Agreeable
David Saemann | 07/18/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD is an improvement on the earlier CD in this series. The first thing one notices is the absolutely splendid recorded sound, some of the best I've ever heard. The orchestra is heard with full tone and beautiful balances. All this would be pointless if the music wasn't good, which it is. The overture, in a premier recording, is engaging. As for the symphonies, they feature much charming music that at times seems to come out of nowhere. Occasionally, the symphonies do seem like one damn thing after another, but for the most part they are winning and fully representative of their era, the 1830's. Shelley's performances seem excellent, and the orchestra plays very well. The reviewer of this CD in American Record Guide notes that there is about 20 seconds of music missing in one of the symphonies, but I couldn't tell you where that is. No matter, there don't seem to be any gaps in the symphonies when you listen to them. And get a hold of the influence of Donizetti in the third movement of No. 4."