Another SACD of special mention: Tomita - The Tale of Genji, a Symphonic Fantasy Ultimate Edition.
I've got a few Tomita SACDs and have been mightily impressed with the discrete multichannel mixes and in some cases, the music (The Planets Ultimate Edition is excellent imo) and a couple of days ago, I added The Tale of Genji (a 2xSACD title) to my collection. As expected, the rear channels in this 5.0 release are well utilised with sometimes static and sometimes sweeping music and the dynamic range is similarly impressive.
As for the music, it's positively enchanting and the narrator's soft and delicate voice was as mesmerising as the music magical. More than that though, the whispery narration seemed to invite me into an intimate and hidden world where she and I were alone. So palpable was this sensation, I'm sure if I were ever stranded on a desert island with only her voice as my Girl Friday, I would never feel alone. There's another voice in the tale though, a voice of foreboding...
As you'd expect from the title, The Tale of Genji is a symphonic fantasy and although it has some resemblance to what we might recognise as symphonic music, it's unmistakably oriental, but that shouldn't put anyone off because it's neither classical nor oriental, a blend of both perhaps, and if you're comfortable with classical, it's a good bet you'll be equally enchanted by The Tale of Genji...and if you have a surround sound setup, you're in for a treat!
Derek
