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Discussion: Tchaikovsky: Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet - Jurowski

Posts: 6

Post by Windsurfer November 25, 2008 (1 of 6)
I purchased this thinking: "Oh well, what the heck" another Romeo and Juliet to add to the collection of over-played under inspired warhorses. I bought it for the "Hamlet", you see.

I just finished listening to the entire disc and I have to tell you the sonics are OUTSTANDING ! I guess I should not be surprised that even PentaTone would manage significant improvements over the course of the few years between this one and the Yakov Kreizburg release.

I actually relished the time I spent listening to Romeo and Juliet!

What a great disc.

Bruce

Post by GROOT GELUID November 25, 2008 (2 of 6)
Windsurfer said:

I purchased this thinking: "Oh well, what the heck" another Romeo and Juliet to add to the collection of over-played under inspired warhorses. I bought it for the "Hamlet", you see.

I just finished listening to the entire disc and I have to tell you the sonics are OUTSTANDING ! I guess I should not be surprised that even PentaTone would manage significant improvements over the course of the few years between this one and the Yakov Kreizburg release.

I actually relished the time I spent listening to Romeo and Juliet!

What a great disc.

Bruce

Dear Bruce,

Thanks for the compliments on the sound. It helps when the orchestra under the direction of Jurowski makes such great sounds. I would like to point out that this is not the usual performance of Romeo and Juliet as played by Kreizberg and the Netherlands Philharmonic on the earlier Pentatone release, but the original version Tchaikovsky initially composed. It is in many ways different, notably the very different opening and it gives a refreshing insight to Tchaikovsky's handling of the material.

Post by TerraEpon November 25, 2008 (3 of 6)
How does this compare from the old Chandos recording of these two pieces? Since the CD I have has the exact same program this would be a perfect upgrade if the performance was better...

Though I have to wonder if the Hamlet is complete, including the fanfare not in the PD score on imslp.org. A bit pedantic, maybe, but I'm a completest about these things, especially when it comes to Tchaikovsky.

Post by Johnno November 26, 2008 (4 of 6)
This is indeed a stunning disc, as I thought it would be after Jurowski's outstanding Suite No. 3 on an earlier Pentatone release. The performances on this latest disc are terrific and my only criticism is that in Hamlet I wish that Ophelia's Mad Scene and the Gravediggers song had been sung in the original French rather than Russian. I have an alternative version on CD that does just that and I definitely prefer it. The singing itself is excellent. As far as Romeo and Juliet is concerned, Jurowski makes this original version seem much more interesting and less disjointed that I had previously thought. As before he is the master here and one must hope that Pentatone will eventually record the symphonies (including Manfred) with him. The Pentatone SACD is outstanding for warmth, clarity and depth, even in stereo. A glorious disc.

Post by TerraEpon January 9, 2009 (5 of 6)
Ok, for what it's worth (probably not much to anyone but me), I compared tracklists and this is missing the fanfare (and possibly another movement)...alas.
Still, as I said in another thread, it's great to see this sort of thing being recorded...

Post by Johnno January 10, 2009 (6 of 6)
TerraEpon said:

Ok, for what it's worth (probably not much to anyone but me), I compared tracklists and this is missing the fanfare (and possibly another movement)...alas.
Still, as I said in another thread, it's great to see this sort of thing being recorded...

I'm not sure which fanfare you are referring to -- there are four altogether here. Three for brass (track3 -- Act 1, Scene 4: A Flourish of Trumpets; track 8-- Act 2, Scene 2: A Room in the Castle - Flourish; track 16 -- Act 5, Scene 2: Trumpets sound) and one so-called for percussion and woodwind (track 7 -- Act 2,Scene 2: The Dumb Show enters).

Closed