|
Site review by Edvin May 8, 2007
|
Performance: Sonics (MC): |
If you have heard Debussy´s La Mer played by the great orchestras of the world, why would anyone want to hear it played by the Singapore Symphony? I had serious doubts about this SACD, but it took only a few minutes and I was completely won over. This is a marvellous disc and even though I prefer records focusing on one composer there is a theme here and the pieces are imaginatively chosen.
Debussy´s La Mer is crying out for SACD treatment and it sounds glorious in this recording. The conductor, Lan Shui, captures the different moods perfectly. I hear a lot of detail for the first time and this is partly due to the expert engineering, but also thanks to Shui´s care for detail. This La Mer has everyone on their toes and the climax at the end of the first movement is awesome. It is a delicate performance as well with excellent work from the soloists within the orchestra.
The Deep, Deep Sea is a very atmospheric piece by Zhou Long, written for alto flute/piccolo, timpani, harp and strings. It has a lot of lovely sounds and some memorable tunes and it is expertly written. At ten minutes it does not outstay its welcome. Sharon Bezaly is the soloist and as ususal she is excellent.
I think that Frank Bridge´s The Sea is a masterpiece, a neglected one. It has been recorded a few times, but I have never heard it live. This version by Shui is as good as any and definitely better than the lame Hickox. The first movement is problematic and can easily sound fragmented, episodic. Not so here, Shui balances the stillness with the outbursts to great effect. Lovely playing again. The second movement has that lovely muted quality we also find in the scherzo in Vaughan Williams A London Symphony. Moonlight. So exquisite and wistful, pure poetry. Again some impressive solo work. The Finale, Storm. Power galore. Great, simply great! But I will still keep my Groves.
Glazunov´s La Mer is new to me and it is heavily in debt to Wagner. The piece has some nice melodies and some very stormy episodes. Personally I´m not impressed by the music, but I think many will enjoy it.
The recording is awesome. It is recorded in the concert hall in Singapore and the room is clearly defined. The dynamic range is shattering, but what impresses me the most is the combination of detail and full power. The low end growls ominously and the high end shines like a diamond. The sound is rather close, not Barbican close, but if you like the emptiness of Chandos you may find this a bit up front. I love it because I can hear the cello section dig into their strings, and I can hear the seating arrangement perfectly.
I sincerely hope that BIS will follow this up with more seascapes and once again I plead for a Nystroem Sinfonia del mare.
The cover is hideous.
|
Copyright © 2007 Thomas Roth and SA-CD.net
|
|
