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Good classical labels

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knerian:
Anyone know which labels have good recordings?  Doesn't have to be dedication to fidelity like Water Lily Acoustics, but just in general any reccos for labels known for paying attention to good sound.

How is Teldec?  I am going to get the Harnoncourt Bruckner 8th and would like to hear thunderous brass.

Kunlun:
The Bruckner symphony cycle by Eugin Jochum on DG is phenomenal. Jochum shared some similarities in his life with Bruckner (both organists from similar Austrian Catholic upbringings, for example) and he really seems to get what Bruckner was trying to say. There's a real life to the music. I'd say the recordings are very good as well. I seem to remember a friend saying that there was a solo cd of the 8th with Jochum which wasn't quite as good as the one in the cycle, but that was just his opinion.

Claritas:
Many of the old RCA Living Stereo releases (Reiner/CSO) still hold up. Some of Decca's records, especially anything recorded at The Maltings, Snape (Britten, cond.); many Solti recordings too. In early digital, DG has the edge: e.g., Mutter's Bach and Perlman's Sibelius.

But, honestly, sound quality is nowhere near so important as interpretive ability: Furtwängler's Bruckner will beat anyone's.

blue:
Mercury

knerian:
Yep, Jochum has quite a few, his cycle(s) are legendary.  IN fact I've been listening to his 5th recently, the one on DG.  Great sound and it's like 50 years ago.

And Solti's 8th with Chicago was my standby for many years, just to hear the famous Chicago trombones blast it out in the opening of the 4th mvt.  I still have that CD (somewhere) but never transferred it to my computer, thanks for reminding me!!

I've been listening to the Chailly cycle lately, I know recording quality is not the most important, but damn the brass sound amazing coming out of planars.  Who cares about interpretation when you've got brass causing your ears to bleed.

And I hear ya Claritas, Furtwangler is great, there are quite a few of his 8th's out there, I have a few on CD I haven't listened to in a long time.  But it was such a revelation to hear him the first time, to hear him be so organic with the tempo and basically just build up to the climax at a frenzy tempo-wise, Bruckner is usually played like Bach in that respect.  I have that recent RCA living stereo set, Ive only listened to a few CDs though.

Anyways thanks for the suggestions, but I'm also looking for specifically good sound, recent labels.  Maybe it doesn't matter.  I was shocked to listen to to some 60's stuff (any label, EMI, Decca, etc) and find the sound pretty damn amazing.

In case you haven't figured it out, my handle is short for Brucknerian.

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