Universal Music Releases 2 Classical SACDs and Announces 3 More

This week Universal Music group released 2 more Surround Sound Super Audio CDs in the U.S. market. The new SACDs from pianists Lang Lang and Yundi Li follow earlier Super Audio CD releases by these artists. Also this week, we learned that two upcoming Surround Sound SACDs from Philips Classics have been bumped back one week in terms of their U.S. release date. Finally, the company also announced the addition of 3 more Super Audio CD titles to its release list for May. Here’s a rundown on the week’s Super Audio CD releases and future release plans from the Universal Music Group in the U.S.

2 Classical Music Surround Sound SACDs Released
New in music stores on Tuesday this week were Surround Sound Super Audio CDs by Classical Music pianists Lang Lang and Yundi Li. The Lang Lang SACD release pairs him with Valery Gergiev conducting the Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre in his performances of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Paganini’s Rhapsody. Previous Lang Lang Super Audio CDs have appeared on both the Telarc and Deutsche Grammophon labels.

The new SACD by pianist Yundi Li features his performance of Chopin’s Scherzi, Impromptus 1-3. His previous Surround Sound SACD featured his performance of Liszt’s Piano Works (Deutsche Grammophon 0289-474297-2) and was released in the European and Japanese markets, but not in the U.S.

  • Lang Lang, Pianist, Valery Gergiev, Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre – Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2, Paganini Rhapsody (Deutsche Grammophon)
  • Yundi Li, Pianist – Chopin: Scherzi, Impromptus 1-3 (Deutsche Grammophon)

    Gergiev’s 2 SACDs Move Back One Week
    Turning to the two Surround Sound SACDs due out this week by Valery Gergiev conducting the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, their U.S. release has been delayed one week to Tuesday, April 19th. So Classical Music SACD fans will have to wait until then to enjoy their performances of Tchaikovsky’s Symphonies 4 and 6.

  • Valery Gergiev, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra – Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 (Philips Classics)
  • Valery Gergiev, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra – Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 (Philips Classics)

    Universal Music Adds 3 More Super Audio CD Titles in May
    A few weeks back, I predicted that we would see the remaining 2 titles in the Mercury Living Presence SACD Remastered series appear on the Universal Music SACD Release List shortly. That has indeed occurred this week with the addition of both SACDs with a U.S. release date of May 10th.

    In additon, Universal has also added a third Surround Sound SACD – Andrea Marcon with Giuliano Carmignola conducting the Venice Baroque Orchestra with an album entitled Concerto Veneziano. The SACD features performances of compositions by Vivaldi, Locatello and Tartini.

  • Andrea Marcon, Giuliano Carmignola, Venice Baroque Orchestra – Concerto Veneziano (Vivaldi, Locatello, Tartini) (Archiv/Deutsche Grammophon)
  • Janos Starker, Antal Dorati, London Symphony Orchestra – Dvorak: Cello Concerto in B Minor, Bruch: Kol Nidrei & Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme (Mercury Living Presence)
  • Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra – Balalaika Favorites (Mercury Living Presence)

    Universal Music SACD Release List
    With the date changes and 3 additions noted above, here is the current Super Audio CD Release List from the Universal Music Group:

    April 19, 2005 SACD Releases

  • Valery Gergiev, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra – Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4 (Philips Classics)
  • Valery Gergiev, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra – Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 (Philips Classics)

    May 10, 2005 SACD Releases

  • Andrea Marcon, Giuliano Carmignola, Venice Baroque Orchestra – Concerto Veneziano (Vivaldi, Locatello, Tartini) (Archiv/Deutsche Grammophon)
  • Kaori Muraji & Dominic Miller – Transformations (Decca Classics)
  • Antal Dorati, London Symphony Orchestra – Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies No. 1-6 & Enesco: Roumanian Rhapsody No. 1 (Mercury Living Presence)
  • Frederick Fennell, Eastman Wind Ensemble – Screamers: Circus Marches by Goldman & Others (Mercury Living Presence)
  • Byron Janis, Kyril Kondrashin, Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra – Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 3 & Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 1 (Mercury Living Presence)
  • Alfred Brendel – Mozart: Piano Sonatas K281, K282 and K576 (Philips Classics)
  • Janos Starker, Antal Dorati, London Symphony Orchestra – Dvorak: Cello Concerto in B Minor, Bruch: Kol Nidrei & Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme (Mercury Living Presence)
  • Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra – Balalaika Favorites (Mercury Living Presence)

    Availability
    The new Surround Sound SACDs by Classical Music pianists Lang Lang and Yundi Li are now available for purchase at music stores in the U.S. including Tower Records. They are also available at U.S. web sites that carry Super Audio CD discs including Acoustic Sounds, Elusive Disc and Music Direct. The new Surround Sound SACDs each carry a list price of $18.98.

    Also, be sure to check the regular CD bins for these titles, as music stores that carry Classical Music are now often stocking new Classical SACDs in the regular bins vs. in the Audiophile and SACD areas of the stores.