
Peter Tchaikovsky
Romeo and Juliet
String Serenade
Francesca da Rimini
Victor Ewald
Brass Quintets Nos. 1 & 3

Christoph Eschenbach, conductor
David Bilger, trumpet
Jeffrey Curnow, trumpet
Nitzan Haroz, trombone
Carol Jantsch, tuba
Jennifer Montone, horn

Instrumental
Orchestral

2 CDs; booklet with liner notes in English, French and German and the sung texts in the original German and in English; luxurious slipcase
CD
Released:
April 2010
Catalogue No.:
ODE 1150-2D
EAN/UPC Code:
0761195115022


The brass divertimentos provide light relief after the most serious-minded Francesca I've ever heard, spaciously avoiding whirlwind overkill and dynamically alert in a studied byt affecting remembrance of happier times. (In Romeo and Juliet, Christoph Eschenbach) does hit the heights of the love theme with aristocratic aplomb and he always reminds you what a fabulously organised symphonic movement this is.
David Nice, BBC Music Magazine, October 2010
The two Victor Ewald quintets, delectably tuneful and idiomatically crafted morsels, (are) delivered with wonderful poise and very real affection by the Philadelphia's top-flight section principals.
Andrew Achenbach, Gramophone, September 2010
Dass das traditionsreiche Orchester von Philadelphia auch heute noch zu den weltbesten zählt, belegt diese Doppel-CD mit einem Programm, das wie geschaffen ist, die Qualitäten des Klangkörpers und seiner Gruppen ins rechte Licht zu setzen.
Peter T. Köster, Fono Forum, August 2010
The Francesa da Rimini is wonderful, as Christoph Eschenbach - and the Philadelphia strings - really wring out the work's drama and emotion, especially in the central section's love music. (...) The Philadelphia Orchestra Brass Quintet provides impressive beauty of tone and superlative musicianship. Ondine's sound is excellent.
Victor Carr Jr., ClassicsToday.com, July 2010
Spannungsvoll und hoch energetisch (...). Besonderes Interesse widmet das Ohr (...) dem detailreich sorgfältigen und immer musikalisch empfundenen Spiel des Philadelphia Orchestra, das von den Tontechnikern wunderbar plastisch eingefangen wurde. Zwei Bläserquintette des (...) Victor Ewald, prachtvoll gespielt von Solisten des Philadelphia Orchestra, runden das Programm ab.
Rémy Franck, Pizzicato, Juni 2010
Zupackend, präzise und einfach mitreissend wird hier musiziert.
Christoph Werkhausen, hr2-kultur, Der CD-Tipp, 1. Juni 2010
Une logique de la forme et une clarté narrative étonnantes, que Christoph Eschenbach s'approprie en unifiant les contrastes au fil d'un discours ample (...) avec un Orchestre de Philadelphie véritablement somptueux.
Patrick Szersnovicz, Diapason, juin 2010
Christoph Eschenbach ist ganz offensichtlich ein Freund schöner Stellen, großer Melodien und überwältigender dramatischer Gesten (...) weshalb denn auch das Philadelphia Orchestra unter seiner Leitung überall dort, wo's schwelgt oder kracht, aufblüht oder überkocht, seine weltbekannte Topform ins beste Licht rücken darf.
Rasmus van Rijn, Klassik-Heute.com, 30. März, 2010
The Tchaikovsky performances are typical of Eschenbach at his best - emotionally intense and harmonically vibrant.
David Patrick Stearns, The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 21, 2010
A double love affair... Romeo & Juliet meet The Philadelphia Orchestra - The Philadelphia Orchestra's performances of Tchaikovsky are legendary. This release, under Christoph Eschenbach, features works where The Philadelphia Orchestra is definitive in its interpretation and sound: Romeo and Juliet, String Serenade, and Francesca da Rimini. Am added bonus will be, for many, the discovery of two brass quintets by Victor Ewald, a Tchaikovsky contemporary, which here highlights the world-renowned brass members of The Philadelphia Orchestra.
Enthusiastic press and success followed on the release of the three final Tchaikovsky Symphonies, Nos. 4-6. Romeo and Juliet is Tchaikovsky's first acknowledged masterpiece and today one of the most popular orchestral compositions ever written. The swirling orchestral mastery of Francesca da Rimini makes this a true showpiece for the Orchestra with its legendary "Philadelphia Sound". The Mozart-like String Serenade remains one of the most beloved of all works for string orchestra. Both Tchaikovsky and Ewald were active composers in St. Petersburg's musical life during the same time and familiar with each other's work. Esteemed by all lovers of brass music, Ewald's Quintets are imbued with romantic Russian national feeling.
This is the ninth CD under the "formidable Ondine-Eschenbach-Philadelphia partnership" (Gramophone), which since 2005 has produced discs that have been honored with accolades including BBC Music Magazine's Disc of the Month, Gramophone's "Editor's Choice," The New York Times' "Top Ten Recordings of the Year," and the German Record Critics' Award, among others.