Search - Hector Berlioz, Colin Davis, Olga Borodina :: Berlioz: Roméo et Juliette

Well recorded Romeo from a mature Davis (the Berlioz expert)

R. Lane | Tracy, CA USA | 04/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Philips DUO series is probably the most consistently excellent of all of the double-cd series from the major classical labels, and this issue is a great example of that excellence.This is the second recording Colin Davis made for Philips of the of Berlioz Dramatic Symphony. The first was made in 1968 with the London Symphony Orchestra and an excellent team of soloists. The earlier recording is only available as part of an integral box of the Davis Berlioz cycle (Amazon asin # B00000C2FD with the other choral works). That recording had the market to itself for many years and still holds its own now. The recording in this DUO issue was issued in 1996. It was made with the Vienna Philharmonic, and is just as good as the first. Only the name Thomas Moser rings a bell for me as a familiar voice among the solists. Olga Borodina and Alastair Miles are excellent also though, and Davis brought in the choir from the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra for the recording, probably because of his greater familiarity with them than with the usual Vienna choral groups. From that you can get the picture that Philips went to great lengths to bring the best forces together for the remake. The reading from Davis is hardly different from the ealier recording, and the recorded sound is top notch. For Philips to turn around and issue it at mid price 6 years later in 2002 is an example why I give them great marks for the DUO series.Add some Overtures from the Berlioz cycle of the 1970s and you've got a great bargain.Why didn't they issue this in the USA though? I find it hard to fathom such choices sometimes."