DTS Classical Discs (Mozart, Beethoven, Handel,
Tchaikovsky, Bach)
CD PCM 2.0: DTS 5.1: Music:
Mozart
B- B A-
Beethoven
B- B A-
Handel B-
B B+
Tchaikovsky
B- B B
Bach
B- B+ A-
When it comes to high-end audio formats such as Super
Audio CD or DVD-Audio Classical music is one of the most frequently released
and makes up a majority of the marketplace.
These DTS Classical Discs are not quite DVD-Audio, but more like the
rare DTS CD’s that are available that do offer high quality music on a CD. The main reason that these do not play like
a conventional DVD-Audio disc is that they do not offer multiple audio choices
such as PCM Stereo, MLP, Dolby Digital, and finally DTS.
This particular review piece will cover 5 of the classical
discs released through DTS Entertainment, which include the following…
Track Listings:
Mozart
1.
Concerto for Piano no 22 in E flat major,
K 482: 2nd movement, Andante
2. Symphony no 35 in
D major, K 385 "Haffner": 2nd movement, Andante
3. Serenade no 13 in
G major, K 525 "Eine kleine Nachtmusik": 4th movement, Rondo
4. Concerto for
Flute and Harp in C major, K 299 (297c): 2nd movement, Andantino
5. Symphony no 5 in
B flat major, K 22: 1st movement, Allegro
6. Symphony no 28 in
C major, K 200 (189k): 2nd movement, Andante
7. Symphony no 39 in
E flat major, K 543: 3rd movement, Minuet
8. Concerto for
Piano no 21 in C major, K 467: 2nd movement, Andante
9. Concerto for
Clarinet in A major, K 622: 2nd movement, Adagio
10. Symphony no 41
in C major, K 551 "Jupiter": 3rd movement, Menuetto
11. Serenade no 13
in G major, K 525 "Eine kleine Nachtmusik": 2nd movement, Romanza
12. Symphony no 27
in G major, K 199 (161b): 1st movement, Allegro
Beethoven
1. Symphony no 2 in D major, Op. 36: 2nd
movement, Larghetto
2. Minuets (6) for Piano, WoO 10: no 6 in G
major
3. Concerto for Piano no 5 in E flat major, Op.
73 "Emperor": 2nd
4. movement, Adagio un poco mosso
5. Symphony no 8 in F major, Op. 93: 2nd
movement, Allegretto scherzando
6. Symphony no 6 in F major, Op. 68
"Pastoral": 2nd movement, Andante
7. Romance for Violin and Orchestra no 1 in G
major, Op. 40
8. Symphony no 7 in A major, Op. 92: 2nd
movement, Allegretto
9. Bagatelle for Piano in A minor, WoO 59
"Fur Elise"
10. Andante Cantabile from Symphony No.1
11. Sonata for Piano
no 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 no 2 "Moonlight": 1st movement, Adagio
sostenuto
12. Septet in E flat
major, Op. 20: Menuetto
13. Symphony no 5 in
C minor, Op. 67: Excerpt(s)
Handel
1. Overture to Bérénice
2. Air from Water Music Suite in F
3. Menuetto from Concerto Grosso No.4, Op. 3
4. Bourree From Royal Fireworks Music
5. Largo from Xerxes
6. Rigaudon from Water Music Suite in G
7. Pastorale from the Messiah
8. Overture to Alcina
9. Allegro from Concerto Grosso No. 1, Op. 6
10. Alla Hornpipe
from Water Music Suite in D
11. Andante /
Allegro from Oboe Concerto No. 4 in F
12. Andante /
Allegro from Harp Concerto in B flat
13. Aria from
Concerto Grosso No. 12, Op. 6
14. Allegro from
Oboe Concerto No. 3 in G minor
15. Arrival of the
Queen of Sheba from Solomon
16. Largo / Allegro
from Concerto Grosso No. 2, Op. 3
Tchaikovsky
1. Nutcracker, ballet, Op.71 Overture
2. Nutcracker, ballet, Op.71 The Christmas Tree
3. Nutcracker, ballet, Op.71 Marche
4. Nutcracker, ballet, Op.71 Journey Through
the Snow
5. Nutcracker, ballet, Op.71 Waltz of the
Snowflakes
6. Nutcracker, ballet, Op.71 Chocolate
7. Nutcracker, ballet, Op.71 Coffee
8. Nutcracker, ballet, Op.71 Tea
9. Nutcracker, ballet, Op.71 Trepak
10. Nutcracker,
ballet, Op.71 Dance of the Mirlitons
11. Nutcracker,
ballet, Op.71 Mother Gigone & the Clowns
12. Nutcracker,
ballet, Op.71 Waltz of the Flowers
13. Nutcracker,
ballet, Op.71 Pas de Deux
14. Nutcracker,
ballet, Op.71 Tarentella
15. Nutcracker,
ballet, Op.71 Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy
16. Nutcracker,
ballet, Op.71 Coda
17. Nutcracker,
ballet, Op.71 Fianl Waltz & Apotheosis
J.S. Bach
1. "Sheep May
Safely Graze"
2. Badinerie from
Suite No. 2
3. Adagio from
Double Concerto For Oboe and Violin
4. Passepied I-II
from Suite No. 1, BWV 1066
5. Air from Suite
No. 3iin D
6. Chorale from
Easter Cantata
7. Siciliano from
Sonata No. 4iin C minor
8. Giant Fugue
9. Bourree I-II from
Suite No. 2
10. Chorale from
Little Suite
11. Aria (Contented
Peace) from Cantata No. 170
12. Sleepers Awake
(Chorale) from Cantata No. 140
Of course the biggest complaint from someone who is quite
passionate about their classical music is that most of these are excerpt pieces
rather than full arrangements. This is
often a common complaint because these are shortened versions that do not give
the listener the full-effect of the composers work. Most people are only familiar with certain excerpts from popular
classic works, for example the Hallelujah
Chorus from Handel’s Messiah or
the 4th movement from Ode to Joy.
For some odd reason the Bach actually sounds better than
the other titles. Not sure why this is,
but the Bach is much smoother and fuller than the other titles and you don’t
have to listen that carefully to hear the difference because it’s quite
apparent. Even the look of the disc is
a tad different and it operates more like a DVD-Audio than a DTS-CD might. This could be part of the reason. By comparison some of the 5.1 sound from the
other titles is more pushed into the front channels and even sounds more like
2.0 in some cases. There are great mood
setters as you can just put them on and let the music shine through without
having to sit around it to enjoy it.
The music is great background sound for when you have company over or
just to relax. The selections
themselves are all quite popular and will most likely warrant involvement from
the listener.
While SACD seems to be taking great shape in the modern
age of multichannel music, especially in the classical spectrum, these discs
are still able to give superiority over CD, which makes them valuable in and of
itself. Despite some of the minor
drawbacks these are great discs to be played again and again until more
technology and advancements take place to further push the envelop of listening
space. Enjoy!
- Nate Goss
