Liszt: Faust-Symphony / Bernstein, Riegel, Boston Symphony Orchestra

Franz Liszt (Composer), Leonard Bernstein (Conductor), Boston Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Tanglewood Festival Chorus (Orchestra), Kenneth Riegel (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Kenneth Riegel
• Orchestra: Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood Festival Chorus
• Conductor: Leonard Bernstein
• Composer: Franz Liszt
• Audio CD (August 13, 1996)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B000001GQZ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #97,138 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Classical Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 13-AUG-1996

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heroic, April 25, 2000

By 

J. Buxton "cantabile" (Waltham, MA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Liszt: Faust-Symphony / Bernstein, Riegel, Boston Symphony Orchestra (Audio CD)

I assume since Bernstein made two commercial recordings of this work that it held some special meaning for him. This later version benefits from slightly better sound quality and a more mature interpretation, even though his earlier account with the New York Philharmonic on Sony is also very good. There is some really involving music here, probably some of the best Liszt ever wrote and Bernstein and the BSO take every opportunity to reveal the detail in the score. The sound from Symphony Hall in Boston is very satisfying and this version has been improved by the remastering of the original source tapes to be reissued by DG. It is certainly one of the finest recorded versions of this work.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Grand Faust, May 9, 2005

By 

Plaza Marcelino (Caracas Venezuela) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Liszt: Faust-Symphony / Bernstein, Riegel, Boston Symphony Orchestra (Audio CD)

This must qualify amongst the better recordings avaliable of any orchestral work by Liszt. Bernstein gives an exhuberant, powerful performance, extracting from his Boston players matching prowess. The recording quality serves the approach well, taking full advantage of the superior accoustics of the venue (Symphony Hall, Boston) in a very realistic perspective; you'll hear the BSO grimace, explode in anger, whisper lyrically and change abruptly from one mood to another, in a recording with a very wide recording range that serves this score of extremes very fittingly. Bernstein excelled in this kind of repertoire, he was especially gifted to conduct these romantinc works that explored the full range of emotional writing as well as that of the orchestral capabilities of the day. Liszt's harmonical experimenting and programmatical proposals played a key role in what came after him (Wagner, Mahler) and Bernstein always approached his works with that special quality in mind. So, if you agree with this attitude, you'll like this Faust Symphony, excellently remastered by DG for their "Originals" series.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A dramatic triumph, December 3, 2006

By 

Brian Walters (Melbourne, Victoria Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Liszt: Faust-Symphony / Bernstein, Riegel, Boston Symphony Orchestra (Audio CD)

Liszt's "Faust" Symphony is his greatest symphonic masterpiece. It is too little known for a work which is one of the high points of the romantic genre. It was a great revelation when I first heard it, and continuing familiarity has only increased my respect. The symphony ranges from heartrending lyrical beauty to spine-tingling dramatic force. The theme which binds all three movements is a powerful and simple motif focussed on the motivating force of human will. The choral section which comprises the finale sets an excerpt from Goethe's Faust - and it is fascinating to compare the way Liszt has treated the words set later by Mahler in his 8th Symphony. In this recording Bernstein gives his all, winning a fully committed performance from the Boston Symphony. Every classical music collection should have this wholly satisfying work - a dramatic triumph.