Search - Chicago Symphony Orchestra :: The Chicago Principal: First Chair Soloist Play Famous Concertos

Good CD

nicktuba | East Haven, CT | 06/24/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The types of people who will buy the CD are the people who know exactly what they're getting, and what they're looking for (i.e., music performance students and aficionados of the CSO). For them, any introduction to this music is hardly necessary. Jacobs' rendition of the Vaughan-Williams tuba concerto has become the defacto standard interpretation of this influential composition, and this is the only place you'll hear his complete performance (all three movements of it). Herseth, Still and Clevenger are all top-notch as well. Good sound quality, even if the Still Mozart performance (which opens the first CD) sounds a little like Muzak. This is a wise investment so long as you don't pay retail-store prices for it. Get it on amazon."

First chair players top notch in a top notch orchestra

nicktuba | 06/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To be completely honest, this album did not interest me at first, even though I am the biggest CSO fan ever. The only reason I stumbled upon it was because I was browsing in a bad CD collection. All they had was generic, tripe recordings of most everything. Well, when I saw this I picked it up because I noticed it was under the DG label and because it had CSO recordings. I soon realized what I had been missing. This CD has probably the best recording ever of the Vaughn-Williams tuba concerto. Jacobs's mastery is held blatantly obvious in this recording, it is simply amazing and inspiring (even though I think his successor Gene Porkorny has a better sound). Another piece which caught my eye was the energetic Konzertstuck by Schumann. By itself the piece already speaks for itself. But, performed correctly, as it is here, the piece becomes heroic statement. The CSO horns play out boldly, without trepidation but alos without assaulting the ears. The sound is amazingly balanced between the four of them and they seem to be veritably unified in their playing, almost if one horn could double or triple stop( understandable?) instead of throwing 4 different players together and forcing them to compete. This is the CSO brass section that I know and love.



The real winner on this CD, however is the Bolero, conducted by Solti. The soloists are obviously all top notch. But espectially effective is the barely audible start with a simple side drum figure mingled with a flute to the deafening, exhilarating climax that closes the piece. If you're a brass person and you're looking for stereotypical Chicago brass, it's right here at the end. Good job Solti, and the CSO. Happy listening

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Top Shelf Performers of Top Shelf Pieces

rodboomboom | Dearborn, Michigan United States | 04/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Principals of first class symphony are here gathered in some exciting solo work done with Chicago Symphony, in the years 1977-84.Superb is each of them, but especially enjoy Sill's magnificent phraising of Mozart's Concerto in C Major and the Konzertruch in F Major by Schumann, as well as Willard Elliot's bassoon work of Mozart's B-Flat Major Concerto.All of this is superb, and is truly a collector's item from one of the country's premier symphonies with their famour principals illustrated."