Pristine Audio

Another majestic instalment of living theatre  – the best so far – in Kna’s 1956 Bayreuth Ring, in superb sound but again afflicted by persistent coughing [RMo]

Pristine’s stereo remastering reveals its glories yet more vividly – but unfortunately also highlights the constant hacking of the audience and Windgassen’s coordination problems. [RMo]

A great Callas recording is tidied up a bit, and her co-singers are brought into better focus [RMo]

Goossens’ final Cincinnati recordings complete a worthwhile 3-CD series [JW]

A great performance revitalised in extraordinarily vivid sound – another Pristine remastering triumph [RMo]

A specialist issue, but Mahler devotees and admirers of Sir Adrian Boult will find it fascinating [JQ]

Pristine refreshes Callas’s 1959 stereo recording and prompts a re-evaluation of its considerable merits [PT]

No one who loves this opera can afford to be without this recording for Callas’ unique insight into the title role [GF]

Revelatory Boult in Mahler from the archives [LD]

Callas’ stereo studio Medea gets the Pristine XR treatment [PT]

On balance, still the best of Callas’ recordings of Lucia di Lammermoor [RMo]

Great, essential performances, clearly recognisable even with less than ideal sound quality [PBW]

A so-so “classic” recording [RMas]

Pristine’s revitalising of the sound here goes a long way towards countering any criticism of Callas’ sole studio recording of Medea [RMo]

Callas’ stereo remake is a more mature and inward reading of the role – now in even fresher sound [GF]

Toscanini at his best in these great live concert recordings from 1948, lovingly remastered [GPJ]

Further evidence that Stock was an exceptionally able conductor [JW]

This recording is an established classic, and should be in every decent opera collection, especially in this newest incarnation [GF]

A jewel of a recording, splendidly remastered by Pristine [MP]

Expertly refurbished but not as sonically striking or interpretatively engaging as my favourite recordings [RMo]

A superbly persuasive recording of Tippett’s most difficult opera [MP]

A classic of the Bruckner discography, revived [NC]

A classic set of these twentieth century masterpiece returns [SB]

A palpable improvement over the remastering of the original mono recording and a fine performance in itself [RMo]