Customer Reviews

Kabalevsky: Colas Breugnon; The Comedians; Romeo and Juliet

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

 

 

I stumbled on this CD by accident recently, and was more than surprised--I was astonished. Whenever I discover a piece by Kabalevsky (violin concerto, cello concertos), I always wonder why he's thought of as so second-rate. Certainly not because of the works on this disc! Each piece is extremely colorful, melodic, and inventive, particularly the evergreen Comedians Suite, which contains one of the "wittiest" pieces ever written, the Galop. The suite as a whole sounds like film music for the zaniest romp ever filmed, though no picture could adequately convey Kabalevsky's incredible score.

The suite for Romeo and Juliet is a different matter. Naturally, it's hard to approach a suite to "Romeo and Juliet" without thinking of Prokofiev's famous ballet. However, even with that comparison looming in the background, Kabalevsky's work stands on its own. Though you don't find a "balcony scene" or a "death of Tybalt," the music is memorable, exciting, and always dramatic. In fact, it's nice to see the drama through another composer's eyes for a change.

Not to shortchange the suite from the opera Colas Bruegnon (sp?), either; this is also superb music, again, more dramatic than the Comedians suite, but a nice counterpart to Romeo and Juliet. I'm not sure why these suites have been consigned to the dustbin of Soviet music, but I'm glad to find them, especially in such an excellent performance. Really, what would classical music lovers do without Naxos? Their series of Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Khachaturian, and Kabalevksy has given me a complete education in Soviet music. This disc is one class--er, disc--that you don't want to skip.

This CD has some great music on it. Kabalevsky's music needs "a light touch" and this CD contains that. The Comedians is great, and Colas Breugnon, which I had never heard before, was interesting. This CD is definatly recomended!

I was introduced to Kabalevsky in my youth orchestra when we performed the Overture to Colas Breugnon. The overture is incredibly fast-paced, exciting, and fun to play, so I went on a search for more Kabalevsky music. I was disappointed to find that he is, in my opinion, an under-rated composer. It isn't easy to find very many recordings of his works.

I stumbled across this CD featuring the Moscow Symphony, which features some great pieces. "The Comedians" has the energetic quality and the occasional bizarre chord progression that makes the Colas Breugnon suite (also on this recording) so much fun. And it is always interesting to hear yet another musical interpretation of "Romeo and Juliet."

I had never heard a recording by the Moscow Symphony, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of that group. The orchestra does a good job with some incredibly difficult music. I highly recommend this recording to both long-time Kabalevsky fans and new admirers.

Kabalevsky has his own voice. I have recordings of both introductions to Colas Breugnon and the Comedians done by Arthur Fielder and Kirill Kondrashin which are just slightly better. But being as how those versions are incomplete it is worth the whole package here and the generous filler of Romeo and Juliet.

I would say the light music is like the light music of Shostakovich maybe equal or not quite as good. But most of that is just my opinion since I am a Shostakovich devotee. Romeo and Juliet is nothing like Prokofiev and shouldn't be compared with that composer's outstanding ballet.

Someone had as the title of there review "Kabalevsky 101." I would pretty much agree with that except that I already have his concertos and symphonies which mark him as higher quality composer than this.

If it sounds like I am a pessismist about this CD maybe that is because I am. It is better than an average or mediocre effort on part of the performers and the composer, but some how it doesn't shine of true excellence either. I therefore give it four stars for trying very very hard.

I heard 'The Comedians' recently and remembered it from many years ago and had forgotten the title.That is why I went to your website and found this amongst a trilogy of Kabalevsky's works. I was even more delighted after playing the CD, when I found another of my favourite works was on the disk. I am more than satisfied with this disc, and it is now played on a regular basis.

John

Kabalevsky's music is usually melodic and straightforwardly approachable, but he was better at larger-scale music than miniatures, and it is the latter we get here - a series of light music works that are pleasant enough but ultimately not particularly memorable (with some exceptions). Best are the selections from his opera Colas Breugnon (which is available complete from Olympia and which is a very worthwhile work), of which the overture might be Kabalevsky's most popular work overall - it is a charming, quick-paced and tunefully engaging. Unfortunately it receives a somewhat lackluster performance here, lacking much with respect to the ebullient, sparkling spirit it needs. The rest of the suite is actually better played, but not as memorable musically.

The Comedians was a play written for a children's theatre and is rather inconsequential except for the really engaging Galop. In the Romeo and Juliet music the more lively pieces are again the most attractive, but the whole thing is in the end a little dull. The performances are generally good enough, but it is somewhat irritating that they are the best in the more lyrical parts, where Kabalevsky was less inspired, and lack some sparkle in the quicker-paced and better pieces. Still, you won't go really wrong with this issue, and at the price it is an attractive proposition.