Search - Suppe, Sandor, Hungarian State Opera Orchestra :: Poet & Peasant / Light Cavalry / Pique Dame

A master of light classics

Annie Van Auken | Planet Earth | 05/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"THE COMPOSER:

A distant relative of Gaetano Donzetti, the Dalmatian-born Francesco Ezechiele Ermenegildo Cavaliere Suppé Demelli Germanized his name when he moved to Vienna. Several of von Suppé's 19th Century operatic overtures remain among the most popular in the orchestral canon. Works like "Light Cavalry" and "Poet and Peasant" have been fodder for recording sessions dating back to the earliest fin de siècle days of cylinders and acoustic recording horns.



THE ARTISTS:

The Hungarian State Opera Orchestra under Janos Sandor deliver competent performances; strings sound slurry on the occasional run, but overall they handle this material well, and with obvious passion.



AUDIO:

Sound levels on these late '80s DDD tracks are uniformly high and without distortion. They demonstrate full range, nice orchestral balance, mike placement and acoustics.



THE LABEL:

Offerings and quality of DELTA/LASERLIGHT CDs vary from the extremely questionable to the quite fine. This disc is truly one of their better titles, and is an absolute pleasure. Highly recommended!



TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 62:33"

Nice recording of delightful overtures

R. Broadhead | Southwestern USA | 01/08/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've had this CD for almost 20 years now and still enjoy it immensely. The music is delightful, from the bugle calls of the Light Cavalry overture to the sublime cello solo in Poet and Peasant. The quality of the digital sound, although not as good as recent digital recordings, is quite good with everything clear and on pitch, although perhaps a bit boomy and indistinct in a very few places. Janos Sandor and the Hungarian Opera Orchestra provide a solid and workmanlike performance that is energetic when it needs to be; Sandor always keeps things moving and the music never stalls. This is a nice recording of Suppe overtures."