Bernstein Century: Holst: Planets; Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance

Edward Elgar (Composer), Gustav Holst (Composer), Leonard Bernstein (Conductor), New York Philharmonic (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: New York Philharmonic
• Conductor: Leonard Bernstein
• Composer: Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst
• Audio CD (October 28, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000029XK
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #179,165 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captures the Mood of Holst's Magnum Opus with Graceful and Moving Precision, June 4, 2006

By 

Sarah K. Guvenen (Sierra Vista, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bernstein Century: Holst: Planets; Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance (Audio CD)

No matter how many recordings of Gustav Holst's "The Planets" I buy or listen to, it is this recording I find myself coming back to time and time again. Every single one of the movements is done majestically and perfectly:

1) MARS (6:35) -- Played fast and relentlessly, this is one of the most intense and menacing pieces of music I've ever heard. From the slow buildup to it's awesome climax, it's executed flawlessly.

2) VENUS (9:32) -- Serene and peaceful, it is played at a lovely slow tempo with supporting strings (including cellos) and a sublime violin solo.

3) MERCURY (3:52) -- Light and fluttery as the winged Roman god himself, it is minimal and short, but has a strong bridge of violins to tie the piece together.

4) (My personal favorite) JUPITER (8:19) -- There is no way I can possibly describe how awesomely epic and stirring this track is. With jovian marches as its bookends, the central theme of this movement is the heart of the entire suite. It is done at a beautifully slow tempo, and is truly moving. The theme which preceded it overtakes it again and leads the piece to its grand conclusion.

5) SATURN (8:50) -- "The Bringer of Old Age", Saturn, the ringed planet, starts with two alternating strings, building to a powerfully strong and ominous version of the two chords. But once again the slow clockwork of time takes over and the piece dies out quietly.

6) URANUS (5:24) -- Played at a faster-than-traditional tempo, this track embodies chaos and mayhem. This piece uses unusual instruments such as xylophones, and sounds wonderfully unique.

7) NEPTUNE (8:30) -- Dark and mysterious as is the blue gas planet at the edge of the solar system, its ominous lower chords are lifted by a wordless chorus halfway through and ends with the voices getting fainter and fainter until you cannot distinguish the sound you're hearing from your own imagination.

This is a perfect recording of a timeless masterpiece.

***** Highly Recommended.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Standard reading of Holst's masterpiece, December 19, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Bernstein Century: Holst: Planets; Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance (Audio CD)

Bernstein's performance of "The Planets" is fairly standard, and while there are many remarkable moments (Saturn and Uranus stand out above the rest), his choice of tempos at some points is bizarre (Mars is way too fast, and lacks any real vitality or menace. If you like Mars at this faster tempo, Ormandy's recording with Philadelphia is much more menacing). If you are looking for a good recording of "The Planets," I would recommend Dutoit's performance with Montreal or the London Philharmonic conducted by Adrian Boult (the man who conducted the work's premiere) before this one.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bernstein unlocks the Flavor., July 23, 2007

By 

Joe Anthony "Joe Anthony" (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bernstein Century: Holst: Planets; Elgar: Pomp and Circumstance (Audio CD)

Other reviewers give an excellent and detailed account of Gustav Holst's outstanding and highly imaginative symphonic journey through the solar system. I can only add this: I had previously owned other versions of "The Planets". I recemtly came across the Bernstein/NYPO version on an LP for $1 at a flea market. When I finally got around to playing the record over a year later, I was struck by Bernstein's ability to whip up such extreme power and majesty. He really unlocks the flavor.

Immediatly, I was moved to order the recording in more convenient CD form.

Comparisons: Boult, Karajan