Great Recordings Of The Century - Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue, Concerto in F, American in Paris / Previn, London SO
Product Details
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The best Gershwin pianists are able to fuse a solid classical technique with an innate feeling for jazz timekeeping. André Previn is ideal in both respects. He knows that Gershwin's lyrical musings need not be distended, as one might do in a Tchaikovsky or Liszt concerto. Previn also accents syncopated figures without overemphasizing them, or beating them into the ground. On the other hand, Previn can't help monkeying around with the text, but many Gershwin pianists have done worse. The London Philharmonic matches their soloist-conductor in verve and swagger. Fine as the concerted works are, An American in Paris takes the cake in a performance that truly evokes a wide-eyed tourist swept up in the bustle and allure of any vibrant city. The 1971 sonics haven't aged a bit, and EMI's newly minted transfer will please the most exacting audiophile. --Jed Distler
Customer Reviews
Not Lennie Bernstein
This was a very good rendition. All else pales beside the Bernstein version I heard some years ago. More fire and thunder with Bernstein conducting.
Wonderful Syncopation
The sound of this recording is warm, live, and detailed representing the best of EMI. The performance is wonderful and has great syncopation. Kudos to Andre Previn!
Grrr....boring.
Tragically, I was misled by my impression of Andre Previn, plus the Amazon review here, into buying this disc. Too bad - it manages to be boring and without color; wholly unremarkable.
The most important problem is that this is NOT the original "jazz band" version of Rhapsody in Blue - the version originally performed. This is the "monkeyed around with 30 years later" version, and the distinction is important because the jazz band version is smaller (in terms of orchestra size), funner, far jazzier - and it includes the saxophone! This CD, however, has the full orchestra bit, which dulls the fun and removes the edge, and doesn't have the saxophone (which is my second favorite instrument in the Rhapsody after the piano).
The pieces are played without flair and, as one other reviewer put it, unjazzily. Previn's pretty good on the piano, actually, but the LSO doesn't swing like it should. I used to like the Piano Concerto, but now I avoid listening to it and consider it scummy, mildewy, tired, and irritating.
Actually, this disc sent me into an anti-Gershwin mania for some months. I figured the guy was overrated; whereas everyone says he's so much fun, I thought it wasn't any fun at all. 'Tis a good thing I got the James Levine/CSO version - that REALLY swings. It's a barrel of fun. It's the original version of Rhapsody in Blue. And, in DDD, it all sounds a lot better.
Buy Levine - it's just divine;
But avoid this disc - it's boring and uninspired. I don't know what some people seem to see in it.
P.S. Also disappointed with the music selection here. They had 14 minutes left on the CD, but didn't throw in a good Cuban Overture, which is one of the funnest things George ever wrote. Too bad.
This disc just isn't fun.
Related Links : Product by Amazon or shopping-lifestyle-20 Store
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น