Search - Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Evgeny Svetlanov, USSR Symphony Orchestra :: Rimsky-Korsakov: Overtures & Suites

I expected better

Alan Majeska | Bad Axe, MI, USA | 05/06/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I expected better performances and recorded sound in these Rimsky-Korsakov Suites from Evgeny Svetlanov and the USSR Symphony, with the Bolshoi Theater Orchestra in two suites. Svetlanov sets very slow tempos in places, such as at the beginning of the "Russian Easter Overture" and one cannot fault the technical ability of either of these Russian orchestras under Svetlanov's leaership. But there are problems: out of tune oboes in places, and the ending brass chords in the "Coq' D'or" Suite are out of tune and blatty: pure sludge - yuck! Sound is usually better in the 1985 tracks than the 1971 analog ones.



If these were the ONLY recordings I had of these works, I'd think them better than I express here. For the "Le Coq' D'Or" Suite and Russian Easter Overture, I like Ormandy/Philadelphia (Sony Essential Classics, budget price), and for the "Snow Maiden" Suite, Donald Johanos/Czech-SLovak Radio Orchestra play at a higher level, and the recording is better (Naxos, also budget price). Some of the other works, like "Dubinushka" (which opens this disc) are harder to find, but Ansermet/Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (London or Decca "Double Decker" 2 CD set) do this more to my taste: faster tempo and lighter touch, than Svetlanov and the USSR Orchestra here: and Ansermet also has "Scheherezade" and other short works in his collection.

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