True Grit - Utah 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: Great passion, beautiful melodies, unrestrained romanticism
Disadvantages: The finale doesn't quite convince in it's purpose

..., or at least get the illusion of it. The second subject in this sonata-form finale then is a true march tune, banal as it may be, buoyant and active. The development takes the Fate motto again, transforming it into more of a rhythm than anything else. The recapitulation is not much altered in terms of structure, but is very much different in its orchestrations and color. The coda then emphasizes the major aspects of the Fate motto by marching forward in a headlong Presto, before broadening again for the final pages for a rousing conclusion. RECOMMENDED RECORDINGS Philips. Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra / Valery Gergiev - An absolutely fantastic reading and recording, made live in Vienna. Gergiev's pacing is very fast and this works wonders with the symphony, making it extremely involving and exciting without sacrificing the beautiful aspects... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful