Some of the music that was used for initial impressions.
1. Hugh Masekela "Hope" album. Track 12 "Stimela". Beautiful example of the wonderful dynamic range that can be captured on a recording if the recording engineer actually cares. The drum beats that go from soft to louder and louder still, building into an angry crescendo that should raise your pulse and last drum strike in that angry fury of drum beating should knock you out of your chair if the volume is initially set a bit too high. Be careful, this is a high dynamic range recording!
A great system should reproduce every beautifully captured crescendo of both the instruments and the powerful voice of Hugh Masekela which describes the feelings of suffering of the African men, young and old who are conscripted to work in the gold mines of Johannesburg for sixteen hours a day with almost no pay. Fantastic album all around.
2. Ramsey Lewis Trio. "Time Flies" album. Track "Air from Suite #3" which beautifully captures the strings of a Cello played by Larry Gray. The Cello resonates with all it's beauty with a deep musical voice that can't be confused with any other instrument out there. Cello Baby!
The more your system is able to reproduce the nuances of the harmonic structure, the more you will enjoy the complex sound and emotionally powerful instrument that the Cello is. Beautiful piano follows and accompanies and compliments the Cello with softer keys strokes so as not to overpower the Cello. The subtle brushing of the drum cymbals and high hats joins in as does the finger work on the bass strings. Track "Hide and Seek" features fret-handed (fast) piano playing accompanied by bass and drums that lay the foundation and build a crescendo towards a break out drum solo towards the end. The recording beautifully captures the harmonics of bass strings, the piano and the rather well played drum crescendo at the end. Pay especial attention to the resolution of the bass strings and the harmonic content of the drum heads and cymbals towards the end. The fantastic dynamic range of the captured drum should serve as an example how recordings should be done. You can not only hear but feel the kick drum! Another great album all around. I believe Dan turned me on to this album some years ago. Thanks Dan!
3. Memories of a Geisha Soundtrack. Featuring John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman. Well recorded album. I like it a lot. Give it a try.
Female vocalists serenading me on my initial impression were
Melody Gardot. Your Heart is as black as night, Don't Talk.
Katie Melua Wonderful Life, If you were a Sailboat, Spider's Web.
Diana Krall Temptation, California Dreaming.
Male vocalists were a few tracks of Leonard Cohen, B.B King, Albert King.
Rock and Symphonic Rock, Dire Straits, David Gilmour, Haggard, one track each.
That is all I was able to squeeze in tonight.
