Search - Samuel Barber, Yoel Levi, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra :: Music of Samuel Barber

The "Knoxville"

Pragmatist | Minneapolis, Mn USA | 08/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I regard "Knoxville.. as one of the great pieces of music and the combination of Barber's music and Agee's words is compelling and deeply moving. I have four versions of the piece and all of them are good, but this version simply rises above the rest. McNair's voice is crystal clear and the orchestra is deeply involved, while not overwhelming her voice. The four elements -- music, words, voice and orchestra -- unite in a way that is unique and powerfully emotional. If you are not moved by this Knoxville, check your pulse."

Buy it for the Knoxville

N. Chongsiriwatana | Chicago, IL USA | 10/18/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sylvia McNair's rendition of Knoxville: Summer of 1915 is excellent. Her voice is ALWAYS in tune, very musical, very full, and very pure. This recording of Knoxville is the reason I would give the CD 5 stars. If you want a great recording of this piece and like Barber (who wouldn't?!) then I wholeheartedly recommend this CD.BUT Levi's Overture to the School for Scandal is WAY TOO SLOW. I really don't understand what happened. Thomas Schippers made a recording of this piece that makes is sound really neat, but here, with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, it becomes really boring.Everything else on the CD is definitely worthwhile to listen to. I don't think recordings of the 1st Essay are very common, and the 2nd Essay and Medea's Dance of Vengeance sound great.The Adagio is not the best I've ever heard, but it's still very good, and I don't think any shortcomings would be obvious unless you've heard a whole bunch of recordings of the piece. The tempo is good, the climax climactic. The only real shortcoming is that it's not quite the same as Thomas Schipper's which *is* the best I've heard.So, all in all, I would buy this recording, not only because Knoxville is so good on it, but also because it gives a good, well-played (for the most part) representation of Barber's orchestral music.Note: the Thomas Schippers recording I keep mentioning is with the New York Philharmonic. It has music by a couple of other composers on it which is pretty good, but the Barber stuff is REALLY good."

A great selection of Barber works

Alejandra Vernon | Long Beach, California | 01/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The diverse pieces on this CD give us a wonderful example of Samuel Barber's genius, and leaves no doubt as to his place in the hierarchy of American music, from the dramatic and theatrical opening and closing works, to the poignant, exquisite "Knoxville: Summer of 1915", to the much loved "Adagio for Strings", a composition even people who never listen to classical music are familiar with.

"The School for Scandal Overture" has always been a favorite of mine, and "Knoxville", so beautifully sung by soprano Sylvia McNair, uses the words of James Agee, that describes small town living in days gone by, in a profoundly touching way.



The "First Essay for Orchestra" was premiered along with "Adagio for Strings" by the grand maestro Arturo Toscanini in an NBC broadcast when Barber was only 28, and was the beginning of Barber's many huge successes, both critical and popular.

The "Second Essay" was written for Bruno Walter in 1942, and is much more abstract than the "First Essay", and is the least familiar piece on this CD for me, and the "Adagio for Strings" is given an appropriately delicate, somber performance, contrasted by "Medea's Dance of Vengeance", which builds to a fantastic rhythmic finale.



Barber's music stirs the emotions, enchants with his strong melodic lines, and always has that uniquely American "sound", music that could not have been composed anywhere but the U.S.A.

Yoel Levi and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra do justice to these terrific works, and Ms. McNair is perfect in "Knoxville", which is one of the signature pieces in her repertoire.

Recorded in 1991, the booklet insert has liner notes on Barber's life, the text of "Knoxville", a small bio of McNair, and full recording info. Total playing time is 65'29.

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