Jean Sibelius: Symphony No. 4/The Tempest

On this CD:

1. Symphony No. 4, for orchestra in A minor, Op. 63
Composed by Jean Sibelius
Performed by Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Leif Segerstam

2. The Tempest, incidental music for vocal soloists, chorus, orchestra & harmonium, Op. 109 No 2
Composed by Jean Sibelius
Performed by Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Leif Segerstam

Tracks:

Goldgerg Variations BWV 988: Aria
Tristan Und Isolde: Prelude
Invention No. 13 in A minor, BWV 784
English suite No. 5 in E minor, BWV 810: Prelude
Sonata No 13. in E-flat Major Op. 27, No. 1: Allegro Molto
32 variations on an Original theme in C minor, WoO 80: Variations XXVI And XXVII
Sonata No 17 in D minor, Op 31, No. 2: Allegretto
The Well Tempered Clavier Book 1: Prelude No. 2 in C Minor
English suite No. 2 in A minor BWV 807: Gigue
Sonata in B Minor, Op. 5: Adagio
Sonatine for Piano in E Major, Op 67, No. 2: Andantino
English Suite No. 2 in A Major, BWV 807: Prelude
Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 19
Minor from The Well Tempered Clavier, Book I: Fugue No. 14 in F-sharp
Sonata No. 7 in B-flat Major, Op. 83: Precipitato
2 Pieces, Op. 57: Desir
Piano Sonata No. 3: Sehr Lebhaft
Suite for Piano, Op. 25: Gigue
Six Little Pieces for Piano, Op. 19: Leicht, Zart
French Suite No. 1 in D Minor, BWV 812: Sarabande
Nine Little Preludes: Prelude in D minor, BWV 926
The Well Tempered Clavier Book I: Prelude No. 1 in C Major
The Art of the Fugue, BWV: Contrapunctus 9 1080

Customer Reviews:

Cult Devotion.......2007-02-14

The movie for which these extractions provided the soundtrack was indeed quite interesting. Sadly, it's now unavailable. Gould has achieved a cult status unlike that of any classical musician since Caruso or Paganini. Unfortunately, he devoted his considerable talents to the performance of music for which he was particularly unsuited psychologically, on an instrument equally unsuited to the music.
Thomas Bernhard, an Austrian, has written an insightful novel, titled The Loser, which probes Gould's obsessive/depressive personality. I strongly recommend it to devotees of the Gould cult.

One of My Favorite CDs.......2002-11-24

Glenn Gould artistry inspires nothing but admiration. Each piece on this cd is so entertaining and delightful! For example, Bach's Prelude English Suite for keyboard No. 5 in E minor & the Prelude and Gigue from the English Suite for keyboard No. 2 in A minor. Bach's Little prelude in D Minor tramples its identity and morphs into adolescents. The Beethoven on this cd is also remarkable and the effects he creates for some of those pieces is undeniably unique and certainly sets an interpretive standard.

And lastly, to think Gould could no longer suprise me he introduces us to some great compositions and what would become my favorite tracks on the CD: Piano Sonata in B minor, Op. 5 Adagio cantabile composed by Richard Strauss and 11. Sonatina No. 2, for piano in E major, Op. 67/2 Andantino composed by Jean Sibelius. These two recordings belong to that set of moments whose ambiance of silence and withheld passion yearns the soul.

Incredible music making.

Brilliant performances from a musical genius.......2000-08-11

This is a brilliant album! It would be nice if everything were recorded in DDD. Other than this, I cannot recommend a change that would make this CD more enjoyable than it already is. Gould is a recognized master, but seldom is an album published that provides a listener the opportunity to see the range and power of such a performer in action. If you enjoyed the movie, this CD will be a welcome addition to your collection. And even if you haven't seen the movie, you'll enjoy this musical glimpse into Gould's life.

The Whole Range of Gould's Talent.......2000-05-09

This is an outstanding soundtrack to an outstanding movie. For the listener who is new to Gould, this CD presents Gould's talents as a Bach performer, as well as his less well-known, but equally impressive talents as a performer of late 19th and 20th century music, with some stringent, thrilling Beethoven to boot. For the experienced Gould listener,it provides a chance to compare and contrast Gould's approach to various forms of music. One of the most noteworthy pieces on this CD is the interpretation of the Adagio from Richard Strauss's youthful Piano Sonata in B minor. Recorded close to the time of his death, it reveals the rare pianist who can play Romantic music with incredible clarity and emotional depth. Gould's approach to this piece is tender and wistful, distant in a way that affords it a sense of isolation and profound sadness. The reprise of Bach's music at the end of the CD is chilling and bursting with Gould's uniquely emotional approach to this music. Listening to this CD is an experience in and of itself. Don't miss out on it.

If you aren't amazed by these recordings, check for a pulse........1998-11-25

If you have studied music all your life and grown weary of the state of the performing arts and are trying to remember why you fell in love with it initially (like me) OR if you have never appreciated classical pianio music and are wondering what all the fuss is about BUY THIS RECORDING AND LISTEN TO IT! As a pianist who gave up the trade in favor of my mental health this stuff made me break out in a cold sweat. It's the real thing.

Sibelius: Symphony No. 4; Symphony No. 6; Lemminkäinen's Return; etc.

Average customer rating:

Far beyond a simple epidermis' sympathy!

Sibelius: Symphony No. 4; Symphony No. 6; Lemminkäinen's Return; etc.

Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Customer Reviews:

Far beyond a simple epidermis' sympathy!.......2006-12-26

The close affinity of Beecham for Sibelius is part of the musical history. He established a profound rapport with the germinal seeds of an epic pastoral, if I may. His Fourth Symphony's approach still stands out as a milestone recording that since Dec 10 1937 has not been able to be surpassed.

Also available in Amazon UK under Naxos label. Acquire this historical performance.

Average customer rating:

White Nights: Music of Tranquil Beauty

Manufacturer: Ondine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004XPL2
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Tracks:

A Shepherd Girl's Sunday - Helsinki PO/Leif Segerstam
Romance - Erkki Palola
Belshazzar's Feast, Op.51: Nocturne - Helsinki PO/Leif Segerstam
The Tempest: Ste No.2, Op.109/3: Intermezzo - Helsinki PO/Leif Segerstam
The Tempest: Ste No.2, Op.109/3: Dance Of The Nymphs - Helsinki PO/Leif Segerstam
The Tempest: Ste No.2, Op.109/3: Miranda - Helsinki PO/Leif Segerstam
Pelleas & Melisande: Ste, Op.46: Melisande - Tapiola Sinf/Tuomas Ollila
Pelleas & Melisande: Ste, Op.46: Pastorale - Tapiola Sinf/Tuomas Ollila
Impromptu - Virtuosi Di Kuhmo/Peter Csaba
Ste Lyrique No.3: Pastorale - TAMPERE PO/LEIF SEGERSTAM
Two Nordic Melodies, Op.63: In Folk Style - Ostrobothnian CO/Juha Kangas
Pan Voyevoda: Nocturne - Swedish RSO/Evgeny Svetlanov
Raymonda, Op.57: Entreacte No.2 - Swedish RSO/Evgeny Svetlanov
The Seasons, Op.67: Petit Adagio - Swedish RSO/Evgeny Svetlanov

Musik...Sprache der Welt: Selected Orchestral Recordings II [Box Set]

Average customer rating:

Musik...Sprache der Welt: Selected Orchestral Recordings II [Box Set]

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Musik.... Sprache der Welt (Music.... The Universal Language): Works by Haydn / Mozart / Beethoven / Schubert / Berlioz / Schumann / Brahms / Bruckner Conducted by Fricsay / Jochum / Sanderling / Böhm / Markevitch / Lehmann / Furtwängler

ASIN: B00083D4JS
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies, Kullervo

Average customer rating:

Not the best.
Fabulous Budget Recording
Grab this boxed set. For this price it can't be beat!

Sibelius: The Complete Symphonies, Kullervo
Jean Sibelius , Petri Sakari , and Iceland Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Lemminkinen Suite: Four Legends from the Kalevala, for orchestra, Op. 22
Rachmaninov: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos
Mendelssohn: The Complete Symphonies & String Symphonies
Beethoven: The Nine Symphonies

ASIN: B00005QISF
Release Date: 2002-02-19

Tracks:

Andante Ma Non Troppo - Allegro Energico
Andante (Ma Non Troppo Lento)
Scherzo (Allegro)
Finale (Quasi Una Fantasia)
Allegro Moderato
Moderato - Allegro (Ma Non Tanto)
Moderato - Allegro (Ma Non Tanto)

Tracks:

Allegretto
Andante Ma Rubato
Vivacissimo
Allegro Moderato
The Oak Tree
Humoresque
Caliban's Song
The Harvesters
Canon
Scene
Intrada - Berceuse
Entr'acte - Arial's Song
The Storm

Tracks:

Tempo Molto Moderato, Quasi Adagio
Allegro Molto Vivace
Tempo Largo
Allegro
Tempo Molto Moderato
Andante Mosso, Quasi Allegretto
Allegro Molto

Tracks:

Allegro Molto Moderato
Allegretto Moderato
Poco Vivace
Allgro Molto
Chorus Of The Winds
Intermezzo
Dance Of The Nymphs
Prospero
Song I & II
Miranda
The Naiads
Dance Episode
Symphony No.7 In C Major Op.105

Tracks:

Introduction - Esa Ruuttunen
Kullervo's Youth - Esa Ruuttunen
Kullervo's And His Sister - Esa Ruuttunen
Kullervo's Goes To War - Esa Ruuttunen
Kullervo's Death - Esa Ruuttunen

Amazon.com

From the Slavic-tinged exuberance of the First and Second to the dark undercurrents of the Fourth and Fifth and the passionate abstraction of the Sixth and Seventh, Sibelius's symphonies loom larger than ever among the 20th century's influential orchestral landmarks. Petri Sakari charts the composer's rugged, sometimes cryptic terrain with authority and inspires the Iceland Symphony Orchestra to a generous and heartfelt performance. You won't find the opulent sheen of Karajan's or Ormandy's Sibelius, nor the micro details Paavo Berglund elicits from his Chamber Orchestra of Europe remakes, but Naxos's modest asking price will bring you idiomatic, atmospheric, deeply felt performances that reveal more with each hearing. Jorma Panula's fine traversal of Kullervo ranks close to Berglund's reference EMI version (the earlier of his two for the label). A Sibelius cycle, in sum, to stand at the top of the list alongside Davis-Boston (Philips), Vanska-Lahti (BIS), and Berglund-Helsinki (EMI). --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Not the best........2006-11-10

The Icelandic orchestra plays these symphonies quite well, giving the conductor everything he asks. Naxos has given the performances rather bland sonics. They would be fine if the performances were better. But each symphony seems jerked and pulled around, going faster and slower at the whim of the conductor (changes not indicated in the scores). This means that CD1 - Symphonies #1 and #3 lose shape and seemingly go no where. Symphony #5 doesn't build the way it should. The heartwrenching emotional outbursts in the slow movement of #4 just don't grab us. Listen to Beecham or Bernstein or Rozhdestvensky (or Watanabe with Japan - nla), and you hear this. Symphony #6 and Symphony #7 fare better, but even they sound cautious and ill framed. Sibelius, after all, said that a symphony must be the supreme expression of logic (to which Mahler answered, "No, a symphony must embrace the world.") These performances do neither. The Kullervo (with a different orchestra and conductor), however, is wonderful. I'd suggest a buyer get that alone and leave the box to someone else.

Fabulous Budget Recording.......2006-03-13

This complete recording of the Sibelius symphonies is more than just a budget recording. The Iceland Symphony Orchestra with Petri Sakari does a great job in all aspects of the performance. They seem to create a Scandinavian atmosphere that is inherent in these symphonies. One feels transported to the mountains, forests, and lakes of Lapland; the cool airs, the vast, open spaces. Very poetic, to be sure, but the orchestra really brings these qualities out in the music. Their technical skill is on par as well. These players could stand up to the best orchestras, but we get to hear them for a far lower price. The two suites that Sibelius wrote for Shakespeare's play "The Tempest" also accompany the symphonies. While they are obviously weaker works, the suites come alive in the hands of the capable performers. In addition, the set contains the dramatic tone poem Kullervo. It is an amazing work, though on first listen, one may feel that the piece drags on. It takes more than one listen to catch how packed it is with musical substance. The Turku Philharmonic Orchestra plays Kullervo, but with no less verve and competence than the Iceland Symphony. Kudos to Naxos on creating a box set collection at budget price with such great performances and such voluminous liner notes.

Grab this boxed set. For this price it can't be beat!.......2003-02-15

I am surprised, no shocked, that my customer review is the first to appear for this boxed set of the Sibelius symphonies a year after it became available. I would have imagined that SOMEONE would have written of their enthusiasm for the set. When I saw no one had done so, I had to stop what I was doing and start writing.

Sibelius's symphonies are surely among the best of the 20th century. His unmistable sound world, his creative transformations of symphony form, his dramatic and lyric abilities all made him an original, a treasure. Certainly there have been other invaluable recordings of the symphonies - Berglund, Colin Davis, Karajan, Ormandy, Barbirolli. But for someone coming to the symphonies and wanting them all you couldn't start with a better set, not at THIS price.

Petri Sakari and his Icelanders do a bang-up job. Don't be fooled, this Iceland orchestra is a fine group.

For lagniappe there is fine performance of 'Kullervo' with Jorma Panula (another Sibelian) conducting.

Tracks:

Sym No.1 in e, Op.39: I. Andante Ma Non Troppo/Allegro Energico - Eugene Ormandy/The Philadelphia Orch
Sym No.1 in e, Op.39: II. Andante - Eugene Ormandy/The Philadelphia Orch
Sym No.1 in e, Op.39: III. Scherzo: Allegro - Eugene Ormandy/The Philadelphia Orch
Sym No.1 in e, Op.39: IV. Finale: Quasi Una Fant - Eugene Ormandy/The Philadelphia Orch
Lemminkainen Legends, Op.22: No.4, Lemminkainen's Return - Eugene Ormandy/The Philadelphia Orch
The Tempest,' Op.64: Berceuse - Leopold Stokowski/The Philadelphia Orch
Sym No.4 in a, Op.63: I. Tempo Molto Moderato, Quasi Adagio - Leopold Stokowski/The Philadelphia Orch
Sym No.4 in a, Op.63: II. Allegro Molt Vivace - Leopold Stokowski/The Philadelphia Orch
Sym No.4 in a, Op.63: III. Il Tempo Largo - Leopold Stokowski/The Philadelphia Orch
Sym No.4 in a, Op.63: IV. Allegro - Leopold Stokowski/The Philadelphia Orch

Customer Reviews:

SUBLIME SIBELIUS FIRST.......2005-08-19

Here at last is absolute proof of the reputation of the Philadelphia Orchestra of lore. You will be awed by the freedom, naturalness and profound expressiveness of this performance. Mr. Ormandy conducts with superb line and an undoubted design that puts every other recording in the shade. But it leaves one somewhat disturbed. Why didn't the men of that great ensemble teach their students to play with such ardor and passion? How did it ever become the fashion to play so safely, so dryly?

Average customer rating:

Sibelius festival

Manufacturer: Ondine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Tracks:

The Birch, Op.75/4 - Ralf Gothoni
The Spruce, Op.75/5 - Ralf Gothoni
Romance, Op.78/2 - Pekka Kuusisto/Raija Kerppo
Rondino, Op.81/2 - Pekka Kuusisto/Raija Kerppo
Mazurka, Op.81/1 - Pekka Kuusisto/Raija Kerppo
To Evening, Op.17/6 - Karita Mattila/Ilmo Ranta
The Diamond On The March Snow, Op.36/6 - Karita Mattila/Ilmo Ranta
Black Roses, Op.36/1 - Karita Mattila/Ilmo Ranta
Elegia, Op.27/1 - Helsinki PO/Leif Segerstam
Did I Just Dream?, Op.37/4 - Jorma Hynninen
The Tryst, Op.37/5 - Jorma Hynninen
Fool's Song Of The Cross-Spider, Op.27/4 - Jorma Hynninen
The Tempest, Op.109: The Oak Tree - Finnish RSO/Jukka-Pekka Saraste
The Tempest, Op.109: Caliban (Interlude) - Finnish RSO/Jukka-Pekka Saraste
The Tempest, Op.109: Miranda (Interlude) - Finnish RSO/Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Lemminkainen Legends, Op.22: The Swan Of Tuonela - Helsinki PO/Leif Segerstam
Lemminkainen Legends, Op.22: Lemminkainen's Return - Helsinki PO/Leif Segerstam
Finlandia, Op.26/7 - Helsinki PO/Leif Segerstam H

Average customer rating:

Tempest: Classic Storms

Manufacturer: Proarte
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000009JAR
Release Date: 1993-01-29

Tracks:

Peter Grimes: Sea Interlude IV: Storm
Trojans: Royal Hunt and Storm
Barber of Seville: Storm
Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op.68: Thunderstorm; Tempest: Allegro (MVT.
Thunder and Lightning Polka, Op.324
Don Quixote: Fantastic Variations on a Theme of KN
Tempest: Unspecified
Scheherazade, Op.35: MVT. 4

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 7 / Beecham, Royal Philharmonic

Average customer rating:

Perhaps the best of BBC's live Beecham recordings
Not bad....
Not for everyone!!!!

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 7 / Beecham, Royal Philharmonic
Sir Thomas Beecham
Manufacturer: BBC Legends
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000042NZB
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Amazon.com

The present discs are the record of a unique event: Sir Thomas Beecham's 1955 Royal Festival Hall concert celebrating Sibelius's 90th birthday. Sound is often rough, and the playing occasionally falters in the heat of the moment, but the conductor's conviction is as consistent as ever. There's an incisive account of the tragic Fourth Symphony, still a "difficult" piece at the time, and a visceral reading of Tapiola--its starkness of vision all the more powerful for being the composer's last major work. Beecham enhances the impact of these works by alternating them with two of Sibelius's most attractive sets of theater music--lighter in scale, but not, in the case of Pelléas et Mélisande, in expression, and sounding magnetic in these readings. As bonuses, a taut, rugged live performance of the Seventh Symphony from 1954 has been included, as well as a radio talk by Beecham on Sibelius--discussing the appeal of his music and its place in the European classical tradition. Representative of a time gone by, this is a real slice of history, and a fascinating way of providing a context for some truly historic performances. --Richard Whitehouse

Customer Reviews:

Perhaps the best of BBC's live Beecham recordings.......2006-03-15

It's a bit problematic to collect Beecham recordings from this side of the Atlantic, where his name is not potent, to say the least, as compared to England, where every recording is considered above reproach because Beecham has been deified. I've proceeded by trial and error, eventually discarding about half as many historic recordings as I keep.

However, this BBC document of a famous gala concert in 1954 represents Beecham at his very best. The Amazon review for once is almost entirely accurate, but I would make a stronger distinction between Beecham's truly masterful performance of a masterpiece, the Fourth Sym., and his pleasantly agreeable readings of fluff like the Swanwhite suite. Beecham liked fluff, which he called lollipops, and his public demanded it of him--the sugar helped make the difficult music go down. In retrospect this Fourth is one of his great performances, and the BBC's mono radio sound is quite good. When all is said and done, Beecham was a self-taught amateur conductor, so his grasp of the Sibelian idiom is all the more miraculous.

I am not a fan of Sibelius' theater music, which seems to me second-drawer at best, but Beecham certainly gets everything possible out of the Pelleas and Melisande Suite. The two remaining major works on these two CDs are Tapiola and Sym. #7 (the latter taken from an earlier broadcast in 1954, and from Albert Hall as opposed to Royal Festival Hall). The Tapiola is a bit too genial and generalized but certainly good. The Seventh is idiomatic and flexible in expession but rather underplayed compared to, say, Karajan or Bernstein. That said, this is one of Beecham's best live recordings and a ery good place to start if you are interested in exploring his career and in particular his long devotion to Sibelius.

Not bad...........2002-04-29

It's no big mystery that Beecham was a great conductor. His whimsical attitude was notorious, yet effective. It's evident that his commentary of Sibelius did prove that he knew the Man, but I STILL think that he falls a bit short of knowing Sibelius as a composer.
I do believe, with all my heart (although this is somewhat of a given here), that Karajan was the best to interpret Sibelius. "Herbie" (don't tell him I called him that, please) just seems to colour the music. Karajan conducting Sibelius: There is just NO substitute.
Oh, and one more thing about this Beecham recording--IT'S IN MONO!!

Not for everyone!!!!.......2000-10-12

How beautiful this is! Oh sure, it isn't for everyone but if you've listened to a lot of Sibelius and if you've played a lot, you will find the spoken parts of the album as interesting as the music. But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe ANYONE would.

Tracks:

Overture 'Rob Roy', Op.54
I. Lento - Allegro Non Troppo - Sir Adrian Boult
II. Allegretto - Attacca: - Sir Adrian Boult
III. Allegro Non Troppo - Sir Adrian Boult
IV. Tema Con Variazioni. Andante Con Moto
Variation 1
Var. 2: Molto Piu Mosso
Var. 3: Tempo Del Tema
Var. 4: Tempo Del Tema
Var. 5: Allegro Risoluto
Var. 6: Allegro Vivace
Var. 7: Moderato
Var. 8: Largo
Var. 9: Allegro Molto Vivace
Var. 10: Allegro Vivo Ed Poco Rubato
Var. 11: Moderato Mosso
Var. 12: Finale - Polacca. Moderato Assai/Allegro Moderato/Tempo Di Polacca, Molto Brillante
Overture 'Portsmouth Point'

Tracks:

Coriolan Overture, Op.62 - New Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Ziemlich Langsam/Lebhaft/Attacca
II. Romanze. Ziemlich Langsam/Attacca
III. Scherzo. Lebhaft/Trio/Attacca
IV. Langsam/Lebhaft
Italian Serenade - Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Adagio Molto/Allegro Vivace
II. Andante
III. Menuetto. Allegro Vivace/Trio
IV. Allegro
The Tempest: Prelude

Customer Reviews:

Boult's little-known skill outside British music.......2005-11-06

Making a case for Adrian Boult as a great conductor isn't easy outside the special province of English composers like Vaughan Williams and Elgar. So it was brave of the compilers here to eliminate all things British except for Walton's short Portsmouth Point Over. Yet this piece undercuts their purpose since it is the most exciting and personal performance on either of the two CDs (it's only equalled by the Prelude to Sibelius's The Tempest that ends the second disc).

What we learn from a solid Franck D minor symphony and the Schubert Fourth Symphony is that Boult had a very agrreable musical personality, vigorous in temperament, not terribly exacting as to orchestral technique. Both performances are direct and enthusiastic, and the Franck benefits from almost no rubato--it avoids all the pitfalls of Franck's slithery chromatic style. I wouldn't say that Boult ranks with Barbirolli and Beecham in his generation; one doesn't feel that he is inspired, but he is much more than just a spirited stick-waver like Malcolm Sargent. He doesn't dig deep into the Coriolan Over., but his spirited, proficient reading is stirring.

The Berlioz Rob Roy Over. is in dull mono sound from 1956, as is the Schumann Fourth recorded at the same time, but both are steady, agreeable readings that exude a sense of cheerfulness which is pretty much present everywhere. All in all, I was happy to hear Boult outside his British fiefdom and would judge this one of the better installments of the Great Condcutors series.

eclectic boult.......2003-02-12

This 2-CD set represents Boult with material which has mostly long been deleted, but all of it is good and some exceptional. They've gone for atypical composers - though Boult conducted almost everyone you can think of in his long career. Only one English work is there - 'Portsmouth Point' - in a performance which knocks the socks off anything else I've heard. Absolutely magical are Wolf's'Italian Serenade' with the Philharmonia, which appeared briefly on a 7-inch disc long ago, 'Coriolan', which is just SO right and some Berlioz (with minor tuning problems at the outset but a very sure grasp of how this composer really 'works'. There's a Schumann 4 (weighty and authentic), Schubert 4 (too big a band but full of life), and the fine perfromance of Franck's Symphony that he made for RCA/Reader's Digest. There's more (Sibelius, Tchaikovsky), and all good. It's a pity Boult wasn't able to record more non-English repertoire towards the end of his life, but these performances help to make up for that. No need to hesitate ; it's good stuff.

Music Track:

Music Track

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Recommended Music:

Suite Per Una Donna Assolutamente Relativa [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Carnival of the Animals

Bach: Suite No. 2, BWV 1067

Music: These Times We're Living In, A Red House Anthology

De Profundis

Between the Covers

Chicago Sings: Back to Church

Brahms: Piano Quartet in Cm No3, Op60; Dvorak: Trio No1

Bare Tracks

30 Exitos Inolvidables

Back In The Bottle

A Vida E Doce [Import]

Attack & Release [Import]

Vagn Holmboe: Symphonies Nos. 8 & 9

BTNHResurrection