Rossini: Overtures

Gioachino Rossini (Composer), Riccardo Chailly (Conductor), National Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: National Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Riccardo Chailly
• Composer: Gioachino Rossini
• Audio CD (June 13, 1995)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B00000425N
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,008 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #34 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music > Overtures

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful! Fresh Interpretations!, January 18, 2000

By 

"kv581" (Durham, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rossini: Overtures (Audio CD)

This CD is quite amazing for several reasons. For starters, you get two CDs for the price of one. Therefore, for the price of one CD, you get 14 Rossini overtures (I must admit that I have not even heard of some of the overtures included). All of the works included are well recorded, so there is very, very little of the hiss or blip that plague other CDs. The best aspect of the CD, however, does not lie in its technical values. Instead, it is the performances themselves that caught my attention. The interpretations taken by Chailly and the New Philharmonic Orchestra are certainly fresh, though not necessarily ones that I would feel safe taking had I been the conductor. The tempi and dynamics of several famous passages (some from the popular Barber of Seville) are not what I am used to, though I was pleasantly surprised to learn that such interpretations are possible without sounding bad. This CD is definitely a good buy. Even if you disagree with some of the interpretations, you still get two CDs for the cost of one. And, for those who are tired of hearing the same performances over and over, these two CDs offer something new that may very well recaptivate your heart.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All the Rossini I need!, June 29, 2003

By 

Ryan Richards "reb77" (Midland, MI United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rossini: Overtures (Audio CD)

As far as I'm concerned, I don't need to search the field for any other Rossini overture CDs--this 2-CD set has it covered. Chailly's interpretations of these pieces are wonderfully exuberant, and the National Philharmonic plays with precision and flair. These CDs have become the standard I use to judge other recordings of Rossini overtures. Granted, they're not perfect: As another reviewer pointed out, Chailly takes some passages differently than we're used to hearing them (the end of the Barber of Seville overture is faster than usual, for example). However, the orchestra is so competent and the conductor so assured that these small, occasional differences are refreshing rather than annoying. As well, there are (very) occasional moments where the orchestra slips a little out of synch, but only because they're having so much fun playing the music. This is Rossini the way it was meant to sound--playful, melodious and energetic to the end.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High Excitement, March 1, 2005

By 

Lenny - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rossini: Overtures (Audio CD)

I originally bought the LP versions way back before CDs were introduced. High excitement is the best way I can describe the performances. I have heard nothing since to equal Chailly's energetic read. I haven't gotten this CD version yet, but the first volume one did have better quality miking then the second volume. The price makes it worth just buying the CD instead of trying to digitize my LPs.