MusicWeb International One of the most grown-up review sites around 2024
60,000 reviews
... and still writing ...

Search MusicWeb Here Acte Prealable Polish CDs
 

Presto Music CD retailer
 
Founder: Len Mullenger                                    Editor in Chief:John Quinn             

Some items
to consider

new MWI
Current reviews

old MWI
pre-2023 reviews

paid for
advertisements

Acte Prealable Polish recordings

Forgotten Recordings
Forgotten Recordings
All Forgotten Records Reviews

TROUBADISC
Troubadisc Weinberg- TROCD01450

All Troubadisc reviews


FOGHORN Classics

Alexandra-Quartet
Brahms String Quartets

All Foghorn Reviews


All HDTT reviews


Songs to Harp from
the Old and New World


all Nimbus reviews



all tudor reviews


Follow us on Twitter


Editorial Board
MusicWeb International
Founding Editor
   
Rob Barnett
Editor in Chief
John Quinn
Contributing Editor
Ralph Moore
Webmaster
   David Barker
Postmaster
Jonathan Woolf
MusicWeb Founder
   Len Mullenger

REVIEW Plain text for smartphones & printers

Support us financially by purchasing this from

Hector BERLIOZ (1803-1869)
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17 (1839) [90:25]
Olga Borodina (mezzosoprano)
Kenneth Tarver (tenor)
Evgeny Nikitin (bass-baritone)
Guildhall School Singers
London Symphony Chorus
London Symphony Orchestra/Valery Gergiev
rec. live, 6 & 13 November 2013, The Barbican, London
LSO LIVE LSO0762 [57:06 + 33:19]

Berlioz scholar David Cairns, in his remarkably interesting notes to this recording, makes a strong case that Romeo et Juliette is not an odd assembly of movements, as listeners often think, but a carefully organized choral symphony, Mahler ahead of his time. In practical terms, the work places huge financial and logistical demands upon any organization that mounts it. One needs a virtuoso orchestra, massive choirs, and three first-rate singers, who do not sing all that much. It is a testament to the popularity of Berlioz’s music that this inconvenient masterpiece is played so often.

Valery Gergiev’s recent recording with the London Symphony Orchestra is most successful in conveying the fevered excitement of Shakespeare’s young people, less so in quieter, more contemplative moments. Thus in the opening movement, the prince delivers a real royal scolding to the combatants. The Romeo alone movement is thrilling, but low on grace. The scherzo is nicely spooky. My mind wandered in Gergiev’s cortege for Juliet, surely not what Berlioz had in mind.

The soloists are good, but not always at their very best. Olga Borodina is ardent, projecting a fruity but never hooty tone. Kenneth Tarver may have the best night of it in his Mab Scherzetto, sounding both lively and sinister. Evgeny Nikitin is a stalwart Friar Lawrence in a stiff part in which most singers sound uncomfortable. The final section is ponderous, partly the fault of Berlioz, but Gergiev brings no light touch to this conclusion.

The recording is warm, but fuzzy. Early in the recording the fine choral contributions came through clearly, but turned murky by the Cortege movement. More wind detail would be welcome, and less prominence to the drums in this bass-heavy recording.

Despite Gergiev’s high energy, this performance is unlikely to dislodge old favourites.

Richard Kraus

Previous review: Simon Thompson


 

 



Advertising on
Musicweb


Donate and keep us afloat

 

New Releases

Naxos Classical
All Naxos reviews

Chandos recordings
All Chandos reviews

Hyperion recordings
All Hyperion reviews

Foghorn recordings
All Foghorn reviews

Troubadisc recordings
All Troubadisc reviews



all Bridge reviews


all cpo reviews

Divine Art recordings
Click to see New Releases
Get 10% off using code musicweb10
All Divine Art reviews


All Eloquence reviews

Lyrita recordings
All Lyrita Reviews

 

Wyastone New Releases
Obtain 10% discount

Subscribe to our free weekly review listing