1995 release. He Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava) Andrerw Mogrelia, Conductor. Recorded at Concert Hall of the Slovak Radio at Bratislava, January 9-20, 1995."The Bratislava orchestra plays with characteristic finesse and grace and with glowing lyrical feeling. There is both drama and vitality in this Copp�lia. The recording is warm and spacious, with the orchestra set slightly back. Other versions may have more surface brilliance, but most lovers of ballet music will enjoy the naturalness of perspective and the attractively smooth string-quality. La Source comes off equally well. The Pas de fleurs grande valse is a real lollipop and in the two suites the music (selected rather arbitrarily) has plenty of colour and rhythmic life." - Penguin Guide.

REVIEW:

The Bratislava orchestra play with such spontaneous enjoyment in Rodeo and Billy the Kid that one cannot help but respond. Gunzenhauser, a fine conductor of Czech music, is equally at home in Copland’s folksy, cowboy idiom and all this music has plenty of colour and atmosphere. If some of the detail in Appalachian Spring is less sharply etched than with Bernstein, the closing pages are tenderly responsive. The recording is admirably colourful and vivid, with a fine hall ambience, and the spectacle of the Fanfare for the Common Man is worth anybody’s money. A bargain.

-- Penguin Guide

Classical Music

Mayerl: Aquarium Suite / 4 Aces Suite

VERDI: Opera Choruses

1990 release. Delibes the Best of French Ballet performed by the Slovak Rasio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava) conducted by Ondrej Lenard. Recorded at the Concert Hall of Slovak Radio in Bratislava, April 3-6, 1989, December 1, 1988 & October 23, 1989. "An attractive hour of Delibes, with five key items from Copp�lia, including the Music for the Automatons and Waltz, four from Sylvia, not forgetting the Pizzicato, and four from La Source. Perhaps most enjoyable of all are the six pastiche ancient 'airs de danse', provided for a ballroom scene in Victor Hugo's play, Le Roi s'amuse. They are played most gracefully, and the excerpts from the major ballets are spirited and nicely turned. "- Penguin Guide.

SPOHR: Clarinet Concertos Nos. 2 and 4 / Fantasia, Op. 81

SPOHR: Clarinet Concertos Nos. 1 and 3 / Potpourri, Op. 80

Classical Music