5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Napoleonic-inspired music, January 18, 2005
This review is from: Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture; Beethoven: Wellington's Victory (Audio CD)
The 1812 is a good rendition, especially with the hymns being sung, but what really makes this CD is Wellington's Victory.
I originally owned this on vinyl (it was the first album I ever bought, at age 12), and I was disappointed that all 180+ synthesized cannon shots were omitted from the CD, yet the ratchets (to simulate musket fire) were retained. I'd give this CD five stars if the cannon fire were still included. It's got to be the most stirring rendition of Wellington's Victory ever recorded.
The first half, which re-creates the battle of Vittoria, Spain, in 1813 (at which Napoleon was not present), introduces both armies with trumpets on left & right. From there, the sides clash, at an ever-increasing tempo and intensity, until the final French assault is broken, and the battle winds down.
The listener can easily envision the armies colliding, smoke covering the field, and the casualties and exhausted veterans breaking off.
The second half of Wellington's Victory is the Victory Symphony, and that comes through brilliantly. It's noisy, jubilant, about as subtle as a runaway train, but nothing has ever sounded more outright victorious.
Come to think of it...I'll go listen to it again, right now.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Performance by Buketoff, January 27, 2002
This review is from: Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture; Beethoven: Wellington's Victory (Audio CD)
I originally purchased this album in the vinyl form (although with a different coupling), and I was so impressed since this was the first time that someone had used the original chorus on this overture. When the vinyl album finally gave out to scratches, etc., I re-purchased in the cassette form (and I still have it). By luck, I happened to find it again in the CD format and I immediately purchased (and it even has a better coupling). I do recommend this album to all those persons who want to hear Tchaikovsky real idea of what the 1812 overture should sound like.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE BEST 1812, January 25, 2002
This review is from: Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture; Beethoven: Wellington's Victory (Audio CD)
What is the best version of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture? I have not heard all of them, but this one, I would venture to say is the best if not one of the best. The playing of the New Philharmonia Orchestra is keen, with a sense of climax, and conductor Igor Buketoff leaves no note by the wayside. The magic is all there... and the original choral parts are included. As for Ormandy and the Wellington's Victory, it is also top rate. The playing is gorgeous, the sound very clean. Top marks.
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