NEWS
'The Spotlights' on HQ|NORTHSTAR...
May 7th, 2013
'...Experience the music in 5.1 Surround...'
Challenge Records International have launched an advertisement campaign in Dutch High End magazine Music & Emotion with exclusive emphasis on HQ|NORTHSTAR productions...
With an explanation of the HQ Musical Mastering principle, which is the basis of all our recordings, this advert is a great testimony for the passion and effort we put in our productions for Challenge.
Thank You!
'Strings Attached'...every day this week on Radio 4!
April 23rd, 2013
Our Turtle Records/HQ|NORTHSTAR production 'Strings Attached' with Arno Piters and members of the Concertgebouw Orchestra is the CD to win in the programm 'Light on 4' in the quiz "nootschieten'...Every day a part is played and explained.
Play and win!
Raving 5 stars Review for EVENSONG..!
April 19th, 2013
This week NRC magazine publiced a raving Review of our new production 'Evensong' with Eric Vloeimans and The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra....
'Enchanting Masterpiece' is the qualification that highlights this review...
A listening experience where one forget's about time and space and is taken on an exiting journey by Vloeimans and Fondse. New dimensions etc etc...
GREAT!
De eerst commentaren op het album:
NRC Handelsblad:
"Een volumineus en betoverend meesterwerk dat breed uitwaaiert van klassiek met verfijnd en lichtjes dansende strijkers en pompeuze koperthema's naar jazzdelen met spanning."- Amanda Kuyper
Pauw & Witteman:
"Mooie muziek"- Paul Witteman
Jazzenzo
"'Evensong' gaat dan wel niet over godsdienst, toch zou je na het beluisteren haast in de hemelse heer gaan geloven."- Jan Jasper Tamboer
Met dit album heeft Eric Vloeimans een brug weten te slaan tussen vele muzikale stromingen; tussen klassiek en jazz en tussen Westerse tradities en mysterieuze Oosterse sferen. Het voornaamste stuk op dit album; Evensong, is geschreven in samenwerking met componist en arrangeur Martin Fonse. Dit vierdelige trompet concert weerspiegelt Vloeimans’ virtuositeit op de trompet.
'Italian Style...'
April 3rd, 2013
Next up the 4th Symphony of Felix Mendelssohn with the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra lead by Jan Willem de Vriend. The Italian one...
And as a bonus recordings for DVD/BLURAY as well.
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
Recording location: Muziekcentrum Enschede
Recording dates: 8-10/04/2013
Recording producer: Bert van der Wolf
Recording assistent: Brendon Heinst
LET's PARTY...!!
March 25th, 2013
Coming up this week recordings with NedSym Lite, a spin off from the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra. Light Classical, Tango, Gypsy and Tango music performed by musicians from this renowned Orchestra...
LET's PARTY!
...Chique, veelzijdig en flexibel. Dat zijn de musici van het ensemble NedSym Lite. Het uitgebreide repertoire van dit ensemble varieert van licht klassiek tot opzwepende zigeunermuziek en van strakke tango’s tot swingende jazz. Daarnaast spelen ze vakkundig en met veel plezier eigen composities en muziek uit het populaire genre.
Met frisse en eigentijdse arrangementen en een ongekende flexibiliteit leent dit ensemble zich uitstekend voor de meest uiteenlopende gelegenheden. Viool, altviool en contrabas in combinatie met piano of gitaar: het is allemaal mogelijk en dat maakt het NedSym Lite tot een uniek ensemble. Zij geven dan ook regelmatig concerten die keer op keer zeer succesvol zijn.
Recording Location: Evangelisch Lutherse Kerk Haarlem, Holland
Recording Dates: 26-28/03/2013
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
Producer/Balance engineer: Bert van der Wolf
Recording Assistant: Brendon Heinst
Monitoring in Style!
The hills are alive, with the sound of....
March 8th, 2013
...Baroque Music!
This week to the hills of Salzburg!
Recordings with Ars Antiqua Austria. The "Fidicinium Sacro-Profanum" by H.I. von Biber.
Thrilling stuff again in the very special Baroque Altomonte Recording Room.
(Foto: Brendon Heinst)
Recording Location: Stift St. Florian bei Linz an der Donau
Recording Dates: 10-14 March 2013
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
Producer/Balance engineer: Bert van der Wolf
Recording Assistant: Brendon Heinst
Stift St. Florian
2013 Turtle Records 15 YEARS!!
February 15th, 2013
2013 is a special year! 15 years ago Northstar's Bert van der Wolf teamed up with Harry van Dalen from Rhapsody Sound Masters in Hilversum and they initiated the High End label Turtle records® which than kicked of with a team of 5 inspired people and became highly successful within months...
Now so many years later and Turtle Records, now left with it's "single parent" Bert van der Wolf, Harry and Bert are still "soul mates" in sound and music and because Rhapsody celebrates it's 25th anniversary this year the plan evolved to produce a compilation record of the best of Turtle Records, 15 years "The Spirti of Turtle Records®"
We are in the process of finding the best tracks we produced over the years and are excited to find the results in a few months!
Two weeks of great action...!
February 14th, 2013
And back in the studio again...
With two great recordings under the belt, both earlier announced in this news section.
- The Calefax Reed ensemble teaming up with Eric Vloeimans in a production called "On the Spot". Many improvisation and music from 4 centuries apart. From Baroque to Miles Davis, all with the luscious sound of these 6 marvelous "airbenders"...
- The Kuijken quintet with the famous Schubert quintet with 2 cello's. The musical genes in this family keep me facinated...
ALMOST THERE....!!!!
February 8th, 2013
The work is done, the masters are to the factory...it is a matter of waiting until the first HQ|NORTHSTAR BLURAY will be available. Winterreise with Christoph Pregardien and Michael Gees...really, it does not get better than that!
Than next up....Calefax meets Vloeimans
January 31st, 2013
After more than 20 years I finally will work again with the Calefax Reed Quintet in 2 weeks. We collaborated on their first recording in '92.
This time Eric Vloeimans gathers up with the guys and I am extremely excited to hear the result. I just finished 2 records with Eric and I cannot wait to experience the blend of sound between these 6 "air benders"....
Next up....Two Generations
January 30th, 2013
Next week recordings with the fabulous Kuijken family in Galaxy Studio's, Schubert String Quintet and Quartet. A true feel good home match!
Quantum Sound....
January 17th, 2013
Today working with Marc van Roon (Piano) and Martijn Vink (Drums) on the new Turtle/HQ|NORTHSTAR release with their trio with Clemens van der Feen.(Bass)
Improvised "quantums of sound" and elegant "standard like" performances...
What a treat to work with these free musical spirits!
A long time personal wish to work with Marc comes true, and the results are far beyond the best expectations I had...and those where extremely high to start with!!
A genuine TURTLE production with exemplary sound quality.
Triple Concerto & 'Archduke' Trio...
January 8th, 2013
This week finishing and mastering Beethoven's Triple Concerto & 'Archduke' Trio with The Storioni Trio and The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra/Jan Willem de Vriend.
The first recording of the Trio on period instruments! A very refreshing performance...The Hybrid SACD will be released by Challenge Classics later this month and presented at the Storioni festival.
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
Recording producer: Bert van der Wolf
Recording assistent: Martijn van der Wolf
Recording location: Muziekcentrum Enschede (Tripleconcerto), Evangelisch Lutherse church Haarlem(Arch Duke trio)
Recording dates: 2&3-07-2012 (Triple concerto), 8&9-10-2012(Arch Duke trio)
Lagrassa, ca 1815
Winter Fun.....
December 19th, 2012
Currently working on the soundtrack for "Der Winterreise" BLU-RAY production with Christoph Pregardien and Michael Gees.
How great this music is and how fantastic these performers!!
This production will be released on Challenge Classics/HQ|NORTHSTAR early 2013 as Hybrid SACD and BLU RAY disc.
A real treat..!
Mendelssohn continued...
December 5th, 2012
This week the recordings of Mendelssohns 1st Symphony, which he wrote at the age of 15(!) and the "Ouvertüre Ruy Blas" as part of our project with the integral cycly of symphonies.
The amazing musical energy of Jan Willem de Vriend with the inspired Netherlands Symphony Orchestra bring this music to live and it is a pleasure and privelage to be part of the process!
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
Recording location: Muziekcentrum Enschede
Recording dates: 3-6 december 2012
Recording producer: Bert van der Wolf
Feature interview on OPUS KLASSIEK...
November 23rd, 2012
A brand new article was just released on opus klassiek. An extensive interview by Aart van der Wal with Bert van der Wolf.
Jaap van Zweden discusses score with Bert van der Wolf
picture Aart van der Wal
OLIVERS CINEMA <<>>ERIC VLOEIMANS
November 20th, 2012
We just recorded for Challenge Jazz the new band of Eric Vloeimans, OLIVERS CINEMA...
Great film music themes in a setting for Accordeon, Cello and Trumpet.
Eric Vloeimans, Tuur Florizoone & Jörg Brinkmann...
Very atmospheric indeed!
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
Recording Location: Galaxy Studios, Mol, Belgium
Recording dates: 19/20-11-2012
Producer, balance engineer: Bert van der Wolf
5 ICMA NOMINATIONS...!!
November 19th, 2012
5 productions by Northstar have been nominated for The International Classical Musical Awards 2013!
WOW, it seems to be getting more and better every year...
Being nominated feels as an honour anyway, let alone with 5 productions at once.
We are proud and immensely thankful to Challenge Classics offering us the opportunity to work with these great musicians.
The nominies for 2013:
- Ockeghem: Requim - De La Rue: Requiem by Cappella Pratensis, S. Bull (Early Music)
- Haendel: Concerti Grossi at.6 no 1, 8, 6, 10, 5, 11 by Al Ayre Español, E. Lopez Banzo (Baroque Instrumental)
- Britten: War Requiem by E. Dovracheva, A. D. Grifey, M. Stone, Netherlands Radio Choir, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, J. van Zweden (Choral)
- Bruckner, Symphony No. 8 by Netherland Philharmonic, J. van Zweden (Symphonic Music)
- Beethoven: Complete Symhonies by The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra J.W. de Vriend (Symphonic Music)
Craftsmanship is masterly...(interview)
November 4th, 2012
The november issue of the Dutch audio magazine HVT features Northstar's Bert van der Wolf in a great interview.
"...The list of productions where he actively left his mark on is really impressive and belongs in terms of recording- and musical quality to the top..."
"...De lijst van producties waar hij
actief zijn stempel op heeft gedrukt, is ronduit indrukwekkend
en behoort qua opname en muzikale kwaliteit tot
de top...."
Bert Oling / HVT
Sergei Prokofiev, a new cycle...
October 27th, 2012
Coming week we start the recordings of a new integral Symphony cycle on Challenge Classics.
All symphonies of Sergei Prokofiev with the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra lead by James Gaffigan.
First in line, Symphony nr. 7...
Recording: Northstar recording Services BV
Recording Producer & Balance engineer: Bert van der Wolf
Recording dates: 29/10-01/11-2012
Recording Location: MCO-5 Hilversum, Holland.
Sergei Prokofiev
And...another one!
October 21st, 2012
Next up this week yet another Turtle Records® production.
This time with Ewald Demeyere playing on Virginal & Cembalo.
All will be recorded in the fantastic silence of Galaxy Studio's/ Mol Belgium which for sure will be a thrill...
A new TURTLE RECORDS® production...
October 18th, 2012
A very long time wish came true this week...
A recording production with Jazz piano player Marc van Roon. We knew each other from The Conservatory in The Hague in the eighties, but somehow our paths never crossed again. Until now, and this week we recorded a fantastic set of Marc's compositions, standards and improvisations with his trio with Martijn Vink (drums) and Clemens van der Feen (Double bass).
The picture shows the Evangelisch Lutherse kerk in Haarlem(Holland) where we constructed an innovative microphone setting and surrounding with strategically placed curtains to create an ideal sound scape for the atmospheric music and sounds this trio performs. A great recording in the tradition of "audiophile" Turtle Records®. Like all current Turtle productions the record will be licensed to and released as Hybrid Stereo+Surround SACD on the HQ|NORTHSTAR/Challenge Jazz label. Former Turtle member Harry van Dalen came in as well as a guest producer, which was a joy!
Next up....The Storioni Trio
October 6th, 2012
After our recording of Beethovens triple concerto with the Storionitrio and the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra/JW de Vriend, we now are gearing up for the recording of the so called "Arch Duke trio". The HQ Hybrid SACD will be released in January 2013. The recordings are done with a fortepiano delivered by Edwin Beunk, a first for the trio...
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
Recording producer: Bert van der Wolf
Recording assistent: Martijn van der Wolf
Recording location: Muziekcentrum Enschede (Tripleconcerto), Evangelisch Lutherse church Haarlem(Arch Duke trio)
Recording dates: 2&3-07-2012 (Triple concerto), 8&9-10-2012(Arch Duke trio)
10 in LUISTER...Phenomenal recording!
September 29th, 2012
Our recording of Bruckners 8th symphony with The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra/Jaap van Zweden received a 10/10 recommendation in the Dutch magazine Luister!
"Highest praise ...With distance the best Bruckner 8 of the past period. Great compliments for the orchestra and the technical team. The recording sounds really phenomenal, mostly from the SACD layer."
(ref. Emile Stoffels/LUISTER)
Another review in OPUS KLASSIEK:
"...Ten slotte nog een woord over de weergavekwaliteit van deze – van een uiterst leesbaar essay van Aart van der Wal voorziene – uitgave. Opnieuw deed Studio-5 van het Muziekcentrum van de Omroep in Hilversum dienst als opnamelokaliteit en wederom is het resultaat verbluffend. Zodanig dat men zich op een top avond in de Grote Zaal van het Amsterdamse Concertgebouw aanwezig waant. Een diep peilende en hoogst sonoor werkende klank van het koper, zinderende strijkers, een schitterende ruimtelijke definiëring en een schier onbegrensde dynamiek maken deze vertolking, waarmee Van Zweden nog eens ten overvloede bewijst tot de waarlijk grote Bruckner-interpreten te behoren, tot een hoogst begerenswaardig geheel...."
"...The recording quality is astonishing..."
FOLK STORIES...
September 18th, 2012
This week I am finishing and mastering the long awaited recording with soprano Cora Burggraaf featuring her most favorite Folk Songs.... A colorful combination of styles and countries of origin make this a great record! Cora proves to be a true chameleon when it comes to languages (German, English, Finnish, Hungarian, Italian &... Rotterdams!) and styles to fit the different songs. From lyrical and dramatic to funny and even corny...all is available on vocal her pallette.
Songs by Beethoven, Britten, Mahler, Respighi, Sibelius a.o.
Cora Burggraaf mezzo-soprano
Simon Lepper piano
Liza Ferschtman violin*
Floris Mijnders cello*
*Beethoven: from Irish Folksongs WoO 152 + 153
Recorded at: De Doelen, Rotterdam (NL)
Recording dates: 26 April & 11-13 December 2011
Recording producer: Bert van der Wolf
Recorded by: NorthStar Recording Services
Simon Lepper
KLARA's 10 For Ars Antiqua Austria
September 17th, 2012
Our latest recording with Ars Antiqua Austria lead by Gunar Letzbor has been awarded with the KLARA's 10 award. A special acknowledgement for this production because the motto of this price is: "because only the best is good enough..."
Great!
Recording Location: Stift St. Florian bei Linz an der Donau
Recording Dates: 10-13 November 2011
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
Producer/Balance engineer: Bert van der Wolf
Recording Assistant: Fir Suidema
A&R Challenge Records International:
Vloeimans' symphonic landscapes...
September 13th, 2012
This week recording Dutch (jazz) trumpet player Eric Vloeimans with the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra lead by Jurjen Hempel. Compositions by Eric and Martin Fondse. Fantastic musical cinematic landscapes! A great challenge to record...
Executive producer: Marcel van den Broek/Challenge Records
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
Recording dates: 11-14 September 2012
Recording producer: Bert van der Wolf
Location: Muziekcentrum Enschede
Martin Fondse
'Der Lindenbaum'...at Galaxy
September 2nd, 2012
Recording Winterreise / Franz Schubert at Galaxy studios these days...
3 nice "Lindenbäume" on the studio parking!
Christoph Pregardien/Michael Gees (piano)
Galaxy Studios, Mol,Belgium
Challenge Classics
Recording dates: 01-05/09/2012
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
Producer: Bert van der Wolf
Combattimento Consort A'dam & Lisa Larsson
August 28th, 2012
Cantatas and arias by Joseph Haydn.
Combattimento Consort Amsterdam/ Jan Willem de Vriend & Lisa Larsson, Soprano.
Great music in a wonderful setting in the "Singel" Church in Amsterdam, a place we recorded probably over a hundred productions over the past 25 years.
A wooden Mennonite hidden church in the centre of the city which has the perfect acoustic for this "scenic" music. One can imagine a baroque opera house and Lisa's crystal clear voice sounds amazingly transparent in this acoustic.
Recording dates: 9/11-01 & 26/27-08-2012
Recording location: Doopsgezinde kerk Amsterdam
Recording producer: Bert van der Wolf
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
HQ|NORTHSTAR conquers China...
July 26th, 2012
A new chain of distribution is installed for all the HQ|NORTHSTAR productions in Hong Kong, China and bordering regions. All Turtle Records and Challenge Records productions produced by Northstar as a special set under the HQ branding distributed and marketed by Master Music.
This is a true acknowledgement of our HQ recording philosophy and it's impact on music productions and as such recognised as a common property.
Crossing the boundaries of labels, musical styles and playing practices, being an optimal gateway between the musicians and the listeners.
Simply great!!
Mendelssohns Lobgesang...
July 7th, 2012
F. Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Symfonie nr. 2 'Lobgesang'
The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra / Jan Willem de Vriend
Machteld Baumans, soprano
Judith Wanroij, soprano
Patrick Henckens, tenor
Consensus Vocalis (study Klaas Stok)
Executive producer: Anne de Jong
Recording at: Muziekcentrum Enschede
Recording dates: 19 & 20 December 2011 / 5&7 July 2012
Recording Producer, Mix & Editing: Bert van der Wolf
Recording assistent: Martijn van der Wolf
Recording: NorthStar Recording Services BV
The Power of Sound
June 26th, 2012
Recording "The Power of Sound" by The Spirit Connection, the new enterprise of my dear friend Harry van Dalen from Rhapsody, Hilversum.
21 Gongs (!), Bach Cello suite, didgeridoo's & Choir....1,5 hour improvisation.
AMAZING!!!!!!!
What a challenge to capture this moment in a surround recording. A "healing" experience to listen it back time and time again....
20 OUT OF 20!!
June 21st, 2012
"...Remarkable recording technique..." (ref. Sven Kerkhoff/musikansich.de)
Two wonderful reviews just appeared on www.musikansich.de, and specific praise in them on NORTHSTAR's recording quality as well. One of them even scores 20 out of 20 points!
On the recording of Händels Concerti Grossi with Al Ayre Español: "...a with plasticity, wonderful layered and juicy sound image..."
On the recording of Graupners Chalumeaux concerti with Ars Antiqua Austria: "...one can speak of 3 successful experiments in this recording: Graupners art, Letzbors interpretation and Bert van der Wolfs splendid producing and recording work!..."
You can find these articles here
Altomonte Hall in St. Florian
Recording Ars Antiqua Austria
THE PAST UNMASKED...
June 20th, 2012
SCHUBERT UNMASKED
This week I am diving in the past...
Anima Eterna Brugge, lead by Jos van Immerseel have asked me to remaster the recordings of all Schubert Symphonies which we recorded in the period 1996/1997 for SONY CLASSICAL...
Digging up the masters in the archive was a joy and it must be said that the version laid down back than has not lost any of it's original appeal. It sounds to me even more actual and relevant than maybe it did back than!
A lot has happened the past 15 years in terms of monitoring in the NORTHSTAR studio, so it is great to have a new look and listen on these recordings. Not much needs to be done however, the recordings are certainly up to spec., but a few tweaks here and there will make these recordings as brand new. GREAT STUFF!!
Recording Bruckner
June 11th, 2012
Anton Bruckner Symphony NO.6 & NO.1 / The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra/Jaap van Zweden.
Recordings for Challenge Classics which will be released later this year and spring 2013.
Executive producer: Anne de Jong
Recording at: Studio MCO 5, Hilversum, Holland
Recording dates: 11-16-06-2012
Recording Producer, Mix & Editing: Bert van der Wolf
Recording: NorthStar Recording Services BV
Great praise for HQ|NORTHSTAR!
May 30th, 2012
About the War Requiem release in OPUS KLASSIEK web magazine
...The great winner of this release is however recording engineer Bert van der Wolf and his team of Northstar Recordings. Especially in the Surround mode, there is a grandiose and very natural definition of the hall created (even more beautiful than the surround version of Hickox), thus giving one the feeling of actually being present in the hall. Because of this, the above mentioned "geography of the performance", with all it's depth and spatial appearance, is presented like a perfect auditive equivalent of a film with 3 dimensional picture...
(Maarten Brandt/OPUS KLASSIEK)
...De grote winnaar van deze uitgave is echter opnametechnicus Bert van der Wolf en zijn team van Northstar Recordings. Speciaal via de surround-modus is er een werkelijk grandioze een zeer natuurlijk overkomende definitie van de zaal ontstaan (zelfs fraaier dan de surround-versie van Hickox), zodat men zich bijkans echt bij het gebeuren aanwezig waant. Zodoende komt eerdergenoemde “geografie van de uitvoering” met alle erbij horende diepte- en ruimtewerking haarfijn tot haar recht, zodat er een perfect geslaagd auditief equivalent in het leven wordt geroepen van het – overdrachtelijk gesproken – zien van een film met driedimensionaal beeld...
(Maarten Brandt/OPUS KLASSIEK)
Britten in the cathedral of Coventry
AND WE HAVE A WINNER!
May 23rd, 2012
Jaap van Zweden is the winner of the prestigious award Edison Klassiek in the category Opera! Van Zweden and the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra won the Edison for Parsifal.
The judges are unanimous:
"The live recording of Parsifal, released by Challenge, show again how much Van Zweden is available to play Wagner with maximum excitment, adventure and richness. He shows he is able to unfold the 4 hour opera."
The award will be handed out on the Edison Klassiek Gala on June 15. The gala will be broadcasted by the AVRO on Nederland 2.
This recording is edited and mastered for surround SACD by NORTHSTAR.
AGAIN 2 EDISON Nominations this year!
May 14th, 2012
This year two productions in which Northstar participated are nominated for the Edison Classic audience award of which one also in the category Opera. It is always a great honor and thrilling experience when the people we actually produce the recordings for are so enthusiastic about them and vote for us!
Vote here
- Pauliene & Nienke Oostenrijk/ Nieuw Sinfonietta A'dam / Jaap Terlinden
OBOE PASSION : ARIAS & CONCERTOS BY J.S. BACH & SONS
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Christian Bach
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
-PARSIFAL /Richard Wagner
Klaus Florian Vogt
Katarina Dalayman
Robert Holl
Falk Struckmann
Jaap van Zweden
Nederlands Radiokoor
Radio Filharmonisch Orkest
START OF NEW SERIES RECORDINGS
April 20th, 2012
We started this week with a new series of symphonic orchestra recordings.
The complete symphonies of Robert Schumann with The Netherlands Radio Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra lead by Michael Schønwandt.
During these sessions we recorded the 1st and 4th symphony. In June no. 2 & 3 will follow...
A great honor and a fantastic project which will be released by Challenge Classics.
Recording at: Studio MCO 1, Hilversum, Holland
Recording dates: 16-20 April 2012
Recording Producer, Mix & Editing: Bert van der Wolf
Recording assistent: Martijn van der Wolf
Recording: NorthStar Recording Services BV
TURTLE RECORDS® ALIVE AND KICKING!
April 4th, 2012
We are proud to announce a new Turtle Records® project!
The turtle is "slow", so is our labels release schedule, but rest assure: Turtles get very, very, very old and we intend to as well...
Arno Piters
Arno Piters, Clarinet player in the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra together with his colleagues from the KCO. Wonderful musicians, and we had great fun during the sessions!! Great music by Johannes Brahms for Clarinet & Piano arranged for string sextet & quintet by Geert van Keulen.
Everybody knows the famous original Clarinet Quintet by Brahms which is one of the most popular classical pieces ever. These arrangements are so wonderful, and add so much to these pieces that one could speak of a unique addition to the famous quintet in the repertoire for Clarinet and strings.
Recording dates: 2-4 April 2012
Recording Location: Galaxy Studios, Mol, Belgium
Recording producer, mix & Editing: Bert van der Wolf
Recording: NorthStar Recording Services BV
Geert van Keulen
Coverage on National TV
March 8th, 2012
Liza & Dmitry Ferschtman appeared in the Dutch National TV programm "De Wereld Draait Door" and played a Schulhoff piece of our latest production together. It is great to see how much attention and recognition Challenge receives lately for our productions and we are very proud to have been part of it!
A special moment for Northstar!
March 7th, 2012
Due to an advertisement campaign of The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra Northstar has ended up on the side of a train...!
Since Challenge chose to put Norhstar's HQ logo "by Bert van der Wolf" on the cover of the productions, this than suddenly was part of this design on the train. A special feeling to experience, nothing important or life altering in essence, but it does fill me with pride! One could call this a once in a lifetime situation. How many time will your name appear on a train?
Although many musicians we work with are on the billboards in the cities all over the world all the time, we as more transparent part of musical productions mostly operate relatively invisible. For a few months this is now not the case!
A special moment for Northstar!
Another KLARA'S 10!!
February 19th, 2012
For the second time within a month a Northstar recording received the KLARA'S-10 award...This time for our recording with Cappella Pratensis with Requiem masses of Ockeghem and De la Rue.
We are of course again very proud to have been part of this production and do congratulate the musicians and Challenge Classics for this splendid result.
Many NEW PRODUCTIONS!
February 18th, 2012
A large amount of new titles is available in the shop.
Months of hard work on fantastic productions with great musicians have materialised now in final end products! Check it out....!
KLARA's 10
January 12th, 2012
One of the latest Northstar/Turtle Records productions released by Challenge Classics has been awarded with the "Klara's 10" selection. The 10 most interesting CD releases of this week. The SACD with Ewald Demeyere /18th-Century Flemish Harpsichord Music got the highest recommendation. The record is praised for the great discoveries of wonderful cembalo repertoire and the exquisite recording quality realised from this famous Dulcken instrument. A great honor which makes us proud to have been part of this great production.
A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
December 30th, 2011
We wish all our friends, colleagues and clients a happy and prosperous 2012!!
A Great Challenge for Northstar!
December 19th, 2011
The last week of 2011 Northstar faced a real "Challenge..."!
Two big orchestral recordings back to back featuring two of the most promising directors of our time. Starting with The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, lead by Jan Willem de Vriend, we recorded Mendelssohns second Symphony including "Lobgesang" in Enschede's Music Centre. After that we had to pack up the whole technical facility and move over in one afternoon to Hilversum where the recording of Bruckners 3rd Symphony was scheduled starting at 19:00h. Jaap van Zweden, "International director of the year 2012" (!!), conducting the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra. Interesting to see and experience how the former class-mates from the Amsterdam conservatory both developed their skills to such a stellar level and to become such highly respected and searched for international conductors.
So, a lot of high profile action for Northstar just before the Christmas holidays and we are extremely proud to have been contracted to produce and record these wonderful projects.
Recording Al Ayre Español
November 29th, 2011
This week we are recording G.F. Händels Concerti Grossi opus 6 with Al Ayre Español/ Eduardo Lopez Banzo in the Auditorio de El Escorial near Madrid in Spain.
A great project with musicians that have specialized in Händels repertoire on period instruments for many years and with great succes.
Recording Location: Auditorio de El Escorial, San Lorenzo de El Escorial
Recording Dates: 2-5 December 2011
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
Producer/Balance engineer: Bert van der Wolf
Recording Assistant: Fir Suidema
Northstar features in Audio Beat
November 23rd, 2011
Audio Beat's Chris Thomas visited the Northstar Studio and wrote a great article...
"...Piece after piece followed. These were mainly classical and all had equal effect. This was dynamic range like I've never heard from CD, but the sound was tonally acute as well, and I never got the impression that the medium itself was inhibiting what Bert was trying to convey with his recordings..."
"...I actually couldn’t stop smiling. This was dynamic range and transient freedom like I have never heard -- nor expected..."
"...Bert is a truly great producer of the type that I haven’t met for many years, and he has built this amazing installation purely for his own enjoyment. I admire that..."
http://www.theaudiobeat.com/blog/dsd_usb.htm
Recording Ars Antiqua Austria
November 10th, 2011
This week we are in St. Florian near Linz and Salzburg for recordings with Ars Antiqua Austria. Music of he 18th century composer Christoph Graupner.
For the first time we record such a "baroque ensemble" in the kind of "room" which most likely is similar to rooms where this music could have been performed regurarely in the 18th century. Often recordings of older music, played with historic "period" instruments, are in concert halls of much later date and in churches with a rather religious acoustic and atmosphere. Worldly chamber music however was mostly played in palaces and this recording location might be much more "authentic" in that sense. This room communicates the "Baroque philosophy" with an overwhelming visual and auditive illusion. Being a very small room, one however has the feeling to be in a much larger place due to the painted ceilings and walls with deep perspective and the sound is so much "larger than live" that one could speak of a "reverb unit avant la lettre"...A new experience to say the least, and a completely different recording technique is required to capture this surrounding in a convincing way. The picture shows the overwhelming paintings and ornamentations in the room which give it it's distinct acoustic and baroque atmosphere...
Leitung: Gunar Letzbor
Ernst Schlader, Markus Springer , Christian Leitherer - Chalumeaux
Gunar Letzbor, Barbara Konrad - Violinen
Markus Miesenberger - Viola
Jan Krigovsky – Violone 8’
Norbert Zeilberger- Orgel, Cembalo
Hubert Hoffmann - Laute
Karin Gemeinhardt - Fagott
Albert Heitzinger, Michael Söllner - Hörner
Alex Georgiev - Pauken
Recording Location: Stift St. Florian bei Linz an der Donau
Recording Dates: 10-13 November 2011
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
Producer/Balance engineer: Bert van der Wolf
Recording Assistant: Fir Suidema
diapason d'or for VIVAT LEO!
November 4th, 2011
Our recording Vivat Leo! - "Music for a Medici Pope", for Challenge Classics, featuring Cappella Pratensis directed by Joshua Rifkin, has been rewarded with a Diapason d'or in the leading French magazine Diapason...Pope Leo was, apart from being a respectable composer himself, a great ambassador for good music in general and astonishing works were written for him and commissioned by him. This CD is an exploration of the musical taste of Pope Leo X with works from f.i. Josquin Desprez and Jean Mouton.
We are proud to have been part of this production and we congratulate Cappella Pratensis for this recognition!
Recorded at : AMUZ, Antwerp
Recording dates: 12-14 April 2010
Recording producer: Bert van der Wolf
Recorded by: Northstar Recording Services BV
Back on the nest...!
October 26th, 2011
I am extremely excited and proud to announce that from November 2011 on I am again engaged by dCS UK to work with them on new products...
After an absense of almost 3 years, dCS have asked me again to join forces. As they call it: their "Golden Ear/Development Advisor"...
Our relation goes back for over 20 years and I was fortunate to be part in almost all "world firsts" by dCS, such as the start of "higher sample rates" back in 1993. We even did the first 192kS/s-24 bit recordings ever for SAMSUNG and for a few years I was spokesman and project manager between dCS and Philips NAT LAB in the DSD/SACD research trajectory.
We will be working on all sorts of projects which will involve improvement in existing products, creating an optimal procedure and circumstances for auditive testing and evaluation, but also many new ideas and possibilities will probably materialize over the coming period.
As a completely committed HQ SURROUND adept I for sure will try to persuede the whole High End world to get into proper Surround again through dCS...
WOW...!! It really feels like returning on the Nest!!
Beethoven Volume 4 & 5...almost!
October 25th, 2011
This week I am editing and mixing on Beethoven's 9th symphony and finishing the masters of volume 4 with the 2nd & 3rd symphony. All recordings with The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra lead by Jan Willem de Vriend. So far the releases of this integral Beethoven Symphonies project have received high praise in the international press and have been awarded already as well. In January the whole box with all symphonies will be available at Challenge Classics.
Recording at: Muziekcentrum Enschede
Recording dates: Symfonie nr 3: 18-20 mei 2009, Symfonie nr 2: 7-8 september 2010
Recording Producer, Mix & Editing: Bert van der Wolf
Recording: NorthStar Recording Services BV
Prof. Keith O. Johnson visits Northstar
October 17th, 2011
Multi award winning recording engineer, chief engineer at Spectral Audio and founder of Pacific Microsonics, inventor of the HDCD principle and dear colleague Professor Keith O. Johnson finally visited the Northstar studio and enjoyed listening to our recordings. Because we use many of "his" electronics and I personally am a great admirer of his work as a recording engineer for Reference Recordings, this was a great honor and opportunity to learn. For many years we have been in contact and through several visits over the years by Spectral's Rick Fryer, we communicated our love for the profession and music on a regular basis. It turned out to be a wonderful exchange of ideas and experiences and most likely Northstar will benefit greatly from all the input Keith gave after hearing our work. As a bonus we will get access to the microphone pre-amplifier technology Spectral developed for his own recording facility and a meeting at his place in America is planned for in the near future. It will add tremendously to the quality of our productions when the Spectral technology moves further back in the chain...We already use Spectral exclusively in our monitoring systems, but as of a front end this still remained a dream until now!
It was an enlightening experience to have such a knowledgeable, friendly and interesting colleague around to review our results...
THANK YOU KEITH!!
Much appreciated...
Elektra & Der Freischütz
October 9th, 2011
We are extremely happy and proud to announce that Northstar has been contracted to do the editing, mix and mastering of two wonderful opera productions. "Der Freischütz" by C.M. von Weber, Radio Kamer Filharmonie and Groot Omroepkoor (Michael Schønwandt) and Elektra by Richard Strauss, Nederlands Filharmonisch Orkest (Marc Albrecht)
Both works have been performed live recently and have been awarded with great enthusiasm from the audience and wonderful reviews in the press.
It is great that these documents will be released on hybrid surround and stereo SACD by Challenge Classics so they are preserved optimally for future generations!
Pizzicato Award
September 29th, 2011
In the Luxembourgian magazine Pizzicato conductor Jan Willem de Vriend and the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra got a Supersonic award! This means the Beethoven Symfonies Volume 3, Nr. 7 & 8. got a ten out of ten points!
A recording for Challenge Classics, produced and engineered by Northstar's Bert van der Wolf.
dCS World Premiere Presentation
September 19th, 2011
Friday and Saturday September 23rd & 24th, Northstar facilitated dCS's world wide introduction of a new format for audio playback on their Debussy DA converter... DSD master files played through a standard USB interface on a standard MAC/PC. This groundbreaking feature might forever change the way we will have access to high resolution audio formats. SACD will no longer be the sole carrier for this wonderful format for sure...!
Northstar was chosen to deliver the DSD source material and Bert van der Wolf gave a lecture on the use of DSD & DXD in the recording process and on why it is such a splendid alternative for traditional PCM formats. The event took place at Rhapsody Sound Masters in Hilversum, Holland.
After this the international press embarked on a tour to the Northstar Studio to get a glimpse of what might become possible in the forseable future with DSD surround files and Ultra High End playback systems!
Nomination Gramophone Award
September 9th, 2011
The SACD Italienisches Liederbuch of Christoph Prégardien, Julia Kleiter & Hilko Dumno is nominated for a Gramophone Award 2011! The Gramophone Award is an annual celebration of the best in recorded classical music. The winner will be revealed at the Gramophone Classical Music Awards on October 6 at London's Dorchester Hotel.
A recording for Challenge Classics, produced and engineered by Northstar's Bert van der Wolf.
05/09 Famous Dulcken
September 5th, 2011
This week I am working further on the editing and mastering of the recording:
Joannes Daniel Dulcken & Pièces de Clavecin
Eighteenth-Century Flemish Harpsichord Music
Played by Ewald Demeyere on one of the most famous original harpsichords on the planet, build by Joannes Daniel Dulcken.
This production is a co-production between Turtle Records and Challenge Classics and will be released coming fall.
Recording at: Vleeshuis Museum, Antwerp, Belgium
Recording dates: 28-30 March 2011
Recording Producer, Mix & Editing: Bert van der Wolf
Recording: NorthStar Recording Services BV
01/09 New Web Site for Northstar
September 1st, 2011
As you can see the new web site of Northstar Recording Services is a fact!
New Art has designed a wonderful new house style and branding around the "High Quality Musical Surround Mastering" principle which will coincide seamless with all new Challenge Classics and Turtle Records releases which are produced by Northstar. The HQMM principle by Bert van der Wolf has found it's place in many recording productions and receives high acclaim amongst artists and music lovers from all over the world.
31/08 Mastering Dvorak/Gershwin
August 29th, 2011
Final stages in editing and mastering this next Hybrid Surrround SACD for Challenge Classics. This project is choosen to feature in the "aangenaam klassiek" campaign, so we are a bit in a hurry to get the job done!
Violin Concerto a minor/Op. 53 / Antonin Dvorak
An American in Paris / George Gershwin
Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra Amsterdam / Mario Venzago / Liza Ferschtman
Artistic manager: Sven Arne Tepl, NedPhO
Executive producer: Anne de Jong
Recorded at: Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam The Netherlands
Recording dates: 20 – 22 April 2011
Recording Producer, Mix & Editing: Bert van der Wolf
Recorded & Mastered by: NorthStar Recording Services BV
25/08 Recording Bruckner
August 26th, 2011
Anton Bruckner Symphony NO.8 / The Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra/Jaap van Zweden.
A recording for Challenge Classics which will be released first half of 2012
Executive producer: Anne de Jong
Recording at: Studio MCO 5, Hilversum, Holland
Recording dates: 25-29 August 2011
Recording Producer, Mix & Editing: Bert van der Wolf
Recording: NorthStar Recording Services BV
15/08 Editing Ockeghem/De La Rue
August 15th, 2011
Editing and mixing the project with Cappella Pratensis of two requiem masses by Ockeghem and De La Rue. Release is expected in January 2012
Recording at: Catholic Church Vieux-Sart, Belgium
Recording dates: 9-12 June 2011
Recording Producer, Mix & Editing: Bert van der Wolf
Recording: NorthStar Recording Services BV
18/07 2nd complete Beethoven...
July 18th, 2011
We just finished the last recordings of the integral Beethoven symphonies cycle with The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and Jan Willem de Vriend with the final of the 9th symphony. Meanwhile volume 1, 2 and 3 are available and so far the reactions of consumers and press are fantastic. The whole series will be complete in the spring of 2012 with the 9th. Next up are 2nd and 3rd symphonie.
For Northstar this is the second integral recording cycle of Beethoven's symphonies. The first was with Anima Eterna Brugge lead by Jos van Immerseel which was recorded between 2006 and 2008 and released by the French label Zig-Zag Territoires. We are extremely proud that such renowned ensembles have chosen Northstar to produce such enormously prestigious projects.
Recording at: Muziekcentrum Enschede
Recording dates: 12-14 & 18 July 2011
Recording Producer, Mix & Editing: Bert van der Wolf
Recording: NorthStar Recording Services BV
04/07 Recording Haendel Concerti Grossi
July 4th, 2011
2nd half of the recording of all Concerti Grossi op.6 / Georg Friedrich Händel by the Combattimento Consort Amsterdam / Jan Willem de Vriend. The first half is recorded in December 2010 and the estimated release of the complete set is scheduled for the first half of 2012.
Recording at: Muziekcentrum Enschede
Recording dates: 4-8 July 2011
Recording Producer, Mix & Editing: Bert van der Wolf
Recording: NorthStar Recording Services BV
23/05 Recording Family Ferschtman
May 23rd, 2011
Finally a recording of Liza Ferschtman and her also famous father Dmitri together. Works for duo Violin and Cello by Maurice Ravel, Zoltán Kodály and Erwin Schulhoff. A very inspiring session with these two extremely talented and expressive musicians.
The recording is made for Challenge Classics and will be released in the first half of 2012.
Executive Producer: Anne de Jong
Recording venue: Muziekcentrum Frits Philips, Eindhoven, Holland
Recording dates: 23-25 May 2011
Recording Producer, Engineer & Editing: Bert van der Wolf
Recording: Northstar Recording Services BV
17/04 Recording St. John Passion
April 17th, 2011
Recording Sessions of J.S. Bach's St. John Passion with La Petite Bande / Sigiswald Kuijken. Just like our recording of the Matthäus Passion with single parts for every voice, so the soloists form also the choir. A new approach, suggested byJoshua Rifkin and adopted by Sigiswald Kuijken as probably historically correct.
Executive Producer: Anne de Jong
Recording at: Academiezaal, St. Truiden, Belgium
Recording dates: 17-20 April 2011
Recording Producer, Mix & Editing: Bert van der Wolf
Recording: NorthStar Recording Services BV
2 Edison Nominations this year
April 15th, 2011
2 SACD's produced by Northstar are nominated for the Edison Audience award this year. Obviously we are very proud with such a recognition by the public!
WORKS FOR VIOLIN SOLO
Componist(en): Bach/Ysaÿe Uitvoerenden: Liza Ferschtman
MATTHÄUS-PASSION BWV 244
Componist(en): Bach Uitvoerenden: La Petite Bande o.l.v. Sigiswald Kuijken
3 ICMA Nominations
January 19th, 2011
The international Classical Music Award (ICMA) has nominated 3 productions which are produced by Bert van der Wolf of Northstar Recording Services.
CC 72389 Pauline Oostenrijk/Baroque Academy of the NSO- Vivaldi: Concertos for Oboe and Strings
CC 72361 The Netherlands Symfonie Orchestra/Jan Willem de Vriend - Beethoven Symphonies 4&6
CC 72357 La Petite Bande/Sigiswald Kuijken - Bach: Matthaus Passion
In 2009 the recording of "Die Schöne Müllerin" with Christoph Pregardien and Michael Gees won the prestegious "MIDEM record of the year Award", which now is called the ICMA award.
BBC Music Award 2011
January 1st, 2011
We are extremely happy to announce that Christoph Prégardien has been nominated for a BBC Music Magazine Award for the Italienisches Liederbuch of Hugo Wolf (Christoph Prégardien / Julia Kleiter / Hilko Dumno - CC 72378) This great news can even get better when you as a music lover VOTE for this CD NOW: here.
Produced and engineered by Bert van der Wolf
Edison Luister Publieksprijs 2010
July 1st, 2010
We are proud and very happy with the winning of the Edison Luister Publieksprijs, which was handed out to Rudolf Koelman for his extraordinary recording, with the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra and conductor Jan Willem de Vriend, of the Violin Concertos nos. 1 & 2 of Niccolò Paganini. The Award was handed out on the 18th of June, in the Edison Classical Award-Gala which took place in the magnificent Kurhaus in Scheveningen and was broadcasted on National Dutch television (Ned 2) by the AVRO. Because this award was chosen by the public, everyone had been able to vote themselves for their favorite Classical Album of the year 2009 out of a selection made by the Jury of the Edison Stichting and classical Dutch magazine 'Luister'. The album was recorded live, which makes it an even more incredible performance. To listen to samples of the album, click here.
Produced and engineered by Bert van der Wolf
16 NORTHSTAR PRODUCTIONS on Anniversary CD
May 7th, 2010
We are proud to have been asked by German loudspeaker builder Audio Physic to produce a compilation of our classical recordings for their 25th anniversary CD...
The disc was presented at the High End Audio Show 2010 in Munich Germany.
The theme of the disc is:
“Classical Music with 21th Century understanding and insights...”
This compact disc has been compiled with the idea of not only demonstrating sound quality and realism in recording and playback techniques, but also to show the variety in modern playing practice of ‘Classical’ music.
Tracklist:
1 Second Concerto Pour Trompette, 2nd movement, 1954 / André Jolivet 4:26
2 “Wohin” from “Die schöne Mullerin”, 1824 / Franz Schubert 2:25
3 Quintet in D Major Hob.X:5, 3rd movement, Baritone, Viola, Contrabass & 2 Horns, appr. 1770 / Joseph Haydn 3:28
4 Rondo /Allegro KV 485, 1786 / Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 4:41
5 Gaude Virgo, 15th century / Pierre de la Rue 3:58
6 Variationen “Ei du feiner Reiter”, aus Konzert fuer Cembalo und Streichorchester opus 14. 1935 / Hugo Distler 4:58
7 A duoi Liutti vnisoni, Canzon di Claudio da Correggio a 4, late 16th century / Giovanni Antonio Terzi Da Bergamo 3:18
8 Excerpt from 1st Symphony “Titan” (Hamburg 1893 version)/Gustav Mahler 7:58
9 “Ich kann’s nicht fassen, nicht glauben” from “Frauenliebe und Leben”, 1840/ Robert Schumann 1:32
10 ”Mache dich, mein Herze, rein” from St. Matthew Passion BWV 244, 1728 / Johann Sebastian Bach 6:07
11 “Eritaña” from “Iberia”, 1905 / Isaac Albeniz 5:56
12 L’Arte del Violino, opera omnia III, Concerto 5, Allegro/Cappricio (no.10), 1733 / Pietro Antonio Locatelli 3:17
13 String quartet no. 1, 3rd movement, Quasi agitato, 1982 / Tristan Keuris 7:18
14 “Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben” from the Christmas Oratorium, 1734/ Johann Sebastian Bach 5:39
15 “Die Taubenpost”, 1828 / Franz Schubert 3:22
16 Wellingtons Sieg, “(Die) Schlacht bei Vittoria”, op. 91, 1813 / Ludwig van Beethoven 8:30
GOLDEN AWARD
November 1st, 2009
For Jan Willem de Vriend after selling the first 10.000 copies in the Netherlands of the Weihnachts Oratorium of Johann Sebastian Bach.
Produced and engineered by Bert van der Wolf
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