releases and confirms that Edo keeps an eye on this site to see what we're all thinking. I think thats great, - after the failure of Chandos and (to a lesser extent) hyperion, to respond to some recent postings re DSD and stereo SACDs, its terrific to know that the site is valued by Pentatone as well as LSO live. It's also great to hear of so many new recordings and SACD companies. All strenght to Edo's arm. By the way, I've happily corrected my review.


>Dear Mr Simpson,
>
>With interest do I follow the reaction about recordings I participate in. I would like to make one comment on your last post on the Kodama Loewe disk. The point that the horn sounded from behind is correct, but this is in the recording intentional. I have to rely on memory, but in one of the movements there is an 'answer' in the horn from back stage. We positioned the player in the auditorium, to create the distance in the sound, in stereo, and enhance the effect in Surround.
>
>I am happy that you like some of our recordings very much. we try to convey the specific acoustical qualities of the venues we record in. This and the Tchaikovsky violin/piano concerto recording were made in the big hall of the Tchaikovsky conservatory in Moscow, a hall with very warm compact, but also clear acoustics. I would like to draw your attention to one other recording that will come out soon, Glinka's Ruslan and Liudmilla, live performed by and in the Bolshoi theatre. We made a recording set up that does full justice to the way the staging set up the performers in the hall, and were possible to get a realistic and involving result. Both in stereo and surround.
>
>Also I would like to mention that we are making recordings for a new Russian Label; Caro Mitis. With them we have made 8 recordings for SACD surround already. Up to now we have worked in studio 5 of DZZ, the cultural broadcast company of Russia, a studio that I like even more than for instance, studio 1 in Abbey Road. Caro Mitis is still setting up world wide distribution, but I hope you will be able to find the disks in the near future.

http://www.essentialmusic.ru/
>http://www.caromitis.com/eng/index.html
>
>With kind regards,
>
>Erdo Groot
>Director and Balance Engineer
>Polyhymnia International BV.

Post by zeus February 15, 2004 (2 of 3)
nucaleena said:

>Also I would like to mention that we are making recordings for a new Russian Label; Caro Mitis.
>With them we have made 8 recordings for SACD surround already.

These Caro Mitis titles look excellent:

Bach: Oboenwerke, Volume 1 - Alexei Utkin
Bach: Oboenwerke, Volume 2 - Alexei Utkin
Berezovsky: Secular Music - Pratum Integrum Orchestra
Bortnyansky: The Italian Album - Pratum Integrum Orchestra

I've been trying to find somewhere to buy the Bach/Utkin ones ever since I heard of these. According to Ivan from http://www.sacd.ru, the first sold out of its initial run of 5,000 and they pressed another 25,000. Not bad for something that has limited distribution outside of Russia. Anyway, there's a "subscribe" option on their not-yet-complete web site so maybe we'll be able to buy directly from the label in the near future. These look like top recordings, and really nicely presented.

Post by tream February 15, 2004 (3 of 3)
This is huge, and what we have been hoping for. Thanks to Paul for sharing this, and thanks to Pentatone for paying attention.

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