Looking for a good copy of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker on SACD

[captain_tinker]

Folks,
Hey, I know this is a bit early for Christmas music questions, but I just like Christmas stuff so much. I have recently bought Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas Extraordinaire DVD-A, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas SACD from Telarc, and I am planning on getting Charlie Brown's Christmas SACD soon, but I just can't seem to find a really good copy of the Nutcracker. I am looking specifically for a version that has the ENTIRE ballet, not just selections from it. I also have found that most of them that I have seen have not just selections from the Nutcracker, but also something else entirely on the disc. I just want it all Nutcracker, nothing else on the disc. I would also prefer it to be either on SACD or DVD-A, if nothing else, at least HDCD then. Though I would still be ok with it on CD as long as it is a good version.

The Nutcracker has been a perrenial favorite in my family. One of my earliest memories of Christmas was my parents taking me and my sisters to the ballet production in Seattle Center, and then a few years later at the Wang Center in Boston. What a thrill! In any case if anyone has any good suggestions, or has a great copy of already, let me know. Thanks all!

-capT

 

[skizzerflake]

Folks,
Hey, I know this is a bit early for Christmas music questions, but I just like Christmas stuff so much. I have recently bought Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas Extraordinaire DVD-A, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas SACD from Telarc, and I am planning on getting Charlie Brown's Christmas SACD soon, but I just can't seem to find a really good copy of the Nutcracker. I am looking specifically for a version that has the ENTIRE ballet, not just selections from it.

I have a recommendation for one I havn't exactly heard. The Mercury Living Presence recording (circa 1960) with Antal Dorati and the London Symphony was released on CD some years ago, with a mix by the original engineer who was still around and working. It's a wonderful recording with that vivid, up-front detailed sound that Mercury was famous for. It was released on a double CD set with the entire ballet and the Serenade for Strings. I have always loved both the sound and the performance. I have seen that it is out now on SACD with a hi-res 3 channel version (the original 35 mm film recording was 3 channel) and the 2 channel version that was on the CD. Highly recommended.

 

[Jacksmyname]

I ordered this one a few days ago:
https://www.elusivedisc.com/prodinfo.asp?number=SILDD4214
Don't know how good it is though.

Jack

 

[captain_tinker]

I have a recommendation for one I havn't exactly heard. The Mercury Living Presence recording (circa 1960) with Antal Dorati and the London Symphony was released on CD some years ago, with a mix by the original engineer who was still around and working. It's a wonderful recording with that vivid, up-front detailed sound that Mercury was famous for. It was released on a double CD set with the entire ballet and the Serenade for Strings. I have always loved both the sound and the performance. I have seen that it is out now on SACD with a hi-res 3 channel version (the original 35 mm film recording was 3 channel) and the 2 channel version that was on the CD. Highly recommended.

Skizzer,
My mother ended up sending me that Antal Dorati version that you referenced for Christmas. It sounds wonderful! I have also seen that Pentatone is coming out with another version on SACD. It's not out yet though.

-capT

 

[Jack Hammer]

I just ordered a copy of this off of eBay. I've been contemplating picking something up for a while now. But, never was sure about the quality of the recordings I've seen. So, I hope this is as good as you guys are saying. I've bought a few highly touted classical sacd's in the past that i was less than enthralled by. I like some classical music, but am more of a product of the kind of music that is made by instruments that plug into some sort of electrical socket.

Jack

 

[jwt]

Nutcracker Recording

Although not in a high resolution format of DVD-A or SACD, the Narada recording of the Nutcracker is very well orchestrated and recorded. It has been one of my favorite Christmas CDs for about 10 years, and is still readily available. Happy hunting.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Good Call...

...The Dorati version of the Nutcracker on SACD sounds good. I'm happy with the quality of it. It was a little pricier than I would have liked, but I was kind of hammered when I ordered it...


...Any way, I'd recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good recording on sacd.

Jack

 

[captain_tinker]

Although not in a high resolution format of DVD-A or SACD, the Narada recording of the Nutcracker is very well orchestrated and recorded. It has been one of my favorite Christmas CDs for about 10 years, and is still readily available. Happy hunting.

Narada? Really? I had no idea they had a version of the Nutcracker out. That sounds like it could be interesting, I'll have to look into it just to hear it. I've got an old cassette of something from Narada from several years ago. I don't remember which album it was, but I do remember I did like it. I've not listened to much new age stuff in a long time, except for Mannheim Steamroller's Fresh Aire series, which I REALLY like! I've liked it ever since my Dad used to play Fresh Aire V on LP when we were really little kids, and we used to pretend that the couch was a rocket ship taking us to the moon. Ah memories... hehe I want to get F.A. III, V, and IV on HDCD soon, I've heard them on HDCD before and it sounds awesome compared to the regular cd's. Come to think of it, Fresh Aire V was the FIRST cd I ever bought, when CD's had just come out. (oops, completely changed the subject here... )

-capT