Search - Gioachino Rossini, Carl Maria von Weber, Franz [Vienna] Schubert :: Overtures

A Conductor to Watch

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 02/09/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Vassily Sinaisky, though not one of the youngsters gaining critical attention these days, is nonetheless a conductor who bears watching. From his initial public bow as the 1973 winner of the Karajan Competition in Berlin, he has served as principal conductor of the Moscow Philharmonic, the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (with whom he made this particular recording), the BBC Philharmonic, and Netherlands Philharmonic to name but a few. He also has conducted many operas throughout Europe and that may have instigated his interest in creating this delightful set of Overtures.



Included on this CD is a disarmingly proficient and exciting performance of the Berlioz 'Le Corsaire', and overture he elected to open a recent guest appearance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic (a concert in which he proved a superlative collaborator with Lang Lang in possibly the most sensitive, understated and dreamy performance of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1 possible - which he hopefully will record!). Sinaisky has a great sense of architecture and favors the lower register of the orchestral palette to fine advantage.



The recording also includes such overture favorites as Rossini's 'La scala di seta', Carl Maria von Weber's 'Der Freischütz', Schubert's 'Rosamunde', Wagner's 'Rienzi', Nicolai's 'Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor', Verdi's 'I Vespri siciliani', and Franz von Suppe's less well-known 'Pique Dame Overture'. The orchestra may not be the most polished on recordings but they respond well to Sinaisky's forward driving momentum. This is not a record shattering recording, but is a pleasure to hear this assortment of overtures played with vigor and finesse. Grady Harp, February 07



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