Hear a world-class orchestra in performances of Beethoven's "Symphony No. 6" and Respighi's "Pines of Rome," recorded using 24 high resolution audio channels, complete with...

Hear a world-class orchestra in performances of Beethoven's "Symphony No. 6" and Respighi's "Pines of Rome," recorded using 24 high resolution audio channels, complete with multiple camera angles video. The first symphonic DVD product where the listener can choose to sit in the midst of the sound or in the best seat in the house. The power of the DVD-Audio/Video format to go beyond recreating the concert hall is firmly established in this unique recording. A comprehensive use of DVD technology, AIX Records' "Tribrid" DVD-Video/Audio/ROM discs feature DVD-Video with Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-Channel Surround soundtracks on Side One, and a 96kHz/24bit DVD-Audio 5.1-Channel Surround track on Side Two.

"This double-sided DVD is an interesting hybrid (Aix calls it a “tribrid”): the video program appears on one side, a DVD-Audio version on the other. The DVD-Video side offers a 5.1 channel mix in both DTS and Dolby Digital. The 5.1 channel and PCM stereo mixes on the other side can only be accessed on a player equipped to decode DVD-Audio...Respighi’s brilliant orchestration is given full expression, and the tone painting is full of color and contrast (the recorded birds of the “Janiculum” section are effectively airborne).

My preference for sound is the DTS 5.1, which has a bloom and fullness that I don’t hear in the Dolby. The former is the so-called “Stage” mix, and the Dolby is designated the “Audience” mix. Since the recording was made in an empty hall, perhaps the closer miking of the DTS mix simply sounds more full-bodied and detailed. The sound on the DVD-Audio side can’t compete with either of the multichannel mixes on the video side in terms of atmosphere or instrumental detail (one more reason for its ultimate demise as a format, perhaps).

The video production is standard concert video fare with no gimmicky camerawork or split-screens; a multiangle feature is included, but I’ve never found that particularly useful unless you find the conductor fascinating to watch..."

FANFARE: Christopher Abbot