Preludes Overtures & Ballet Music 1

Verdi (Artist), Downes (Artist), BBC Philharmonic (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 18, 1997)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Chandos
• ASIN: B000000B0H
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #150,207 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Overture: Oberto

2. Overture: Un Giordo di Regno

3. Overture: Nabucco

4. Prelude: Ernani

5. Prelude: I Due Foscari

6. Overture: Giovanna D'Arco

7. Overture: Alzira

8. Prelude: Attila

9. Prelude: Macbeth

10. Ballet Music: Macbeth, Ballo I

11. Ballet Music: Macbeth, Ballo II

12. Ballet Music: Macbeth, Ballo III

13. Prelude: I Masnadieri

14. Prelude: Il Corsaro

15. Overture: La Battaglia di Legnano

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Bland and unexciting performances, October 23, 2009

By 

G.D. (Norway) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Preludes Overtures & Ballet Music 1 (Audio CD)

If any issue in Chandos's series of Verdi overtures and preludes (and orchestral excerpts) should have any special interest, it should be this one. By focusing on Verdi's early works, it does give you the opportunity to hear extracts from some works you are unlikely to hear in full very often (and, frankly, don't want to hear in full particularly often), such as Oberto, Un Giordo di Regno, Alzira and Attila and others. And as always the music contains some catchy tunes, pathos on the verge of vulgarity - rather often beyond, and excitement. These are easy pleasures and - as stand-alone concert works - little more. But if they are to be worthwhile, at least they have to be performed with flair and character, and by that measure this release is far from any unqualified success. The orchestra goes through the motions, and the playing is technically immaculate, but there is little spirit, and everything is simply too polite - mostly too slow as well. Given, in addition, that the sound quality is under par for Chandos, rather distant and overcushioned, there is really little to savor in or salvage from this issue. Unless you really need to hear these pieces and can find them nowhere else I cannot really recommend this disc. A missed opportunity, really.