I first encountered Muscovite conductor Dmitri Yablonsky
on a rare SACD
of Shostakovich’s music for the 1964 film
Hamlet (see
reviews by
Colin
Clarke and
Gary
Dalkin). To say I was bowled over would be an understatement; a
lively, idiomatic performance and first-class sonics sent me scurrying
for the Super Audio version of his
Bolt and
Jazz Suites;
alas it was no longer available, at least not at a price I was prepared
to pay. I settled for the CD (
review),
adding the DVD-A a year later. Then along came this 2xHD download, courtesy
of producer André Perry and engineer René Laflamme. Would
their much-vaunted DXD/DSD re-mastering process amount to a worthwhile
upgrade, I wondered?
2xHD explain their recording philosophy in the downloadable booklet;
it seems straightforward enough, the idea being to extract the most
from master tapes – whatever the format – and, where necessary,
from pristine LPs. In that respect they are similar to the likes of
Bob Witrak’s
High
Definition Tape Transfers, whose variously-sourced offerings have
impressed me in the past. However it pays to be cautious about these
‘breathed on’ reissues, which some listeners dismiss as
a con. That said I’ve heard enough good ones to persuade me that
it’s a viable and interesting exercise, even if the results aren’t
always as good as claimed.
Then there’s the issue of cost; HDTT’s downloads/discs are
very competitively priced, but some may feel that the $16.74 (£9.85)
eclassical charge for the 24-bit flacs of this 2xHD download is just
too much. The standard CD costs £6 and the DVD-A can be had for
around £8.50. One advantage of the latter is that it offers surround
sound as well. Curiously, my copy of the DVD-A indicates the original
recording was 24/48, so I was surprised to see 2xHD’s files come
up on my M-DAC's display as 24/44.1. I’m sure there’s nothing
sinister in that, although buyers familiar with some labels’ less-than-transparent
recording info might be less charitable.
Reading reviews of a few 2xHD offerings in Download News rather confirmed
my preconceptions about this new label; unexceptional repackaging of
unexceptional performances that certainly don’t warrant the extra
being asked for them. At least these
Bolt and
Jazz Suites
are terrific performances, which is a plus, but what of the sonics?
As I discovered with the DVD-A of both this and EMI/Warner’s Previn/LSO
Turangalîla sympathetic re-mastering
can offer
very real improvements in sound quality; not only that, these DVD-As
give multi-channel enthusiasts a chance to show off their kit.
There are many excellent versions of
The Bolt suite; one of the most exciting and immersive is Dmitri Kitaienko’s on Capriccio; weighty, wide-ranging and full of impulse and imagination this SACD is my first choice for the work. Indeed, it’s a perfect complement to his fine traversal of the symphonies (
review). Turning to Yablonsky and 2xHD, first impressions are very promising; the side-drum and trumpet at the start of the
Overture are electrifying, and that initial climax has impressive punch. Thankfully it’s not just about heft, for small details are similarly well conveyed.
I adore this music, which is as accomplished as anything Shostakovich
ever wrote. Brimful of seditious charm and laced with the driest of
wit this suite is a whirligig of tipsy tunes, musical raspberries and
slinky, laugh-out-loud rhythms. The bureaucrat’s polka is all
of those things – what delectable woodwind and sizzling percussion
– and a lot more besides. There’s a welcome airiness to
the recording and solo instruments are nicely positioned in the mix.
Initially I thought the sound a little dry, but after a while I realised
it was just clean and accurate in a way that hints at 2L’s field-leading
BD-As.
Indeed, this download compares well with the 24/48 DVD-A – transients are especially crisp and percussive decay is well caught – even if the upper strings seem a tad wiry in the
Tango. No such qualms about the
Intermezzo, which sounds fine as well as being perfectly sprung and nicely detailed. There’s great presence too, and the depth and breadth of sound is very believable; just listen to the discreetly placed woodwind in
Dance of the Colonial Slave-Girl (tr. 6) or the ear-pricking xylophone in
The Conciliator (tr. 7). Even more telling is the nicely rounded sax in the
General Dance of Enthusiasm and Apotheosis.
Good engineering aside the real honours lie with Yablonsky and his enthusiastic
band. They certainly launch into the
Suite for Variety Orchestra
- until recently misidentified as the
Jazz Suite No. 2,
a three-movement work from i938 - with all the insouciance one could
wish for. What a jolly
March this is, and how infectiously
played. Ditto the
Lyric Waltz. Balances are just right –
the pianos in
Dance I and the guitar in the
Little
Polka, for example – and the big-band
Waltz II
is very well shaped. Alongside Riccardo Chailly (
Decca)
and Neeme Järvi (Chandos) Yablonsky seems so much more spontaneous,
his players so much more engaged.
Those qualities shine through in the
Jazz Suite No. 1, which
shows the composer is deadly serious about the genre. The intimate,
clubby ambiance and hip-swaying Hawaiian guitar in the
Foxtrot (Blues)
are highlights, and Yablonsky’s account of
Tahiti Trot
– famously jotted down in 40 minutes after Shostakovich heard
Vincent Youmans’
Tea for Two – is as good as it
gets. I’m inclined to think that’s true of this 2xHD re-master
as well; it’s several cuts above the already decent CD, although
it’s not a must-buy if you already own the DVD-A. As performances,
though, they’re every bit as entertaining as the best in the catalogue.
Richard Whitehouse’s original liner-notes are as clear and informative
as ever.
A splendid re-master that knocks the CD into a cocked hat; top-notch
performances, too.
Dan Morgan
http://twitter.com/mahlerei
Previous review (Naxos CD):
Dave
Billinge
