Fantastic Concert Music by Miklos Rozsa!
Darin Tysdal | Bloomington, MN 55420 | 03/11/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD was the first in the cycle of Rozsa's music from this Koch series. It was and still is a stunner. I think the composer recorded this material at least once (with the RCA Italiana Orchestra on RCA Victor, an album with 'collector's item' written right on it!) if not twice. I love all this music, but especially the Overture To A Symphony Concert. Apparently Rosza likened this music to a Hungarian uprising which happened at the time he wrote the work. It is a fantastic curtain opener and very exciting. The Theme, Variations and Finale is one of the works Leonard Bernstein conducted on his famous concert with the NYPO when he substituted for Bruno Walter (these choices of conductors shows how many different artists were impressed with his music). Again, the simple folk-like melody gets tranformed from lyricism to outright defiance (listen to that wonderful bass drum! ). The Notturno Ungarese is more lyrical in character, and the Hungarian Sketches are lighter in character, but still very effective. The NZSO proves itself to be an orchestra of the highest rank. Sedares paces this music unerringly and is always well paced-never boring! The sound quality is amazing-brilliant but not harsh. Once again, a fantastic recording!"