Music on High-Def | High-Def Digest

HD DVD NEWS TAGGED "MUSIC ON HIGH-DEF"

Verdi's 'Il trovatore' Set for HD DVD

Mon Mar 24, 2008 at 01:00 PM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Music on High-Def, Opus Arte (all tags)

In a late-breaking announcement, Opus Arte is bringing its latest musical release 'Guiseppe Verdi: Il trovatore' to HD DVD this week.

Shot entirely in high-definition, 'Il trovatore' features Jose Cura and Dmitri Hvorostovsky leading an all-star cast of Verdi’s blazingly passionate opera, in Elijah Moshinsky’s Royal Opera House production co-produced with Teatro Real Madrid and featuring sets by noted Italian film designer Dante Ferretti.

Opus Arte has set a March 25 street date for the stateside HD DVD release.

Tech specs include 1080i video (at 1.78:1), with Dolby TrueHD tracks in 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Stereo.

Supplements include a suite of three behind-the-scenes featurettes, including "Meet the Cast," "All About Schläger" and "Designing Il trovatore."

Suggested retail price for the HD DVD has been set at $39.99.

You'll find disc details for 'Guiseppe Verdi: Il trovatore' linked from our HD DVD Release Schedule, where it's indexed under March 25.

We've also set up a dedicated thread for Opus Arte's latest in our Forums area -- click the following link to discuss the 'Il trovatore' HD DVD release.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Verdi: Il Trovatore (HD DVD)

Rachmaninov's 'Piano Concertos' Multichannel Audio HD DVD Announced

Fri Mar 07, 2008 at 09:00 AM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Music on High-Def, Surround Records (all tags)

Surround Records has announced a late-March arrival for the latest addition to its line of HD DVD multichannel audio releases.

Featuring a pair of performances presented in an "Acoustic Reality Experience," the street date for 'Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3 ' is March 29.

Carrying on the tradition of its past HD DVD releases, Surround Records presents 'Rachmaninov' in remixed 7.1-channel DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio high-resolution surround, along with an accompanying video track that features multimedia artwork and visuals encoded in 1080p/VC-1.

As we've previously reported, Surround Records has announced that it will begin rolling out Blu-ray editions of its HD DVD titles this Spring. The indie distributor has yet to announce exact release dates for its first Blu-ray releases.

Retail price for 'Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3' on HD DVD has been set at $29.95. (The disc is currently available for pre-order at Amazon.com for 19.95 -- see the link below.)

See what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.

Related links:
Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos Nos. 2&3 [Amazon.com]

Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Surround Records Announces Dual-Format Format

Vivaldi's 'The Four Seasons/Double Concerto' Multichannel Audio HD DVD Announced

Tue Jan 29, 2008 at 09:00 AM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Music on High-Def, Surround Records (all tags)

Surround Records has announced it will bow the latest addition to its growing line of HD DVD multichannel audio releases next month.

Featuring two performances presented in an "Acoustic Reality Experience," the street date for 'Vivaldi: The Four Seasons/Concertos for Double Orchestra' is February 16.

Tech specs include a remixed 7.1-channel DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio high-resolution surround track, plus an accompanying video track that features multimedia artwork and visuals encoded in 1080p/VC-1.

Retail price for 'Vivaldi: The Four Seasons/Conertos for Double Orchestra' has been set at $29.95. (The disc is currently available for pre-order at Amazon.com for 19.95 -- see the link below.)

Related links:
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons/Conertos for Double Orchestra [Amazon.com]

Mahler's 'Resurrection' Coming to HD DVD

Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 03:00 PM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Music on High-Def (all tags)

EuroArts has announced their debut US high-def release, 'Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 2 - Resurrection,' available on HD DVD this February.

Conducted by famed maestro Pierre Boulez with the Berlin Staatskapelle, this 2005 production of 'Resurrection' marks the first high-def release for EuroArts, which will debut the title exclusively on the HD DVD format February 26.

Tech specs for the HD DVD include 1080i video and English audio options in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround and Dolby Digital-Plus 5.1 Surround (English, French, Spanish and German subtitles are also provided).

There are no announced supplements.

EuroArts has set a suggested $34.95 list price for the HD DVD.

You'll find disc details for 'Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 2 - Resurrection ' linked from our HD DVD Release Schedule, where it's indexed under February 26.

We've also set up a dedicated thread for EuroArts' high-def debut in our Forums area -- click the following link to discuss the 'Mahler: Symphony No. 2 - Resurrection' HD DVD release.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 2 Resurrection (HD DVD)

'Mysterious Aqua,' 'Mountain Winds' Multichannel Audio HD DVDs Announced

Thu Jan 03, 2008 at 02:04 PM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Music on High-Def, Surround Records (all tags)

Surround Records has announced it will bow the latest two additions to its growing line of HD DVD multichannel audio releases beginning in late January.

Like the company's last batch of HD DVD releases that included 'Uncommon Mozart,' 'Spatial Dynamics' and 'Space or Dream of Life' (all which hit stores last October), 'Mysterious Aqua' and 'Mountain Winds' are produced by Alexander Golberg Jero, and are presented in '3-Dimensional Sound Reality,' which the press materials promise reveals a "clarity and sonic perception of these works [that] will open a new vision of the original masterpieces."

The street date for 'Mysterious Aqua' is January 29, to be followed two weeks later by 'Mountain Winds' on February 13.

Tech specs for all three titles include full 7.1-channel DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio high-resolution surround tracks. Each title also includes an accompanying video track that features multimedia artwork and visuals encoded in 1080p/VC-1.

Retail price for each title has been set at $29.95. (All three discs are currently available for pre-order at Amazon.com for 19.95 a pop -- see links below.)

Related links:
Mysterious Aqua [Amazon]
Mountain Winds [Amazon]

Earlier on High-Def Digest:
'Uncommon Mozart,' 'Spatial Dynamics,' 'Dream of Life' Multichannel Audio HD DVDs Due This Month (Oct 19, 2007)

'UFO: Showtime' Bound for HD DVD

Fri Dec 21, 2007 at 01:21 PM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Music on High-Def, SPV Records (all tags)

Legendary British rockers UFO are launching their first-ever HD DVD release this April, with the release of the live concert extravaganza 'Showtime.'

Recorded in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, 'the 2005 live concert sees the reunited headbangers playing selections from their latest album "You Are Here," alongside all of their classic rock hits, complete with a state-of-the-art lightshow and thousands of screaming fans.

Originally released as a two-disc DVD in 2006 by SPV Records, the indie distributor is planning an even more elaborate package for the disc's HD DVD debut on April 8, 2008.

Extras shared with the former DVD include two documentaries, six bonus songs, additional band interviews, a still gallery and discography.

Exclusive to the high-def version will be previously-unreleased studio recordings, an additional documentary on the band's 2004 American tour, and more interviews with the band.

Tech specs weren't available at press time, but we'll keep you posted.

Suggested retail for the HD DVD has been set at $29.98.

You'll find disc details for 'Showtime' linked from our HD DVD Release Schedule, where it's indexed under April 8, 2008.

We've also set up a dedicated thread for UFO's high-def debut in our Forums area -- click the following link to discuss the 'Showtime' HD DVD release.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
UFO: Showtime (HD DVD)

Warner Delays Zeppelin Blu-ray, HD DVD (UPDATED)

Tue Dec 11, 2007 at 11:00 AM ET
Tags: Street Date Changes, Music on High-Def, Warner (all tags)

UPDATE: This story just keeps getting stranger and stranger. Though the official word Warner was that this release has been postponed (and indeed it has been pulled down by several major retailers, including Amazon and DVD Empire), other retailers report receiving stock from their distributors and some lucky consumers have already got their hands on the discs. We've contacted Warner for clarification and will update this post with more details as they come in.

It looks like fans of Led Zeppelin's 'The Song Remains the Same' may have to wait a while longer for the concert classic to hit high-def disc.

Originally announced for a November 20th cross-format bow on Blu-ray, HD DVD and standard DVD, Warner subsequently pushed back the next-gen editions of 'The Song Remains the Same' to today, December 11. On Monday, however, the studio confirmed to retailers that the title has been delayed yet again -- this time without a new release date.

Warner didn't provide any official reason for the latest delay, but a studio rep has not issued any statement that the title has been permanently cancelled, and so we expect to get a new release date sometime in the new year.

At press time, it wasn't clear whether any of the specs or features might change between now and the disc's eventual release date, but we'll certainly keep you posted.

For now, we've moved 'Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same' to the "Release Dates Postponed" section of our Blu-ray Release Schedule and HD DVD Release Schedule.

You can discuss the delay in the dedicated threads we've set up for the the title in our Forums area -- click the following links to discuss the 'Song Remains the Same' Blu-ray release and the 'Song Remains the Same' HD DVD release.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same (Blu-ray)
Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same (HD DVD)

Earlier on High-Def Digest:
Warner Bumps Zeppelin Blu-ray, HD DVD (Sep 20, 2007)
Warner Debuts Led Zepplin's 'Song Remains the Same' on Blu-ray, HD DVD (Jul 27, 2007)

'Dispatch: Zimbabwe' Bound For Blu-ray, HD DVD

Mon Dec 03, 2007 at 01:00 PM ET
Tags: Disc Annoucements, Music on High-Def (all tags)

Indie rock band Dispatch is headed to HD DVD and Blu-ray disc this January with the release of their recent reunion concert, 'Dispatch: Zimbabwe - Live at Madison Square Garden.'

One of only a handful of bands to rise to prominence without the backing of a major record label, the Boston trio had not played together since their legendary farewell concert in 2004, but when it was announced that they planned to reunite for a three-night stint at Madison Square Garden this summer to help raise awareness and money for people hit by worsening political and economic conditions in Zimbabwe, tickets sold out in just 30 minutes per concert.

'Dispatch: Zimbabwe - Live at Madison Square Garden' features the complete 16-track two-hour concert, captured entirely in high-definition. Self-produced by the Boston-based trio's own Bomber Records label, Warner Music Group will handle distribution for the cross format home video bow, which is due January 29, 2008 on standard DVD, Blu-ray and HD DVD/DVD combo disc. (The band is also releasing a limited Collector's edition DVD in mid-December via their own website).

Bonus features shared by all of the January disc releases are expected to include four extra songs, the "Tree With No Name" documentary on the current situation in Zimbabwe, plus additional band interviews and an outtake reel.

Tech specs for the high-def editions have not yet been announced, but you can read the full details for the standard-def DVD at the band's official website. We'll keep you posted as soon as final specs for the high-def versions are confirmed.

Suggested list price for the Blu-ray and HD DVD will be $29.99 a pop, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Dispatch Foundation's ongoing efforts in Zimbabwe.

To watch a trailer for 'Dispatch: Zimbabwe - Live at Madison Square Garden,' click the "Play" button below:

You'll find disc details for 'Dispatch: Zimbabwe - Live at Madison Square Garden' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule and our HD DVD Release Schedule, where it's indexed under January 29, 2008.

We've also set up dedicated threads for the release in our Forums area -- click the following links to discuss the 'Dispatch: Zimbabwe' Blu-ray release or the 'Dispatch: Zimbabwe' HD DVD release.

Related links:
It's Here! 'Dispatch: Zimbabwe - Live at Madison Square Garden' Collector's Edition DVD [Press Release]

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Dispatch: Zimbabwe - Live at Madison Square Garden (Blu-ray)
Dispatch: Zimbabwe - Live at Madison Square Garden (HD DVD)

Specs and a New Street Date For 'Queen Rock Montreal' Blu-ray, HD DVD

Mon Oct 22, 2007 at 09:00 AM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Music on High-Def, Eagle Vision (all tags)

Fans will have to wait a couple more weeks than originally anticipated for the dual-format release of 'Queen Rock Montreal & Live Aid,' but recently-released specs reveal an array of previously-unannounced extras.

As we first reported back in August, the next-gen debut of 'Queen Rock Montreal & Live Aid' had been expected to arrive on Blu-ray and HD DVD on November 20 (three weeks after a new two-disc DVD re-issue). But due to what indie distributor Eagle Vision is calling "production delays," both high-def versions have now been pushed back an additional two weeks to December 4.

There is a silver lining for fans of the legendary rock band, however, as Eagle Vision has confirmed an extensive supplemental package for the upcoming release. In addition to featuring newly remastered versions of the band's full Montreal concert and their seven-song 1985 Live Aid performance, both next-gen releases will also include a first-ever audio commentary by Brian May and Roger Taylor, newly-unearthed performance footage of Queen rehearsing for Live Aid, a previously unreleased band interview, additional media coverage of the event, and a "Before & After" restoration comparison .

Full audio and video remain TBA, but we'll keep you posted.

In the meantime, you'll find the latest disc details for 'Queen Rock Montreal' linked from our Blu-ray Release Schedule and HD DVD Release Schedule, where it is indexed under its new date of December 4.

We've also set up dedicated threads for the concert classic in our Forums area -- click the following links to discuss the 'Queen Rock Montreal' Blu-ray release and the 'Queen Rock Montreal' HD DVD release.

Discs mentioned in this article: (Click for specs and reviews)
Queen Rock Montreal & Live Aid (Blu-ray)
Queen Rock Montreal & Live Aid (HD DVD)

Earlier on High-Def Digest:
'Queen Rock Montreal' Headed to Blu-ray, HD DVD (Aug 06, 2007)

'Uncommon Mozart,' 'Spatial Dynamics,' 'Dream of Life' Multichannel Audio HD DVDs Due This Month

Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 09:00 AM ET
Tags: Disc Announcements, Music on High-Def, Surround Records (all tags)

Surround Records has announced it will bow three new additions to its HD DVD series of multichannel audio releases on October 27.

Like the company's previous HD DVD releases such as 'Jazz Standards' and 'Way to Paradise' (which both hit stores last month), 'Uncommon Mozart,' 'Spatial Dynamics' and 'Space or Dream of Life' are produced by Alexander Golberg Jero, and are presented in '3-Dimensional Sound Reality,' which the press materials promise reveals a "clarity and sonic perception of these works [that] will open a new vision of the original masterpieces."