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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:MP3 Download
This review is being written as a corrective to the dismissive review below. Opinions are always welcome and valid but sometimes they need to be tempered by simple FACT. These early (mainly 1969) recordings from Sir Charles Groves and his Liverpool orchestra are notable for the briskness of the tempi. The recording is close and occasionally hard but the reality is they bristle with energy vigour and vim. Quite what the other reviewer means by pedantic (a subjective rather than objective word) I do not know The following list of timings - more extensive than the 3rd supportive reviewer shows that except for the Richard III suite Groves is in fact consistently faster than Walton himself (presumably he knew authentic tempi for his own works!) or Previn - long recognised as a great Walton interpreter OR Daniels on Naxos and his consistently admired Walton series:
Groves / Walton / Previn / Daniels
Spitfire Prelude & Fugue: 7.19 / 8.04 / n/a / 7.48
Scapino: 8.11 / 8.46 / 8.50 / n/a
Crown Imperial: 6.31 / 6.37 / n/a / 6.42
Orb & Sceptre: 7.12 / 7.09 / n/a / 7.14
Johannesberg Festival Ov.: 7.12 / 7.12 / n/a / 7.46
Capriccio Burlesco: 7.17 / 7.24 / n/a / n/a
Hamlet - Funeral: 4.51 / n/a / n/a / n/a
Richard III Prelude: 7.42 / 7.36
In the Suite from Richard III which was recorded in Liverpool 15 years later Groves IS slower than Walton with the Philharmonia in the 50's in the 1st, 3rd & 5th movements but to my ear this is perfectly within the bounds of interpretative licence. What the above does underline is just what a good programme of Walton's shorter works this CD contains. I wonder if the other reviewer was listening to a different disc in error. Timings do NOT tell the whole story of any interpretation ever but I could not let such a condescending misguided review stand unchallenged - right down to the diminution of Sir Charles' name. He was an exceptional conductor of a wide range of repertoire and especially English music. This an excellent introduction to both Groves' art and the wonderful music of Sir William Walton. Also useful as a reminder that there was a very good orchestra in Liverpool pre-Petrenko. Just listen to wonderfully characterful woodwind and stunning trumpet playing - from Alan Stringer one assumes.
Groves / Walton / Previn / Daniels
Spitfire Prelude & Fugue: 7.19 / 8.04 / n/a / 7.48
Scapino: 8.11 / 8.46 / 8.50 / n/a
Crown Imperial: 6.31 / 6.37 / n/a / 6.42
Orb & Sceptre: 7.12 / 7.09 / n/a / 7.14
Johannesberg Festival Ov.: 7.12 / 7.12 / n/a / 7.46
Capriccio Burlesco: 7.17 / 7.24 / n/a / n/a
Hamlet - Funeral: 4.51 / n/a / n/a / n/a
Richard III Prelude: 7.42 / 7.36
In the Suite from Richard III which was recorded in Liverpool 15 years later Groves IS slower than Walton with the Philharmonia in the 50's in the 1st, 3rd & 5th movements but to my ear this is perfectly within the bounds of interpretative licence. What the above does underline is just what a good programme of Walton's shorter works this CD contains. I wonder if the other reviewer was listening to a different disc in error. Timings do NOT tell the whole story of any interpretation ever but I could not let such a condescending misguided review stand unchallenged - right down to the diminution of Sir Charles' name. He was an exceptional conductor of a wide range of repertoire and especially English music. This an excellent introduction to both Groves' art and the wonderful music of Sir William Walton. Also useful as a reminder that there was a very good orchestra in Liverpool pre-Petrenko. Just listen to wonderfully characterful woodwind and stunning trumpet playing - from Alan Stringer one assumes.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Contrary to the other review here on Amazon I believe this disc offers an excellent survey of Walton's music, beautifully performed and recorded. Sir Charles Groves was conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra for a number of years and EMI marked his retirement from Liverpool with a series of fine recordings in the later 1970's, including discs of music by Frank Bridge, Sir Arthur Bliss and this one, of Walton's music.
I recommend the disc very strongly and as to the question of "authenticity" over the matter of tempi, one only has to turn to Walton's own recordings of some of these pieces and compare the time taken between Groves and the composer himself. In the "Spitfire Prelude and Fugue", Groves takes 7 minutes and 19 seconds, to Walton's 7 minutes and 58 seconds. In the Prelude to "Richard III", Groves is 7.42, as against Walton's 7.32 (a mere 10 second difference), and compare these timings to Bernard Herrmann's very slow 9.48 - and Herrmann was pretty "authentic" when it came to film music. Finally, "Capriccio Burlesco" is given 6.53 by its dedicatee, Andre Kostelanetz, and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, while Groves follows with 7.17. These timings do not support the earlier critical comments.
Look out for this disc and enjoy it.
I recommend the disc very strongly and as to the question of "authenticity" over the matter of tempi, one only has to turn to Walton's own recordings of some of these pieces and compare the time taken between Groves and the composer himself. In the "Spitfire Prelude and Fugue", Groves takes 7 minutes and 19 seconds, to Walton's 7 minutes and 58 seconds. In the Prelude to "Richard III", Groves is 7.42, as against Walton's 7.32 (a mere 10 second difference), and compare these timings to Bernard Herrmann's very slow 9.48 - and Herrmann was pretty "authentic" when it came to film music. Finally, "Capriccio Burlesco" is given 6.53 by its dedicatee, Andre Kostelanetz, and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, while Groves follows with 7.17. These timings do not support the earlier critical comments.
Look out for this disc and enjoy it.
6 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
If you are looking for authentic Walton tempos, look elsewhere. Charlie Groves takes a very pedantic view of all the works on this CD. Almost as if he is half asleep. The music should have some excitement in the playing - here there is none. Very disappointed.
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