Michael Stern & Kansas City Symphony - Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 "Organ" (2015) [Hi-Res]

• “When the tempo changes to presto, the piano’s arpeggios and scales are prominent enough to make their point without leaping out at you, just as the organ in the finale asserts its grandeur without overwhelming the orchestral palette…Even in a competitive market, this version has a distinct edge.” —Geoffrey Norris, Gramophone

• “The experience is spectacular regardless of equipment. I’ve listened in a number of different ways already, and the overall effect is spine-tingling…I won’t spoil your listening with tiny details, but the closing pages are simply a joy…I am certainly making room on my shelf for this thrilling sonic and musical experience.” —Brian Wigman, ClassicalNet

• “The KC Symphony, with superb direction from Michael Stern, sounds absolutely world-class. The orchestra has the full, rich, romantic sound that is so essential for 19th-century French music. And there is visceral excitement, too. The musicians are on fire, and they blaze with self-confidence…One gets the feeling that the Kansas City Symphony’s burgeoning discography will stand the test of time and that its CDs will take their place among the classics.” —Patrick Neas, Kansas City Star

• “I’ve never heard such a well-rounded account of this impressive symphonic work…and the final movement blows everyone else out of the water… The only way to truly enjoy recordings like this one is to play them loud — the way a full orchestra and hefty pipe organ are meant to sound…Glorious music making reproduced with stupendous fidelity!” —Jean-Yves Duperron, ClassicalMusicSentinel

• “…a disc for the most demanding audiophile and for the most discerning music lover, not that the two are mutually exclusive. … This, I believe, is the most astonishingly realistic and most stunningly awesome recording I’ve ever heard.” —Jerry Dubins, Fanfare Magazine