New York Philharmonic

Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic – Mahler: Symphony No. 7 (2007)
PS3 Rip | 2 SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 & 5.1 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 37:03 (Disc 1), 42:7 (Disc 2) | 6,49 GB Total
2 Discs FLAC 2.0 Stereo (PS3 ISO extract / Weiss Saracon conversion) 24bit/88,2 kHz | 1.68 GB Total
Label: Sony Music Japan | Year: 1965, 2007 | 3% Recovery Info

Sony should issue this recording at birth to everyone! It’s simply amazing! I originally heard Bernstein do this performance live and have lived with it ever since it was issued, first as LP then as CD. However, with this Japanese SACD issue, it’s like I’m really there. It comes to life like never before!

Mahler’s 7th Symphony, the “Song of the Night” as it is sometimes called, is perhaps Mahler’s most ambitious symphonic work, in five movements with two “nachtmusik” movements as the second and fourth movements, and a brilliant rondo as the last movement where the light finally breaks through. This recording is among the most acclaimed of the all the Mahler 7 recordings, superbly played and recorded with life-like brilliance.

My only complaint about the SACD issue that Sony makes us pay a usurious price. Do they think that only the Japanese enjoy SACD quality, and make the rest of us pay through the nose for it?

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Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic – Mahler: Symphony No. 4 (2007)
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 & 5.1 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 56:12 minutes | 4,18 GB
FLAC 2.0 Stereo (PS3 ISO extract / Weiss Saracon conversion) 24bit/88,2 kHz | 1,05 GB
Label: Sony Music Japan | Year: 1960, 2007 | 3% Recovery Info

This new remastering by Andreas K. Meyer is nothing short of sensational. Some of the finest performances of Mahler & Bernstein, it’s amazing how much detail Sony/CBs can get from this stunning SACD!
The Fourth Symphony of Gustav Mahler stands apart from his others for a number of reasons. This is his “sunny” symphony; it is filled with delicate harmonies, a catchy ornamented rhythmic pattern, and it has an almost pastoral feel to it. While scored for large orchestra, it comes off as a chamber work. The last movement, with its soprano solo “Wir geniessen die himmlischen Freuden” from ‘Des Knaben Wunderhorn,’ talks of heaven from a child’s innocent perspective.

This recording from 1960 features the preeminent Mahler interpreter of the twentieth century, Leonard Bernstein along with the New York Philharmonic, joined by the radiant soprano Reri Grist in the last movement. One could not ask for a better ensemble of players. Indeed, there are times when Bernstein seems to take off (if not fly into orbit) with the tempi, but his innate understanding of this music cannot be argued. Grist, a great singer at the height of her artistic powers, sings perfectly. A beautifully remastered and essential recording. – Gramophone

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Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic – Mahler: Symphony No. 3 (2007)
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 & 5.1 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 99.31 minutes | 5,92 GB
FLAC 2.0 Stereo (PS3 ISO extract / Weiss Saracon conversion) 24bit/88,2 kHz | 1,88 GB
Label: Sony Music Japan | Year: 1961, 2007 | 3% Recovery Info

One can hardly believe the SACD sound Sony has achieved here, trumping even the “Carnegie Hall Presents” remaster! It is almost unbelievable that the original sound we were able to hear back in 1961 has been so revived from that original recorded in New York’s Manhattan Center.

The Third was among the first and most successful of Bernstein’s Mahler recordings. Leonard Bernstein’s reading is refreshingly unmannered and free from overstatement. There is no lack of drama or tension in the long first movement: the inner movements are done with great charm and the second in particular is quite winning. Matha Lipton is in top form in the fourth movement, “0 Mensch, 0 Mensch!”. Her voice has excellent quality and she sings with great feeling. The singing of the boys’ choir in the fifth movement is fresh and vigorous in the finale. The recording is beautifully engineered. The acoustic is warm and open, detail emerges clearly and the perspective is for the most part truthful. Strongly recommended! – Gramophone

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Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic – Mahler: Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection” (2007)
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 & 5.1 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 84:35 minutes | 6,38 GB
FLAC 2.0 Stereo (PS3 ISO extract / Weiss Saracon conversion) 24bit/88,2 kHz | 1,57 GB
Label: Sony Music Japan | Year: 1963, 2007 | 3% Recovery Info

“DSD Remastering on a Legendary Recording!

“This legendary first commercial recording by Leonard Bernstein of Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 has until now, only been available in generally inferior-sounding LP, open-reel, and CD formats, using a master tape derived from the original recording session tapes. It has never until now, been given the opportunity to show the sonics it likely had, and which it now reveals via SACD. This performance is a true “desert island” recording of the work in audiophile format. Remastering Engineer Andreas K. Meyer was tapped to remaster via the Direct Stream Digital (DSD) process, the entire Columbia/Sony Masterworks cycle for the domestic Carnegie Hall label of Mahler symphonies as recorded by Leonard Bernstein, and the results show improvement, not only on that issue, but on this one as well. Copies of Meyer’s DSD remasterings were sent to Japan for issuance on SACD (including this issue), but for some odd reason, the remasterings of these recordings still have to appear as a domestic issue SACD, at least as of this writing.

“Among the improvements of the DSD/SACD remastering vs. the original issues using the old master tape: There is a better sense of “air” around the individual instruments, and a better semblance of the halls in which the recordings were made, adding to a greater sense of “live” presence. Dynamics have been slightly increased, as well as a slight deepening of the bass frequencies. Also, the dynamics at the point of the last movement huge drum roll are improved; one of the best on all Mahler 2nd recordings.

“The greatest benefits overall, have been the increase in presence of the recording to allow individual instruments to stand out, as well as a slight increase in dynamics, which helps the impact of this recording. If you have one of the earlier formats that didn’t use the Meyer remastering, I’m sure you’ll be able to pick up the improvements in this issuance vs. the earlier. A superb recording!” – Stereophile

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Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic – Mahler: Symphony No. 1 (2007)
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 & 5.1 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 52:38 minutes | 4,0 GB
FLAC 2.0 Stereo (PS3 ISO extract / Weiss Saracon conversion) 24bit/88.2 kHz | 0.99 GB
Japan Import | Year: 1966, 2001 | 3% Recovery Info

“This performance remains one of the most thrilling and committed performances of “The Titan” to be issued. The DSD/SACD remastering is excellent I look forward to the entire Sony cycle in this wonderful high resolution format.”

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