25 April 2014

Stunning realism verging on surrealism

 
This SACD is a gem



Stunning realism verging on surrealism -- SACD reincarnation by Analogue Productions of Fritz Reiner's 1958 recording of Pictures. 

The Bydlo evokes goosebumps even in a hot damp night.

My immediate thought is one of paranoia: go and buy a spare copy lest the present one is robbed.

For SACD-reissue's throne, Esoteric please give way to Analogue Productions.

14 April 2014

Inflight Bruckner symphonies

Whenever I fly to other places, I've always checked whether Bruckner's music is included in the inflight entertainment programmes. 

I find the Emirates Airline inflight classical music programmes in flights involving the A380 planes (on routes between Hong Kong and Dubai and London) invariably include Bruckner's symphonies No. 4 to No. 9. With some patient searching, the names of the conductors and orchestras can be found as well. The Korean Airline flights from Hong Kong to Seoul, again on A380s, also have Nos. 4, 5, 7-9, but the performers are not named.

The playlist on Emirates is:

No. 4: Rattle / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (EMI)
No. 5: Bolton / Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra (OEHMS)
No. 6: Nagano / Deutsches Symphonie-orchester Berlin (Harmonia Mundi)
No. 7: Kreisberg / Vienna Symphony Orchestra (Pentatone)
No. 8: Tennstedt / London Philharmonic Orchestra (EMI)
No. 9: Blomstedt / Gewandhausorchester Leipzig (Decca)

In my experience, it is a huge improvement compared to inflight programmes in general many years ago when no Bruckner was included.

06 April 2014

From St Pancras to Canterbury, Kent through Fujinon XF 10-24mm F4

Some further pictures using this lens, all at 10mm.



St Pancras International Station