Customer Reviews

Music of Samuel Barber

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I regard "Knoxville.. as one of the great pieces of music and the combination of Barber's music and Agee's words is compelling and deeply moving. I have four versions of the piece and all of them are good, but this version simply rises above the rest. McNair's voice is crystal clear and the orchestra is deeply involved, while not overwhelming her voice. The four elements -- music, words, voice and orchestra -- unite in a way that is unique and powerfully emotional. If you are not moved by this Knoxville, check your pulse.

This is a terrific collection of works by Barber. Like Copland, Barber's pieces evoke nostalgic images of America, but their overall character is delicate and pensive. The opening overture is as delightful as a summer picnic. It is a perfect lead-in to the soft reminiscences of Knoxville, poignantly rendered by Sylvia McNair. The outpouring of grief from the 1st Essay and the heartbreak of the Adagio are adroitly interrupted by the anger & agitation of the 2nd Essay. Medea's Dance is an appropriate farewell closer. All in all, a well programmed disc with 65 minutes of great music and Telarc's unmatched sonics. Easily recommended!

Sylvia McNair's rendition of Knoxville: Summer of 1915 is excellent. Her voice is ALWAYS in tune, very musical, very full, and very pure. This recording of Knoxville is the reason I would give the CD 5 stars. If you want a great recording of this piece and like Barber (who wouldn't?!) then I wholeheartedly recommend this CD.

BUT Levi's Overture to the School for Scandal is WAY TOO SLOW. I really don't understand what happened. Thomas Schippers made a recording of this piece that makes is sound really neat, but here, with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, it becomes really boring.

Everything else on the CD is definitely worthwhile to listen to. I don't think recordings of the 1st Essay are very common, and the 2nd Essay and Medea's Dance of Vengeance sound great.

The Adagio is not the best I've ever heard, but it's still very good, and I don't think any shortcomings would be obvious unless you've heard a whole bunch of recordings of the piece. The tempo is good, the climax climactic. The only real shortcoming is that it's not quite the same as Thomas Schipper's which *is* the best I've heard.

So, all in all, I would buy this recording, not only because Knoxville is so good on it, but also because it gives a good, well-played (for the most part) representation of Barber's orchestral music.

Note: the Thomas Schippers recording I keep mentioning is with the New York Philharmonic. It has music by a couple of other composers on it which is pretty good, but the Barber stuff is REALLY good.

The diverse pieces on this CD give us a wonderful example of Samuel Barber's genius, and leaves no doubt as to his place in the hierarchy of American music, from the dramatic and theatrical opening and closing works, to the poignant, exquisite "Knoxville: Summer of 1915", to the much loved "Adagio for Strings", a composition even people who never listen to classical music are familiar with.
"The School for Scandal Overture" has always been a favorite of mine, and "Knoxville", so beautifully sung by soprano Sylvia McNair, uses the words of James Agee, that describes small town living in days gone by, in a profoundly touching way.

The "First Essay for Orchestra" was premiered along with "Adagio for Strings" by the grand maestro Arturo Toscanini in an NBC broadcast when Barber was only 28, and was the beginning of Barber's many huge successes, both critical and popular.
The "Second Essay" was written for Bruno Walter in 1942, and is much more abstract than the "First Essay", and is the least familiar piece on this CD for me, and the "Adagio for Strings" is given an appropriately delicate, somber performance, contrasted by "Medea's Dance of Vengeance", which builds to a fantastic rhythmic finale.

Barber's music stirs the emotions, enchants with his strong melodic lines, and always has that uniquely American "sound", music that could not have been composed anywhere but the U.S.A.
Yoel Levi and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra do justice to these terrific works, and Ms. McNair is perfect in "Knoxville", which is one of the signature pieces in her repertoire.
Recorded in 1991, the booklet insert has liner notes on Barber's life, the text of "Knoxville", a small bio of McNair, and full recording info. Total playing time is 65'29.

I agree with the other reviewer of this item. "Knoxville" has never been recorded with such grace, elegance, sophistication and nostalgia. Syvia McNair sings with such authority, and delivers every word with what I am sure would be James Agee's textual intent! The other selections are marvelous as well. The "Essays" are recorded as true Romantic tone poems as Barber intended. What an incredible gift Yoel Levi has for interpreting Barber's music. Buy it for "Knoxville" and for everything else!

I agree with the other reviewers here. Sylvia McNair delivers a balanced, emotive, and very enjoyable performance of Knoxville: Summer of 1915. I have musical friends who swear by Dawn Upshaw instead, but it's a question of taste. I find Upshaw too much like Midori for me: very accurate and precise, not as lyric or inspiring. Having heard several other versions, I think McNair's voice and interpretation seem to flow best with the music; it's not a dual, or even a collaboration. Voice and orchestra seem very nearly one.
The other pieces on this collection are well done, but Knoxville is my indubitable favorite.

I agree with earlier reviewers regarding this recording of "Knoxville: Summer of 1915" - one of Barber's most beautiful and hauntingly nostalgic works - is exceptional. Sylvia McNair is one of (if not THE) best interpreters of this piece that I've ever come across.

HOWEVER, the "Overture to the School for Scandal" - a wonderful, playful, and above all, swift orchestral work is taken INTOLERABLY SLOW here. The "Adagio for Strings", probably Barber's most famous work, is well conducted here, although for both "Adagio" and "Overture", I would strongly recommend the recording made by the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Slatkin, of Barber's music. Here, the "Adagio" is suffused with more emotion, and the Overture is handled magnificently.

great album to the previous reviews i cannot add anything that makes sense. I just like this music very much.

I agree with earlier reviewers regarding this recording of "Knoxville: Summer of 1915" - one of Barber's most beautiful and hauntingly nostalgic works - is exceptional. Sylvia McNair is one of (if not THE) best interpreters of this piece that I've ever come across.

HOWEVER, the "Overture to the School for Scandal" - a wonderful, playful, and above all, swift orchestral work is taken INTOLERABLY SLOW here. The "Adagio for Strings", probably Barber's most famous work, is well conducted here, although for both "Adagio" and "Overture", I would strongly recommend the recording made by the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Slatkin, of Barber's music. Here, the "Adagio" is suffused with more emotion, and the Overture is handled magnificently.