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It is good to have a new collection of Weber overtures, especially at budget price, when such collections are less common than those of, say, Rossini. If not as brilliant as those, they are scarcely less worthy of exposure in their considerable variety. 

This collection has completeness in its favor, even if some of the performances have been bettered elsewhere. Only Euryanthe, Oberon, and Der Freischütz are usually found in diverse overture collections, while the other works here offer many delights, too. The performances, overall, are very good, though one could ask for the warmer strings and more burnished horns in Oberon and Der Freischütz that other, more famous ensembles have provided. Particularly accomplished here are the accounts of Preciosa, Abu Hassan, and the Turandot excerpts. Wit brings out the humor, or should I say “wit” in Abu Hassan well, and Preciosa is also a joy. It is fun to hear the Turandot Overture and March in its original guise, since Paul Hindemith’s treatment of this music in his Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Weber is probably more familiar to many listeners. Weber just repeats his “oriental” theme numerous times, whereas Hindemith really makes something jazzy and innovative out of it in his wonderful scherzo movement in the Symphonic Metamorphosis. I recall a disc of Weber overtures by the Philharmonia and Neeme Järvi, including the Turandot music, that coupled them with the Hindemith work — a very clever idea that hasn’t been done since. Even more rarely recorded are the overtures to Peter Schmoll und seine Nachbarn, Der Beherrscher der Geister, and Silvana. It is good to have them here. Then there is the Jubel Overture that concludes with “God Save the King”, heard somewhat more frequently than some of the others. As whole, this is a worthwhile collection. 

Presentation is up to the usual high Naxos standard, and the notes are clearly satisfactory. I should, however, discuss the recorded sound. Part of the impression of the strings’ lack of warmth or depth I believe lies with the recording itself. It is interesting to compare this disc with a recent Sibelius collection on Naxos by the same New Zealand Symphony, but under a different conductor in a different venue. That recording leaves absolutely nothing to be desired in terms of performance or sound. It is recorded in the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington, while this was done at the Wellington Town Hall. This could very well account for the impression of brightness at the expense of warmth here, which suits some of the overtures better than others, rather than laying the blame at the feet of the conductor. Antoni Wit has given us many great recordings of a broad spectrum of repertoire, but mostly with Polish orchestras. He seems well suited to Weber, too, bringing out the classicism and spirit of these overtures if at times shortchanging the Romantic elements. I don’t want to make too much of this or of the sound. Overall I am happy to welcome this collection. 

Leslie Wright

see also Review by Raymond Walker  

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