Mystic River - Boston Symphony Orchestra

Advantages: This is a recording containing excellent content, with wonderful sound quality due to top-notch recording technique, and the presence of stellarly talented artists.
Disadvantages: It is often disappointing to be listening to a wonderful piece of music only to discover that merely a portion of the piece is contained on the recording.

...This is an eclectic and, at the same time, fascinating recording. It contains some of the more interesting repertoire of one of the USA's most famous and talented symphony orchestras, along with an assortment of conductors long-attached to the CSO. In short, my favorite piece among all of those contained in this collection, is the Mahler Symphony No. 8. For anyone who knows this piece, they will be more than pleased by this performance. The conducting, orchestra playing, choral singing and preparation, and soloist singing is almost unmatched. Especially notable is the performance of the Mater Gloriosa, a somewhat thankless role, performed especially beautifully by soprano Jann Jaffe. Of course, anyone who knows the piece cannot help but be drawn to this music. This famous "Symphony of a Thousand" is a masterpiece whose listening... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: A new way to hear Beethoven
Disadvantages: Surpassed by some later period cycles

...was the first to take Beethoven's symphonies under close scrutiny and performed the first period accounts of all the symphonies between 1987 and 1988 for EMI with The London Classical Players. Norrington's approach was to take Beethoven's symphonies in the manner of the 18th Century by way of reinventing their expressive gestures, their tempos, and the use of the orchestra. The final result was something completely different that was embraced with admiration by others and hated by the rest. The soundworld and general performance was so different that people used to the tradition of the past 200 years were unprepared to these innovations and responded rather coldly. But the ice was broken. Soon period performances of Beethoven's works as well as the works of other composers started cropping up all over. Beethoven's cycle of symphonies have since been... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: John Williams' score, great performance by the LSO
Disadvantages: Tracks don't follow the film's action

...was to Episode I: The Phantom Menace; a standout orchestra-and-voices composition that represents the ill-fated bond between Anakin and his former Master Obi-Wan Kenobi as it falls apart and young Skywalker betrays the Jedi Order and becomes Darth Vader. Furious, fast-paced, and highlighting a thrilling performance by the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Voices, this is the concert arrangement composed as part of the End Credits; an abridged version appears in Track 9: Anakin vs. Obi-Wan, which also includes excerpts of music from The Empire Strikes Back. Track 5: Palpatine's Teachings: This eerie composition underscores Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's subtle yet powerful "turning" of Anakin Skywalker away from the Jedi Order and toward the Sith as he tells the young Jedi about The Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise, a Sith lord who "could... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful