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Review by Jonalogic October 13, 2010 (4 of 8 found this review helpful)
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Sorry, I'm definitely with Poly Nomial on this one.
Why is it, that with about 30 recordings of the Rite on vinyl, CD and now SACD, I have yet to find one graced with both great sonics and a great performance?
This one certainly scores a half out of two; the sonics are good but not great. I find this rather conventionally hi-fi ish sounding in stereo, clean and fine dynamically, but rather generic and with no coherent hall sound.
It's tough for this recording, I suppose, my just having come from the complete Shostakovich symphonies on Capriccio, which manage often to capture a spooky 'you are there' quality. This is completely lacking on this Tudor effort, which seems a bit 'manufactured'.
Yes, I know this disc is on HP's super list of SACD sonics*. Just goes to show; I stopped believing in that - and fairies - some years ago...
The Rite actually starts well, performance-wise, with a Part 1 with decent bite and aggression. However, for some reason, Nott and his band seem to progressively relax the tempi and tension as Part 2 progresses. This drains all the savagery and passion of the performance.
Sorry, the world just doesn't need another generic, soggy Rite. In any case, Paavo Jarvi on Telarc claims this crown, undisputed. That really is a world-class dud.
This trend continues, regretfully, throughout the Symphony. Basically, it justs sounds limp and static. There is basically no diesel in this tank...
I turned this off in despair 5 minutes from the end, not a good sign. The (other!) Jarvi's reading of this symphony on CC is a much better bet, all round.
* HP- Harry Pearson, guru of high-end mag, 'the Absolute Sound'
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