Customer Reviews

Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Night on Bald Mountain; Ravel: Valses nobles et sentimentales

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've encountered a surprising number of people who rave about this recording of Pictures at an Exhibition, so I was excited to hear it, but it proved completely disappointing. The New York Philharmonic could be one of the best orchestras in the world today, but they just don't play like a team.

While the strings and winds are generally quite good on this recording (and particularly the winds in the Ravel), the New York Philharmonic brass section is especially problematic. If they played with their best sounds, accurately produced what Mussorgsky wrote, and responded to Sinopoli's interpretation, this would have been a fantastic performance. Instead, they're constantly overblowing, to the point that they sound either angry or like they're trying to assert their insecure manhood, and are constantly holding notes past the written lengths, which bleeds into other textures and ruins harmonies. This alone makes this particular performance unbearable.

I had hoped they might redeem themselves with "Night on Bald Mountain" or "Valses nobles et sentimentales," but was sorely disappointed. More of the same.

Don't get me wrong: I like a powerful brass section. However, there must be taste, musicality, and musicianship. For that, and for a fine performance of Pictures at an Exhibition with a powerful brass section, I find Solti's recording with the Chicago Symphony far more rewarding, and Solti's interpretation better-paced.

Although I already had plenty of versions of the Mussorgsky works in my CD collection, I was swayed by the lavish praise heaped on this Sinopoli recording by Amazon reviewers. Buying it was certainly one way to determine if the praise was deserved. Since I decided it wasn't, I'm out the money but gained some experience in trusting my fellow reviewers here on Amazon. Sinopoli has done credible work elsewhere (Gurrelieder, Schubert's 8th, etc.), but this version of Pictures on the Bald Mountain (or is it Night at the Exhibition?) wasn't remarkable. Yes, there was the occasional "hmmm, interesting" moment, but they were few and far between. Of the movements, Limoges seemed to be well-thought-out from beginning to end: if all the movements had this quality of interpretation, Sinopoli would have earned 5 stars, not 3. One reviewer praised the muted trumpet solo for being rich rather than thin, but wasn't a thin sound from Schmuyle what Ravel intended in his transcription (although I'm not necessarily endorsing Karajan's version)?

There are far worse versions than this (not considering Tomita's for the moment), but there are certainly more definitive versions as well. Look to Giulini and Abbado as more reliable guides here, at least on Pictures. (Abbado's original version of Night on Bald Mountain is worth acquiring, but it's not a fair comparison here because it's a completely different work than what Rimsky put through his beatgrinder.)

This splendid Deutsche Grammophon recording of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" deserves its critical praise as among the finest versions ever recorded. Sinopoli leads the New York Philharmonic in a majestic performance, noted for his appropriate use of broad tempi, slowly building from one satisfactory climax to another. The New York Philharmonic's brass and string sections are exemplary, playing with much warmth and brilliance. Indeed, the New York Philharmonic's brass section sounds as vibrant as the Chicago Symphony's or the Berlin Philharmonic's. "Pictures at an Exhibition" is coupled with two splendid performances of Mussorgsky's "Night on Bare Mountain" and Ravel's "La Valse". Anyone who doubts whether the New York Philharmonic can play as well as its peers in Chicago and Berlin should listen to this fine recording, which is unquestionably among the orchestra's best in the past two decades.

Sinopoli's performance of Ravel's orchestral version of Pictures at an Exhibition is among the very best in the market. The recording is cristal clear that if you listen with headphones, you may actually listen the rustle of the performers clothing as they move on their chairs. The resonant sounds of the brass section may seem strange at first, but it is one of the most memorable aspects of this recording. Somehow, Sinopoli's performance moves me more than, say, Karajan's, which is also a beautiful performance. I'm motivated to write this review in part to challenge the low rates given to this disc by Greg Hales below, who sounds as if he has an unresolved personal grudge against the NY Philarmonic Orchestra. Don't trust his words: they are not his own, since he borrows his ideas and opinions from others. This is his review of Bernstein's performance of Mahler's 9th Symphony: "This recording brings the only time that Bernstein conduted the Berlin Philharmonic as far as I know. The results are electric." Now, compare to the Penguin Guide's review: "Bernstein's version of Mahler's Ninth, made live in 1979, was the solitary occasion when he was permitted to conduct Karajan's own orchestra, and the response is electric..." That is the pattern of all of his reviews.

While there are many good Pictures, this is among the few very good or even excellent versions available. The NYPhil rarely sounds this good. The brass play with a great amount of power, grace, and refinement too seldom heard. My only problem with this is the tuba, at times, is too loud and takes over the bass line. Otherwise this recording is great. Other versions at this level are Reiner-CSO and Jarvi-Cincinatti.
Night on Bald Mountain is good, but not the Rimsky-Korsakov orchestration that is more popular. The Ravel is found better on other discs. Buy this disc for Pictures and enjoy.

The field is so thick with good recordings of Mussorgsky's "Pictures" -- and the work is so esy to conduct -- that you can pick the style you happen to prefer. The ones that exist to display orchestral virtuosity (e.g., Reiner, Karajan, Abbado) have led the field for a long time, but this was meant to be music, after all, whose appeal is emotional. Versions that show personal feeling are rare. My favorite is Bernstein's, also with the NY Phil. (remastered on Sony), and Giulini (DG), but consideralby less so. Now Sinopoli can be added to the list a notch or two below Giulini.

It's clear from the outset that Sinopoli wants to paint an emotional picture for each title, not simply a sound picture, and that makes sense to me, since unlike Mussorgsky we don't have the actual visual images in our minds. If you are bothered by the prospect of "The Old Castle," with its mournful saxophone solo, taking over five min., then Sinopoli's way with the score will seem self-indulgent. In fast movements like "The Tuileries Gardens," the texture is softer than usual, with less flash than, say, Reiner. The overall effect is dream-like, as if the composer were lost in reverie as he strolls from picture to picture. DG's sonics are fine, and the NY Phil., which always seemed dto like Sinopoli, plays with unexpected delicacy and restraint.

Pairing the main event with 'Night on Bald Mountain' is par for the course (we get an exciting reading of the familiar Rimsky-Korsakov edition), but adding Ravel's Valses Nobels et Sentimentales isn't -- I suppose Sinopoli wanted to show us what Ravel could do when orchestrating his own piano music, not just Mussorgsky's. His reading is more extravert and less refined than many competitors, but then, refinement in Ravel easily becomes precious and chilly.

Having uttered nothing but praise, I sitll can't quite give five stars, because Sinopoli's unusually thoghtful way with "Pictures" misses some of the socre's brilliance and flair.

Ok, I haven't heard all the other versions. Yet, this one is special indeed. The horns are amazing. One note, or one halted note of those horns, and I was completely blown away and transformed into an entirely different landscape. Seldomly has any recording given me such a special atmosphere and vibration as this one. Sinopoli gets the tempi exactly right, he does not haste though the piece, but builds instead a picture of majesty and power without giving even the slightest impression of being contrived at all. One might argue about the tuba, and I admit, I had to get used of it, but the more I listended the better I found it fitting into the overall balance of the piece.

In my mind, this recording shows why the New York Philharmonic still is one one of the greatest orchestras around. Again, even though somebody might promote other, "better" recordings that are claimed to be out there,this one certainly is still way up there, and, maybe somewhat different, still very highly recommended.

There a ton of good recordings of Pictures at an Exhibition out there- and this is one of them.

My question is: why by one of the ton? Actually, it is a smart thing to do perhaps, you know you can't really go wrong with this one, but a truly unique an exciting recording is the one on Mercury with Dorati and Byron Janis. On that disc, you not only get a phenomenal, original orchestral version of this piece, conducted by the master, Dorati- but you also get Byron Janis playing the rarely heard piano Pictures, as it was originally intended by Mussorgsky. Also the liner notes on that set is incredible.

So, to sum it up, I wouldn't say DON'T buy this one,it is after all remarkably beautiful- but I would ask you to consider if there might be a better deal, with a much more individual sound out there (Mercury!)

This version of the Pictures certainly has a few unusual touches such as lots of use of tubas, especially in Baba Yaga, but given the innumerable recordings of this work I found them welcome. The sound is in the demonstration class, the strings rich, the brass memorable. The trumpet solo in Samuel Goldenberg is one of the finest I have ever heard, much richer and fuller in tone than, for example, in Karajan's recordings where it tends to get a subdued bleat. Well worth listening to.

I just got this cd today, and it's the best one I have heard. The opening Promenade starts with the full, robust New York Philharmonic brass then over to the strings and so forth. Bydlo is very nice and musical and gives you the impression that a poor peasant is singing sadly on his Oxcart. Baba Yaga is very intense, Catacombae does make you feel that you are in a cave with sculls and bones laying about. Night on Bald Mountain is also included on this disc and reminds me of Halloween indeed! Very nice! Highly Recommended!