Customer Reviews

Holst: The Planets / Dutoit, Montreal Symphony Orchestra (Penguin Music Classics Series)

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

You really can't miss with this recording. Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony rise to the occasion and deliver a "Planets" that is bright when it has to be (as in "Jupiter"), daringly bold (even for "Mars"), and unearthly etheral ("Neptune"). In many other recordings of this piece, there is usually a weak link, or several. One of the planetary pieces just seems to fall short from the rest. Here you find superb quality all around. I thought I had a really good version with James Levine and the Chicago Symphony, but I like this one even better. The clarity of the recording is remarkable.

Perhaps one of the best recordings of orchestral music I have ever heard. The only better performance I've heard of The Planets was by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra-- live at Symphony Hall in Chicago. Perhaps what makes this recording so astounding is not only a stellar performance, but also the fact that it is all digital (DDD)-- hard to come by in the world of classical music. The beat of the timpanis in Mars sounds sharper than ever. A must-have for any collection.

The "hype" for Gustav Holst's "The Planets" is absolutely true: this is one of the great leaps of the musical imagination. Drawing upon the mythological origins of the names of the planets of the solar systems (excluding Earth and the as-yet-undiscovered Pluto), Holst created a seven-movement suite that is still today beloved for its compelling musical visions and thrilling orchestrations. "The Planets" is, to this day, an enchanting and completely memorable work...especially if it is given a well-played, sympathetic performance.

For the most part, that is what Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra provide in this CD (which only contains the suite). Sure, perhaps at times the playing could use a bit more savage bite---the strings sometimes sound a bit thin, at least compared to the string section of, say, the Berlin Philharmonic---but, when it counts, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra can deliver the goods. And Charles Dutoit's interpretation overall is splendid: sensitive to atmosphere and mood, but also attentive to the bigger picture, movement by movement and as a whole.

Now, for those of you may never have heard this work, you might be thinking, "as a whole? This sounds like simply like a collection of seven little tone poems. What do you mean by 'as a whole'?" Sure, "The Planets" is not exactly a symphony, per se. But, at least as Dutoit and his orchestra play it, there is a center of sorts to the whole work, and that center is "Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age." In the previous four movements, Holst follows up the orchestral battle of "Mars, the Bringer of War" with three basically positive movements: the ethereal "Venus, the Bringer of Peace" (a little slow in this performance, but ravishing nevertheless); the quicksilver "Mercury, the Winged Messenger"; and the alternately joyous and yearning "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity," with its highly tuneful central theme.

But then "Saturn" comes creaking in, and suddenly the work goes into altogether darker waters. And this is where this performance really hits its stride. Not even Adrian Boult---who is often considered an authority in this work, and whose last EMI recording of the work (now a part of the "Great Recordings of the Century" series) should be heard as well---is as viscerally frightening as Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra are in rendering Holst's unforgettable depiction of the frailty and fear of death that comes in old age. I would almost say that what took Mahler four long movements to express in his Ninth Symphony, Holst takes in about 10 minutes to express in "Saturn"; a clamorous orchestra tutti with bells and brass prominent gives way to the soft-voiced acceptance of death that closes the movement. The final note---as does the final note of the concluding Adagio of Mahler's Ninth---seems to fade away into oblivion. All of this is fantastically interpreted by Dutoit and performed by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra; their performance of this movement alone makes this disc worth the purchase.

And so on, from the medium-speed "Sorcerer's Apprentice"-style happenings of "Uranus, the Magician", to "Neptune, the Mystic", a truly mystical finale that introduces a wordless female choir into the mix in its second half. This choir-dominated part of the movement has always struck me as something of a brilliant afterthought, a cool orchestral effect Holst simply couldn't resist putting in, even if the movement could conceivably have been effective without it. (The section is also, strangely, marked "Allegro", although Dutoit takes it at a much slower, arguably more effectively atmospheric tempo.) But the ending, in a way, is magical: as the choir repeats the same two notes and become softer and softer, it is as if we are slowly being transported out of Holst's musical solar system and into some sort of great beyond.

(Very minor) misgivings aside, Holst's "The Planets" is still one of the great glories of orchestral literature, one whose pleasures of the imagination will hopefully always remain fresh. And Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, for the most part, do the work justice. As mentioned before, Sir Adrian Boult's EMI recording of the work from the late 1970s is also worth hearing, a quite different but no less compelling interpretation powerfully played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra (and more fiercely recorded than this more natural-sounding Decca disc). But Dutoit's reading is worthy of your attention nevertheless, especially for the fantastic and deeply moving "Saturn." Recommended.

It is a great joy when something comes along so beautiful and moving that it goes way beyond just entertainment or music. With Charles Dutoit's recording of the Planets, (I own the original London release)you obtain just that. It contains the perfect blend of music, tempi, enviornment and some of the greatest musicianship ever recorded. The Montreal Symphony is recorded in full and detailed splendor and "we" the listener are taken to places so moving and glorious that it is truly a "rare moment in human feeling". You do not have to be a musician or a classical freak, (I am both but that is another story) to enjoy the power of Mars, or the splendor of the remaining movments. I have heard every other version released and NOTHING comes close to this recording. Solti, Previn and the rest, all take a back sit to this once in a lifetime recording. So, take this disc, sit in your favorite chair, turn off the lights and get ready to soar. Enjoy, Enjoy, Enjoy!

After obtaining eight different recordings of this work, I must say that Dutoit's interpretation of The Planets is probably the best overall. The violins are absolutely fantastic! The only thing that bothers me is the fact that Mars comes out as a little too soft. Mata and the Dallas Symphony come in a close second.

It may be impossible to select a "best" version of this popular modern work, but this would be the one I choose. The recording quality is absolutely first-rate, the tempo never lags, the orchestration is rich and vivid, and most importantly for me, the spiritual focus of the piece, the great central tune of Jupiter with its roots in English folk music, is gloriously played and then transitions seamlessly back into the reprise of the opening portion of Jupiter which is also superbly done, not too staccato as some versions including Karajan's are. Musically the piece may not be in the class of Beethoven or Mozart, but I can't imagine it SOUNDING better than in this recording by Dutoit.

If this isn't the finest version of Holst's best known creation, then I don't know what is! This is one of the finest popular classic recordings ever. If you're new to romantic classical music, this a good jump-off point to create an essential collection. And what amuses me is how often film composers have plundered this music for countless science fiction movies. But don't let that fact spoil the experience. Enjoy!

This CD is filled with a pantheon of moods, tempos, and aural visualizations. I cannot listen to the CD without seeing the mythological god ascribed to each planet, and some epic landscape that Holst creates with the symphonic instruments at his disposal. Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Stravinsky are all given runs for their proverbial money as Holst encompasses all three of their styles in a single dynamic CD.

#1, "Mars the Bringer of War," is Holsts most unanimously recognizable piece Not only is this symphonic anthem used in multiple science fiction media productions, its melody and theory have been heavily influential to many musicians beyond its own time. Mars is possibly the heaviest classical piece ever written, giving Wagner and his heavy horns a fierce competitor.
John Williams may be the foremost culprit who mimicked Mars' dark and brooding sensibility, and its epic swell of rolling drums and horns, in one of his own finest achievements: his musical contributions to the original three "Star Wars" movies produced by the aesthetically ailing George Lucas.

#2, "Venus, the Bringer of Peace," is just as its title heralds. It is peaceful, both lightly sweet and almost overpoweringly rich. Frequent `slurs' are used on the strings and a repetitive theme is built upon until a pseudo-climax.

#3, "Mercury the Winged Messenger," may have my favorite section in any classical piece ever composed. The apex of Mercury is not a long time coming; it only lasts about fifteen blissful seconds and transpires about 2:30 into the song. During the climax throngs of horns are accompanied by a sting explosion: reminiscent of the flurry of wings as a group of doves take off for better perching. It winds itself down using the same harmonal theme and drifting off instruments into the proverbial silecne of space.

#4, "Jupiter The Bringer of Jollity," is the most personified piece of music I have ever heard short only to Prokliev's, "Peter and the Wolf." Holst is truly a master of conjuring emotions from notes, melodies, and even techniques exuded by instruments at his disposal. Jupiter is an uplifting piece well suited for the planet that is indeed larger than life.

The next three tracks begin to wind down, growing eerie, and almost abstract, even incorporating a female choir at one point, in "Neptune the Mystic." The pieces really become steeped in subtle mysticism, portraying both the mystery of these far planets and also analogously the passage of Gustav's life, with ":Saturn, the bringer of old age."

All in all, this is an excellent recording, really excelling in pieces 3 and 5, 6, and 7. For those of you that love the composers mentioned in the first paragraph and love soundtracks and visuals conjured from music, this cd with "vine your mind" with epic, grandiose images.

***** Five stars, Highest recommendation.

Of the many versions of THE PLANETS that I've heard (I own three myself), this one is probably my favorite...not an easy conclusion to make, since I don't think a "definitive" recording exists (in fact, I own multiple versions precisely because there is no one "perfect" recording of THE PLANETS...and Holst's work is so magnificent that it deserves all the attention I can give it). Having said this, if I had to choose only one, it would be this.

The main attribute of this recording is one of technical precision. No other issue of THE PLANETS equals it in terms of sound quality, but more importantly, the orchestra is unbelieveably tight throughout. Every entrance, every exit, every crescendo, etc. is absolutely played as "one voice", all the more remarkable considering the massive number of parts in Holst's score.

While one could argue that this piece does not have the emotional depth of, say, Boult's versions, or the reeling cosmology of Karajan's early 80's recording, it more than makes up for any shortcomings by leaving all of its competitors in the dust with regard to sonic perfection and pure technical musicianship. I recommend it highly as a benchmark recording of THER PLANETS, although like me you may find yourself wanting more than one version of this, Holst's unsurpassed masterpiece. For whatever version you choose, the real star is Holst's score itself, one of the most fabulous and influential pieces of music ever composed. It has been said that all film music comes from THE PLANETS (I would also add Wagner's "Ring" cycle and Orff's "Carmina Burana" to any list of movie-music wellsprings); give this disc a listen and you'll see what is meant by that statement.

Now. For a couple of reasons:
1. A piece of recording history (Dutoit at the height of his powers)
2. Some of the finest brass playing I have ever heard in my entire life.
3. fantastic sound quality
4. An unprecedented interpretation
5. clear, crisp, dead-accurate unity of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra
6. An excellent price.
7. Because it bewilders me that this is not an "essential CD" on the Amazon list
I don't think I will ever hear a more balanced, quintessential, Planets than this one.
I spent the last summer observing Dutoit conduct the Philedelphia in Saratoga almost every other day. His series of concerts in 2005 were incredible and inspring. Listening to this recording truly reinforces the position of the French master.
I've heard Karajan's, Boult's, and Previn's with the RPO. Karajan's is rather grounded, Boult's is the most elegant, and Previn's captures each mood perfectly. These recordings are all great but you'll be going back to this one every time. It will combine all the Balance, Elegance, and mood into one perfect Performance.
Absolutely Stunning.