Customer Reviews

American Dreams: Barber's Adagio & Other American Romantic Masterpieces

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This recent release from Decca Records has some of the familiar but also relatively unknown American works. The recorded sound is quite lovely, a very warm string sound, and some charming solo playing, especially coming from the English Horn player in the work by Hoagy Carmichael. In a era when most recordings and artistic attention is awarded to the largest American orchestras, having a chance to hear what some of the smaller and lesser known ensembles in the USA can do is quite amazing and well worth having available. Many of these works have never been recorded before, and they as a collection represent a slice of America that many people having been yearning for and have been missing. HATS OFF TO THE INDIANAPOLIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FOR THIS PROJECT!

This is a very lovely collection of underplayed and under appreciated American works. I concure with the other reviewers. Leppard leads the Indianapolis Symphony in some sumptuous playing of these tender but emotionally charged works. Especially the Fantasy on a Hymn Tune which is deftly performed. If your are looking for an alternative to Ives and Schuman, this is a great disk to expand your horizons.

American Dreams is a perfect title to this wonderful CD from the Indianapolis Symphony. With the exception of the Barber Adagio for Strings, the CD presents American Romantic masterworks that are rarely played and recorded. Leppard and his orchestra play the sweet melodies with the sincerety characterized by the state with which they are from, America's heartland state of Indiana. The most famous of the pieces recorded, the Barber, is given a new interpretation that does not allow the music's intensity to overwhelm. The most wonderful piece on the CD is Gershwin's Lullaby for strings - called Gershwin's first classical piece - is absolutly breathtaking. If this program were played at their summer venue at Conner Prairy, it would make for one incredible evening of music; therefore, if you are looking for music under the stars of an Indiana Summer from your home, this is the CD to buy.

I've been reading about Hoagy Carmichael and listening to his songs and music. My research brought me here.

These selections are generally meditative in character, though John Alden Carpenter's "Sea Drift" does contain a bit of flash. Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings", the only workhorse here, receives a loving performance. Thomas Canning's warmth filled "Fantasy on a Hymn Tune of Justin Morgan" is somewhat reminescent of Vaughan Williams' "Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis" and is a gem.

Closing out this program is another gem -- Hoagy Carmichael's suprizingly delightful selection from his "Johnny Appleseed Suite" -- warm, lyrical, rich, hopeful. Why the entire work has not been recorded, here or elsewhere, is a mystery. This six minute selection makes me want to hear the entire twenty minute work. The full score does exist at Indiana University's Hoagy Carmichael Collection.

The performances and sound quality of this recording are top notch. This is the only Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra recording I own and I must say they are fabulous! The ISO and Leppard are to be applauded for recording these neglected American classics. This is a most welcome compilation!