CD shopping in Zurich

I have managed to find many first edition Cds in Zurich. Even though the weather is snowing in Zurich, the CD hunting trip has been a very fruitful one!

David Zinman Beethoven 9

Just returned from Switzerland and I have managed to find this new Bareureiter version of Beethoven 9 conducted by David Zinman-Tonhalle Zurich Orchestra

Some review of the CDs by http://avmagazine.com/06/beethoven_symphony1n2.html

音乐学者Jonathan Del Mar是贝多芬权威之一，经多年的研究与考证，在贝多芬九首交响曲的原稿上挖掘了不少新发现，再加以更正与补遗，他这多年心血的成果终于得到 Barenreiter出版社的支持并加以发行，D. Zinman和苏黎世乐团便是首位采用此一新Barenreiter版的演奏者，果然是不一样的贝多芬。

如果Del Mar的这个新考证版正确的话，那么百多年来人们所演奏、所欣赏的贝多芬的所有交响曲岂不是完全都不准确了吗？伤脑筋的事我们最好别去操心，但这个新版本 实在能够令人一听就心动，深切地感受到贝多芬作品里的另外一份内涵。 Zinman在这里不单展现崭新的风貌，且尽量采用接近贝多芬原本标示的速度，即是每首交响曲的每一乐章都采取偏快的速度（比以往所有的录音版本都快）， 每一首交响曲为配合乐曲的风貌而采取不同编制的乐队人数来达臻理想效果。

我们还可以在不同乐段里找到别于以往的一些细节，诸如音乐句法的修正，音符的修改、增删，表情符号的改动，重复记号的修正、增删，旋律线的变动等等，这些留待各位自己去领略吧。

Zinman驾驭乐队的本事不同凡响，Orchestra的表现也超越一流水平，这是一个充满生命力、精神抖擞的贝多芬，快板乐章让人的感觉是快而不急 促、不粗糙，慢板乐章则是慢而不烦闷、冗长，听觉上一片爽朗舒畅，可以让你一口气连听三首贝氏交响而不感疲累的，唯有这套演奏了。顺理成章，这套贝九全集 成为我的千禧年新宠了。

个人断言，ARTE NOVA这套珍品将为贝多芬的九首交响乐竖立起另一里程碑，David Zinman也成为二十世纪最后一位演绎贝多芬九大交响曲的权威大师。

JBL L65

I was hoping to sell my JBL L65 after moving apartment as my new apartment's living room is not able to accommodate the size of the speakers. The overall condition of the speakers is almost perfect with all original alnico drivers. Cosmetic wise, with the exception of a small dented corners, which by the way has been fixed, it was also very nice. However, the offers that I have received were so rediculous that I doubt the sincereity of those buyers who I suspect are second hand dealers, who were hoping to pick up "dead chicken" haha!

Anyway since I am not in need of cash, I have decided to keep them and perhaps ship them back to Singapore where space is not an issue. HK$9000 can really see the true charaters of many "buyers"....

Interesting hifi hobby! : ) Enjoy music

The decline of the vintage hifi trade

Last weekend, I was passing by Mongkok Tak Fak building, the place where most HK audiophiles visit. There were more Hifi shops closing down and General Lee's shop will also be closing soon soon. Look like the hifi trade is one of the sunset industry being replaced by the cheaper and easily available MP3..

If the trend continues, the number of audiophiles will be getting less and less and many would choose the easy mini combo or even using the PC laptop as gears for music.

Hang in there diehard audiophiles!!

Mravinsky Tchaikovsky

Mravinsky 穆拉文斯基 - 指挥, Leningrad Philharmonic Orchstra 列寧格勒愛樂樂團, 1960年，穆拉文斯基（Mravinsky）率領列寧格勒愛樂（Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra）造訪英國，趁隙錄下了柴可夫斯基（Tchaikovsky）《最後三首交響曲》（Symphonies NO.4,5,6）。雖然同樣的曲目，穆拉文斯基在前蘇聯也曾數次留下錄音，但卻都略嫌寒冷堅硬，未能達到這個倫敦錄音的成就，這是柴可夫斯基交響曲的一 種典范，相信再過百年也不會改變。穆拉文斯基的指揮風格細致而嚴謹，他具有隨心所欲地操縱樂隊的能力，准確地把握住作品的風格，並且恰到好處地加進自己的 精闢而獨到的見解。本片獲獎無數，曾經同時登上日本究極100、日本名曲300、企鵝三星戴花與留聲機百大這四份權威榜單，這張就是其中之一。同時這套唱 片還曾獲得1988年愛迪生唱片大獎！

Walton

This is another great English work that I like where the recording is excellent!

Adam Cheng

This is on of the best recording cantonese CDs with very familiar theme songs from the TV series..

Taiwanese Singers

I just returned from Taiwan bring back some first edition Cds.

Flamenco/ espana

For those who love Espana / Flamenco music, you can try to these CDs..

Economic recession and music

With the recent economic crisis, one can see a severe decline in the audio forum R33 participation as I guess many will be busy with their work.

I have slowed down my hifi but streamlining most of my excess gears. Nevertheless, searching for first edition and sound recording CD continues to be my priority. I still could not decide whether to move into SACD as it will mean a complete transformation of my CDs collection.

My new hobby of learning Wing Chun has helped me to build a fitter body with those rigorous exercises! Have learning the basic Part 1 & 2 of the Siew Lim Tou and hoping to be able to learn Cham Kue soon..