Search - Edvard Grieg, Maurice de Abravanel, Utah Chamber Symphony :: Grieg: Works for Orchestra

Pleasant anthology

Gregory M. Zinkl | Chicago, IL | 12/27/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I can't muster as much enthusiasm as the previous reviewer, but I certainly appreciate this set.Utah has always been a smaller orchestra, sometimes augmented (such as the excellent Mahler 8 on Vanguard), and of course that means fewer strings. With close microphone placement, that aspect is brought out here. While the playing is very good, it is not the best technically--witness some pretty out of tune playing in the Peer Gynt Suite #1, "Morning Mood" in the wicked arpeggiated figures, and the concertmaster is made to sound pretty scrawny in the last movement of Holberg (another solo that never seems to sound idiomatic to my ears). A note, however--the violas sound very nice--full, warm tone and no squwaks!What is excellent however are most of the performances--another case of lovely performances, if not as polished as others. For example, looking at some other recordings of the Peer Gynt Suites, von Karajan's last essay on DG seems really sterile to me--and consequently very boring, although it is hard to beat the Berlin Phil. Slatkin, on the other hand, has more feeling, but for once, the Telarc engineering seems a little off--but the technical polish of the St. Louis forces can't be missed. Blomstedt w/ San Francisco on Decca has decent engineering, but his orchestra, which plays very well, can't match St. Louis or Berlin in the string tone departments, but does outshine Utah.One disappointment on this album is the "In Autumn Overture". I think it needs a little more dramatic advocacy, and perhaps a little more technical polish. On the other hand, good luck finding many other recordings of it!So, this album represents a great way to get all of Grieg's works for orchestra, even if there are a few defects (some technical blemishes and too-close engineering)--none of which should bar the potential buyer."

A best Buy!

Leon Teitelbaum | New York, NY | 01/18/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This budget-priced Album set, contains some very fine performances. Abravanel is a dedicated Grieg interpreter, and his approach is both complementary and shrewdly highlighted in this collection. This performance has long been regarded as the best available. Abravanel elected the kind of Romantic, colorful music that he always conducted with special authority, and the Utah Symphony Orchestra makes some gorgeous sounds, particularly in the Peer Gynt Suite and The Lyric Suite. A bargain."

Generous program, mixed quality

John O'Neill | Alpharetta, GA | 02/09/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I'd give it 3 1/2 if I could.



As usual Vox provides two generously filled CDs of music at a bargain price. In addition to the often recorded Peer Gynt Suites and Holberg Suite for string orchestra you get the less frequently recorded sets of Nowegian and Symphonic Dances and the symphonic overture "In Autumn" and much more. Lots of great Grieg here but for a Vox issue this set is a bit disappointing.



First the audio: the whole affair is mixed very quietly. I have to crank this up to the max to hear the quiet passages and even the louder climaxes don't pack the power that they should.



The performances? Well they're actually quite good. Abravenel clearly has an affection for this music and the ensemble and solo playing from the members of the Utah Symphony and Utah Chamber Symphony is very clean and precise if not always as exciting or powerful as it should be ("In the Hall of the Mountain King" and "March of the Dwarfs"). Also at times it sounds as if the arrangements have been simplified to accomodate the smaller fources of the Utah organization.



All an all a nice introduction to these works and a pleasant listen. Also at this price it's an inexpensive way to hear some Grieg beyond the Peer Gynt Suites and the Piano Concerto. But this is clearly not in the same league as Von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic ("Peer Gynt", "Sigurd Jorsalfar") or Neeme Jarvi conducting the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra ("Norwegian Dances", "Symphonic Dances", "In Autumn"), all on Deutsche Grammophon.



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