Bernstein: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 2 / Alsop, Baltimore Symphony
Details
- Composer
- LEONARD BERNSTEIN
- Artist
- Jennifer Johnson Cano, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Marin Alsop
- Format
- CD
- Label
- Naxos
- Released
- Jan 13, 2017
- Catalog #
- 8559790
- UPC
- 636943979020
About
Leonard Bernstein’s legendary 1943 Carnegie Hall conducting début brought his name to national attention, and the event was followed a few months later by the triumphant reception of his Symphony No. 1 ‘Jeremiah.’ This major symphonic statement explores a crisis in faith and employs Jewish liturgical sources, its final movement, Lamentation, being an anguished cry at the destruction of Jerusalem. Sharing the theme of loss of faith, Symphony No. 2 ‘The Age of Anxiety’ takes W.H. Auden’s poem of the same name and follows its four characters in their spiritual journey to hard-won triumph.
REVIEW:
It’s great to see this music being played with such conviction. We all know that Alsop is a superb Bernstein conductor, and Naxos already has a terrific account of the First Symphony from James Judd and the New Zealand Symphony, but this newcomer is, if anything, even finer–certainly sonically–and conducted with even more pizzazz. In the central Profanation movement, Alsop really does outdo Bernstein himself; the playing of the Baltimore Symphony here is sensational, and in the finale Jennifer Johnson Cano sings with great sensitivity and a beautiful tone. The tragic climaxes hit you right in the gut.
In the Second Symphony, Jean-Yves Thibaudet offers a first class account of his solo part. The Masque is especially outstanding–virtuosic but at the same time nicely “cool.” Prior to that, in the opening variation sets, Alsop knits the music together expertly, ensuring that the glum bits never bog down, and that the entire first part builds inexorably to its exciting conclusion. The following Dirge is is a barn-burner, and somehow after all of this the Epilogue never turns hollow. Again, I don’t think that Bernstein could have done better, and as suggested above the engineering is also rock solid and brilliant by turns. A marvelous release by any standard.
– ClassicsToday (David Hurwitz, 10/10)
Tracklist 21 tracks
-
1 I. Prophecy 07:11
- Track
- 1
- Title
- I. Prophecy
- Duration
- 07:11
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
2 II. Profanation 06:59
- Track
- 2
- Title
- II. Profanation
- Duration
- 06:59
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
3 III. Lamentation 10:04
- Track
- 3
- Title
- III. Lamentation
- Duration
- 10:04
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jennifer Johnson Cano
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
4 Part I: The Prologue: Lento moderato - 02:03
- Track
- 4
- Title
- Part I: The Prologue: Lento moderato -
- Duration
- 02:03
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
5 Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 1: L'istesso tempo - 00:52
- Track
- 5
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 1: L'istesso tempo -
- Duration
- 00:52
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
6 Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 2: Poco più mosso - 01:27
- Track
- 6
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 2: Poco più mosso -
- Duration
- 01:27
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
7 Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 3: Largamente, ma mosso - 01:19
- Track
- 7
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 3: Largamente, ma mosso -
- Duration
- 01:19
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
8 Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 4: Più mosso - 00:55
- Track
- 8
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 4: Più mosso -
- Duration
- 00:55
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
9 Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 5 - 00:50
- Track
- 9
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 5 -
- Duration
- 00:50
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
10 Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 6: Poco meno mosso - 01:01
- Track
- 10
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 6: Poco meno mosso -
- Duration
- 01:01
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
11 Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 7: L'istesso tempo - 01:35
- Track
- 11
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Ages: Variation 7: L'istesso tempo -
- Duration
- 01:35
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
12 Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 8: Molto moderato, ma movendo - 01:49
- Track
- 12
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 8: Molto moderato, ma movendo -
- Duration
- 01:49
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
13 Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 9: Più mosso [tempo di valse] - 01:22
- Track
- 13
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 9: Più mosso [tempo di valse] -
- Duration
- 01:22
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
14 Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 10: Più mosso - 00:29
- Track
- 14
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 10: Più mosso -
- Duration
- 00:29
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
15 Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 11: L'istesso tempo - 00:55
- Track
- 15
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 11: L'istesso tempo -
- Duration
- 00:55
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
16 Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 12: Poco più vivace - 00:14
- Track
- 16
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 12: Poco più vivace -
- Duration
- 00:14
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
17 Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 13: L'istesso tempo - 00:45
- Track
- 17
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 13: L'istesso tempo -
- Duration
- 00:45
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
18 Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 14: L'istesso tempo [poco più vivace] 00:31
- Track
- 18
- Title
- Part I: The Seven Stages: Variation 14: L'istesso tempo [poco più vivace]
- Duration
- 00:31
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
19 Part II: The Dirge: Largo - 06:28
- Track
- 19
- Title
- Part II: The Dirge: Largo -
- Duration
- 06:28
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
20 Part II: The Masque: Extremely fast - 04:49
- Track
- 20
- Title
- Part II: The Masque: Extremely fast -
- Duration
- 04:49
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop
-
21 Part II: The Epilogue: L'istesso tempo 07:52
- Track
- 21
- Title
- Part II: The Epilogue: L'istesso tempo
- Duration
- 07:52
- Composer
- Leonard Bernstein
- Performer
- Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Ensemble
- Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
- Conductor
- Marin Alsop