RE-UP. TACET: Stuttgarter Kammerorchester - The Tube. SACD-ISO + CD

Sony PS3 SACD to *ISO | DSD 1bit-2822,4kHz 2.0 | 2.69GB
EAC-RIP | FLAC-IMAGE, CUE, LOG | 322MB

Classical | Label: TACET | Catalog Number: S74 | RAR 3% Rec.

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The lengths to which TACET have gone to secure an all-valve (tube) recording chain for this disc might seem perverse to some, but I think that the sound quality that they have achieved is a complete vindication of their unusual approach. The Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, under their founder Karl Munchinger, were of course one of the stars of the Decca repertoire during the "Golden Age" of valve mastered recordings in the late Fifties and early Sixties, and this disc has the wonderfully warm string tone of the renowned SXL series LPs from that era. Of course, cynics (or diehard vinyl revivalists) might question the virtues of the latest digital techniques if all they do is take you back to the sound of 40 years ago, but you only have to listen to the dynamics and, of course, blissful silence during the quiet passages, to realise what benefits SACD can offer over its vinyl predecessor. The music is very appealing throughout - the Handel and Corelli are worth the admission price alone, and the other pieces are never less than interesting, particularly the Biber which was totally unfamiliar to me. The performances, to my admittedly inexpert ear, are impeccable, and very lively throughout. All this, and you get a joke too: "No conductor, no semiconductor....." - who says the Germans have no sense of humour?

Tracklisting:

01. La Musica Notturna delle strade di Madrid 10:13
02. G.B. Sammartini - Sinfonia F-Dur JC 35: Allegro 03:05
03. G.B. Sammartini - Sinfonia F-Dur JC 35: Andante 03:08
04. G.B. Sammartini - Sinfonia F-Dur JC 35: Allegro 01:14
05. Ch. Avison - Concerto XII: Grave. Tempo giato - Largo 02:22
06. Ch. Avison - Concerto XII: Allegro spirituoso 03:38
07. Ch. Avison - Concerto XII: Lentemente 04:23
08. Ch. Avison - Concerto XII: Tempore giato - Allegro 04:09
09. G.F. Handel - Concerto grosso op. 6 Nr. 2 F-Dur: Andante larghetto 04:34
10. G.F. Handel - Concerto grosso op. 6 Nr. 2 F-Dur: Allegro 02:27
11. G.F. Handel - Concerto grosso op. 6 Nr. 2 F-Dur: Largo 02:53
12. G.F. Handel - Concerto grosso op. 6 Nr. 2 F-Dur: Allegro, ma non troppo 02:02
13. A. Vivaldi - Concerto alla Rustica G-Dur: Presto 01:05
14. A. Vivaldi - Concerto alla Rustica G-Dur: Adagio 00:58
15. A. Vivaldi - Concerto alla Rustica G-Dur: Allegro 01:45
16. H.I.F. Biber - Battalia a 10 08:22
17. Arc. Corelli - Concerto grosso op. 6 Nr. 7 D-Dur: Vivacae - Allegro - Adagio 02:26
18. Arc. Corelli - Concerto grosso op. 6 Nr. 7 D-Dur: Allegro 01:55
19. Arc. Corelli - Concerto grosso op. 6 Nr. 7 D-Dur: Andante largo 01:58
20. Arc. Corelli - Concerto grosso op. 6 Nr. 7 D-Dur: Allegro 00:58

21. Arc. Corelli - Concerto grosso op. 6 Nr. 7 D-Dur: Vivacae 01:07

The Tube is a collection of excellently played baroque music using Tubes though out the entire recording process. On the back of the SACD it says "No conductor - no semiconductor - I beg your pardon." The players on this SACD are the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra and they have no conductor. The booklet explains how semiconductors were avoided in making this SACD. From the 2 Neumann M49 valve microphones, the tubed mixer, to the restored tubed Telefunken M5 2 channel Stereo Reel to Reel, to the editing by hand up to the DSD converter which does use semiconductors. However the booklet says "... in the course of being converted the signal does not pass through any transistors, but rather adjoins them and is measured: The transistors cannot 'pass on' any of their properties to it's sound. So we can rightly claim that for the music recorded here no transistor effected the sound in any way all at.

This 2 channel SACD has the most gorgeous sounding strings I have ever heard in any format, the sound and music are utterly beautiful. This is not a sampler but complete works by the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra. I especially love the first selection "La Musica Notturna della strade di Madrid" by Boccherini it is not only beautiful but exciting too, a major discovery for me. Also other gems by Sammartini, Avison, Scarlatti, Handel, Vivaldi, Biber and Corelli.

I highly recommend this 2 channel SACD to one and all; it was auditioned on my 2-channel high-end system.

Happy listening,

Teresa

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