Customer Reviews

Berlioz: Overtures

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is just the sort of collection I had been looking for and even though it lacks some that I'd hoped for I'm happy with it. I must offer my sympathy to the audience; the orchestra is defunct so I understand, and a fine group it was. Berlioz is not the easiest composer to negotiate in matters of tempi; this band romps through the "Overture to Bennevuto Cellini" with precision and dash. The brass sounds properly Berliozan as do the winds. Back in the fifties there was a Columbia release on the Epic Label of these overtures played by the City of Birmingham SO and this cd reminds me of that recording, taut and brilliant playing with "elan". Highly recommended.

Yoav Talmi? A now-defunct San diego Sym. that at the best of times was trying to keep afloat in a sinkhole of culture? But they pull it off. This CD surpasses Dutoit from Ontreal and the latter Colin Davis from Dresden in terms of exctiement and genuine Berlioz volatility. the sound is fine, the orchestra much better than Naxos's usual Eastern European state orchestras. Only the early Davis colleciton on Philips and the classic one under Munch on RCA is in the same league.

Israeli Cond. Yoav Talmi and the San Diego Sym. give us an electrified" swan song" to remember the financially strapped orchestra by. Standards in performance and engineering are higher than on most of the Naxos Eastern European projects. You get a generious 75mins. of seven Berlioz overtures. His genius
touched every aspect of the Romantic Era, through color and instumentation and the transfer of literature to music. The good program notes included will guide you through each. Don't pass this one over!

I knew this disc of Yoav Talmi's reading of Berlioz's overtures would be good when I heard his "Harold in Italy".

And I was not dissapointed: these are good performances. They have the fantasy sound that good Berlioz performances require.

On this CD is one overture that doesn't appear too often: the Rob Roy Overture. Berlioz himself was disappointed with it's form, and he "destroyed" it. But not before he salvaged many of its themes for "Harold in Italy". Listening to it now, as a biased Berlioz lover, it is hard not to like it. It uses that famous scottish melody that Bruch later used in his 'Scottish Fantasy'. But, as you will hear, he also writes some of his most inspired melodies here, such as the ones you hear in Harold in Italy.
Is it a tightly wound clock? No. Is it pure, original Berlioz? Yes! Even at his worst, Berlioz was above most all other composers.

This is, perhaps, the best collection of overtures of Berlioz.

I think, San Diego Symphony Orchestra is one of the best ensembles in U.S.A.. But, I never saw their succesful recordings like this, before bought this CD. And their sound is very good.

Especially, I like the "Benvenuto Cellini" Overture. This flamboyant music is a late period work, written before his "La Damnation de Faust". But, first performance of this opera wasn't be succesful, as you know, moreover somebody was to maked fun of this opera, with they were said "The Composer of Malvenuto Cellini" !!.. But now, this overture (and opera) is one of the best works of composer.

And there is a not too known work: Les Fran-Juges. This was to be formed an opera, but he could finish only this overture, actually, he written some scetches of opera, but unfortunately, they were lost.

Except, still well-known, "Roman Carnival" and "Le Corsaire" overtures, there are his early works: Opus 1: Wawerley, Rob Roy and King Lear.

Performances of all works are very good.

At this price, this is must have for any Berlioz fans and collectors.

Highly recommended.

This is just the sort of collection I had been looking for and even though it lacks some that I'd hoped for I'm happy with it. I must offer my sympathy to the audience; the orchestra is defunct so I understand, and a fine group it was. Berlioz is not the easiest composer to negotiate in matters of tempi; this band romps through the "Overture to Bennevuto Cellini" with precision and dash. The brass sounds properly Berliozan as do the winds. Back in the fifties there was a Columbia release on the Epic Label of these overtures played by the City of Birmingham SO and this cd reminds me of that recording, taut and brilliant playing with "elan". Highly recommended.

I am surprised by the positive reviews here of these Berlioz overtures. I found the performances to be a competent, yet pedestrian, run-through, with somewhat hollow, muddy sound. I bought it about a decade ago, as I had been impressed by other Naxos recordings and this one packed a lot of overtures for the money. I gave it away a few years later, after several disappointing plays. I owned several other recordings I greatly preferred, which I'll now recommend to all you Berlioz affectionatos.

The Gibson and Beecham recordings take my breath away every time I listen to them ! The relatively recent Gibson performances, with either the Royal Phil or Scottish Orchestras (somewhat different selections), are pungent and pack a wallop ! They bring a smile to my face. The sound is clean, with great presence.

The Beecham is good mono from 1954 What it lacks in spectacular sound, it makes up for with elan and flair in abundance. The Roman Carnival is just plain cool ! .

I like the Paray, Munch, and Davis performances better than the Tavi, but for me, they pale in comparison to the Gibson or Beecham. Both of the latter are priced roughly the same as the Tavi, but they are worth their weight in Berlioz gold

I love Berlioz and already own recordings by Beecham, Munch, Davis and even Hamilton Harty performing his overtures. So do I really need another overtures cd? That's what I wondered when I came across this recording. My answer was "yes", and here's why.

Three reasons. Because in addition to containing the usual "Big 4" overtures, this cd
includes 3 less familiar ones (Waverley, King Lear and especially Rob Roy). Secondly, I had never heard the San Diego Symphony in anything and was curious. Nor had I heard of their conductor, Yoav Talmi. And, yes, there was a third reason: an Amazon seller was offering this cd new for less than $4 US! Could I go wrong?

The answer to the last question is no. The cd is a total delight. Talmi's Berlioz is alive and exuberant. It'll keep your attention at all times. The orchestra may not be very well known, but it is definitely first-rate. I have one small qualm in that the music seems to have been recorded at a low level or perhaps a bit distantly (can't quite put my finger on this), but this is minor and ought not stop you if you're considering Berlioz overtures. Buy it!

I'm ready for more Berlioz from San Diego and just ordered their Romeo et Juliette.
Tim Koerner October 2009

Hey, I have this CD at home and it is one of the greatest CDS I have ever got. I want to get another one for my friend. It is a really great CD, you should give it a try. I can tell you I am really satisfied with it.