Search - Mussorgsky, Ravel, Lso :: Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Ravel: Rapsodie espagnole; La Valse [Germany]

Excellent Pictures.

05/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Very little to add to the superb nature of the sound quality of this recording. The orchestra and brass section are the treat here, and Abbaddo has a great feel for sound and tone. i reccommend this highly to anyone who is interested in a wonderfully sympathetic view of this music. We don't get bogged down in too may indiosynconcies as with Karajan and Reiner."

Good performances in dodgy early digital sound

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 06/11/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Abbado has a knack for conducting Mussorgsky, as witness a superb collection on RCA that features the origianl version of Night on Bald Mountain. Here he leads the LSO in a reading of Pictures that promises more than it delivers. There are nice touches throughout, but a truly brilliant Pictures needs much more excitement and inner life--here the whole thing is a bit embalmed, from the dull Tuileries to the lackluster Great Gate of Kiev. The glare of early digital sonics doesn't help, either. Listening to the edgy violins and snarly brass, I can't quite fathom the praise given by two reviewers below.



The other Ravel works are done in equally ordinary style. Bolero needs to sound sexy, with the individual soloists leaving you feeling drunk with their sensualness--that doesn't happen here. No sex, please, we're British. La Valse and Rhapsodie espagnole sound too tidy and polite, and Abbado doesn't exploit their glittering orchestration--see Boulez, Giulini, Karajan, and Bernstein for how it should be done."

Sympathetic

Geers | Netherlands | 12/23/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The sound quality is good. The piece by Moessorgsky orchestrated by Ravel is very well played. Pace, tension and timbre are allright. I do not know ofcourse but the last part/finale of the exhibition is played much too loud and too severe. Sympathetic orchestration and performance of the exhibition; among the best around. This piece is very popular and will stay that way. The music by Ravel here is for the rest just for the show. I usualy skip this part. In all good cd! Four stars because of a barque etc."