Thread: Best SACD piano recordings

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Post by sambaserge July 16, 2015 (41 of 56)
I just downloaded A new BIS 24/96 title, it is not yet listed on SA-CD.net
It is by pianist Kathryn Stott and called
"Solitaires" – French works for solo piano, the music is by Dutilleux, Ravel,
and Messiaen. You can sample the music on Eclassical.
The piano sound is superb, very open and dynamic. Highly recomended

Post by Iain July 17, 2015 (42 of 56)
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet recorded the complete piano works of Debussy from 2006-2009:
http://www.chandos.net/details06.asp?CNumber=CHAN%2010743

All works are available as 24/96 FLAC format Studio Master files. I have most of them. Superb performance and sound quality.

Post by Chris from Lafayette July 17, 2015 (43 of 56)
Iain said:

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet recorded the complete piano works of Debussy from 2006-2009:
http://www.chandos.net/details06.asp?CNumber=CHAN%2010743

All works are available as 24/96 FLAC format Studio Master files. I have most of them. Superb performance and sound quality.

+1 - I've got the same files and I totally agree.

Post by trntbl July 18, 2015 (44 of 56)
rammiepie said:

Who would know better than the pianist, himself. Yes, Euell, the piano is a monaural 'stringed' instrument and I suppose I have been sitting in front of my speakers for far too long as I was always taught to space my speakers to replicate the width of a Grand Piano which does exhibit the 'illusion' of a stereo/three channel spread.

Take your bow!

Piano is not "monaural". It is acoustic instrument that produces sound within space. Direct sound from piano strings and soundboard is small part of this, most of the sound you here from recordings is resonating from the recording space. Main source of direct sound is soundboard, and sound from that is reflected forward by the lid (mainly treble). The perceived width of instrument is pure side-effect of mic placement and mixing, in normal concert hall you can not hear the size of instrument. Multichannel recordings CAN capture grand piano beautifully, just listen to Volodos in Vienna, for example.

Post by Euell Neverno July 18, 2015 (45 of 56)
trntbl said:

Piano is not "monaural". It is acoustic instrument that produces sound within space. Direct sound from piano strings and soundboard is small part of this, most of the sound you here from recordings is resonating from the recording space. Main source of direct sound is soundboard, and sound from that is reflected forward by the lid (mainly treble). The perceived width of instrument is pure side-effect of mic placement and mixing, in normal concert hall you can not hear the size of instrument. Multichannel recordings CAN capture grand piano beautifully, just listen to Volodos in Vienna, for example.

Whatever. The piano itself is a point source of sound. It is the room/space, which adds the acoustic reflections and interactions. But, as a sound source the instrument itself is obviously singular rather than multiple.

Post by Chris from Lafayette July 18, 2015 (46 of 56)
Euell Neverno said:

Whatever. The piano itself is a point source of sound. It is the room/space, which adds the acoustic reflections and interactions. But, as a sound source the instrument itself is obviously singular rather than multiple.

Whatever is right! Have you ever heard a piano minus its (three-dimensional!) acoustic environment? I confess, I haven't. ;-)

And, BTW, I disagree that the piano is a point source of sound. If that's true, where is the point?

Post by Euell Neverno July 18, 2015 (47 of 56)
Chris from Lafayette said:

Whatever is right! Have you ever heard a piano minus its (three-dimensional!) acoustic environment? I confess, I haven't. ;-)

And, BTW, I disagree that the piano is a point source of sound. If that's true, where is the point?

Point 1: A point source does not emanate from a point. A point has no volume or dimensions, only location. A point source is a single definable source, as opposed to multiple or locationally diffuse sources.

Point 2: A piano out of doors without nearby reflective surfaces will produce a sound with almost no reflection. If you have played in a band or orchestra outdoors without the benefit of a bandstand, you know what I mean. A hall with poor acoustics can come close to producing the same effect, as much of the sound produced seems to disappear.

Post by Chris from Lafayette July 19, 2015 (48 of 56)
Euell Neverno said:

Point 1: A point source does not emanate from a point. A point has no volume or dimensions, only location. A point source is a single definable source, as opposed to multiple or locationally diffuse sources.

Point 2: A piano out of doors without nearby reflective surfaces will produce a sound with almost no reflection. If you have played in a band or orchestra outdoors without the benefit of a bandstand, you know what I mean. A hall with poor acoustics can come close to producing the same effect, as much of the sound produced seems to disappear.

We may be talking past each other here. Each hammer hitting each string can be considered a separate point of sound production, and a pianist playing the instrument certainly has the sensation that the bass notes are on his left while the treble notes are on his right. In fact, there's a fun Tacet multi-channel recording of the Debussy Preludes (Koroliov) that takes this fact to extremes and extends the audible keyboard to 270 degrees - almost surrounding you.

I don't care if you're out in a field or on an outdoor bandstand, if you sit close enough, there's no way you can say that the piano is a point source.

Post by Euell Neverno July 19, 2015 (49 of 56)
Chris from Lafayette said:

We may be talking past each other here. Each hammer hitting each string can be considered a separate point of sound production, and a pianist playing the instrument certainly has the sensation that the bass notes are on his left while the treble notes are on his right. In fact, there's a fun Tacet multi-channel recording of the Debussy Preludes (Koroliov) that takes this fact to extremes and extends the audible keyboard to 270 degrees - almost surrounding you.

I don't care if you're out in a field or on an outdoor bandstand, if you sit close enough, there's no way you can say that the piano is a point source.

I realize you enjoy an argument, but let's employ a hopefully helpful analogy. The sun is huge with many light-producing reactions going on within and upon its surface, but at 93 million miles away it is a point source of light. Similarly, listening to a piano, the perception is of the instrument as a whole and is directional, just as it is for most other instruments. Contrary to your statement, a pianist, at least this one, does not actually perceive directionality of the various notes, except from the visual cue of the keyboard location. Likewise, for a listener who does not have his head placed within the piano.

Now, that is not to say that a piano cannot be recorded with multiple channels or that multiple recording channels cannot provide a superior sound picture of a piano, but that is an entirely separate issue.

Post by Chris from Lafayette July 19, 2015 (50 of 56)
Euell Neverno said:

I realize you enjoy an argument, but let's employ a hopefully helpful analogy. The sun is huge with many light-producing reactions going on within and upon its surface, but at 93 million miles away it is a point source of light. Similarly, listening to a piano, the perception is of the instrument as a whole and is directional, just as it is for most other instruments. Contrary to your statement, a pianist, at least this one, does not actually perceive directionality of the various notes, except from the visual cue of the keyboard location. Now, that is not to say that a piano cannot be recorded with multiple channels or that multiple recording channels cannot provide a superior sound picture of a piano, but that is an entirely separate issue.

OK, Euell - If I find a "point source" piano, I'll let you know! ;-)

As far as the light from the Sun is concerned, those light-producing reactions on its surface may be best conceived as events which occur along various radii emanating from a POINT at its very center. You can't say the same thing about a piano. (Or at least I can't.)

BTW, I wanted to ask if you're based in the SF Bay Area, and, if so, did you have any plans to attend the California Audio Show in a few weeks? If so, it might be nice to meet up one of the days.

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