Customer Reviews

Bizet: Carmen Symphony

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

 

 

It seems rather incredible that this recording is taken from a live concert, because the balances between the different sections is so perfectly achieved, and there is such perfection in the playing. However, what comes across in this CD is the excitement of a live performance, the magic, especialy in the Carmen Symphony by Bizet-Serebrier.
I remember that this work won the Latin GRAMMY a couple of years ago on a CD with the orchestral version. This new band version is even better and more lively than the previous one. Carmen Symphony is a terrific work.
The United Sates Marine Band are obviously great, and they seem inspired by the baton of Jose Serebrier, who conducts them in masterful performances of the Suite from the Ballet "Estancia" by Alberto Ginastera in a riveting performance. Just as exciting is the Concerto Grosso by Heitor Villa-Lobos, which displays the incredible tecnique of four soloists from the band. Serebrier's version of the Revueltas work, "Mexican Dance", will surely become a favorite. My own predilection is for Serebrier's own "Night Cry", a very moving work for brass instruments, which the audience obviously embraced.

This "live" recording by the Marine Band is a trailblazer in several ways. This Band (Wind Orchestra) is marking the way for Bands or better, Wind Orchestras as a mainstream genre of symphonic music. The musicianship here is stunning. Many of us have heard major symphonic orchestras do no better.
The band performs with refreshing youth and verve which is both fresh and also eager in its approach to the music. In musician's terms, They Cook.
And we can hear things which are just different musically. We don't "miss" the strings because they are not needed for this music. And the music is satisfying in artistry.
Tme Marine Band remains one of our national treasures; in the last century (19thC)they were known as The National Band for good reason. They have the ability to draw the best of the younger musicians who come it with tremendous potential.
And this recording was done "live" with no redos, etc. This is the way it was heard by the audience.
Highly recommended for those who want something new, fresh and youthful AND EXCITING in the world of symphonic music.

After finished listening to this (on paper) attractive program, I felt compelled to write this review. This is a live ocassion recorded in the suburbs of Washington DC. From the reaction, the audience had a good time, and rightly so. But a live concert "does not necessarily a good home listening ocassion make".
The Bizet symphony is a Serebrier concoction further arranged for wind band. It goes for 33 minutes. Everyone knows Bizet's music is exciting and colourful, but this performance is so dull, it made the ocassion interminable. It has to be Serebrier's fault, not Bizets, nor this wonderful band.
The suprising fact is how the Revueltas and, most especially, the Ginastera are so much livelier. In fact, the Ginastera arrangement of the Estancia Dances is so good, it makes you forget there are no strings here! A true blockbuster.
The Serebrier piece is a dud; eight inconsequential minutes; just terrible. The Villa-Lobos on the other hand, is quite a discovery. A 16 minute Concerto Grosso which I never heard before and, thus, must not be widely recorded (incidentally, I hear a harp in the orchestration. The notes do not mention that.)
That the live ocassion finished with "The Stars an Stripes Forever" was most appropriate. Especially since, here again, the band pulls all stops and it is a rousing encore finale!
Take out the Bizet and Serebrier pieces and you have an outstading release.