Customer Reviews

Boléro and other Spanish Favourites

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

 

 

On the edge, this CD is labeled "Spanish Favorites," while on the cover it is called "Bolero and other Spanish Favorites." Paradoxically, we have works by three French composers, Chabrier, Massenet, and Ravel; one Russian composer, Rimsky-Korsakov; but only one real Spanish composer, Manuel de Falla. Such is life!

Chabrier's Espana and Rimsky's Capriccio Espagnol are given lively and committed performances by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Adrian Leaper. They also do a fine, effective performance of that old warhorse, Ravel's Bolero.

The Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra under Kenneth Jean provide very good performances of Falla's Three Cornered Hat, Interlude and Dance from La Vida Breve, and Ritual Fire Dance from El Amor Brujo, even if they don't have quite the magic of the old Ansermet recordings.

I have liked Massenet's Le Cid ballet suite since I was a child, so it's possible I am overcritical here. The performance by the Czecho-Slovak Radio SO under Keith Clark is enjoyable enough, not bad at all. However, for serious listening the performance is not as idiomatic as Martinon/Israel Philharmonic on London or Louis Fremaux/City of Birmingham SO on a Klavier Records LP (KS 522), which also has outstanding sound.

That is one reason I don't give five stars. The other is related to the sound quality. I don't want to give the impression that the sound quality is bad or unpleasant. I really enjoy listening to this CD, especially while doing something else, such as writing this review. The Falla recordings with Kenneth Jean are the best recorded, with better string sound, a bit distant. For the others, the recording quality is quite decent, though somewhat distant, but with good, stable imaging. But it's not for sound buffs.

However, I mentioned the recording of Le Cid with Louis Fremaux and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, which, though it's on LP (the CD issue is said not to be as good), is smoother, more naturally balanced, and more dynamic, as well as superbly played.

This is a fine collection, very well suited for casual listening. I highly recommend it for that purpose.

I love this album, it is a real gem and everybody who enjoys Spanish music will be very pleased. The album features composers from different countries but you will feel like you visited 19Th century Spain.
This CD album would be the perfect DVD with added ballet dancers - you can see them right in front of you ( I'm listening to it right now while writing this review).
Perfect addition to your classical music library