Suppe: Overtures

The gallant mood!

The Austrian composer Franz von Suppe was in direct line with Offenbach and Rossini, and conformed a well reminded quartet with the Strauss (father and son) and Emil Waldteufel. In what today might label easy to listen music. As Marcel Brion recalls in his book about Vienna in the XIX Century, the frivolity and the good life were the preamble around what decades after would be known as the belle époque in Paris.

Although his music is obviously light-hearted, owns an original inspiration based on mythological themes (The beautiful Galatea or Tantalu's torment); of cvourse Mehta made a very smart choose about the most significant collection of beloved overtures that counted with the kind support of the Vienna Philharmonic.

An album that should not be missed in your invaluable discography.
May 27, 2008

Up and Down

This overture is beautiful. I think Zubin Mehta is a terrific conductor. I would enjoy the music much more if the engineers did a better job recording the CD. There is too much change in the volume level (and not by the composer). If the volume is high it is very high and if low, very low. November 4, 2002

A Whiz-Banger!

I purchased this CD because I've always enjoyed Suppe's light, bouncy overtures and Zubin Mehta and the Vienna Philharmonic doesn't fail here with it's nice moving tempos and great colorful sound. The trumpet call at the beginning of "Light Cavalry" has always been an attention-getter (a musical alarm clock mind you). Another overture on this disc that I wasn't familiar with was "Vienna Jubilation" (which also starts off with a trumpet call) got my attention also which also includes a somewhat Suppe tradition (the waltz). Very vibrant and beautiful. The rest of the overtures are up to the same performance quality. However, I must say that if you want some of Suppe's overtures that have a faster tempo, then try Solti and the same orchestra if they are still around. I have an old London LP that has four of the mentioned overtures (Light Cavalry, Poet & Peasant, Morning, Noon & Night in Vienna, The Beautiful Galatea). These really move!! If you're looking for Suppe with a tempo that is just a tad slower than Mehta, then try the Janos Sandor/Hungarian State Opera Orchestra on Laserlight. With this CD you get a march (O du mein Ossterreich) plus eight overtures. These are very-well performed and sounds great! All these recommendations (my opinion) are about the best you can get!!! October 11, 2002

Dizzying, Whirling, Fantastic, and Superlatively Energetic

I certainly made a good purchase with this one. I was in the mood for some peppy overtures AND I GOT 'EM!
The well-known Light Cavalry Overture is well-represented here (even though Mehta takes some liberties in the tempo at the end, I still enjoyed it), as are the almost as well-known Poet and Peasant and Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna overtures. There isn't a weak track on the whole CD, and my favorite is the Queen of Spades Overture, Track 5. The highly-caffeinated orchestra starts out deceptively quietly, throws in some out-of-nowhere fortissimo chords (a la Haydn Symphony #94), and then begins to spin indefatigably faster and louder, accelerating beautifully even to the last note. You can't help but stay for the rest of the opera. The overtures grab you and won't let you go.

There is nothing but sheer audience candy in any of Suppe's works, but over a hundred years later, those shameless hooks still work. I relish every second of vivacity and bombast that overflows in copious quantities from this CD. June 6, 2002

wonderful music from a wonderful artist

This is a great CD. It isn't the type that will put you to sleep. It is upbeat. Von Suppe keeps you tapping you foot and bouncing your head throughout the album. My personal favorite is the last one, "Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna." April 5, 1999

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