Search - Paul [composer] Dukas, Jesús López-Cobos, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra :: Music of Paul Dukas

A disappointment

Eric J. Matluck | 04/24/2000

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This recording has been garnering praise, and deservedly so, for the magnificence of its sound and the superiority of the orchestral playing on display. Fair enough, but good sound is not enough to salvage a very disappointing performance of two of Dukas' most sensuous and evocative works, the Symphony in C major and La peri. This symphony, long a favorite of mine, gets a performance that I find simply dull. The music proceeds, dutifully, bar by bar, with little or no sense of incident. To give one example, Lopez-Cobos rushes from the first theme of the first movement into the second theme with no preparation, no sense of "letting up," no sense that a dramatic change is coming. As a result, the second theme itself (one of its composer's most haunting), while beautifully played, fails to register because the change in atmosphere has been too abrupt. I find myself still "coming off" the first theme and not having the time or preparation to "register" the second. The slow movement, too, lacks atmosphere (as does, alas, La peri), and the finale sounds too starchy. I suppose that, compared with Slatkin's unfortunate account this is, in all ways, a notable improvement, but the best "recent" performance of this symphony can be found on a 10-year-old Denon CD, where Jean Fournet conducts the Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra. Listen to that to hear what's missing from the present interpretation. Notice the "shyness," the introversion that Fournet brings to the second theme of the first movement, or the sense of unbounded joy that emerges in the finale. So while I admire Mr Lopez-Cobos for taking up the cause of this unjustly neglected work, and for bringing his orchestra to a point of polish and refinement that ought to be envied by every other American ensemble, I have to voice my disappointment."

All Dukas

Brett A. Kniess | Madison, WI | 11/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Here on one disk are three symphonic works by the French composer Paul Dukas: the famous Sorcerer's Apprentice, La Peri complete with opening fanfare, and his Symphony in C. Dukas today is better known as a teacher, theorist, and critic/writer and unfortunately his compositions are overshadowed by his orchestral miniature The Sorcerer's Apprentice. The works on this CD let us glimpse at his style; highly Romantic in intent, highly Classical in form, and highly impressionistic in orchestration and program, we can greatly see Dukas' influence on composers of his time and after.



The tone poem La Peri tells of a young man searching for a flower of immortality and finds a fairy asleep holding one. He takes it, but falls in love with the said fairy. The fairy awakens and gets it back by playing on the young mans emotions; the man loses both immortality and love. The music is lush, with expert composition for strings, woodwinds and horn (of note). Merging romanticism with French Impressionism, Dukas presents us with an imaginative and exciting orchestral tone poem. The famous fanfare features the Cincinnati brass section, along with astounding sonics, comes off very well. The Cincinnati brass is extremely tight and one of the most cohesive sounds I have heard in a long time.



The Sorcerer's Apprentice, composed as a joke, here is given a very clean performance. While adding nothing to the recording oeuvre, a delightful piece.



I am not quite sure why the Symphony in C by Dukas is so underplayed; I find it to be the most exciting French symphony of its time. Set in three movements (fast/slow/fast), it is highly romantic, with formal designs reaching back to Classical Era ideals. The melodies are very memorable and the harmonies and orchestrations are constantly confounding me as to where they are leading as well as at their innate beauty and excitement. Of particular note is the outgoing brass melody of the first movement portraying a rugged masculinity, the lyrical, expansively impressionistic, and greatly yearning middle movement, and the boisterous finale which never lags and ends the work with a rousing conclusion.



This recording is sonically amazing. All voices speak with incredible clearness. Jesus-Lopez Cobos leads the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra with a very aggressive approach, showing the orchestras ability to play not only with great virtuosity, but with great sensitivity, which the music demands. The music is lush and engaging. It is nice to have an entire CD devoted to the symphonic music of Dukas, a voice who is rarely heard outside of one work and history books. If you like sweeping Romantic music, this CD is not to be missed."

Very beautiful music.

Brett A. Kniess | 01/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Just about everyone has heard the Socerer's Apprentice, but rarely do we hear La Peri and the Symphony in C. Frankly I have heard more exciting playings of Sorcerer, but La Peri and the Symphony are splendidly done. I agree with the previous reviewer that the Cincinnati Symphony is one of the great orchestra's in the country and in the world right now. Don't hesitate to pick this little gem up."