Alone - Andre Previn

Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Everything about this pathetic attempt at an opera

...Andre Previn and his librettist, Philip Littell have performed a remarkable feat: they have taken what could have and should have been a tremendous opera, and managed to do everything wrong that could possibly be done wrong. Here is one of the greatest - if not the greatest - play ever written, which in its power and intensity is basically an opera already. Now - music presumably enhances the drama in an opera, intensifying the dramatic highlights, so if anything this should have had twice the power. Instead, Previn and Litell have concocted an "opera" entirely devoid of either dramatic or musical impact. Start with the libretto. The "librettist" has for all practical purposes merely taken ninety percent of the play script verbatim, and called it a libretto. Previn might just as well have written the music straight from William... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: good quality
Disadvantages: afew

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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Romantic, passionate and beautiful
Disadvantages: Unless you have a heart of stone absolutely none whatsoever

...music of the time), caused much harm to his music. After Rachmaninov's death there were only a few works that were regularly performed, and he was mostly considered as just another forgettable anomaly in the history of music. The Second Symphony continued to be performed in its mutilated condition up until 1971, when André Previn, after performing the work with the cuts, decided to reinstate every single bar for the performances during his tours around the world at that time. In 1973 Previn recorded the work for EMI and ever since that historical recording took place, the work has been generally performed complete, even to the lengths of including the exposition repeat. Today the Second Symphony is one of the most beloved compositions of Rachmaninov and it continues to remain popular among the majority of listeners. - - MOVEMENT BY MOVEMENT... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful