Artegra Records, an audiophile label specializing in DSD jazz recordings, is entering the Classical Music market with two new Classical Surround Sound Super Audio CDs. The expansion comes after the label has issued 4 jazz SACDs and 1 SACD of traditional Swedish music. At the same time, Artegra has also announced that they are lowering the price of all of their Super Audio CD discs.
Both of the new SACD releases are Single Inventory Surround Sound SACDs. They feature SACD Surround Sound, SACD Stereo and CD Stereo versions of the music on each album. The discs are playable on SACD, CD and SACD compatible DVD Video players. The SACD disc will serve as both the SACD and CD edition of each album.
Trumpet Works
Gary Bordner
SACD Surround Sound/SACD Stereo/CD Stereo
(Artegra ART 1001)
Gary Bordner is the Principal Trumpet plater for the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. On this new album entitled Trumpet Works, he plays chamber music with harpsichord and strings along with compositions for the trumpet and organ.
According to Artegra
«Trumpet Works was recorded in Direct Stream Digital (DSD) at a wide range of interesting acoustic spaces to give the SA-CD listener a variety of multichannel experiences. The tunes recorded in the St. Paul Cathedral have about a 35 to 40 second hang time! They sound pretty amazing in multichannel SACD. We also have a trumpet/synthesizer piece that uses the surrounds for subtle effects with the keyboard sounds. The Baroque pieces are wonderful in SA-CD. The harpsichord sound is so much more satisfying in DSD than in 16 bit.»
Album Selections
1. Abblasen
2. Theme and Variations on Psalm 149 — Cellier
3. Variation en canon avec la basse
4. Variation en majeur en forme de muzete
5. Final alla bravura
6. Adagio — Concerto in D for trumpet — Telemann
7. Allegro
8. Grave
9. Allegro
10. Prayer of St. Gregory — Hovhaness
11. Allegro — Concerto in C for two trumpets — Vivaldi
12. Largo
13. Allegro
14. The Hollow Men — Persichetti
15. Incursion — Movement 1 — Olson
16. Incursion — Movement 2 — Olson
17. Fanfare for St. Edmundsbury — Britten
Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 2 & 8
Rosalyra String Quartet
SACD Surround Sound/SACD Stereo/CD Stereo
(Artegra ART 1002)
This new Surround Sound SACD from Artegra features the Rosalyra Quartet performing Shostakovich’s Second and Eighth String Quartets. According to the label, these compositions are two of the quartet’s most popular selections in concert.
Artegra notes that
«The Shostakovich String Quartets were recorded in the same concert hall as our SA-CD by Chris Lomheim SA-CD, so the sound is clear and very realistic. Here, SA-CD again excels in communicating the individual voices of the strings through complex passages. The Viola is warm without being murky and the cello has weight and thump. It continues to amaze how much the low registers benefit from DSD recording.»
A Price Cut on All Artegra SACDs
Artegra has also announced that all of their Super Audio CD discs have been reduced in price. Instead of carrying a list price of $16.99, they now carry a list price of only $14.99 — one of the lowest list prices for SACD discs on the market. (I think only the High Note SACDs with a list price of $9.99 are lower).
The folks at Artegra say they are hopeful that the new lower priced SACDs will encourage more audiophiles to pick up some of their discs and give them a listen. I suspect the lower price will indeed encourage some jazz and classical music fans to give the Artegra SACDs another look (and listen).
Availability
The two new Artegra Classical Music SACDs are now available for purchase from the Artegra web site. They are also available on several other web sites that carry SACD discs including Acoustic Sounds, Elusive Disc, Music Direct and Red Trumpet.
Sound clips from the two new SACDs are available on the Acoustic Sounds web site. Clips from all of the Artegra SACDs are available on the Artegra web site.
Another Artegra SACD on the Drawing Board
Artegra is working on another Super Audio CD release in the months ahead. The Way I Hear It by jazz trombone player Dave Graf is slated for release in the Fall. The Artegra web site already has 6 sound clips of this upcoming SACD on their web site for fans who want to preview it.
Trumpet Works and Shostakovich: String Quartets Nos. 2 & 8 — The first two Classical Music SACDs from Artegra Records