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Site review by Castor June 10, 2005
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Performance: Sonics (MC): |
The Colin Davis RBCD version of Haydn’s London Symphonies, recorded between 1975 and 1981, has been a favourite recommendation for many years. It is good to have at least one of them in the excellent PentaTone RQR series coupled with No 88.
These are unashamedly ‘big band’ performances, but played with such affection and style that they make an excellent adjunct to the many ‘period ‘versions now available. Anyone who enjoys the equally refreshing versions of these works by say George Szell or Eugen Jochum will instantly warm to these.
The Concertgebouw orchestra is tonally very rich, but plays with such lightness and wit that the result never sounds heavy.
As usual PentaTone’s RQR re-mastering is exemplary and the ambience of the hall is well captured by the MC version.
Having greatly enjoyed the Davis Beethoven 5th (PentaTone PTC 5186 102), I am sorry to say that I find his performance of Symphony No. 1 rather disappointing. At 29m 14s it is one of the slowest (and dullest) I have ever heard. Though neatly played by the BBC SO, it lacks tension and forward momentum. The recording, made in Brent Town Hall, Wembley, is excellent and in many respects even cleaner than that of the Haydn.
This SACD is definitely worth having for the Haydn 88 and 99 alone, but I doubt that I shall return very often to the Beethoven.
The stars I have awarded for Performance relate only to the Haydn.
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Copyright © 2005 Graham Williams and SA-CD.net
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Review by brenda June 10, 2005 (5 of 5 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics (S/MC): / |
I endorse all of Castor's comments. The Haydn performances are warm and affectionate in the "best" sixties style and the sound in both stereo and m/c is excellent. However, the Beethoven is a very old fashioned performance, in which Davis gives us a ready-made full-blown romantic composer. There is little sense of classicism, transition or experiment. Even the exhuberance feels ponderously middle aged. I miss the wit and sense of the new that Harnoncourt, Mackerras and others have brought to the first. Like Castor, I LOVE the Davis Beet 5th on Pentatone, but this 1st is a huge disappoinment. The sound is not, however, being warm, accurate and full with lovely soundstaging. So, I'll keep it for the two Haydn works and give the Beet. a miss. As I only paid £7.50 for it through mdt, I don't feel too shortchanged.
Five stars for the recording of both pieces, four-and-a-half for the Haydn performances but only a two-and-a-half for the Beethoven.
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Review by Oscar August 31, 2005 (5 of 6 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics (S/MC): / |
Very good disc of rather standard repertoire. Colin Davis conductts an excellent Haydn, and a very good Beethoven. These performances will not surprise anyone, but we can never take for granted good music-making.
Both orchestras are very fine and the reprocessed sound is excellent, as it is the norm with this label.
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