Search - Benjamin Britten, Libor Pesek, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra :: Britten: 4 Sea Interludes; The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra; Sinfonia da Requiem

Close but cigarless

Mark Younghusband | SoCal | 01/01/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Something's missing from this CD, and I'm not sure what. Nothing wrong with the sound -- it's fine if not the last word in immediacy and presence. Somehow Pesek fails to deliver the punch in the viscerals this music should give you. In places he succeeds (the opening of the Sea Interludes, and spots therein). Here and there he is impressive, particularly in his tempos (all appropriate). But there are too many times when the orchestra -- and the conductor's involvement -- seem a bit remote, distracted. The Purcell variations simply don't overwhelm as they should -- and here the lack of presence in the sound may be a factor. All in all, much to enjoy here, and most folks will not be disappointed. Still......not definitive. Vaguely missing something...."

Stirring

David Saemann | 07/21/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Libor Pesek may not at first seem an obvious choice to conduct Britten. But when one considers what the music on this disc has in common with Janacek and Martinu, especially in their respective sound worlds, Pesek's affinity for Britten is not surprising at all. The Sinfonia Da Requiem is the best performance I have of the work, better than Rattle's and Previn's St. Louis LP. The interpretation is stately and gorgeously textured, definitely fitting into the gestures of Romantic Orchestral music of the mid-century. The Peter Grimes excerpts are exquisite, and the generally dark tones of Liverpool Orchestra suit its mood perfectly. Pesek's conducting here is suitably dramatic and atmospheric. I suppose the Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra was included both for its populatity and the fact that Liverpool is the orchestra that commissioned it. Indeed, I have its premiere recording on 78s with this orchestra under Malcolm Sargent. Pesek's reading is clear and full of lovely colors, if not terribly extroverted. Nevertheless, I find this a good way to hear the piece. Sound engineering throughout the CD is excellent, with superb dynamics and rich orchestral colors. I doubt there are a lot of Britten CDs by conductors other than the composer that are better than this one."