1812 Ovt/Wellingtons Victory

This recording is the first classical album to ever win a Gold Record. And deservedly so! The Minneapolis Symphony (now Minnesota Orchestra) sound is perfectly balanced and Dorati had the guts to put it all to the test. Yes, you can argue that the carillons were added later, but these days, is that even a concern? Heck, I'd also commend them for being way ahead of their time in compositing the carillons into the mix in a spectacular way.

Bravo to the Orchestra, Dorati, and to the University of Minnesota Brass Band!

This classic, enduring reading of the Festival Overture '1812' and 'Wellington's Victory' is stunning, meticulously researched, and yes, extremely LOUD! The music is powerful, well-performed, and truly captures the spirit of all three pieces. In the end, however, the stars of the show are the Bells of the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon and, of course, the artillery and muskets as authentically realized in both battle pieces. The producers of this landmark LP and disc went as far as to use original, extant artillery pieces that date from the periods which inspired both '1812' and 'Wellington's Victory.' The recordings of the artillery are, in a word, INCREDIBLE! Unlike many versions of '1812,' where the cannons can sound underpowered (Naxos with Leaper) or way too pristine (Telarc with Kunzel), the Mercury engineers capture them in their authentic glory, holding nothing back. The Bells of the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial Carillon, however, totally steal the show at the end of '1812,' overwhelming the Minneapolis (now Minnesota) Symphony Orchestra, the University of Minnesota Brass Band, and the cannon itself, in a glorious, triumphant storm of sound.

Oh, by the way, the reading of the Capriccio Italien is excellent as well ;).

Deems Taylor's commentary is informative and very interesting, and gives an added appreciation for this disc when one considers the extremes to which performers, producers, and engineers went to put us, the lucky listeners, on the 'front line,' as it were. The winner of no less than TWO Penguin Guide Rosette Awards, this Mercury disc is truly the greatest of the greatest of them all. You absolutely do not want to miss this one!

This recording is another file treasure of every lover classical music. This achievement since his first release in 1958 became in a cult recording.
I never had it in vynil record, but I acquired since his release in CD.
The epical approach given by Dorati and the commitment and histamina offered by the 120 musicians of The Minneapolis Orchestra, is now part of a legend.
The sound gotten by Mercury Records made a landmark in the recording story.
Dorati literally took this well known piece and carried to cosmical level.
I remeber a very interesting commentary of Glenn Gould about this solemn overture. He stated this score contained folk melodies and even religious hymns.
Obviously, the celebration over the French Army in 1812, let you establish a clear similitude between it and the Marselleise hymn, which makes the second national hymn in Russia.
Nowadadays this epic sense has lost. We only have the knowledge but we lack the experience.
In the ancient times it made history: but today we only study and analyze it. Today we are more civilizated, but the achievements made under this new approach do not look like so shocking. That is what it could explain why we watch all this glorious generation of past conductors as if they were from other world, and we admire in the same way that we do with the great painters from the past. We go to the musseum , we feel its huge expressive force and that sensation dissapears when we leave the hall. What a pitty!
In mythological terms, we have reduced Dyonisius to ashes and we have celebrated just the apollinean sound.
Vow by the Minneapolis orchestra , and a special ackonowledgement to the percussionists.
Buy this one and you will be always eternally awarded.