1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Decent but unexceptional, September 5, 2010
This review is from: Der Neue Orpheus / Violin Concerto (Audio CD)
Weill's concerto for violin and wind instruments is very well represented on disc, and while there isn't really much to complain about with this ASV version, it is not particularly distinguished either. Guttman's tone is robust and assured, and he is able to whip up the necessary identity and emotional darkness - the intonation and phrasing is generally good, but a few questionable moments remain. I am less convinced by the Rheinische Philharmonie under José Serebrier - Serebrier's choices seem decent enough, even though the tempi are overall a little slow; the orchestral playing is a little untidy, however. This is far from a front-runner, then, but by no means completely uncompetitive either.
The cantata Der Neue Orpheus, dating from the subsequent year and cast pretty much in the same style, is less well represented on disc, but is a less appealing work as well. Again Guttman is rather compelling in the crucial passages for solo violin, and again the orchestral playing and conducting is decent without being exceptional. Carole Farley is a tad too operatic for the music, and her diction is far from perfect - some of the words are slurred but even that is almost preferable to the unidiomatic German. The same problems beset the selection from Der Silbersee, and while the Street Scene selections fare better (obviously, given the language), the voice isn't very compelling here either. Overall an unexceptional disc.
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