This single-layer stereo SACD release of Murray Perahia’s admirable traversal of Bach’s concertos stops short of being a sonic revelation but it represents a considerable improvement over its CD twin. It is likely that the presence of orchestral forces creates a more open atmospheric perspective not as readily apparent, say, in solo piano recordings, such that the differences heard here are more evident than in a comparison between the SACD and CD of the same pianist’s Goldberg Variations.
The SACD illuminates subtle acoustic and timbral details to the extent that the listening experience is just that much more engaging and vibrant. Switching back and forth between the two, it seems that the soundstage simply collapses once the CD kicks in: the presentation becomes two-dimensional, with the piano and strings often blending indiscriminately. Meanwhile, the SACD conveys a true sense of both height and depth such that you hear and “feel” the hall, the instruments seem realistically separated in “real space”, string attacks are more sharply delineated, and Perahia’s elegant touch in the slower movements becomes more riveting. Instrumental colors such as the delicate strumming of the theorbo in the Largo of the F minor concerto really glisten in a way that suggests a dialogue between the soloist and accompanist. SACD wins this round, but it’s too bad you can’t play it in your car…yet.
