Verdi - Messa da Requiem - Pappano,Orchestra of Santa Cecilia

 

The mighty Verdi Requiem has long been a staple of both the huge orchestra and huge opera singer. Produced from a series of live concerts in Rome, recorded in January 2009, Antonio Pappano conducts the orchestra and chorus of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, with soloists whose credentials are impressive; Anja Harteros, Sonia Ganassi, Rolando Villazón and René Pape.

It is the band and especially the chorus that often take this recording beyond simply good. The fugal sections of the "Libera me, Domine" are first rate. Tons of full blooded, mature voices,with beautifully turned-out diction and articulation, demonstrate a heart-felt response to the dynamics of conductor and score. Verdi used a very different brush for the Requiem. In this performance, there is no hint of the La Traviata "um-cha-cha", this is very catholic, Italianate, repent or die stuff.

The performance of Pappano's soloists are marked by truly impressive legato singing, without exception. All of them have the courage to throttle back and exhibit pure sotto voce, especially Villazón, but Anja Hartenros leaves the most indelible mark. -- Hugo Munday

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Beethoven - Piano Concertos no1,2 - Schoonderwoerd, Ensemble Cristofori

This disc, covering Beethoven's first two piano concertos, is the last of a series of three Beethoven concerto discs by historical pianist Arthur Schoonderwoerd, playing an 1800 Walter fortepiano and accompanied by the small ensemble Cristofori. The ensemble basically involves one instrument per part. The other booklets contain more elaborate justifications for this procedure, but here the only evidence given involves the cover pages of the original publications of the concertos, which refer to the instruments in the singular. This is hardly reliable, for the publisher's aim was sales, not musicological accuracy, and this release, like the other two, shows only that the music was sometimes performed this way, not that such performances were ideal or desirable. All this said, the performances here are intriguing, and they're less radical than some of Schoonderwoerd's other albums of 19th century music. The small orchestra puts the emphasis not only on the fortepiano but on the timpani. The piano itself is a fine example, and Schoonderwoerd brings out its many colors in the development sections of the opening movements of the two concertos. These put the listener in the place of those who first heard Beethoven as a young phenomenon, and whether or not you accept the premise of this recording, you may find that Schoonderwoerd gets to the virtuoso aspect of these works in a way that other performances do not. Booklet notes, which as usual with the Alpha label include an art-historical essay by Dénis Grenier, are in English and French. ~ James Manheim, Rovi All Music Guide

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Rimsky-Korsakov - Overture and Suites from the Operas - Jarvi, Scottish NO

 

 

Chandos has wisely reduced this original, expensive three-disc set to a moderately priced twofer, without losing any music at all. The performances are wonderful: this recording was made in the first flush of Neeme Järvi's relationship with Chandos, when their recordings with the Scottish National Orchestra were winning accolades the world over for their sonic brilliance. At the time, much of this music was also difficult to find (particularly the suites from Christmas Eve and The Invisible City of Kitezh), and so were additionally welcome in such glittering interpretations. Even now they hold up extremely well: Järvi's strength always was his willingness to let the orchestra cut loose in the big moments, especially the march music in Le coq d'or, or the Dance of the Tumblers from The Snow Maiden. Also as usual, the string playing lacks that last ounce of precision and rhythmic clarity (the galloping rhythms in Christmas Eve, for example), but few will complain. BIS's ongoing series of Rimsky-Korsakov's orchestral music with the Malaysian Philharmonic has even finer sonics, but if you're looking for just the opera suites, you can hardly do better than this.----David Hurwitz

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Schubert - Trout Quintet- Wanderer Fantasy – Sviatoslav Richter ,Borodin Quartet

 

 

Richter and the members of the Borodin quartet, joined by veteran Georg Hörtnagel, recorded Franz Schubert’s "Trout" live in 1980, and EMI has now reissued it on their Redline budget series with Richter's classic "Wanderer Fantasie" from 1963.

It is a fine "Trout", and a very "Richterian" interpretation indeed. Tempos in some movements are unusually slow, though only the Scherzo displays a touch of the deliberate massiveness that characterized Richter's interpretations from the 80s on. In the opening "Allegro" Richter and partners don't particularly mark the accents the way Gilels and Amadeus quartet members do (now on DG "The Originals"), but their playing is crisp and zestful, with a fine sense of balance between piano and strings, and these elicit a deep lyricism and beautiful tone. Likewise, the Andante, taken at a very moderate tempo (it is actually the slowest of the more than twenty I've heard on disc), has an affecting simplicity, some passages of bewitching dreaminess underpinned by beautiful pianissimos, and the deeply-felt viola and cello cantilena at 1:43 has a wistful, quasi-tchaikovskyan feel to it. In the Scherzo Richter and the Borodins go for good-humored bonhomie rather than hectic drive a la Gilels and Amadeus, and their staccato playing has a sprightly bounce; they commendably maintain the same tempo for the trio, giving it a feeling a merry playfulness. The famous "Trout" theme doesn't have the liveliness and carefree character that Curzon and the members of the Vienna Octet imparted to it back in 1957, but the ensuing variations are characterized with all the required charm (var. 1 & 2), insouciant merriment (var. 3), Beethovenian power (var. 4); transitions from one variation to the other are very natural and, rather than maintaining a unity of tempo (Schubert indicates no tempo change except in the coda), Richter and partners give each variation its own tempo, but without exaggerated variance, and the movement's coda is genial and easy-going. The finale is forward-moving and spirited, with a great rhythmic snap.

This has all the hallmarks of a classic.—Discophage

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Klemperer - Mahler-Symphony No 7, Klemperer Symphony No 2

 

 

I had a revelation on first hearing this recorded performance of Mahler's Seventh Symphony conducted by Otto Klemperer. It certainly differed from the headlong and frenetic Leonard Bernstein recording. With so many critics then hailing the Bernstein as definitive, how could this antithetic 100-minute marathon be valid, with its tempi being so seemingly glacial? Well, tempi aren't everything; the music that the performance conveys, is. Not halfway through the first movement, the realization that Klemperer had heard so much more in Mahler's writing than had anyone else, and was making ME hear those same things, more so than in any other performance committed to records, struck me and shocked me. Mind you, this is the movement where Klemperer is "accused" of handling matters most differently from the "norm" that so many had accepted.

I should not have been surprised, for Klemperer often offers insights into familiar pieces such as Beethoven's Eroica Symphony that are lacking in performances by other conductors. Give it a careful listen. You'll hear and revel in the music like you never have done before. That's if you can FIND the recording, that is. Long out of print from EMI, this has become a cultist item of sorts, with asking prices for used copies and online auction prices in the hundreds of dollars. You MIGHT just have to settle for a secondhand LP copy!--En.N.

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Haydn - The Seven Last Words Hob.XX.1 (Op.47) – Savall

This is Jordi Savall's second recording of this work; his earlier one is my version of reference (particularly if you like period instruments), but this new one, recorded in the space for which Haydn wrote the piece (the Church of Santa Cueva in Cadiz, Spain) is even better. Purely as a matter of sonority, this newcomer offers a warmer, better balanced orchestral perspective with smoother string tone, making the ensemble sound larger and more imposing. You can hear the difference in the stabbing motive that begins the work, but you'll also notice how it gives the final earthquake (taken a bit slower than previously) decidedly more impact.

On the whole, tempos are similar in both versions, but there are a couple of significant differences. One of these concerns the climax of the entire work, Sonata IV (My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?). Savall shaves a good two minutes off of his previous speed, and it's all to the good, adding a greater feeling of urgency to the music's ultimate yielding to despair. Also as before, Savall includes a speaker reading the relevant bits of scripture (in Latin) in between the sonatas, a practice I find unnecessarily distracting and unmusical. We could just as easily read them ourselves, but then they aren't long and you can skip them as I do if you find them bothersome. All in all, the differences (and improvements) between the two versions more than justify this beautifully recorded remake. Just when you thought it couldn't get any better... --David Hurwitz

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The Philadelphia Orchestra Plays Bach (Family)

 

 

Purists will assert that the Philadelphia Orchestra has no business playing Bach. It's too bad they feel that way, particularly when the conductor is Leopold Stokowski, reunited with the orchestra after a hiatus of almost two decades. Eugene Ormandy invited Stoki back in 1960, and MH2K62345 documents the results: confident, suave recordings of the Fifth Brandenburg Concerto and the conductor's moving arrangements of three Chorale Préludes. Ormandy was an expert arranger and conductor of Bach himself, as can be heard from the balance of this 2-CD set, which contains what used to be Columbia MS6180 ("Bach by Ormandy" – also recorded in 1960) and MS6342 ("The Bach Family" – works by Johann Christian Bach, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, and Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, recorded in 1957). None of it may be "authentic," but it all sounds luscious enough to make new friends for the music and the performances.

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Prokofiev - Peter and the Wolf - Ormandy, Bowie, Philadelphia Orchestra

 

 

David Bowie’s telling of Peter and the Wolf may surprise listeners expecting a "rock star" interpretation. Actually, his gentle reading is in the tradition of British storytelling, strong on elocution as well as characterization. It's all quite charming, especially when supported by Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra's richly colorful playing. The recording features nice depth and spaciousness. This remains a highly desirable item for Ormandy fans.--Victor Carr Jr

Definitely a great intro to classical music for kids.

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Haydn - Cello Concertos-Symphony 104 - Florilegium, Wispelwey

 

 

 

Haydn's two cello concertos have always been dearly loved by cellists, and the first one (in C) was the outstanding musical discovery of the 1950s. It is an earlier but finer work than the Concerto in D (No. 2), although, to be fair to Haydn, the Second Concerto is most often performed in later editors' horrible arrangements that obscure many of the finer qualities of the original. Here, played by an enthusiastic band of period-instrument folks, they have more energy and color than you could possibly imagine. At its very best, the "authentic" instrument approach really can make the music sound fresh and new. Pieter Wispelwey and Florilegium get full credit for treating these concertos with the vitality and commitment that they deserve. --David Hurwitz

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Beethoven - The 5 Piano Concertos - Brendel,Rattle,Wiener Philharmoniker

 

 

 

What can Alfred Brendel possibly find in recording the Beethoven Concertos for the fourth time? For one thing, Simon Rattle and his characterful Viennese musicians provide a leaner, less monumental orchestral framework than James Levine and the Chicago Symphony did for Brendel in 1983 (let's not speak of Haitink's neutral backing for the pianist's seventies cycle!) Brendel downplays the Second Concerto's zippy humor this time, and belabors the finale's second subject with annoying point making. Conversely, he has simplified his approach to the Fourth Concerto's lyric embroidery, yet appropriately lets go in the rarely played alternate cadenza (the same used by Gieseking and Gilels). Brendel's hard won technique is now pushed a bit in the outer movements of the "Emperor" and C Major concerto, but brings a more colorful, internalized response to their central slow movements. Everything comes together in the Third Concerto, which, on balance, is the finest and most organically flowing of Brendel's four recorded versions. No modern-day Beethoven concerto sets quite surpass the brash angularity and spirited conductor/soloist give-and-take that distinguish the famous Fleisher/Szell/Cleveland cycle. But the Brendel/Rattle team have the sonic advantage, and William Kinderman's provocative notes shed further insight on both the music and the performers.—Jed Distler

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Borodin - Symphonies and Orchestral Works - Jarvi, Gothenburg SO

 

 

We have long needed a first-rate set of the Borodin symphonies and it would be churlish to deny that Järvi gives us just that. The cycle ought to fit on to one well-filled CD, but DG's makeweights are more than generous.

The steppes are treated with ample eloquence from the Swedish winds and the overall effect is enhanced by the excellent recording. The Polovtsian revelries include a brief contribution from the great Khan himself, effectively recalling the music's authentic, operatic context. The Petite Suite is something of a rarity, a little stolid in Glazunov's arrangement, though that may have something to do with the rather over-beefy sound. The real novelty in Jarvi's box is Nikolay Tcherepnin's exotic treatment of the familiar Nocturne. Tcherepnin was one of Prokofiev's favorite teachers—the only one actively sympathetic to Scriabin—and his arrangement transforms Borodin's chaste textures into an oriental tableau of glitter and excess. The 'authenticity' of Borodin's own scores has often been questioned, the First Symphony being regarded as something of a dry-run for the Second. This is to underestimate a remarkably accomplished composition, assembled under Balakirev's wing and yet unmistakably Borodin's own work. The First Symphonies of Rachmaninov and Sibelius are perhaps the more remarkable but neither would have been quite the same without this exuberant precursor. The old Record Guide even finds the theme of Elgar's Enigma anticipated 'anagrammatically' in the material of Borodin's Andante . Järvi plays the music for all it's worth and the big, bassy, resonant sound works well. In the Third Symphony and Prince Igor Overture, Järvi's familiar tendency to hustle the music along is more pronounced. If you see the Moderato assai marking of the first movement of No. 3 as incompatible with anything but the usual poised pastorale, Jarvi's dramatic, interventionist approach may not be for you. The scherzo is also tougher than usual, though by no means unconvincingly so. And I should say that the indisputably lyrical elements of the Overture are most beautifully shaped, the rubato natural and unforced. You will appreciate Jarvi's way with No. 2—an epic reading and the opening pages are superbly crisp—how listless Gergiev sounds by comparison (Philips)—and only the crescendo at the end of the movement (7'43"fl) seems a little too good to be true. Either Järvi's control of the orchestra is truly awesome or the engineers have contrived a little help. The conductor adopts a sensible tempo to articulate the bubbling scherzo, and his Andante is daringly broad. (The tempo indications and metronome marks here are in any case Rimsky's.) The evocative horn solo is eloquent indeed—it must have been a nightmare to play—and, if some of the phrasing later on seems a shade under-motivated at Järvi's leisurely pace, the fervour of the strings at the climax should convince you—they certainly convinced me. The finale is superbly done. Järvi's discs, comprehensively indexed and attractively boxed, would now be my first choice.--DAVID GUTMAN.

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Milhaud - Complete Symphonies - Francis, RSO Basel

 

 

This remarkable set of all 12 Darius Milhaud symphonies (five CDs) raises a number of immediate questions, not the least of which is why Milhaud's symphonies aren't recognized for their overall artistic merit more than they are. Milhaud started off, as so many composers of his generation did, dabbling in various avant-garde techniques, which are to some degree present in Symphonies 1 and 2 (dated 1939 and 1944, respectively). They are youthful, brash, and militantly French (lots of marching drums, trumpet fanfares, salutes, etc.). But by Symphony No. 3 (of 1946), Milhaud's temperament has stabilized and matured. His palette, though, expands in richness, and the symphonies to follow show Milhaud at his inventive best. Outstanding in this collection are Symphonies 5 and 6 (1953 and 1955), which are by turns moody and deliciously sweet, never atonal or dissonant. The fact that Symphonies 5 and 6 are rarely performed and never recorded makes these works alone a selling point for this collection. This is a stellar collection that belongs in every library of 20th-century music.--Paul Cook

 

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Tchaikovsky - Complete Suites for Orchestra - Dorati, New Philharmonia Orchestra

 

 

Anyone who loves sheer beauty will appreciate these Suites. And Anyone who loves Tchaikovsky MUST have these Suites. They provide a more intimate expression of Tchaikovsky. Altogether less dramatic, but just as beautiful, imaginative and characteristic, they show how Tchaikovsky was an admirer of Sentimentality, Simple Beauty, Nostalgia, Reflection... any listener can enjoy these suites thoroughly, however, if you are true lover of Tchaikovksy- you will come to know him even deeper, and love these charming confections as often as you love on the grand Symphonies and Ballets.

Tchaikovsky chose to compose these suites as a break from the pressures of symphonic form, and they are just that- a break- he had fun writing them, and it shows every bar. The first suite is grand in concept, if it is maybe immature in execution. Still, no one can deny the beauty of the weaving melodies of the melancholy Andante, the dancing gaiety of the waltz, and the humor in the little march. The second suite is quite different, with its focus on children's music, and composing specifically with certain intruments in mind. The third suite has to be his masterpiece in the genre, and each movement is a wonderful entity. The theme and variations is one huge chuck of a study and great fun to listen to- Tchaikovsky, usually a harsh self-critic was even quite proud of this movement himself.

Dorati's baton, with its penchant for creating lively dance music excellently suits this set. He brings to life what is dead to most people- the most intimate of Tchaikovsky, his "composed for fun" suites. Enjoy these for their wonderful beauty that seems to come with such ease.

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Mozart - Piano Concertos 21,23 - Serkin,Abbado,LSO

 

 

The partnership of Rudolf Serkin and Claudio Abbado in Mozart is a fascinating one. They are such different musical personalities, yet they work remarkably well together, so that each performance becomes an artistic amalgam of two quite different artistic approaches. Abbado matches a natural spontaneous warmth (listen to the beguiling way the orchestra shapes the secondary theme in the first movement of the A major Concerto) with the utmost refinement of detail; whereas Serkin, patrician, authoritative, strong, is more self-consciously expressive when he deviates from a strictly rhythmic presentation of the melodic line in the same movement. The Adagio (of K488) shows the partnership at its most inspired, with music-making of memorable depth and eloquence based on an approach of deceptive simplicity. The excellent woodwind balance, about which RG commented when reviewing the original LP, is highly telling here and the sound overall is of DO's finest, with lovely piano timbre and a well-integrated orchestral sound picture, nicely resonant (if not so sharply detailed internally as with Decca's finest Compact Discs).
Robin Golding found the performance of K467 "probably the more successful of the two", and indeed it is most impressive, but I enjoyed K488 even more for its greater warmth and spirited finale. The one drawback of the Compact Disc is that it exaggerates Serkin's fairly continuous vocal contributions to the proceedings, which some listeners may find increasingly irritating.--l.M.

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Verdi - Nabucco - Riccardo Muti,Manuguerra, Ghiaurov, Scotto, Philharmonia Orchestra

 

 

 

“Con quest’opera si può dire veramente che ebbe principio la mia carriera artistica.” (“It can truly be said that my artistic career began with this opera”). Verdi may perhaps be forgiven for taking artistic licence with this observation to Ricordi, his publisher. His previous works were the patchy and immature “Oberto” and the comic flop “Un giorno do regno”. “Nabucco” marks a huge advance over these. Verdi here begins to find his true voice, mining the rich seam of cantilena melody which characterises his best early work and adding to it both psychological profundity and economy of expression. Re-visiting this recording, I was struck by the tautness and impact of the libretto and plot. Verdi was as incapable as Shakespeare of creating cardboard characters and it is remarkable how both the villains of the piece, Abegaille and Nabucco himself, emerge as complex, tormented souls, far more absorbing than the supposed heroes. They are the forerunners of that long line of father-daughter pairs; Solera’s libretto stimulated Verdi’s imagination and his emotions at a time when he was trying to emerge from two years of grief and suffering, marked by personal loss and (comparative) artistic failure.The popularity of “Va, pensiero”, the emphasis upon spectacle, the four marches, unison choruses and brassy scoring all combine to support the reputation of “Nabucco” as the chauvinistic rallying-call of popular legend. However, in the admixture of private passion and political chicanery, certain situations and even specific musical ideas are clearly proleptic of later, greater works such as “Simon Boccanegra”, although the masterpiece it most resembles in mood, atmosphere and in its melding of extremes is perhaps “Aida”. Certainly his contemporaries thought well enough of it to choose its music to accompany Verdi’s funeral cortège. Riccardo Muti’s conducting of this 1977 recording has been condemned as crude and aggressive. He is hectic at times, to be sure, but that is hardly out of keeping with the swift pace of events and he still gives his singers space in the more contemplative passages.

The eponymous starring role is taken by a first class baritone. Manuguerra has a smooth, most sheerly beautiful voice, with plenty of sap in its upper reaches. Manuguerra delivers a detailed, compellingly vocalized account.
As Abegaille, a spinto soprano, as Renata Scotto had become by this stage of her career - provides the listener with thrills and vocal virtuosity. Scotto shares features of Callas’s delivery, including a biting articulation of text and the less recommendable lapses into flapping top notes when pressed at forte. When not pressing too hard, Scotto can still float the top and hers is a formidable firebrand of an Abegaille - she is the best actress of all. Given the intensity and conviction of Scotto’s performance, I am now much more forgiving of those squally high notes.

Nicolai Ghiaurov, who is rusty and occasionally bleak of tone at this stage in his career but still impressive makes a beautiful job of the aria “Tu sul labbro”, with its beguiling six-part cello accompaniment. Robert Lloyd is a notable High Priest for Muti; I wonder if I am the first to notice that he must have been absent for whatever reason (not worth paying him to sing so little?) during the second, 1978, recording session and thus we hear the unmistakable voice of Ghiaurov, deputizing for Lloyd in the High Priest’s one line in the finale. One of the great pleasures of the Muti set is to hear Veriano Luchetti in the brief and rather ungrateful role of Ismaele. His smooth, ringing, Italianate tenor is particularly admirable in the lovely trio “Io t’amava”.
The Ambrosian Chorus sounds a little lean but as ever they sing with verve and precision.

The Philharmonia respond with alacrity to Muti’s taut direction and the sound is excellent.--Ralph Moore

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Gielen, M - Mahler-Symphony no. 1, Ives-Central Park in the dark etc

 

 

 

"Slammin'!" was the way a friend of mine described this performance of Mahler's First Symphony, and that about sums it up. At a somewhat deeper level, it's also a classic case of interpretive points made not through obvious distortions of line and tempo, but via careful attention to phrasing, color, ensemble balances, and texture. Michael Gielen unearths a riot of color virtually anywhere that you care to listen. From the very opening, where the octave As in the strings have an altogether extraordinary sense of depth, and where the offstage trumpet calls are perfectly placed, this performance drips atmosphere. Listen to the way the strings really dig at the opening of the scherzo, or to Gielen's generous observation of Mahler's "wild" indication in the ensuing development section. Nor does he stint on string portamentos in the trio.

With his keen ear for the weirder nether-regions of Mahler's orchestration, it should come as no surprise that the funeral march is especially successful, with each successive canonic entry of the "Frére Jacques" theme deftly touched in. Note the attention to the quiet percussion writing, or to the eerie sound of the violins scraping the strings with the wood of their bows. The finale truly commences like a bolt of lightening, with a terrific crash and an ensuing sonic tornado of the utmost violence. Once again Gielen proves himself adept at the work's more lyrical moments, offering a second subject that never stints on passion (particularly at its final climax before the coda, which bespeaks real Romantic desperation). As for that coda: Watch out! It just keeps building, getting louder and bigger and faster until the final roof-rattling rolls of timpani and bass drum. Fantastic! In a very crowded field, this performance certainly takes its place among the handful of truly great Mahler Firsts.

The coupling, typically adventurous, also is very good. Gielen's Central Park in the Dark by Charles Ives may sound almost too polished, but there's no doubting his commitment to the cause, and The Unanswered Question is beautifully done, not a bit too slow or heavy-handed. The SWR engineers also have contrived superb Sonics, with a rich bass, a huge dynamic range, and ample space around the instruments that never compromises the extreme clarity of texture that Gielen conjures. As his Mahler cycle nears completion, it's quite clear that this is going to be one of the great ones.--David Hurwitz

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Ives - Holidays-Symphony-Three Places In New England - Ormandy, The Philadelphia Orchestra

 

 

Eugene Ormandy was a surprisingly dedicated Ives conductor, at least on disc, and a very good one too. This version of Three Places in New England was, if memory serves, the first of Ives' original scoring for full orchestra, and it's quite fine. As to be expected, the Philly players sound terrific, and Ormandy seems to be enjoying himself (he was never noted for his sense of humor). The performance of the Holidays Symphony also stands with the very best; for many years this was the only way to get all four tone poems on disc, with Thanksgiving and Forefather's Day being a particular novelty. The sound is gratifyingly clear and clean for an RCA/Philadelphia production, save for some slight congestion at the entry of the chorus in Thanksgiving. Part of the Japanese RCA Ormandy edition, and now available on demand from Arkivmusic.com, this disc represented a major contribution to the Ives discography when it first came out back in the 1970s, and its qualities haven't diminished at all in the decades since.—David Hurwitz

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Jascha Heifetz Fireworks

 

 

"Fireworks of breathtaking brilliance, succulent romance, exotic suggestions of gipsydom, and the whole cemented with skill and taste"

If Casals, (as I have heard it said) is revered by all cellists, Heifetz is the fiddler who dazzles all violinists—and, for that matter, the rest of us. If, in more symphonic concertos than these, he hasn't quite the same symphonic stature (though his Beethoven and Brahms interpretations are surely to be admired)—well, the present pieces scarcely call for that quality, though they do demand just the gifts that Heifetz has in abundance; a fantastic technique allied to deep romanticism and these gifts are here displayed in full measure.

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Verdi - without Words - Kunzel, Cincinatti Pops

 

 

In opera, the singing/words/text is married to the music, but it is the music above all that must create moods and evoke sentiment- whether it is pity, romance, jealousy, rage, pomp, melancholy, heartbreak, ecstasy, passion, mystery, etc. Erich Kunzel and his Pops Orchestra performs a wonderful array of Verdi music scores from his most famous grand operas. This album opens with Aida and there is much to admire here. The Triumphal March is a spectacle-scene which features parades of dancing girls and wild animals as Radames returns victorious. This music is famous for its prominent use of trumpet and chorus. Its orchestral version is equally bombastic. The Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore is another smash Verdi hit, a chorus piece but on orchestra, it is very catchy as well. Further to these fine works, the album features music from Verdi's Otello and La Traviata. This recording is a delight.--Amazon

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