UltraAnalogue Recordings received the Positive Feedback Writers’ Choice Award 2020, from Myles Astor for the tape Chopin: Introduction & Polonaise brillante – Chopin: Etude in C-sharpe minor (2x with different bows) – Paganini: Variations on a theme by Rossini from the opera Moses in Egypt
Positive Feedback wrote:
Classical, 15 ips, reel-to-reel tape: Chopin: Introduction & Polonaise brilliante, Op. 3; Chopin: Etude in C-sharpe minor (with 2 different bows); Paganini: Variations on Theme from Moses in Egypt, Narek Hakhnazaryan (cello) and Noreen Polera (piano), UltraAnalogue Recordings, NAB EQ (also available as IEC).
UltraAnalogue is an audiophile label based out of Toronto, Canada specializing in recording chamber music using custom tube electronics and in analog for the ultimate in sound. Their new and best live recording to date begins with one of Chopin’s earliest works Introduction and Polonaise brilliante, jumps ahead five year to the Etude and concludes with Paganini’s stirring and emotional Variations on a Theme from Moses in Egypt. Noreen Polera, renowned for her piano-cello repertory performs on piano and Narek Hakhnazaryan, a student of Mstislav Rostropovich and winner of the gold medal at the 2011 XIV Int. Tchaikovsky Competition, plays cello on this recording. The second piece Etude in C-sharpe minor features Hakhnazaryan performing this piece using two different bows for comparison. My vote went to bow number 2 that was richer and more romantic than bow number that sounded more detailed but thinner. Just like comparing cartridges.
Read the full article https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/17th-annual-positive-feedback-writers-choice-awards-2020/