Shakespeare's TEMPEST
Kansas City Symphony
Michael Stern, condutor
"I doubt there's an orchestra in America that has grown this much this fast. They sounded terrific."
—Paul Horsley, Kansas City Star
Under the dynamic direction of Music Director Michael Stern, The Kansas City Symphony covers itself in glory with incidental music for The Tempest by Sir Arthur Sullivan and Jean Sibelius. This is the first high—resolution digital recording of the Sullivan (of Gilbert & Sullivan fame), and a masterful performance of the colorful Sibelius suites, including the seldom—heard Prelude, which depicts the Shakespearean tempest in all its fury.
"The Sullivan is solid music, strongly in the Mendelssohn vein but with moods all its own—from tender melancholy to mild turmoil. The Sibelius is at turns rich, moody, exotic and humorous...its crunchy dissonances and distinctive coloristic textures are effective." —Kansas City Star
The Kansas City Symphony has previously recorded for Naxos, and Michael Stern, son of famed violinist Isaac Stern, has recorded for Sony, Arabesque, Denon, Hyperion and Naxos. RR is hopeful that this successful new release is the first in a long and fruitful association with Michael Stern and the Kansas City Symphony.
The highly—varied, colorful orchestration of the Sullivan and Sibelius scores gave RR's legendary recording engineer "Prof." Keith Johnson a challenge, which he met brilliantly. The master tapes were recorded at 176.4 kHz, 24 bits and prepared for CD release with HDCD technology. (The high—resolution files will be made available soon in RR's exclusive HRx format, for those with computerized music servers.)
REVIEWS
"Coupling these two works... was a brilliant idea—a "concept" album that really makes good musical sense. Happily...the performances are as smart, atmospheric, and vibrant as the music itself...and they're stunningly recorded..." —David Hurwitz, Classics Today — Complete Review
"This is a very good idea... (the Sullivan) is full of memorable and ingenious touches, always tuneful, light of style and sometimes anticipating the Savoy Operas... (the Sibelius) is among his greatest achievements, superbly characterful, wonderfully inventive and brilliantly orchestrated... Michael Stern and the Kansas City Symphony do the music proud... the reproduction has terrific impact, space and glow." —Colin Anderson, classicalsource.com
"The orchestra sounds wonderful throughout... with marvelous blend and balance... Most noteworthy is the sense of excitement and drama in the recording, with beautifully managed crescendos and marvelous shaping of large sections and movements." —Tim McDonald, Sun Newspapers
"The Sibelius music for the shipwreck and storm is almost Wagnerian. The Kansas City players sound the equal of one of the Top Five U.S. orchestras, and RR has presented them in the best possible two—channel sonics. The packaging is also very classy. Nice to see a rare new recording of a U.S. orchestra made in the U.S. by a U.S. record label!" ——John Sunier, Audiophile Audition — complete review
Track Listing — SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN — 1 Introduction; 2 Act III Prelude; 3 Banquet Dance; 4 Act IV Overture; 5 Dance of Nymphs and Reapers; 6 Act V Prelude; 7 Postlude.
JEAN SIBELIUS — 8 Prelude, Op. 109 #1; SUITE #2, Op. 109 #3; 9 Chorus of the Winds; 10 Intermezzo; 11 Dance of the Nymphs; 12 Prospero; 13 Song I; 14 Song II; 15 Miranda; 16 The Naiads; 17 Dance Episode SUITE #1, Op. 109 #2; 18 The Oak Tree; 19 Humoresque; 20 Caliban's Song; 21 The Harvesters; 22 Canon; 23 Scene; 24 Intrada; 25 Berceuse; 26 Ariel's Song; 27 The Storm.
