CD REVIEW: Another "Convert" to the CSO's Magic!
Bill F. Faucett of the St. Petersburg (FL) Times Floridian (March 6, 2005) issues a strong endorsement of the power of Paavo and the Cincinnati Symphony in two recent recordings:
NIELSEN: SYMPHONY NO. 5, STRAVINSKY: RITE OF SPRING, CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, CONDUCTOR PAAVO JARVI (TELARC)
RAVEL: SUITE NO. 2 FROM DAPHNIS ET CHLOE, CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, CONDUCTOR PAAVO JARVI (TELARC)
"Count me among the converted.
"Several years ago a friend of mine from Cincinnati rambled on and on about the magnificence of his hometown orchestra. I tried to be polite, but probably didn't hide my skepticism very well. After all, I recall mumbling, everyone knows that the orchestra in Ohio is in Cleveland (with all due respect to Toledo). Right?
"Well, two recent discs by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, ably lead by Paavo Jarvi, give every indication of creating not only a good in-state musical rivalry, but also show the Cincinnati ensemble to be in the front rank of orchestras in the world.
"On one of the discs, Jarvi, the son of the great Estonian conductor Neeme Jarvi of Detroit Symphony fame, paired Stravinsky's riveting The Rite of Spring with Carl Nielsen's lusterless Symphony No. 5.
"The Stravinsky, so utterly difficult to play and understand, was illuminated as I have never heard it before. The usual noise and bombast, which can admittedly make for a thrilling performance, was limited by Jarvi. Here he displays a remarkable control of the orchestra and chooses his tempos carefully.
"For instance, the "Spring Rounds" section languishes compared to other interpretations, but its slower tempo lends an entirely different character. This is but a single example of Jarvi's innovation, and there are many others.
"A second Cincinnati recording includes five selections by Ravel. The Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloe, a beloved orchestral staple, is light, airy, unforced, and gorgeous in Jarvi's hands. He has a keen understanding of the French repertoire, and the substantial technical challenges pose no threat to the players who have been well-drilled.
"What is most appealing about Jarvi's conducting is his sense of pace. One never gets the feeling that he is conducting according to the formula of another, but that he has unique and insightful interpretations of his own that he cannot help but present to his listener.
"Telarc's sonics are crisp and alive on my modest home sound system, but in the end it is the work of Jarvi and his group that make the experience surpassing. These are two terrific discs any music fan will want to own. Grades: Stravinski, A; Ravel, A-"
NIELSEN: SYMPHONY NO. 5, STRAVINSKY: RITE OF SPRING, CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, CONDUCTOR PAAVO JARVI (TELARC)
RAVEL: SUITE NO. 2 FROM DAPHNIS ET CHLOE, CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, CONDUCTOR PAAVO JARVI (TELARC)
"Count me among the converted.
"Several years ago a friend of mine from Cincinnati rambled on and on about the magnificence of his hometown orchestra. I tried to be polite, but probably didn't hide my skepticism very well. After all, I recall mumbling, everyone knows that the orchestra in Ohio is in Cleveland (with all due respect to Toledo). Right?
"Well, two recent discs by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, ably lead by Paavo Jarvi, give every indication of creating not only a good in-state musical rivalry, but also show the Cincinnati ensemble to be in the front rank of orchestras in the world.
"On one of the discs, Jarvi, the son of the great Estonian conductor Neeme Jarvi of Detroit Symphony fame, paired Stravinsky's riveting The Rite of Spring with Carl Nielsen's lusterless Symphony No. 5.
"The Stravinsky, so utterly difficult to play and understand, was illuminated as I have never heard it before. The usual noise and bombast, which can admittedly make for a thrilling performance, was limited by Jarvi. Here he displays a remarkable control of the orchestra and chooses his tempos carefully.
"For instance, the "Spring Rounds" section languishes compared to other interpretations, but its slower tempo lends an entirely different character. This is but a single example of Jarvi's innovation, and there are many others.
"A second Cincinnati recording includes five selections by Ravel. The Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloe, a beloved orchestral staple, is light, airy, unforced, and gorgeous in Jarvi's hands. He has a keen understanding of the French repertoire, and the substantial technical challenges pose no threat to the players who have been well-drilled.
"What is most appealing about Jarvi's conducting is his sense of pace. One never gets the feeling that he is conducting according to the formula of another, but that he has unique and insightful interpretations of his own that he cannot help but present to his listener.
"Telarc's sonics are crisp and alive on my modest home sound system, but in the end it is the work of Jarvi and his group that make the experience surpassing. These are two terrific discs any music fan will want to own. Grades: Stravinski, A; Ravel, A-"
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