Search - Franz von Suppe, Zubin Mehta, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra :: Suppe: Overtures

Up and Down

pittipacci | Cleveland, OH USA | 11/04/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This overture is beautiful. I think Zubin Mehta is a terrific conductor. I would enjoy the music much more if the engineers did a better job recording the CD. There is too much change in the volume level (and not by the composer). If the volume is high it is very high and if low, very low."

Dizzying, Whirling, Fantastic, and Superlatively Energetic

A. Tohline | Athens, OH | 06/06/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I certainly made a good purchase with this one. I was in the mood for some peppy overtures AND I GOT 'EM!
The well-known Light Cavalry Overture is well-represented here (even though Mehta takes some liberties in the tempo at the end, I still enjoyed it), as are the almost as well-known Poet and Peasant and Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna overtures. There isn't a weak track on the whole CD, and my favorite is the Queen of Spades Overture, Track 5. The highly-caffeinated orchestra starts out deceptively quietly, throws in some out-of-nowhere fortissimo chords (a la Haydn Symphony #94), and then begins to spin indefatigably faster and louder, accelerating beautifully even to the last note. You can't help but stay for the rest of the opera. The overtures grab you and won't let you go.There is nothing but sheer audience candy in any of Suppe's works, but over a hundred years later, those shameless hooks still work. I relish every second of vivacity and bombast that overflows in copious quantities from this CD."

Wonderful music from a wonderful artist

Hiram Gomez Pardo | 04/05/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great CD. It isn't the type that will put you to sleep. It is upbeat. Von Suppe keeps you tapping you foot and bouncing your head throughout the album. My personal favorite is the last one, "Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna.""