Search - George Gershwin, Leonard Slatkin, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra :: Gershwin: Works for Piano & Orchestra

Great performances, excellent engineering

Gregory M. Zinkl | Chicago, IL | 03/21/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm confused by the previous reviewer's comments.The engineering is fine analog, but it isn't "in your face" kind of engineering (a la some older Sony recordings; Bernstein's are some of the worst offenders, although recent remasterings have tamed them somewhat), it isn't brightly lit (ditto a lot of von Karajan's DG recordings), but it's pretty natural. Nothing is spotlit, and sounds the way one would hear it in the concert hall. I would hazard that sound systems have a way of filtering the music. I've found that some of my terribly-engineered, really ancient monophonic recordings sound much better on lesser equipment, while my best engineered recordings sound mediocre on lesser equipment, but wonderful on the high end stuff. And the speakers, and, well, this isn't about equipment. Just second guessing how the impression can be made that the enginnering is poor on this disc.Powell Symphony Hall, while not the sonic masterpiece that is, for example, New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall (one of the best I've ever been in), is still a wonderful acoustic space, both for listener and player (it's one of those halls where I was able to hear myself play as well as I was the whole orchestra, and you can almost feel your sound being projected into the auditorium). The hall, btw, is gorgeous, graceful, and characterful; much so than the design of Symphony Hall in Chicago (brilliantly finished, btw), or the cavernous feel of the hall in Boston. While some of Slatkin's RCA recordings in Powell recess the sound too much, such is not the case here. The performances are electrifying, with the exception of the Concerto in F. Even that piece, an awkward attempt on Gershwin's part, has many rewarding aspects, and the performance reveals many of them. Seigel isn't a "polished" pianist--I'd never be interested hearing him play Mozart based on these performances--but here his style (or the style he has captured) is just right.These are classics in the Gramophone. Not that the critical consensus (well, as consensual as it ever gets) is always correct, but I agree with them."

The best performances at the cheapest price!

Jmark2001 | Florida | 08/16/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I own many recordings of Gershwin but this inexpensive colection is my favorite! The performances are moving, the recording is excellent, and the whole package cannot be beat for value. Simply a great value!!!"

Siegel is amazing

Daniel LeBoeuf | Brandon, FL | 04/17/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been privileged to listen to Jeffrey Siegel's Keyboard Conversations in Fairfax, VA for many years. I heard him play some Gershwin during one performance, and I had to buy this CD. If you like Gershwin, if you like great piano, if you like music, this is a CD that belongs in your collection"