Michael Stern, KC Sym, Britten: Young Person's Guide, Sinfon
Dan Fee | Berkeley, CA USA | 12/13/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This disc is a second volume, released from Kansas City Symphony by San Francisco-based Reference Recordings. That first disc was a winner, though not necessarily a Gustavo Dudamel outing with all stops pulled on on this fine, regional USA band. Our conductor is Michael Stern, son of famed violinist Isaac Stern. Given the results on this second disc, one hopes he continues to build the Kansas City Symphony, and perhaps make additional recordings.
Again, as in the first volume from RR, the sound is demonstration quality so far as capturing music goes. Each section of the orchestra really sounds like itself; and just enough hall resonance is mixed into the picture that one gets a very real sounding impact. Given the existing high quality of RR work, the only soupcon of extra attraction a listener could possibly wish for, would maybe be super audio surround sound? Be happy though for what you do hear on this disc, wide frequency, accurate tonalities across strings-woodwind-percussion-brass, and an involving sense of being in a listening audience and venue.
All of the music in volume two from Kansas City is by Benjamin Britten, while the first disc combined Sullivan and Sibelius incidental music. Thanks to Britten's range as a composer, we get variety in his orchestral music. For openers, we are cheered by Britten's set of orchestral variations on a theme of Henry Purcell, titled Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. Some versions of this music add in spoken narrations, to explain and describe what is going on in the distinct departments of the band. The narrator bit is left out this time around, all to good musical effect. Omitting the spoken narrator further emphasizes the music rather than the lesson; most listeners already familiar with Britten will know that these variations skillfully and delightfully show off the various band departments, as well as showing off how the modern orchestra combines and counterpoints.
The lesson here is that Stern and his predecessors have been quietly building a strong regional band in Kansas City. Strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion .... all get their due chance from the composer to show off and shine. No, there is not the nearly bottomless tonal heft and depth in this band that we have long come to expect from, say, Vienna or Berlin or Philadelphia. The comparison is a skewed set up, and Britten's music lets the players speak for themselves, not run irrelevant races for misleading rankings. Each department comes across as tonally true, on target. As in the first disc what really stands out is the alert ensemble and the sheer musicality of the Kansas City playing. Add this Britten to the personal best of this band.
Second on this disc is Sinfonia da requiem. I confess I am still engaging with this darker music. For the moment I can freely say that alert ensemble and high musicality are pluses for getting acquainted with Britten in some of his more anguished, serious musical thinking. So far the rewards are enough to keep a listener going right through; Britten's more serious frame of mind may be gnarly in dissonance - think the serious Aaron Copland? - yet familiarity yields deeper understanding for the listener.
We wrap up with theater music, the interludes and passacaglia excerpted from Britten's signature opera, Peter Grimes. Whatever listeners may weigh of Peter Grimes as 20th century English opera, these excerpts clearly demonstrate that Britten was a master of musical drama. Concisely, powerfully, the four interludes draw us into the mysterious and threatening forces of the Northern Sea ... as much Grand Nature Music in Britten's way as, say, Sibelius? The concluding passacaglia for once has not been omitted, so we conclude this survey of the musical world of Peter Grimes with a stunning demonstration of Britten's way with traditional musical forms. If you as a listener are gripped with this movement, do be sure to check out the last movement of the somewhat neglected Violin Concerto, recordings of which have now definitely blossomed and multiplied in the current commercial catalog.
Don't be afraid of Britten, don't be afraid of Kansas City, and above all, do not fear Reference Recordings' state of the recording arts. Many disc players will even be able to decode the HDCD enhancements; but even the standard red book PCM sound is exemplary. As always with RR discs, one wishes all classical and other music were always recorded with such care, and such a fine ear to the players, the venue, and the music at hand. Five stars, again, volume two."
Nice recording, variable performance
EmbeddedFlyer | Seattle, WA United States | 05/11/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"As of now there are two other reviews here of this recording--one glowing and the other more critical. My experience with this CD is somewhere between the two. Reference Recording has a typical "reserved" sound that some love and some don't. I suspect that's at the root of the more critical review.
This CD's sound is typical of Reference Recordings which is to say it's very carefully engineered, transparent, has nice depth and "air", and there are no obvious flaws. The dynamic range is very wide so use caution if you crank it up during the soft bits. The bass is impressively deep and solid for a classical recording. But some who like things more exaggerated might find the sound a bit "clinical"--it lacks that last bit of spine-tingling realism present in the best recordings. The highest frequencies, in particular, are not as convincing as the rest of the spectrum.
Britten's Young Person's Guide (track 1) on this recording is a favorite of mine but seems to be a difficult piece for both conductors and orchestras. Here I think Michael Stern and the Kansas City Symphony do a great job with the easier bits, but things don't hold together quite so well when the going gets tough. The horns, in particular, seem to be in over their heads during the most difficult parts. The strings also sound a bit overworked at times. That's my main reason for knocking a star off.
I've heard a few recordings of Young Person's Guide. Stern's version is perhaps the "lightest" and most playful yet. I also own the Sony Bernstein/NY Philharmonic recording. While some are critical of Bernstein's typical forward sound, I think it's a better overall performance than Stern and the Kansas Symphony. That said, the Sony CD is a re-master of a very old analog recording, so it presents a more "vintage" sound with less dynamic range. While the Sony CD's sound is amazing, considering when it was made, it's not as pristine as this 2009 performance. So it comes down to preferences.
In the end, I'm happy to have both this and the Sony recording in my collection. They both have their strengths. I think Britten is under rated, while Stern and the Kansas City Symphony do a better job here than many might suspect. I'm also curious to hear the relatively new Telarc recording of Young Person's Guide with Paavo Järvi and the Cincinnati Symphony.
"
Britten Anew
Andrew Petersen | Kansas City | 06/02/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I will have to depart from the reviewer who seemed unhappy that the performances on this recording did not live up to the big sound these pieces demmand.
The Kansas City Symphony,under Michael Stern, has put an American stamp on three venerable works. The performances are fluid, light of touch, and really present a new way of hearing what otherwise is very often, another bombastic roar. This is the same wonderful experience I had when hearing Copland's Appilachian Spring recorded by a chamber orchestra. If you, like me, find yourself looking for a new way to listen to the familiar, this recording is a fine addition to your Britten collection. I subtract a star for the title "Britten's Orchestra". You can not cross-reference any of the works here searching by title, making for fewer hits and lower sales. That being said, I urge all who love or wish to discover Benjamin Britten, to purchace this disc with happy expectations"
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1