Soloists; Choir of King's College; Academy of Ancient Music/Stephen Cleobury, cond.
EMI DVDA CLASSICS 924019 TT: 152:35
(4 channel)
A lovely recording with committed performances of some of Bach's finest works. Only a touch of stridency in louder choral passages mars the sonic picture, which otherwise puts you right in the center of the performers. The playing time listed above is correct - more than 2 1/2 hours of music in multi-channel sound - why aren't other DVDAs as generous in playing time?
Ambrosian Singers; London Symphony Orch/Andre Previn, cond.
EMI CLASSICS DVDA 923999 TT: 76:54
(4 channel)
Here EMI gets everything right in these recordings made 1973/4. The London Symphony is brilliant in The Planets; ballet music from The Perfect Fool is wonderfully played, with Egdon Heath a welcome relief from the other's orchestral fireworks. Superb, wide-spread sound as remixed here, and highly recommended. One would never suspect these were recorded a quarter-century ago.