Search - Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Adrian Boult, London Philharmonic Orchestra :: Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 3 "Polish"; Overture 1812; Hamlet

THE 1812 reference

villegem | canada | 02/12/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The April 2, 1952 mono recording of Tchaikovsky 1812 overture is in my opinion the reference for this piece so often treated like a superficial showpiece extravaganza.



As opposed to so many later versions that privileged the spectacular aspect, with an ever expanding array of gimmicks, from special bells and whistles of greatest Cathedrals to various canons, machine guns, firing squads and other nuclear blasts etc... , Sir Adrian Boult offers a paired down dramatic vision so elegantly crafted, so organically musical that it is the listener's imagination that takes over and is simply, magisterially guided through Napoleon's bivouac until its final assault is repelled by Kutuzov army, sealing the fate of the war. Even the cracking orchestra chair noises as musicians prepare themselves before the ultimate crescendo participate into the tension.

Gone is the superficiality and it almost feels like an epic symphonic poem.

Evidently the sound quality is very good considering the early recording date and for this listener who has grown up with the paternal excellent Ace of Club ref ACL10 Decca pressing half a century old, it is certainly wonderful to hear it anew. One could wish a vinyl re-issue would complement this CD so the frequency spectrum is even more grounded with better bass.



Still this is a wonderful release and musically shames the likes of Kenneth Alwyn and Dorati. It is in fact Boult's own personal best too, better than a later stereo version of 1968 that Sir Adrian recorded for EMI with the LPO.



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