Berlioz: Beatrice & Benedict

Advantages: Colourful and always exciting
Disadvantages: absolutely none

...works for the state, the Requiem or "Grande messe des morts" and "Te Deum" feature enormous orchestras and choruses (the Requiem's Dies Irae alone featuring batteries of trumpets in all four corners of the church blasting away at each other and are then succeeded by the simultaneous drumming of eight pairs of timpani, creating an unforgettable wave of sound). As an opera composer he had less of a success. His first opera, "Les Francs-Juges" only exists in fragments; Benvenuto Cellini was a total failure; the four hour "Les Troyens" after Virgil's Aeneas, was so huge that it was forced to be separated into two parts, and was even then performed only in part at the wholly unsuitable Opéra Comique, only receiving its first complete performance in the 1950's, a hundred years later; and the Shakespeare-based "Béatrice et Benedict" came so late... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Susan Graham sings nearly everything
Disadvantages: She doesn't live next door to me...

...Rorem is a rather under-rated composer. These are his tone-poems that describe very specific pictures. Here Ms Graham sings it as if not only is she seeing the snowed up woods or the sidewalk cafes on the streets of Paris in the early morning, but as she is in those pictures herself. BERLIOZ: Beatrice et Benedict: 12. Comment le dedain pourrait-il mourir? 13. Dieu! Que viens-je entendre? From a witty opera based on Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing,' Ms Graham sings Beatrice's arias with flare and effectively accenting just the right phrases to highlight conflicting emotions. Her pianissimo is beautifully smooth and her French diction is faultless. HEGGIE: Dead Man Walking: 14. This journey to Christ 15. Who will walk with me? 16. Dead Man Walking! 17. He will gather us around Susan Graham created the role of Sister Helene... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Good sound quality, strong and compelling interpretation
Disadvantages: really not applicable

...Now, we all hear of Berlioz for his wonderful and original Symphonie fantastique of 1830 and yet how many classical music fans can say they know this work as well as that? However, I would encourage you to get to know it. Berlioz originally wrote it as a viola concerto for the great virtuoso Paganini, who claimed it was not virtuosic enough. What a great joy to hear more from the viola! At times taking a solo, at others, shimmering in the background of the scenes. Pictorial and romantic, exciting and dynamic are just some words I would use to describe this CD. The LSO must be praised for their sensitive playing. Davis takes the reins to create a most compelling and vivid interpretation of Harold's journey. The balance of the solo viola line especially in the third movement here is well judged. The tempi are flexible and the pace... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful