Search - Gaetano Donizetti, Gioachino Rossini, Antonio de Almeida :: Ballet Music

3.5 stars -- strong performances of somewhat repetitive musi

Larry VanDeSande | Mason, Michigan United States | 08/15/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Antonio de Almeida (1928-97) specialized in this kind of dance-infected music -- along with the likes of Turina and Rodrigo -- and his 1979 recording of the Donizetti ballet music is one of his best-remembered albums. Here he leads the Monte Carlo National and Philharmonia orchestras in dance music by Rossini and Donizetti that originally appeared in their operas, ballets and stage plays. Philips put together this twofer of previously recorded material in 1995.



What I like about this album, and what you are probably going to like, is the liveliness and elan the conductor and the two bands demonstrate in these outgoing bleeding chunks from the stage. The music is a delight from beginning to end with generous orchestration, lots of toe tapping tunes, and many felicitous details. The Rossini, in particular, is so delightful it wears its welcome delicately.



Having said that, what I found a bit wearisome -- the quality that was difficult to take during multiple playing -- is that much of the music on this set just plain sounds alike. This is more the case on the Donizetti CD than the Rossini but there is altogether a sameness to the overall proceedings. There's no getting around that fact that, while it's really good stuff, a lot of it sounds alike. This can be cured by only playing one suite at a time, of course.



A larger detriment, in my opinion, is Arkiv's relatively high sticker price of $35 (this is one of their re-burns of older music they are gaining fame marketing). You can acquire it on a used basis from an Amazon vendor but for $19.98 -- the lowest price I found the day I wrote this -- it still seems a bit stiff for largely inconsequential music recorded three decades ago. Half that price would seem more like it to me unless you are really crazy about this.



Anyone whose musical appetite revolves around symphonies, opera, organic ballet, concerti or any other form where there is continuing thematic development and/or sonata form will probably find this comes across at times like underdeveloped film music. Still, its good qualities are many and anyone looking for a couple hours' of mindless orchestral enjoyment will get a lot from this package.



The sound is good for its period and very natural although the analog era was known more for homogenization than orchestral detail, and this is a perfect example. The Philharmonia and Monte Carlo orchestras play winningly with a lot of gusto and no one will call Almeida a shrinking violet in this repertoire. With the caveats I noted earlier, this will be something of a find for anyone that wants to dabble a tad out of the mainstream in the music of major opera composers."