Search - Charles Gounod, John Lubbock, St. John's Orchestra Smith Square :: Gounod: The 2 Symphonies

A gem

Eric J. Matluck | 04/28/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My first encounter with these two marvelously appealing works was through the newly released Philips CD featuring Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Although my reaction to the music was somewhat positive (but not very), my reaction to the performances went absolutely in the other direction. In all, it sounded like big-band Haydn, and bad Haydn at that. I was aware of the present CD, but figured that music of this stripe left little enough interpretive leeway to make another purchase a mere redundancy.And at first I didn't hear a whole lot of difference in either the sound (specifically in reference to the size of the orchestra) or the approach. But there was something about these performances that tickled my ear in a way that the Marriner did not. And further listening only deepened my admiration for these works in these performances.Masterpieces they may not be, but listened to in the right mood they are absolutely delectable. Of note, Lubbock plays the second movement of the first symphony as a true slow movement (it is an allegretto, like the second movement of the Beethoven seventh, even ending with a similar chord), much to the work's advantage. In the second symphony he takes the exposition repeat in the first movement (where Marriner does not), handles the rhythmic trickery of the first theme much more successfully, and is considerably faster and more pointed in the scherzo, possibly the most memorable of the eight movements on display here.With performances as lithe and energetic (yet voluptuous where they need to be) as these, there is no sense of the anachronism that afflicted the Marriner interpretations.All told, a delightful acquisition."

Sheer French Elegance and Elan

06/06/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first heard these symphonies through an old Angel (EMI) recording with Michel Plasson and was immediately taken, especially by the Second Symphony. I'm taken as well by Lubbock's performances, and then some. With a finer orchestra and just about perfect recorded sound, Lubbock's livier and altogether more stylish performances shine out on a properly sumptuous ground.While nowhere near as well known as Bizet's famous Symphony in C, these two charmers did serve as Bizet's model, and if you like the Bizet, you'll certainly like Gounod. The First is a very pretty affair, with fine melodies and a winning cantabile style throughout, which Bizet emulated in the sweet second subject of his first movement and elsewhere. But Gounod's Second has more of the wonderfully propulsive quality that is such an attractive feature of the Bizet work. In fact, if you don't find that Gounod's last movement has irresistible verve, you've been listening to too much Bruckner.Masterpieces, no, as the other reviewer on this page makes clear. A civilized and entertaining hour of music? Most definitely. Treat yourself!"