James Levine, Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Brahms Symphonies (K2 24-bit HD Master Import)

Posted By : VanPelten | Date : 14 May 2009 22:47:00 | Comments : 25 |

“

James Levine is unquestionably a great Brahms conductor. His RCA complete symphony cycle with the Chicago Symphony is one of the best ever recorded, but long out of print and unfortunately is only available at present in Japan. The performances are stunning, taut, rhythmically sharp, and exciting. Indeed, this is unquestionably the finest complete Brahms with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at its pinnacle!

There are no disappointments anywhere in this set, and there are countless outstanding moments. The very opening of the First Symphony sets the tone: powerful, like Klemperer, but also propulsive. The finale of the Second Symphony shows exactly how to increase excitement toward the end without wild extremes of tempo (not that this can't be fun now and then). The Third and Fourth Symphonies are superb interpretations, particularly the Third, a work that Levine always did particularly well. The opening is wonderfully passionate, the renown Chicago Symphony wind section playing in the slow movement is gorgeous and magnificent in the finale epic. This last quality also pervades the Fourth's concluding passacaglia, but never at the expense of necessary forward momentum. The recorded sonics are big, rich and very flattering to the orchestra with plenty of transparency and textural directness.

RCA Japan's new K2 High Def encoding remastering technology is stunning, as good as it gets. Let us not forget that Levine was a student of Szell, and this set reveals him as a spectacular pupil. I only wish the set was available in the US or Europe instead of a scarce Japanese import.

American Record Guide

”

EAC Log Disc 1

EAC Log Disc 2

Tracks:

Disc 1
Symphony No 1 in C minor, Op. 68
(Recorded 1975)
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73
(Recorded 1976)

Disc 2
Symphony no 3 in F major, Op. 90
(Recorded 1976)
Symphony no 4 in E minor, Op. 98
(Recorded 1976)

Artists:

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
James Levine, Conductor

RCA/BMG Japan BVCC-38358-59 - released May 24, 2006
RCA Japan K2 24bit HD Remastering

K2 High Definition Coding technology:
This disc is mastered with superior skill of mastering engineer and revolutionary "K2 High Definition Coding" technology. K2 HD Mastering enhances the sound spectrum to a bandwidth of 100kHz and 24-bit resolution, while retaining all the charm of the original recording. K2 HD mastered CDs offer extended nuances, dynamics and musicality and are playable on any CD player. This is a very high quality K2 HD album with a certified average block error rate of 10 (industry standard is 220)! In other words, it is technically 22 times better than a regular CD!

No mirrors, please.

http://rapidshare.com/files/411308422/JLJB.part1.rar

http://rapidshare.com/files/411313780/JLJB.part2.rar

http://rapidshare.com/files/411331860/JLJB.part3.rar

http://rapidshare.com/files/411331886/JLJB.part4.rar

http://rapidshare.com/files/411380098/JLJB.part5.rar

http://rapidshare.com/files/411397594/JLJB.part6.rar

http://rapidshare.com/files/411405111/JLJB.part7.rar

http://rapidshare.com/files/411410750/JLJB.part8.rar

http://rapidshare.com/files/411412823/JLJBSCANS.rar

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Posted By: KYRIE Date: 15 May 2009 04:16:12

Thank you very, very, very much, VanPelten!

Posted By: fox_shunsx Date: 15 May 2009 07:52:41

Oh-my-God! This impossible-to-find treasure is a fantastic share, I can't thank you enough, VanPelten, many kudos for this!!

Posted By: bailoni Date: 15 May 2009 10:48:31

Fantástico... Exepcional...Revolucionário quanto ao som e interpretação!
Muitíssimo obrigado VanPelten , pela excelente postagem!
BRAZIL

Posted By: daksya Date: 15 May 2009 18:00:36

Thanks for the music.

But the review quoted here is very curious.

At http://classicstoday.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=11432 you will find the review of Levine's Brahms cycle with the Vienna Philharmonic.

First, let me quote from the link:
"The performances are stunning, a bit weightier than the Chicago recordings, but still taut, rhythmically sharp, and exciting. Indeed, this is unquestionably the finest complete Brahms cycle from Vienna"

And now, what it says above on this page:
"The performances are stunning, taut, rhythmically sharp, and exciting. Indeed, this is unquestionably the finest complete Brahms with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at its pinnacle!"

Again, from the link:
"The opening is wonderfully passionate, the wind playing in the slow movement gorgeous, and the finale epic."

And on this page:
"The opening is wonderfully passionate, the renown Chicago Symphony wind section playing in the slow movement is gorgeous and magnificent in the finale epic."

So, which is the original review? And to which performance does it refer?

Posted By: VanPelten Date: 15 May 2009 18:38:46

I got the text from a quote on a usenet classical music-sharing group in a discussion thread of audophile classical CDs and the CSO/Levine Brahms; it didn't make any reference to classictoday or the VPO. I c&p it as-is and saved it with the artwork. Reviewers tend to borrow their own quotes as standard boilerplates, perhaps that's the case, who knows? I find it apt and accurate for the current set I posted.

In any event, how did you enjoy the performance or did you just comment to troll? :>]

Posted By: daksya Date: 15 May 2009 18:47:01

David Hurwitz, the reviewer at Classics Today, doesn't review for American Record Guide, so it's a plain matter of plagiarism, not template reuse. But by whom, I don't know.

P.S. How is my comment a troll? The download queue is still being processed. The real test will be in the 3rd.

Posted By: VanPelten Date: 15 May 2009 19:04:42

Sorry, I shouldn't have made the troll comment...my bad. I don't know any of the reviewers at Classic Today or American Record Guide and I'm way too cheap to subscribe to either. I just took the posted review at face value. Hey, ya' think Joyce Hatto might have written it? One never knows...*chuckle*

BTW, I just checked and also have the Levine/VPO Brahms symphonies. Other than a few Brahms freaks, though, I don't know if they'd be worth sharing; but if I get enough requests, I may do it.

All the best,
VP

(edit) PS: regarding your comment "so it's a plain matter of plagiarism, not template reuse" -- I'm shocked that something like that could happen in a Usenet file-sharing group!! In the words of Capt. Renault in the movie Casablanca: "I'm shocked...shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!"

Posted By: trench Date: 15 May 2009 21:31:01

Thanks VanPelten......I would just like to say that for me and I'm sure for most of us, it's the music that matters rather than some 'slick-arse' reviewer's notes, which can and sometimes does mislead the listener into condemning a performance even before they've heard it. For what its worth....listen first then judge for yourself whether it was a good or bad performance.

Posted By: VanPelten Date: 15 May 2009 22:03:47

I appreciate the wise words, trench. And yes it's definitely the music that matters.

From what I can gather relative to "Sherlock" daksya's investigations, both Levine/Brahms sets with the Chicago AND Vienna have had great reviews -- it's just that the two of them were jumbled together. I've had this particular recording for 2 years now and it's among my favorite modern Brahms single-conductor symphony cycles (I think this one's superior overall to the VPO). If I had to make "desert-island" selections, I'd go for a combo of Furtwängler's war-time and post-war recordings -- then maybe Bruno Walter's NYPO cycle. But then I'm a sucker for Brahms and have way more than I should. *grin*

Enjoy!

Posted By: daksya Date: 16 May 2009 02:33:18

"I'm shocked that something like that could happen in a Usenet file-sharing group!!"

The plagiarism would be by the American Record Guide, not the usenet poster. If it's the work of the usenet poster, then it's simply a fake review.

Posted By: Brucknerianer Date: 16 May 2009 07:04:12

Thanks for this upload. Usually the really oldest stuff I buy/download is 1980+, you make me curious. Of course the music counts, but too much analog hiss makes me crazy.

Posted By: Highender Date: 16 May 2009 15:11:56

Thank you very very much dear VanPelten. This is one of the the real shares, the fine pearls we looking for.

Posted By: Highender Date: 16 May 2009 16:16:51

Hi, its me again. I just have to say that this CDs sounds absolute superb in any way. THIS is how music CAN sound from a compact disc. Denon One Point recordings for example sounds real great, but this recording here is just a higher level! It sounds even better than 95% of the stereo DVD-Audio and SACDs that i know and i know a lot. This here are still CDs with 16 Bit/44,1kHz BUT listen to this and compare it with most of the stereo SACD and DVD-A out there. If you know how a good orchestra, live in a good concert hall sounds you will love this recordings. Well K2HD or XRCD is not always a guarantee for best sound indeed, but if everything fits together like here (the record itself, the mastertapes, the sound engeneer, recording location, mastering ect.) the result is just breath taking. I have the luck that i can hear at home with approx. original orchestra dynamic level and this recordings are very near on a live experience. Thanks again VanPelten, you just made my day, no... weekend!

Posted By: layoutpad Date: 16 May 2009 17:12:57

Thanks for such a rare treat. I'm clapping like a brain-damaged seal.

Posted By: grasp_release Date: 20 May 2009 08:10:18

Many many thanks for this, vanPelten! I am currently addicted to Brahms, and this makes a nice re-education/-discovery of the symphonies. Cheers!

Posted By: nospoonboy Date: 13 Jun 2009 22:51:05

Thank you for the awesome share! I can't wait to hear it.

Posted By: joh316 Date: 15 Jun 2009 13:18:39

太感谢了！，！！，！！！

Posted By: MarteIrae Date: 16 Jun 2009 09:09:59

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Posted By: musician3 Date: 20 Jun 2009 11:00:40

Great Post....Thank You

Posted By: genushaha Date: 03 Jul 2009 05:03:37

Thanks so much!

Posted By: ipromesisposi Date: 16 Nov 2009 11:35:19

Excellent!
Another patient for my bedlam-blog.
Very kind of you.

Posted By: threejay Date: 07 Jul 2010 08:58:21

Could anyone please please please reshare this? The Rapidshare linklist is dead...

Posted By: TamikaApril Date: 09 Aug 2010 17:03:45

Awesome, some of the best Brahms symphonies around, and very rare. Thank you!

@threejay,
The links work find, I just downloaded them last night and all work perfectly.

Posted By: threejay Date: 22 Aug 2010 19:43:55

@TamikaApril: Well, they weren't working for the past month and a half. These are shiny new links, so I guess the original poster heard my prayers... :) Thanks for the new uploads!

Posted By: tonguc Date: 10 Sep 2011 00:23:30

i appreciated this cycle but still wonder if someone has his deutsche grammophon cycle with the vienna philarmonic orchestra?

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