[SACD-R][OF] Holst - The Planets, Britten - Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes - Bernstein, New York Philharmonic - 2003 (Classical)

Leonard Bernstein’s recording with the New York Philharmonic of Gustav Holst’s famous The Planets, along with Benjamin Britten’s Four Sea Interludes from his opera Peter Grimes. The stereo layer is excellent, but MCH is more problematic, for reasons discussed below.

From discussion on SA-CD.net:
There is a difference of opinion as to whether this multi-channel SACD is a good re-mastering of the original discrete 4 channel Quadriphonic master in which the orchestra actually surrounds you or is it taken from a 2 channel master and the rear channels and center channel have been re-produced artifically with just reverberation sounds which means the orchestra only sounds like it’s in front of you, but not behind you. I have ordered this SACD, and I should receive it early next week. As soon as I do I will let everyong know what my 5.1 channel SACD system reveals. My hope is that the orchestra surrounds me, because I love that effect of being surrounded by the orchestra!!
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I finally received and listened to this SACD in multi-channel sound. It is clearly from a 2 channel stereo source with artificial surround added. Also, the right rear speaker is too loud so the purcussion and string basses tend to appear directly in between the right front and rear channels. However, the first violins do not appear between the right front and rear speakers. There is very little coming from the left rear compared to the right rear which makes this recording sound out-of-balance toward the right side. However, overall the recorded sound is very pleasing to the ear. To bad Sony flubbed this one. The original master tape was recorded in quadraphonic sound with the orchestra actually surrounding the listener. I really don’t understand why Sony did such a poor job at marketing and executing this new format that they had a big part in creating.