Customer Reviews

Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture & Other Orchestral Works

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By Janelle Gelfand The Cincinnati Enquirer

It's as much a staple of summertime concerts as picnics and flag waving. The Cincinnati Pops' new high-tech recording of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture will be on shelves today.

Pops conductor Erich Kunzel felt ambivalent about re-recording his all-time best-selling album of 1978, the 1812 Overture, last year. It had not yet sold a million copies (just 800,000).

That historic 1812 helped launch a record company - Cleveland-based Telarc - and a recording relationship with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Pops that has lasted more than 23 years. (For more, see the Telarc Web site, Telarc.com.)

Back then, it was the first-ever digital record, a wonder of mixing orchestra with bells and cannons - the first digital cannons. Over the years, sound effects have become a fixture in Telarc's 70 albums with the Pops. Now, with the new 1812 (that includes chorus), listeners will get yet a bigger bang for their buck.

"Please don't break anything or hurt yourself playing the 1812," warns Telarc's special effects guru Michael Bishop in the liner notes.

The album is recorded in the new, high-tech Direct Stream Digital (DSD), which again puts the Pops (and Telarc) on the cutting edge of technology. You'll hear the orchestra and chorus in three-dimensional sound - how dramatically will depend upon how up-to-the-minute your sound equipment is.

"On a high-resolution surround playback system, you'll feel the cannonballs zip dangerously close over your head," Mr. Bishop says. (For audiophiles, it's being released in two formats: Super Audio Compact Disc (SACD) and DVD-Audio, a new digital audio format. The SACD format can be played on conventional CD players.)

In addition to the 1812 Overture, the album includes six other works by Tchaikovsky, two of which, the "Cossack's Dance" from Mazeppa and the Capriccio Italien were on the 1978 recording.

Telarc recorded the bells, cannons and choruses - the Kiev Symphony Chorus, prepared by Roger McMurrin, and the Children's Choir of Greater Cincinnati, Robyn Lana, director - and layered them over the orchestra track.

The bells are the carillon from Cleveland's Church of the Covenant; the cannons - the same used in 1978 - were recorded at Blossom Music Center.

Drama of the music

Mr. Kunzel leads the 1812 with visceral power, tempered by moments of stirring lyricism. His tempos are brisk, and he lets the drama of the music speak for itself.

The opening a cappella hymn ("God Preserve Thy People," sung in Russian) has a dark color as only a Ukrainian chorus can produce. The chorus was recorded in Cleveland's Masonic Auditorium, and the sound is rich and resonant. (The tenors' intonation is a tad off, though.)

The orchestra sounds spectacular; the brass and percussion are weighty and thrusting. The buildup to the climactic moment with blazing cannons is exhilarating, and the finale, with the chorus soaring over the bells, is pure goose-bump music.

Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin is represented here with a Polonaise and a Waltz. Mr. Kunzel swaggers through this dance music; it's festive and brilliant, though short on detail

Italian holiday

One of the highlights is the Capriccio Italien. These memories of Tchaikovsky's Italian holiday are colorful and well-paced. A magnificent brass chorale opens the work, and the orchestra evokes the varied moods and charming dance tunes with a range of expression.

Marche Slave is sometimes played like a dirge, but Mr. Kunzel emphasizes its folk-like idiom, and keeps the tempo brisk. His conducting is incisive and dramatic, balancing the high-spirited fife-and-drum music with the stirring Russian national anthem.

Festival Coronation March is splendidly grandiose; and the "Cossack Dance" from Tchaikovksy's opera, Mazeppa is impressive for the sheer virtuosity of the playing.

I should've listened carefully to the two reviewers who gave ONE star to this CD. I bought it mainly for the sound. The sound was horrible: shallow, out of focus, and no ambience. Even the digital cannons didn't supprise me at all. I invited my friend over my home who had the original 1978 Telarc recording and we compared the two recordings: the first one was far better, both in playing and sound. It's like a cheap pizza you buy at a convenience store - lots of shallow toppings but no taste at all. Buy the first one and you won't be disappointed.

I had high hopes of hearing the marvelous 1812 overture in DVD Audio, with the bells, cannons, and full orchestra that CAN make the 1812 overture an incredible music experience.

This DVD-Audio falls completely flat. From the second I began listening, I figured SOMETHING had to be wrong with my system. I checked my connections. I checked to make sure that it was actually running in DVD-Audio mode in my DVD - AUDIO player.

I played another DVD-Audio, which sounded incredible! It wasn't the setting. Lo and behold, it wasn't my system. It's this DVD! THe problems are as follows:

1) The sound level is too low.
2) THe orchestra is way too thin - there is no immediacy.
3) The only thing that is full, is the low bass for the bass drum, which overpowers the whole orchestra somehow.
4) The surround sound is almost inaudible and worthless.
5) The orchestra itself is lifeless and dull.

Again, I tell you, this is the 1812 overture! At the end, you are supposed to be virtually swept off your feet with the majesty of the bells, cannons, and FULL ORCHESTRA blasting in glorious cacophony! But on this performance, you're left yawning.

And the "warning" about making sure you need to check your audio level when the cannons go off because they're too loud, what a bunch of tripe!! It's simply not the case. They're not loud. They don't even sound like cannons; instead, they sound like pistol fire.

This DVD is an EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT..

But instead of the orchestra, we are treated to the wonderful sound of reverb, along with some very fine compression artifacts when the cannons go off. I was truly disappointed by the sound of this - it is the aural equivalent of mud and cotton, very mushy, hard to make out the details, and not something I really want to deal with. The conducting seems particularly heavy handed, as if the conductor wanted to make a name for himself by making his own slight alterations to the piece that, while not significant, are unnecessary and very irritating. Poor recording technique and a wierd performance, but wait! There's a warning on the label that the cannons are very loud!! Oh my, then this MUST be the recording to get to show off a [amt.] stereo in the bachelor pad - maybe the cannons will be so loud that your date will hop right into your lap!

This is to classical music what a primer-grey muscle car is to a show of luxury automobiles.

I think the whole orchestra was sleeping during the recording of this 1812. There is absolutely no life in this music. I bought this version because the sound was supposed to be great... I was so disapointed! The sound is not even good!

If you don't have Antal Dorati's version of the 1812 (on Mercury), buy it! This is the 1812 to buy! If you already own it, you will not find a better recording, with hi-fi sound, lively and fast conducting, and heavy metal cannons in bonus!

For my classical music loving friends.

This recording of the solemn 1812 overture is the best recording I've heard in many years. Eric Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops orchestra have been among my favorite for many years, and the quality of this recording is a credit to their huge talent and partnership.

I recommend this CD to anyone who likes Tchaikovsky. I would call this CD a greatest hits of sorts and it will provide you with many hours of pleasure.

Pierre

This is one of my favorite recordings of the 1812 Overture. Kunzel uses a chorus for the opening, which is amazingly beautiful. The orchestra is full, rich, and the Telarc recording doesn't spare the bottom octave. The cannons are amazing -- it's awesome listening to the end of the Overture, with the bells, cannons, chorus and orchestra. The recording engineer has managed to get the powerful cannon shots, without overpowering the orchestra. So many other recordings either have very weak cannons, or the cannons just cover up the orchestra when they go off. Well done.

Not the best rendition of the 1812 Overture. The tempo seemed a big rushed, and the cannons left much to be desired.

I really did not think I would be able to find this CD. I think it has to be my favorite, especially when the cannons fire. The seller described it exactly and sent it right away. I just could not believe it came so quickly and was nicer than I expected. It was brand new, still in the package! I highly recommend this seller!

I'm another guy who should read the reviews before I bought this CD ... but I didn't. I was always satisfied with the sound of other TELARC's CD or SACD in my collection. And in my collection is 7 other "1812 Ouverture" recording (Dorati & MSO, Dorati & DSO, Davis & BSO, Barenboim & ChSO, Gibson & New Symph.Orch., Ashkenazy & St.Petersb.SO, Karajan & BP)... this one from Kunzel & CPO is sure worst of them ... what a disappointment by the sound .. and just from TELARC! This CD is in 1998-99 recorded (and a DSD-Recording!), but sounded like 60 years ago ... I must open my eyes to see, if the loudspeakers are in the same room like me ... unfortunately for TELARC, they was there ...