The title reflects not only the duo’s laidback approach to making music but their whole philosophy of life. A luxurious tapestry of analogue and digital sounds, submerged samples and live instruments, it evolves and expands into an hour-long ambient symphony.

No Hassle is Tosca’s fifth studio album, and their most beautiful musical statement so far. Richard later became half of the globally acclaimed DJ-producer duo Kruder and Dorfmeister, while Rupert worked in piano composition and sound-art installation.

Multi-instrumentalists Richard Dorfmeister and Rupert Huber have been friends since their Vienna schooldays. Since all of those would long since have acquired public domain status in the EU, I would expect there may be a number of 'Callas sings Tosca' sets out there, with varying degrees of performance and recording quality.Tosca, the Viennese masters of deluxe soundscapes and sensual rhythms, are back with their most magical and mesmerising album yet. Considering that practically everything Callas did was recorded, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that a number of her performances from that time did get taped, either as radio air checks or simple bootlegs. But it's clear, with good, solid tonality and dynamic range against a reasonably-silent background unsurprising, since EMI's Walter Legge was considered somewhat of a fanatic in moving forward the art of recorded sound in the post-war mono era. But, from the few times I've heard it - to be honest, Tosca is far from my favorite opera - it didn't sound 'bad.' Sure, it's in mono, and doesn't benefit from the greater ease and detail that well-produced stereo can provide large-scale classical music. Click to expand.That's the critical consensus, the most-celebrated version of Tosca is a mono recording with Callas, the one you mention above.

Tosca opera cd