Hi-Res Downloads

Mari Kodama, Sophie Harmsen, L’orchestre De La Suisse Romande Et Al : De Falla: Noches En Los Jardines De Espana & El Sombrero De Tres Picos

C. Breunig (Music); P. Miller (Lab)  |  Jan 22, 2018

 

96kHz/24-bit, FLAC; DSD64,; Pentatone PTC5186598 (supplied by www.highresaudio.com)

Rarely heard live today, these colourful scores by Manuel de Falla have been ‘demonstration disc’ material, right from the early days of LP. Indeed, classic versions were recorded under Ernest Ansermet – his Three-Cornered Hat is still on Speakers Corner 180g vinyl. Falla described Nights (one of Arthur Rubinstein’s favourites) as ‘symphonic impressions’, a better way to think of it than as a piano concerto. The pianist here (married to Kent Nagano) is set rather forward, but so was de Larrocha [Decca]. It’s the ballet performance that makes this an Album Choice, with its birdsong, castanets and ‘Olé’s. Kamada gets marvellously characterful playing – his principal bassoon surely deserved a credit! And the orchestral sound has a lovely bloom, the offstage mezzo [trk 9] quite magical. CB

Sound Quality: 95%

Hi-Fi News Lab Report

Tested in 96kHz guise (DSD64 files will be derived from LPCM, not the other way around), this is an excellent recording that utilises the 24-bit range without clipping, introducing spuriae or other distortions. Well done Pentatone! PM

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