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Label:
  Naxos - http://www.naxos.com/
Serial:
  6.110002
Title:
  Ferde Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite etc. - Stromberg
Description:
  Ferde Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite, Mississippi Suite, Niagara Falls Suite

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
William Stromberg (conductor)
Track listing:
  Total time: 67:46
Genre:
  Classical - Orchestral
Content:
  Stereo/Multichannel
Media:
  Hybrid
Recording type:
 
Recording info:
  Recorded at Wessex Hall, Poole Arts Centre, Poole, Dorset, UK from the 27th to 28th July, 1998
Producer: Andrew Walton
Engineer: Eleanor Thomason
Assistant Engineer: Andrew Lang
Note:
  Released by Naxos (Hong Kong) as 5.110002SACD.

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Related titles: 1


 
Reviews: 1

Review by mandel March 4, 2005 (3 of 3 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:  
The three suites on this disc contain some wonderfully descriptive music. This isn't highbrow listening, but is a collection of easy to listen to short pieces that often sound like film music. The disc opens with Mississippi Suite which contains four pleasant, contrasting movements. Not the best music ever (imho) but certainly listenable (if a little cheesy in parts).

The Grand Canyon Suites depiction of the desert is beautiful, moving from 'Sunrise', through travelling with a burro 'On The Trail' till 'Sunset'. Then there is 'Cloudburst' which is scarily convincing, reprises the theme from 'On The Trail' then takes you through a storm from its approach to its withdrawal; certainly the high point of the whole disc.

The 'Power of Niagara' at the end of the Niagara Falls Suite is intense. Reminds me of some of the bits from the original Metropolis score that are used in the machine rooms.

Multichannel Sonics: 5.1 with the centre channel used to good effect at a measured volume level. Nice amount of ambience from the surrounds. Fairly heavy LFE use but not overpowering. The soundscape is a little disappointing with a lot of the instruments coming from the left or right extremes. There is depth to the field behind the centre channel but it is a little indistinct. The violins and the brass sound a little harsh too.

The performance is lively across the whole recording which makes the disc enjoyable even considering the sonic imperfections. Despite my being a bit critical in this review, the disc finds it way into my player suprisingly often! Naxos also recorded another concert of some other Grofe suites in the same venue with the same orchestra two years later. The recorded was in surround at 24bit and may see an SACD release in the future (currently only on RBCD).

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Works: 3  

Ferde Grofé - Grand Canyon Suite
Ferde Grofé - Mississippi Suite
Ferde Grofé - Niagara Falls Suite