Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite; Gershwin: Porgy and Bess Suite

George Gershwin (Composer), Ferde Grofe (Composer), Antal Dorati (Conductor), Detroit Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Detroit Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Antal Dorati
• Composer: George Gershwin, Ferde Grofe
• Audio CD (June 14, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B0000041YQ
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #149,849 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Porgy and Bess: A Symphonic Picture (arr. Robert Russell Bennett)

2. Grand Canyon Suite, for orchestra: Sunrise

3. Grand Canyon Suite, for orchestra: Painted Desert

4. Grand Canyon Suite, for orchestra: On The Trail

5. Grand Canyon Suite, for orchestra: Sunset

6. Grand Canyon Suite, for orchestra: Cloudburst

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is one deep canyon, September 10, 2001

By 

richard mullany (waynesville, north carolina United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite; Gershwin: Porgy and Bess Suite (Audio CD)

If ever a recording was made that demonstrated the ability to reproduce a certain quality of sound this is one of them. I never fail to be impressed by the capture of the sound of the DSO in this "Grand Canyon". I think it way ahead of the competition in evoking the vastness of the scene. You need a good speaker system to do justice to it. The Porgy and Bess" is excellent; here is a big orchestra that knows how to count and so they sound perfectly at home with the music. I cringe when I hear an orchestra of hundreds playing something with a heavy handed drummer leading them on. All in all, a great recording!.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Knock-out sound and performance, August 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite; Gershwin: Porgy and Bess Suite (Audio CD)

This version of 'The Grand Canyon Suite' seems to have attained a certain classic status by virtue of its distinctive approach. The weight of this reading (the end of 'Sunrise' and 'Cloudburst' are massively portentous) removes this work from its usual pop classic status, giving us something almost Mahlerian in its breadth and power and even finding suggestions of 20th-century avant garde! In all, a version to satisfy even serious collectors, recorded in stunning sound. The Gershwin-Bennett selection is no less revealing. This arrangement of selections from 'Porgy and Bess' is quite skillful and the performance is completely evocative and stylish.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A magnificent Grand Canyon, October 7, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Wichita, Kansas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite; Gershwin: Porgy and Bess Suite (Audio CD)

Dorati squeezes every bit of orchestral color out of this performance of the Grand Canyon Suite, evoking vivid images of this national park. Sunrise and Cloudburst are particularlly compelling portraits. As always, the London recording engineers are able to produce concert hall sound quality. This is how Grofe's masterpiece should be played.