Customer Reviews

Holst: The Planets; Britten: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra

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

 

 

Since Paavo Jarvi became the Cincinnati Symphony's Music Director in September, 2001, the Telearc label has issued 2 albums a year of the CSO directed by Maestro Jarvi, pretty much like clockwork, one in the Fall, and one in the Spring. This is the 16th in the series (more on that later).

This CD (70 min.) brings an all-British program, starting with Gustav Holst's momentous "The Planets" symphony. Keeping in mind that this symphony was intended to convey in music the influence of the planets on the human emotions and psyche, it makes for quite the listening experience, from the opening epic, almost bombastic, movement "Mars, The Bringer of War" to the gentle "Venus, the Bringer of Peace", to the scherzo "Mercury, the Winged Messenger", to the best movement on here (for me anyways), the 10 min. "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity", and on. Throughout, Maestro Jarvi brings out the best in his orchestra, with superb playing all around. I would've been perfectly pleased with just this symphony, but this album doesn't end there. Indeed, the added piece to this CD is Benjamin Brittan's immensely popular "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra", which is a nice and I guess a logical addition (please note this is the version without narration). In all, a great collection of music, and highly recommended!

As usual, courtesy the folks at Telearc, the recording/audio quality of this CD is nothing short of spectacular. Maestro Jarvi and the CSO are currently on a high-profile tour of Japan as we speak (including a nationally televised performance on the NHK TV channel) and this recording simply confirms the great work that Maestro Jarvi continues to do with the CSO. Sadly, the Telearc label has recently announced to call it a day as far as making new CDs and as a result this will be the last release of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra on Telearc (it remains to be seen whether the CSO can land a new label for future releases).

Telarc, as always, has engineered a great disc here. It is sad to note that it is the last from their collaboration with Cincinnati as they have produced some great discs over the years. The "Young Persons Guide to the Orchestra" was released several years ago with the "Enigma Variations." It is a great recording on a great disc. You might want to pursue that release if you prefer an SACD. While there are elements of brilliance in this version of "The Planets" it is not as good as some of its competitors. "Mars" never really sounds frightening, but "Jupiter" sounds wonderful with perhaps the most satisfying climax that I have come across. The low is "Saturn" where the balance and dynamics from the brass must be exact and they are not here. They make up for it though with "Neptune" which sounds spectacular with incredible detail and balance. I still prefer Dutoit with Montreal for this piece.

Being a huge fan of orchestration, it would only be natural (no pun intended) that I take a fancy to Holst's "The Planets". I'm not going to give a detailed account here, as someone else has already done a very good job of doing just that. I'll only add that this is THE most satisfying rendition of "The Planets" I've yet to come across. As one of the other reviewers hinted at, the big pay-off comes in Neptune - music that was composed way ahead of its time. I've never heard all the myriad, small details of orchestration register so clearly. But there's also some real "feel" for work going on here. It's not just a glitzy run-through. Also, the balances between the wordless women's chorus and orchestra are perfectly gauged.

Sorry to sound like a parrot, but it's also the best overall recording I've yet to hear of the Britten "YPGO" as well. The sound quality is simply stunning, turning this into an orchestral tour de force. That said, I do wish that they would include the narration more often.

I have several recordings of The Planets. This is without doubt the best sound quality but I still prefer Karajan's performance from the 80s

Paavo Jarvi cannot be blamed for the fact that his every CD is unfairly praised by the American Record Guide, which happens to be based in Cincinnati and shamelessly boosts everything done by the hometown orchestra. It's hard to judge Jarvi's dozen or so CDs except to note that the sound provided by Telarc is refreshingly clear and natural, that the musicians always play well (at about the level of the San Francisco Sym.), and that Jarvi's touch in general is light, brisk, and unaffected. But after hearing him in a wide range of music, I can't say I've heard a single great performance; he's Michael Tilson Thomas light, and MTT was light enough.


So it doesn't come as a surprise that Jarvi's view of The Planets gives us a smaller, more modest solar system than the blockbuster accounts do from Karajan and many others. This has always been a hi-fi demo piece more than a serious work, although Holst's genius in composing a populist classic can't be shortchanged. Jarvi's Mars promises to be tight and menacing, but about halfway through it goes on automatic. His Venus and Mercury are humdrum when they should be atmospheric. His Jupiter needs to be far more jovial -- or Jovian. This is stirring, rolicking music that doesn't need the fat trimmed. The Britten is a splendid showcase for the orchestra's various sections, but Jarvi is only middling in supplying any verve and drive.

I realize that this is entry-level classical music, and there will be many listeners who might love this CD. But as an addition to the discography of The Planets, it's forgettable.