Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site cornell.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxj!houxm!vax135!cornell!doug From: doug@cornell.UUCP (Douglas Campbell) Newsgroups: net.music Subject: CD Reviews Message-ID: <1005@cornell.UUCP> Date: Mon, 24-Sep-84 13:13:51 EDT Article-I.D.: cornell.1005 Posted: Mon Sep 24 13:13:51 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 26-Sep-84 08:30:52 EDT Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept. Lines: 85Notes on my CD Reviews: In the left margin I rank discs with an overall rating from 1 to 5, 5 being the highest rating. I tend to be very picky about the emotional content of a performance. I don't usually notice/care about technical sound quality unless it is unusually good or bad. Hence, I usually don't mention it in my reviews. Mahler Symphony No. 4 London 410 188-2 Sir Georg Solti, Chicago Symphony, Kiri Te Kanawa singing. 3 This is a fair all-around performance. Occasionally Solti loses a lilting feel to the rhythm by taking a section too slowly, but this only happens occasionally. More seriously, the music doesn't flow the way it should. This symphony has some beautiful sections that come out choppy here. Still, many of the emotions do come through. Strauss, Richard, Also Sprach Zarathustra DG 410 959-2 Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic 5 Karajan's 1973 recording of this work was, to me, one of the finest performances ever put on disc. It ranks with his Mahler Ninth as a must for any record collection. This new performance is almost as good - only occasionally does he not squeeze as much out of the orchestra as he did in '73. Overall, another complete win in terms of emotional pull. Strauss, Richard, Ein Heldenleben Phillips 400 073-2 Seiji Ozawa, Boston Symphony Orchestra 4 As I often find with Ozawa's performances, this one lacks the deep Germanic spirit that brings out the best in 19th century music. The performance is controlled and clean, but this control is not utilized to bring out the heroic spirit as Karajan and others are able to do. Still, this is the only flaw in an otherwise firey and graceful performance. Wagner, Overtures London 411 951-2 Sir Georg Solti, Chicago Symphony Orchestra 2 This collection includes Flying Dutchman, Tannhauser, Die Meistersinger (Prelude to Act 1) and Tristan (Prelude and Liebestod). These recordings were made from 1972 to 1977 on analog masters, and have been transfered to CD form. Some emotions come through with skill and subtlety. Most, however, including the big climaxes, are too formal and ponderous. In fact, all of the most important emotional moments are dull. The Tannhauser is the Dresden version, which I don't like nearly as well as the Paris version. Wagner, Ring Excerpts London 410 137-2 Sir Georg Solti, Vienna Philharmonic 2 This collection includes all of the essential ring excerpts. In fact, its selection is probably the finest I've ever seen on one album. That said, it's a big disappointment. The Vienna Philharmonic just doesn't come through with the power and fluidity that it should. Some parts are even a little sloppy, with uneven entrances and such. Even so, some emotion can be felt. And nowhere do I grimace at this performance, which I often do at mediocre Wagner. Doug Campbell doug@cornell cornell!doug