Search - Donnie Ray Albert, Charles Ives, Andrew Litton :: Symphonies Nos 2 & 3, General William Booth enters into Heaven

Lovely

David Saemann | 06/06/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was intrigued to acquire this after hearing Litton's excellent Three Places in New England on his disc, An American Tapestry. I was not disappointed. Throughout the disc, the Dallas Symphony plays with a combination of elegance and panache. In the 2nd Symphony, Litton stays very close to Bernstein's tempos in his 1958 recording. Bernstein, after all, was the only conductor to have Ives's comments on his interpretation of the work. Unlike Bernstein, though, Litton's phrasing and accents are softer hued, almost giving the work an organ like sonority. But, after all, Ives was a prodigy as an organist. The ending of the Symphony still is very exciting, with the different themes coming through clearly. The performance of the Third Symphony is even more impressive. Litton shapes the work convincingly, providing a sonority that would be appropriate for Copland in its American sound. The performance is both atmospheric and full bodied. Given the prominence of "Are You Washed In The Blood Of The Lamb" in the Symphony, it's highly appropriate that the disc concludes with "General William Booth Enters Heaven," where that phrase is repeated. The sound engineering on the disc, from live performances between 2004 and 2006, is pleasant and full, with excellent string sound and the brass just slightly recessed. This certainly is one of the better recommendations for these Symphonies."