Review by gonzostick July 19, 2009 (6 of 6 found this review helpful)
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This is actually quite good, especially considering the age of the master tapes.
One big quibble, Fiedler had some ungodly rule against saxophones and the Gayaneh Sabre Dance has NO sax in it. Instead violas and cellos double each other in octaves. Also, the performances are the typical impersonal thing that happens when orchestras think they are playing second-rate music. So, in the Lullaby, which is one of the loveliest things that the composer ever wrote (do not miss the Stokowski recording with Chicago of the 3rd Symphony on RCA!!!), the phrases don't add up to a line.
Otherwise, the performances are in the usual Boston Pops/Fiedler mode, FAST and slapdash. Yes, there is some sloppy playing, but we can hear it better with the SACD mastering.
For fans of the Khachaturian Gayaneh, check out the Membran Royal Philharmonic SACD with Simonov. The tempo of the Sabre Dance will make the hair stand up on the back of your head.
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