Fonè's DSD recording with Neumann valve microphones was made in 2008 at a Museum of Russian Icons in Piza. It is fairly close and the acoustic is quite dry and not particularly sympathetic to the lovely old instruments used by the quartet, so the sound is very direct. I would have preferred some more air around the strings to give them glamour, but there is nonetheless a palpable sense of rosiny bows meeting strings, and the balance is good, particularly in giving the cello its full due. Detail is excellent; in vigorous tremolo passages every note is apparent, rather than a generalised sound, and the clear articulation of the players in prestissimo passages is impressive. Sound 4/5 HRaudio
"…a masterful performance, harmonically coherent and with perfect ensemble between the players." – Corriere
"…a string quartet with sharp musical and technical qualities, formed by the principal players of Milan's La Scala." – Corriere Del Mezzogiorno
The Quartet of elegantly attired gentlemen appearing on the disc cover are leaders of string departments in the La Scala Opera Orchestra of Milan. We can imagine that they have more experience in playing Verdi than most, and so it proves in this recital. The purist stereo only programme is unusual and attractive, comprising a rarely-heard reduction by Antonio Melchione (1827-1897) of Verdi's Rigoletto paired with Verdi's String Quartet of 1873.
Fonè's DSD recording with Neumann valve microphones was made in 2008 at a Museum of Russian Icons in Piza. It is fairly close and the acoustic is quite dry and not particularly sympathetic to the lovely old instruments used by the quartet, so the sound is very direct.
G. Verdi
Dal “Rigoletto” riduzione per quartetto d’ archi
Quartetto in MI Minore
Quartetto d’Archi della Scala
Dal “Rigoletto” di G. Verdi riduzione per quartetto d’ archi di A. Melchiori
1 PRELUDIO ED
INTRODUZIONE “Questa o quella per me pari sono”
2 DUETTO “Quel vecchio maledivami”
3 DUETTO “Figlia! Mio padre!”
4 ATTO II°
5 ARIA “Caro nome che il mio cor”
6 ARIA “Parmi veder le lagrime”
7 ARIA “Cortigiani, vil razza dannata”
8 ARIA “Tutte le feste al tempio”
9 FINALE ATTO II° ”Sì, vendetta, tremenda vendetta!”
10 CANZONE “La donna è mobile”
11 QUARTETTO “Un dì se ben rammentomi”
12 TEMPESTA
13 DUETTO FINALE “V’ ho ingannato...colpevole fui”
Giuseppe Verdi
Quartetto in MI Minore
14 I ALLEGRO
15 II ANDANTINO
16 III PRESTISSIMO
17 IV SCHERZO FUGA
The story of fonè
In the context of classical and jazz music market, fonè proposes three decades of recordings using advanced techniques, aimed at the recovery of the original musical atmospheres.
Each new recording is the result of a passionate encounter between art and the art of execution and aims to recreate and reproduce the same spirit with which the works of the past have been performed. One basic feature that makes the difference between fonè and others, is the recording of musical works in natural places and original, constant production that leads to choose from time to time historically more space? Suitable for: church, theater, villa, living room ...
All this is done by retrieving a simple incision that does not do violence to the music: all the equipment is in high definition. Using pairs of valves Neumann microphones in the years 1947 and 1949 (U47, U48 and M49) using techniques very natural timbre bimicrofoniche field effect. These microphones have an important story: they are the microphones used to record the Beatles at Abbey Road Studio and RCA for the "Living Stereo."
No use is made of electronic manipulation of the signal, nor any artificial correction that if they make a sound easier to carve, it is true that distort so unacceptable. With this method you get to transfer the music information on the standard analog for the production of virgin vinyl 180g & 200g
fonè uses for the standard analog Nagra 4S, Studer C37 and J37 and Ampex ATR 102, the standard for digital, in collaboration with Philips the DSD (Direct Stream Digital) technology that has opened the doors to the SACD. For all subsequent stages of processing and control, in which it must be a playback of the sound reproduction systems are used very sophisticated.
After the pressing demands of the enthusiast market and after a long series of investigations to ensure the best possible support, the virgin vinyl 180/200 grams, fonè now makes available its most prestigious titles in the LP format.
strong opposition to current trends in the multinational market, tending to offer a product that is increasingly homogenized and devoid of content.
Implementation is of the highest quality and is dedicated to those who appreciate the pursuit of perfection in the field of sound reproduction, to collectors, to the true connoisseur and expert of things beautiful.
