| Review by gonzostick July 24, 2008 (5 of 6 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics (S/MC): / |
PHENOMENAL, COMMITTED PERFORMANCE!!! DO NOT MISS!!!
One of the mainstays of Colin Davis' repertoire, along with Berlioz and Sibelius, has been his devotion to this eclectic choral cantata by Sir Michael Tippett. The maestro has recorded this work a number of times and the new recording is excellent and filled with passion.
The quality of the recording in surround and stereo is excellent as it reproduces the defective acoustics of the London Symphony's concert space with complete precision. The only major concert hall I know with worse acoustics than this one is the old Academy of Music in Philadelphia. I still remember when Delos recordings attempted Tchaikovsky symphony recordings with Ormandy at the helm, only to find their engineers completely defeated by the dry-as-bacalau acoustics of that disastrous concert venue.
The reason for the mark down in sound quality is simply because Barbican does NOT ever support the bass register in this wonderful orchestra. Someone should take a wrecking ball to this hall. There is NO bloom for the voices in the choir; much less the orchestra and vocal soli.
ON THE OTHER HAND... the performance is still WONDERFUL!
Get this and enjoy Tippett's passionate cantata with the resolute commitment of the orchestra, soloists, and conductor! WONDERFUL MUSIC!
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