Search - Strauss, Vienna State Opera Orchestra, Paulik :: Waltzes Polkas & Galops From Vienna

ALL THE GREAT "NON-STRAUSS" WALTZES

Gary | 07/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Finally, an outstanding compilation of these waltzes is here! As the title of this review indicates, it is the non-Strauss pieces in which I'm most interested. Here are the four main ones: the ever-popular Skater's Waltz, by Waldteufel, has been used in a commercial for Hershey Kisses. Rosa's Over the Waves waltz has been heard in many a cartoon circus scene. Finally, the Gold and Silver Waltz by Lehar and Waves Over the Danube by Ivanovici contain those popular tunes that one never knew the names to. I praise the Vienna State Opera Orchestra for bringing us these delightful performances! The thing, you see, is not that there aren't other recordings of these pieces out there, but that this is the first time they're done right! Unlike say, symphonies, waltzes should not be played in a rigid, academic manner (this is dance music for crying out loud!), which is exactly how most orchestras do it. However, the Vienna State Opera are one of those orchestras who have the finesse to play with spontaneity and yet not compromise the overall harmony of the pieces (after all, this is where they pick members for the Vienna Philharmonic). Perhaps, what I most enjoy about their playing is that, again, they're the only ones who got the tempo right, which is very important in a waltz. Even the highly acclaimed performance of the Skater's Waltz from the Marco Polo series (by the Kosice, Slovak State Philharmonic with Alfred Walter conducting) couldn't compare with the one in this set. I do have to comment that the Strauss pieces here--all performed by the Vienna Volksoper Orchestra--are also played with the same verve. These pieces actually sound better here than current renditions by the Vienna Philharmonic. The only flaw about these CDs is that they are in mono, but that can be overlooked. Therefore, get these CDs before they fly off the shelves!"