Search - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Adrian Leaper, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra :: Tchaikovsky Festival

One of the best versions at a bargain price!

05/15/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of my favorite versions of the 1812 Overture. This CD is equal to other versions by Antoni Dorati, Sian Edwards, Leonard Bernstein, etc. Adrian Leaper conducts the Royal Philharmonic with great passion and zeal. The results are exciting and dynamic performances of the 1812 Overture, Marche Slav, and Romeo and Juliet. I have listened to this CD a countless number of times. I bet you'll love it as much as I do. Turn up the volume and enjoy!"

Leaper's 1812 won't knock everyones' socks off, but it's pr

Alan Majeska | Bad Axe, MI, USA | 11/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Adrian Leaper's Royal Philharmonic recordings of Tchaikovsky's 1812, MARCHE SLAVE, ROMEO AND JULIET, and CAPRICCIO ITALIEN won't knock everyones' socks off, but they're pretty good. I give this recording 5 stars because it is excellent sonically, well balanced in all registers, and has nice atmosphere. Competition in all these works is brutal, as there are so MANY recordings, but Leaper should satisfy most listeners, and the Royal Philharmonic played as well in this recording as any orchestra anywhere in the world.



Taking into account the budget price and excellence of the playing, Leaper's Tchaikovsky Festival is a good bargain, but it's no frills, as you may expect. There are program notes which are interesting and informative, but they don't go into great detail.



1812: very good sound, but rather mediocre cannons in the latter pages. The orchestra plays well, and doesn't lose control. My favorites are Dorati/Detroit (Decca), Haitink/Concertgebouw (Philips) and Fiedler/Boston Pops (DG), and Leaper won't replace them, but can stand beside them on my shelf.



Romeo and Juliet: competition is tough. I like Ormandy/Philadelphia (Odyssey), and Bernstein/New York (Sony), but Leaper comes close.



Capriccio Italien: Ormandy/Philadelphia is my favorite (Sony), also Bernstein (Sony), Dorati/Detroit (Decca), and Ozawa/San Francisco (DG).



Marche Slave: there are so many good ones, it's hard to say which is the best: Ormandy (Sony or RCA), Bernstein (Sony),

Karajan/Berlin (DG) all come to mind, yet Leaper is almost as good as these, maybe 1/2 a notch down...



If you aren't terribly fussy about WHO is conducting, and what label you have for these works, Leaper will fill the bill nicely. A good bargain disc for these oft-played and recorded works."