Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Le nozze di Figaro worth $60?

[amirm]

Sounds really good to me but my wallet is saying no way to $60 for the 192 Khz. What say you?

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Sony/88883709262

And is there a cheaper source?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

No multichannel?

I just ripped this: but I've owned it for a while. Delightful.

 

[amirm]

I plan to convert my audio system to multi-channel at some point but for now, only my theater is set up for MCH.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I plan to convert my audio system to multi-channel at some point but for now, only my theater is set up for MCH.

Understood but now's the time to plan for it and not have to repurchase the same repertoire. I am still catching up with my collection.

 

[RBFC]

So many of Rene Jacobs' performances are incredible. Great choice, Kal.

Lee

 

[amirm]

Understood but now's the time to plan for it and not have to repurchase the same repertoire. I am still catching up with my collection.

It is times like this which I feel stupid.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

It is times like this which I feel stupid.

Anyone who doesn't feel stupid occasionally is in denial. I suspect it's rare occurrence for you.

 

[NorthStar]

You guys are just too much; I'm laughing out loud right now. ...In a good humorous way.

 

[R Johnson]

These days I don't buy opera on audio-only media. The visuals and translations are very valuable to me.

Lots of choices on Blu-ray:
http://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Nozze-di-Figaro-Blu-ray/dp/B001CZVVVY/
http://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Nozze-Di-Figaro-Blu-ray/dp/B00BCDTNTI/
http://www.amazon.com/Nozze-di-Figaro-Blu-ray/dp/B0028O34SG/
http://www.amazon.com/Mozart-nozze-di-Figaro-Blu-ray/dp/B005FWEQPS/

 

[Kal Rubinson]

These days I don't buy opera on audio-only media. The visuals and translations are very valuable to me.

Lots of choices on Blu-ray:
http://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Nozze-di-Figaro-Blu-ray/dp/B001CZVVVY/
http://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Nozze-Di-Figaro-Blu-ray/dp/B00BCDTNTI/
http://www.amazon.com/Nozze-di-Figaro-Blu-ray/dp/B0028O34SG/
http://www.amazon.com/Mozart-nozze-di-Figaro-Blu-ray/dp/B005FWEQPS/

I have two of those BDs and enjoy them. I do find that I react to them differently because I find the repetition of the video becomes stale and distracting while the audio-only recordings are not so burdened. Of course, one can turn off the display but, even then, I usually prefer the audio-only recordings for their superior performances and sound quality. Gross generaliations, of course.

 

[LL21]

Sounds really good to me but my wallet is saying no way to $60 for the 192 Khz. What say you?

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Sony/88883709262

And is there a cheaper source?

Hey Amirm,

Did you ever buy this? On my end, just decided to take a dive into Mozart Violin Concertos. I owned this complete set already:



And just ordered these two:


Great music, Esoteric Remaster, whats not to like (besides the price?)


Most of his work is remarkable...some say he is this generations maestro. We have Julia Fischer, and many others, but i have to admit, i have been most impressed with his work to date and would place it in that 'definitive or among the definitive versions' category for my personal taste. I am hopeful his Mozart is good.

 

[Fitzcaraldo215]

Sounds really good to me but my wallet is saying no way to $60 for the 192 Khz. What say you?

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Sony/88883709262

And is there a cheaper source?

Likely your decision is already made on this release. I do not know the artists, but it seems unlikely that this performance could equal, let alone surpass, those already recommended here. Also, for me at least, 192k is no panacea. Its contribution beyond 96k or DSD is not that significant in my view. I would never buy anything for that reason without knowing much more about the performance. We also know little about the recording team.

I strongly second the nomination of the Jacobs SACD. It is superbly performed and recorded. I am also a big fan of the Royal Opera BD video in the outstanding McVicar production, also recommended earlier. That is well worth it on many levels, especially for the really superb Almaviva of Gerald Finley. I have never seen a better portrayal of this character, and Finley is a great singer (and actor) coming into his own in reputation.

Figaro is perhaps my very favorite single opera, a work of utter genius. That is in part due to the brilliant inspiration of Beaumarchais' story line and the first of 3 extraordinary libretti by Lorenzo Da Ponte. That Mozart-DaPonte connection is one of the great collaborations in the history of art. It seemed to inspire Mozart to his very best music.

Frankly, much of Mozart's other music bores me. I cannot possibly bear to listen to Eine Kleine Nactmusik one more time, for only one of many examples. But, with the four great later operas, Figaro, Cosi, Don Giovanni and Magic Flute, all is forgiven, dear Wolfgang. I count his late Piano Concerti on the same exalted musical level. Truly music for the ages.

 

[amirm]

Hey Amirm,

Did you ever buy this? On my end, just decided to take a dive into Mozart Violin Concertos. I owned this complete set already:

I did not. I am too cheap to pay $60 for it . Maybe I go down in sample rate and save some money.

My Mozart collection is pretty empty. This is all I have:

Someone should tell me if I am screwed up too.

 

[LL21]

Hey Amir,

Any Mozart is good! As for me, i just paid a pretty penny for this...and it is WONDERFUL...just got it and playing now. Stunningly better than i thought it would be in terms of the quality of the remaster. I have 3 Esoteric Remaster, and 2 are sensational...actually great enough that one of them literally introduced me to the entire composer's works over a 3 months span of researching after listening (Bruckner's 5th) and finding myself playing it over and over again.

 

[ack]

Sounds really good to me but my wallet is saying no way to $60 for the 192 Khz. What say you?

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Sony/88883709262

And is there a cheaper source?

Just saw this thread, that's the CD I have of this work. It is really good.

 

[amirm]

Just saw this thread, that's the CD I have of this work. It is really good.

THanks. I can't find the CD cheap either. The only version on Amazon comes with a Blu-ray for $75! And the price on the prestoclassical is now up to $68. The MP3 alone is $30 and CD rip $40.

 

[ack]

You can't go wrong with this one. Unfortunately, the first CD of my set "developed" a scratch a year ago and is no longer playable, and I have no pets I may have to buy it again.

 

[amirm]

Hey Amir,

Any Mozart is good! As for me, i just paid a pretty penny for this...and it is WONDERFUL...just got it and playing now. Stunningly better than i thought it would be in terms of the quality of the remaster. I have 3 Esoteric Remaster, and 2 are sensational...actually great enough that one of them literally introduced me to the entire composer's works over a 3 months span of researching after listening (Bruckner's 5th) and finding myself playing it over and over again.

View attachment 22562

Thanks brother Loyd. I can't find that remaster anywhere. Do you by chance have a source? There are some with different art saying 24/96 remaster. Are they the same?

 

[LL21]

Thanks brother Loyd. I can't find that remaster anywhere. Do you by chance have a source? There are some with different art saying 24/96 remaster. Are they the same?

The 24/96 Remaster is the one done by the studio:



Frankly, if you are not going to be a stickler, my experience with these remasters is that they are generally excellent...and in this case, you get all the Violin concertos.

However, if you really must have 'the one', i have compared the best of the best remasters to the above label, and yes, sometimes i thought there was an improvement...so this is the one i suggest but you'll only get 2 of the 5 concertos:



You should be able to buy it here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QYVTVLI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

Not cheap...but stunning imho and particularly when compared with a standard CD of them. Good luck!

 

[LL21]

Amir,

here is what i did:

I got the Grumiaux Esoteric label to satisfy the desire to enjoy Grumiaux in all its Esoteric audiophile remaster tom-foolery glory.

And then i got this one which is recent, probably an even better sounding recording if any of his other CDs are any measure/proxy...and all of the violin concertos are here...and there are a fair few who consider James Ehnes potentially the greatest violinist of his generation. I certainly admire his work and find this accolade plausible. Elgedius will likely have a view.