doug@cornell.UUCP (Douglas Campbell) (09/24/84)
<Did you know that Beethoven means beet farmer?>
Notes on my CD Reviews:
In the left margin I rank discs with an overall rating
from 1 to 5, 5 being the highest rating. I tend to be very
picky about the emotional content of a performance.
I don't usually notice/care about technical sound
quality unless it is unusually good or bad. Hence,
I usually don't mention it in my reviews.
Mahler Symphony No. 4 London 410 188-2
Sir Georg Solti, Chicago Symphony, Kiri Te Kanawa singing.
3
This is a fair all-around performance. Occasionally Solti
loses a lilting feel to the rhythm by taking a section too
slowly, but this only happens occasionally. More seriously,
the music doesn't flow the way it should. This symphony
has some beautiful sections that come out choppy here.
Still, many of the emotions do come through.
Strauss, Richard, Also Sprach Zarathustra DG 410 959-2
Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic
5
Karajan's 1973 recording of this work was, to me, one of the
finest performances ever put on disc. It ranks with his Mahler
Ninth as a must for any record collection. This new performance
is almost as good - only occasionally does he not squeeze as much
out of the orchestra as he did in '73. Overall, another complete
win in terms of emotional pull.
Strauss, Richard, Ein Heldenleben Phillips 400 073-2
Seiji Ozawa, Boston Symphony Orchestra
4
As I often find with Ozawa's performances, this one lacks the
deep Germanic spirit that brings out the best in 19th century music.
The performance is controlled and clean, but this control is not
utilized to bring out the heroic spirit as Karajan and others
are able to do. Still, this is the only flaw in an otherwise
firey and graceful performance.
Wagner, Overtures London 411 951-2
Sir Georg Solti, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
2
This collection includes Flying Dutchman, Tannhauser, Die
Meistersinger (Prelude to Act 1) and Tristan (Prelude and
Liebestod). These recordings were made from 1972 to 1977
on analog masters, and have been transfered to CD form.
Some emotions come through with skill and subtlety. Most,
however, including the big climaxes, are too formal and ponderous.
In fact, all of the most important emotional moments are dull.
The Tannhauser is the Dresden version, which I don't like nearly
as well as the Paris version.
Wagner, Ring Excerpts London 410 137-2
Sir Georg Solti, Vienna Philharmonic
2
This collection includes all of the essential ring excerpts.
In fact, its selection is probably the finest I've ever seen
on one album. That said, it's a big disappointment. The
Vienna Philharmonic just doesn't come through with the
power and fluidity that it should. Some parts are even
a little sloppy, with uneven entrances and such. Even so,
some emotion can be felt. And nowhere do I grimace at this
performance, which I often do at mediocre Wagner.
Doug Campbell
doug@cornell
cornell!doug
DBarker@his-phoenix-multics.arpa (Deryk Barker) (02/20/85)
Having just purchased my Boothroyd-Stuart Meridian CD player (pity I don't have an amp to do it real justice) and almost worn my initial purchase of disks out here are a few comments. Ry Cooder: Bop Till You Drop. The first digital LP I bought. Material is first rate as is playing and (mostly) recording. An A-B comparison shows that the CD has more space in it and more detail all around. Worth the purchase. Brahms: Symphony No. 4/Tragic Overture. VPO/Bernstein. Fine (if not outstanding) recording. Ditto performance. Apparently the least controversial of his 1982 live(ish) et of the Brahms symphonies. N.B the first versin I had of this had two bubbles in the coating of the playing side and my player went bananas trying to track around them; replacement version fine. Elgar: Enigma variations/Pomp and Circumstance marches nos 1 & 2/March of the Mogul Emperors (from Crown of India). BBCSO/ Bernstein.) Aha! Surely the most controversial version of the Enigma ever recorded. Definitely not to be recommended if you do not already have at least one other version. Bernstein makes the most outrageous points of emphasis - Nimrod lasts for well over seven (yes seven) minutes. However - if you can take his tempi it's a very well played and recorded performance - you can actually hear (and almost feel) the organ in the finale for once. The marches are fine - no controversy at all here. One to hear before purchase. Mahler: Symphony No 1/Philadelphia O Muti. Very well recorded version. I cannot say it's the best interpretation I've ever heard (I have 9 LP's of this work already) but holds its own against most of the competition. Certainly beats the new Solti (the only other CD apart from the Japanese pressing of the CSO/Walter?) into the proverbial cocked hat. Very nice to hear the finale literally explode from silence. Mahler: Symphony No 6/5 Ruckert Lieder/ Christa Ludwig, BPO Karajan. Remastered from the 1978 analogue symphony and 1975 analogue lieder. And remastered very well I shoudl say. Ludwig sings, and is accompanied, beautifully in the lieder - very atmospheric recording. The symphony - ah the symphony. This is surely THE recording of this tragic masterpiece - puts all other known versions in the shade. A comparison between the original LP (which I have had for a few years) and the CD reveals finer detail on the CD with no lossage anywhere. The cowbells in the finale are magic, and I've never heard (apart from in the concert hall) the hammer blows in the finale sound so dead and final - not a triumphal special effect as can so often be the case. Later versions maybe better (digitally) recorded - I can't say as I've not heard Tennstedt's recording but I have heard a live relay of his interpretation and it STUNK - but as an interpretation this beats them all. When, oh when, is Karajan going to record nos 1, 2 and 8??? My overall verdict CD - OK! (Now when I am I going to be able to afford those Japanese pressings of Walter's Mahler, Furtwaengler's Brahms and Beethoven etc.?)
cmoore@BRL-VLD.ARPA (VLD/VMB) (02/20/85)
To Deryk Barker (sorry I couldn't use "answer" option to send just to you): What does "analogue" mean in the following excerpt from you? Mahler: Symphony No 6/5 Ruckert Lieder/ Christa Ludwig, BPO Karajan. Remastered from the 1978 analogue symphony and 1975 analogue lieder.
DBarker%PCO@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA (03/01/85)
To Carl Moore:
By analogue (US spelling analog) I mean that the original recording was
analogue as opposed to digital. DG made no digital recordings before
C1979/80.
deryk.