Search - Gershwins, Litton, Dallas Symphony Orchestra :: Gershwin: Porgy and Bess (Concert Suites)

Ewww!

D Dog | Baltimore, Maryland United States | 12/24/2001

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Record and tape traders wouldn't let me trade this!! This recording is HORRIBLE!! Andrew Litton takes the entire opera nautiously slow. He has entirely ruined the entire opera. Summertime is sung by a weak opera singer. The only person I like in this opera is Damon Evans. He gives Sportin' Life a real fresh flair. I REALLY did not like this recording."

Some good, some bad

Scott Chamberlain | Minneapolis, MN United States | 08/20/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This disc has gotten favorable reviews from the critics... let me share my own thoughts. First, the selection of music is great. Litton had the difficult task of creating a suite that could be performed by real orchestras, in the real world, but wouldn't break the bank. He cut down the performing forces to 4 soloists and chorus to put it in the scale of, say, Verdi's Requiem. Most of the best songs are included, along with a handful of interesting orchestral interludes. I sincerely hope this suite starts to make the rounds in America's concert halls -- this is sublime music written by one of our greatest musical minds.The recording itself, is somewhat of a mixed bag. "Summertime" can and does work well as a lovely opera aria. But it has to be done in the manner of the music of Susana from "Marriage of Figaro" -- a gentle lulaby sung by a gentle soul. This recording makes it more "heavy" with all the opera cliches, swoops, and vibrato. There is a big difference between "slides" in Gershwin and Verdi. The chorus sounds good, but a tad too much like a symphonic chorus. And at sometimes, seem more "Lutheran" than "revivalist." Some tempos (as in the Hurricane) seem a bit a bit off, but largely they mirror tempos in recent stagings of the show, such as Rattle's. I think they reflect Litton's long familiarity with the opera as a whole, and might be tweaked somewhat due to the slightly different needs of a concert suite.All in all, a good (if not to my mind a spectacular) production. Great music, great suite, and good performances."