Customer Reviews

Holst: The Planets/John Williams: Star Wars/Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One of the best double-CD sets in classical music is this superlative reissue of top-notch performances of space-related music by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the conductor who put it into world-class status, Zubin Mehta.

On Disc One, we get the orchestra's epic 1971 recording of Gustav Holst's celebrated suite "The Planets." In terms of the recording and performance, this has to rank as one of the greatest recordings this piece has ever had, right alongside Ormandy's equally vibrant 1975 RCA recording. The women's voices of the Los Angeles Master Chorale in "Neptune" are appropriately haunting and interstellar. This is followed by the orchestra and the chorale in a 13-minute arrangement of themes from the 1977 Steven Spielberg sci-fi classic CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND by John Williams, and it is something to behold.

Disc 2 opens up with the celebrated "Dawn" sequence that opens up Richard Strauss' celebrated tone poem "Also Sprach Zarathustra"--the music that became well known worldwide in 1968 thanks to director Stanley Kubrick's cagey use of it in his classic sci-fi epic 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. Mehta and the orchestra recorded Strauss' 34 minute tone poem shortly after "2001" was released, and they came up with a version that arguably surpasses the 1954 Reiner/Chicago version that so often grabs the glory. The disc concludes with more John Williams, this time a symphonic suite of themes from STAR WARS, dating like CLOSE ENCOUNTERS from 1977. This ultra-familiar music is excellently performed and recorded.

Mehta and the L.A. Philharmonic made a great deal of fine recordings, and the four works featured on this double-disc set are proof of that. This is a two-fer that is not to be missed.

I'm glad someone else realizes Mehta conducts Williams better than Williams. The phrasing and balances are much better. The Planets is excellent, although some of the newest DG 4-D wonders are good sonically. But Mehta simply lets the music play itself without too much fussing. Most impressive, however, is the Zarathustra. It is one of the best because it uses a REAL pipe organ, not one of those electronic sheep bleeting things that masks out both the orchestra and the composer's spine-tingling harmonics that make this piece so awesome. Anyway, it is a superb collection of space-related works that also stands the test of classic concert scrutiny. This is simply the best overall collection of this music available.

Being a "fan" of classical music as well as a collector of good sci fi film scores, I immediately picked up this double CD even if I was short on cash. Although I have become used to my own favorite interpretations of these selections( like Andre Previn for the Zarathustra, Gardiner for The Planets, and John Williams or Charles Gerhardt for Star Wars)this album made me hear other parts of these works that I had not liked, or listened well before. This should be a collectors piece. Worth the price for any of the pieces.

This is the version of "Star Wars" you want. It has the raucus, almost bawdy victorious power you remember from the movie.

Likewise are the other pieces. Besides being the themes from "Star Wars", "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Close Encounters", there is the classical classic (can I say that?) work, "The Planets" by Holst.

I think the them to 2001 ("Thus Spake Zarathustra") also was the intro the famous Macintosh commerical (1984 Superbowl?).

These are more than pop-culture favorites that happen to be orchestral works. They are sophisticated and poetic, with more than easy melodies sweeping occasionally.

These are the complete suites. You might remember the glorious intro to 2001, but enjoy with this CD the full piece: almost 33 minutes.

The pace and range of the music undulates from serene, almost pastoral quietude to raging, fist in air excitement.

I fully recommend "Holst: The Planets/John Williams: Star Wars/Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra."

Anthony Trendl

Aside from all of this music all ready being excellent selsctions, Mehta has brought out essential parts of the orchestra that really bring the music alive. This shows highly in Planets. The mallet instruments, the timpini and the tuba finally have a place in this music. The only reason I haven't given it 5 stars is because the songs have a tendency to wear on me after awhile (I am very picky about giving out 5s). Uranus I must say has undergone a complete surgery and is wonderful! This is the best example of how the music has been transformed. This is THE Planets CD. Star Wars is typical and the Strauss is great in much the same way the Planets are.

Like I said in the one line summary, this series of recordings has some of the best tuba playing ever to be heard on this planet (no pun intended). The pedal EE in Uranus is unbelievable, especially if you have a stereo system with good bass. Tuba playing aside, the interperetation of Mars is easily the most powerful and emotional I've ever heard. And frankly, I think Mehta conducts Star Wars better than Williams, even though it's his own work.

Okay, so the album isn't all John Williams. However, I think the selections to create this album were superb! You get the best of outer space soundtracks with this double CD set!

I should mention that I enjoy this album merely because of the works used to put it together. Some of the interpretations left a bit to be desired (hence, the reason why I give this only four, instead of five, stars). For example, I felt the horn player in "Mars" (the first movement of "The Planets") was too overbearing (I thought he/she overdid the vibrato, among other things), rather than subtle (as done in the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal's version, ASN# B0000041S7 -- check out my review of that album). Additionally, I wasn't too crazy about "Cantina Band" in "Star Wars" -- it's not that I don't like the piece (I do!); rather, the fade out by the sound engineer was unnatural and inappropriate for an orchestral work. (C'mon, shouldn't a fine group led by the great Zubin Metha be able to perform a decrescendo ending without any electronic help?)

Criticism aside, let me say that I LOVE this album! Even though I might attack the performance quality, I loved how the works were selected and organized. If you're a fan of sci-fi or action/adventure soundtracks, you'll thoroughly enjoy what you hear!

This is a great CD for the Sci-Fi fan. It has all of the music that you could want. It has the classic "Star Wars Suite" from " Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope," but it also includes the "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" suite from Lucas' director buddy, Steven Spielberg.

The compilers got another bull's-eye by including Holst's "The Planets," which is the source for the themes of Star Wars. For example, play "Mars," then listen to the themes associated with the Empire. Or play "Venus" and compare that to "Princess Leia's Theme." And the similarities between "Mercury" and "The Little People" are too obvious to state.

"The Cantina Theme" is strong, except for the bridge. In the original recording there were steel drums that are conspicuously absent.

For some reason, the entire "Also Sprach Zarathustra" was included on the CD. The introduction was made famous by "2001: A Space Odyssey," but the rest of the opus has been forgotten. I think they just had extra space on the CD, so they included the rest of the composition. Whatever reason, we are better for hearing all of the music that was based on Nietzsche's philosophical book of the same name.

The recording is clear and sharp, and I have had no technical problems with the CD skipping. The cover-art has some of those unusual pictures from the Hubble Telescope that gives the entire product that sense of otherness we all crave.

This music is a great piece! If you listen carefully to some music (for example: Star wars, Jurassic Park, ect.), you can hear bits and pieces that are identical, or resemble, these pieces.

I'm a casual listener of movie soundtracks and classical music, but I've listened to hundreds of albums. The Planets is up there with the best. It's such a rich, wonderful listening experience. As other reviewers have noted, it makes great use of a rumbling bass, but never overdoes it. It's epic in quality, but is calm enough to have on in the background while you're working or resting. This CD will stay in my player for quite some time to come.