EMI Signature Collection Audiophile Edition, new SACD Classical series:

Just received this week, 3 titles from a new audiophile SACD series "Signature Collection" of EMI classical archive titles.

There is really only one reason for these to exist. They are fresh 2012 Abbey Road transfers from the original master tapes, made as both a last statement in physical format and to recover some costs of transferring to hi-res for ultimate download sale. That's the way it is these days.

So take it as that. These are being sold at budget price, unlike the premium priced Japanese series I wrote about last week - essentially the same mastering. I bought the 4 disc box of Gieseking's legendary Debussy recordings for under $40 - a fresh remastering, sounding unbelievable for 60 year old recordings - at under $40!! There is a reason these mono recordings have never been out of print. Every Conservatory teacher in the world has turned students on to Gieseking for the last 5 decades. They are that good - wholly idiomatic, free of artifice or mannerism, perfectly timed, and totally in Debussy's world. I can't imagine these sounding any better. The mono source is far better than I remembered it, there is space around the piano, decay, and tonality, it all sounds very natural and very appropriate - the remastering is so good I didn't miss stereo for an instant. Wisely, EMI have spread these recordings over 4 discs to match the original LP's and to make the sequencing natural. No Debussy fan can be without this set, that supersedes all others.

Carl Schuricht's Bruckner 8 and 9 are also deserving of legendary status. Schuricht was no Jochum. His tempos are quite brisk, and his readings dramatic. In some ways it is exciting Bruckner rather than the church Bruckner, and yet, the spiritual is still there, which is why these readings are so unique. I rarely appreciate the 9th, but here it makes very good sense, and shows why the 9th really needs it's finale. The 8th is glorious. Sound is well above exemplary.

Finally, Dvorak's Piano Concerto from Richter and Kleiber packed with Richter's Grieg and Schumann with Von Matacic. The Dvorak is possibly the best reading ever made, and a rare Kleiber accompanist date. Superb, as is the Grieg and Schumann - and the sound has never been so immediate and smooth, defined, expansive. Well worth upgrading or making a first acquaintance.

Some will complain about these, inevitably. They will say that there was noise reduction used, and fall back on some dogma that NR always sucks the life out of the music. Some will complain about the packaging. Mostly, the complainers will continue to find something to complain about. It is true that there has been some use of noise reduction, judiciously in my opinion. When I listen, I do so first to get an impression of tone. If the tone is natural, and accurate, likely we are on the right track. Then I look for a sense of space, dimensionality, transparency. Again, if it has it, we are going places. Then, I look for a natural and extended to end, and bass definition and power. All these are on these SACD's in spades. The Schuricht, for example, is selling on Amazon for a bit over $18. Can't beat that.