Search - Gioachino Rossini, Riccardo Chailly, National Philharmonic Orchestra :: Rossini: Overtures

Wonderful! Fresh Interpretations!

kv581 | Durham, NC United States | 01/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is quite amazing for several reasons. For starters, you get two CDs for the price of one. Therefore, for the price of one CD, you get 14 Rossini overtures (I must admit that I have not even heard of some of the overtures included). All of the works included are well recorded, so there is very, very little of the hiss or blip that plague other CDs. The best aspect of the CD, however, does not lie in its technical values. Instead, it is the performances themselves that caught my attention. The interpretations taken by Chailly and the New Philharmonic Orchestra are certainly fresh, though not necessarily ones that I would feel safe taking had I been the conductor. The tempi and dynamics of several famous passages (some from the popular Barber of Seville) are not what I am used to, though I was pleasantly surprised to learn that such interpretations are possible without sounding bad. This CD is definitely a good buy. Even if you disagree with some of the interpretations, you still get two CDs for the cost of one. And, for those who are tired of hearing the same performances over and over, these two CDs offer something new that may very well recaptivate your heart."

All the Rossini I need!

Ryan Richards | Midland, MI United States | 06/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As far as I'm concerned, I don't need to search the field for any other Rossini overture CDs--this 2-CD set has it covered. Chailly's interpretations of these pieces are wonderfully exuberant, and the National Philharmonic plays with precision and flair. These CDs have become the standard I use to judge other recordings of Rossini overtures. Granted, they're not perfect: As another reviewer pointed out, Chailly takes some passages differently than we're used to hearing them (the end of the Barber of Seville overture is faster than usual, for example). However, the orchestra is so competent and the conductor so assured that these small, occasional differences are refreshing rather than annoying. As well, there are (very) occasional moments where the orchestra slips a little out of synch, but only because they're having so much fun playing the music. This is Rossini the way it was meant to sound--playful, melodious and energetic to the end."

Rossini!!!

Carlos Fuentes y Espinosa | Mexico´s city, Mexico | 05/09/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a very interesting version because Chailly includes some of the almost unknown overtures by the great italian composer like Torvaldo e Dorliska. We can listen also the wonderful "The italian girl in Algiers", and many more where we see the magic "Crescendo" , an imposing Rossini's characteristic.
Chailly and the orchestra are very correct, and the result is a good sound under Rossinian's style. You can get it with pleasure."