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Site review by Polly Nomial June 2, 2007
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Performance: Sonics (MC): |
This is a quite stunning disc - that should not be a musical surprise from Jurowski's other musical exploits: Tchaikovsky: Suite No. 3, Stravinsky: Divertimento - Jurowski and Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 6 - Jurowski. What is a surprise though is how marvellous the playing that the LPO deliver from single concert performances (unusual when most "live" discs are an amalgam of 2 or more evenings).
The Isle of the Dead is given a more lugubrious performance than on /showreviews/2313 and easily sustains the extra 2-3 minutes here (the timing on the booklet and cover of my copy is dramatically wrong; the performance lasts nearly 23 minutes, not the 14 claimed!). The dark mood is hypnotic with the brilliance of the brighter moments all the more contrasted as a result. The Symphonic Dances are just as good and are more musically daring than in either Rachmaninov: Complete Symphonies & Orchestral Works - Edo de Waart or Stravinsky: Petrouchka, Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances - Jansons, largely because of the wholehearted commitment that the LPO give their future (at the time of recording) music director. Unlike the RCO performance, the tam-tam has time to die away before the audience rightfully acclaim what they have just heard. This is easily my favourite Rachmaninov disc on SACD and I have difficulty not playing this now that I have acquired it!
The sound is a very accurate reflection of the (now "old") Royal Festival Hall - clear but dry. The acoustic was never as drought-ridden as the Barbican in my mind but this is now not possible to confirm in the flesh as both have undergone substantial acoustic modification. Despite the relative dryness compared to the Dutch recordings, the richness of the scoring is evident and the audiences are remarkably well behaved (there is the occasional cough but nothing really off-putting). I hope that in the (apparently) much improved acoustic of the "new" RFH that Jurowski and the LPO make many more discs like this one for SACD.
Highly recommended.
(Purchased)
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Copyright © 2007 John Broggio and SA-CD.net
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Review by beardawgs May 12, 2005 (9 of 11 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics (MC): |
The second SACD from LPO is even better than the first one (Shostakovich). There are much less non musical noises and, appropriately, Jarowski produces a completely different orchestral texture than Masur. LPO sounds like big lump of sound in The Isle of the Dead, building up slowly towards the central climax and dropping naturally back to the opening march rhythm, still full of tension and suspense. But in the Symphonic Dances the orchestra shines in much better light than with Masur.
Symphonic dances are meant to be an orchestral showpiece, and LPO players are top notch. Not just secure and accurate, they shade and paint every section and movement appropriately and the piece as a whole is bursting with energy. Jarowski keeps his players at the edges of their seats and manages to produce a distinct Slavic feel throughout, especially in the second movement making the waltz sounding like homage to Tchaikovsky. Even if this is the first available recording of these two pieces on SACD in Europe, it is a clear first choice.
The recording serves them well too. Thanks to the shorter timing LF channel is added, but it is still 4.1. Similar to the Shostakovich disc, hall acoustics are neutralised, but there are no occasional gaps in the middle. Just a bit of depth and perspective is missing (the other disc is slightly better in that respect), this one sounds like a good stereo recording even when listened in MC and it is recorded a bit closer. Lower range is distinct and solid, but the high strings in forte suffer from some shrillness, due to lack of space around them. All things concerned, it is a solid 4 star recording.
These recordings are made few months apart from their Shostakovich recordings and it is interesting to compare how orchestra responds differently to different conductors. Any reservations I had for recommending Shostakovich’s disc are gone here, with all the qualities of capturing a live event preserved. The density and richness of music inspired not just performers, but will inspire the listeners too to come back to this recording over and over again.
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