Search - Modest Mussorgsky, Sergey Prokofiev, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky :: Tchaikovsky: 1812; Mussorgsky / Solti, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Very Exciting "Pictures" and "1812" with Great Sound Quality

goodmusicman | USA | 04/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Solti's recording of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition (Ravel orchestrated version) is still among the most exciting and powerful out there. The Chicago brass is simply jaw-dropping in its power and the recorded sound makes it sound like the brass is being played right next to you! I have found no serious mistakes in the playing, as one reviewer here alleges, and I find the playing of the orchestra throughout to be of the highest quality: polished, disciplined and virtuosic. Solti's tempos and pacing are absolutely perfect all the way through. There aren't many more exciting Pictures in demonstration-quality sound out there, (the Kuchar/Ukraine performance on Naxos is great but the sound isn't as good and the orchestra not as polished), so I wouldn't hesitate to get this just for the Pictures. (Unfortunately, there's no shortage of tame performances of this work out there, or performances which speed through the climaxes, robbing them of their impact).



The Classical Symphony of Prokofiev is given a vigorous, lively, and rousing performance here, which emphasizes the Prokofiev in the work, as opposed to the classicism it pretends to imitate. The tempos are brisk and the brass is very prominent, making this a more modernist take on this symphony, grounding it firmly in the twentieth century. It is also my personal favorite recording of the work.



The 1812 Overture is very exciting, with brisk tempos and a no-nonsense approach overall. The best performance is still the Dorati/Minneapolis recording on Mercury, but the analog sound on that one isn't spectacular. This Solti recording would be my first choice for a digital recording of the work.



The combination of exciting playing and excellent sound has made this one of the most frequently-played CDs in my colection.

At mid-price, this CD is also a real bargain, and should be in your collection as well."

1812 Overture Outstanding

Patricia Sbarra | Upstate New York | 06/14/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I just returned from a drive in my car, the local public radio station playing my favorite classical piece -- The 1812 Overture. I was delighted when the "finale" began as I pulled into the privacy of my garage. I sat there, mesmerized, and reduced to tears as the "glorious percussion" (to quote another reviewer) brought visions of fireworks and lined-up cannons. I waited long enough to get the name of the orchestra and the conductor and raced to my computer to put in an order. I have heard this recording before, but never was able to get the information needed to buy it. Now I can. I hope the other music on the CD is decent, but quite honestly, I feel the Overture alone is worth the purchase. As I think about it, if it sounded that good on my car radio, imagine how exciting it's going to be on my stereo!"