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CD Review

Guido Cantelli

Live Recordings 1951-1953

• Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition **
• Richard Wagner: **
• A Faust Overture
• Siegfried's Rhine Journey
• Albert Roussel: Sinfonietta for Strings
• Hector Berlioz: Hungarian March
• Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto in A minor, Op. 3 #8, RV522 from "L'Estro Armonico" *

* Daniel Guilet, violin
* Remo Bolognini, violin
** New York Philharmonic Orchestra/Guido Cantelli
NBC Symphony Orchestra/Guido Cantelli
Guild Historical GHCD2328 70m ADD

There already is a sizeable discography from Cantelli available especially with some fine releases on the enterprising Testament label which I reviewed some years back. In fact this new Guild release contains the live Carnegie Hall recording of Mussorgsky's 'Pictures' with the New York Philharmonic which is still available on a Testament double CD. Suffice to say that Guild's remastering is every bit as fine as Testament's and the performance is as brilliant and exciting as one would expect from the late lamented Cantelli.

However there are other interesting items on offer including a rip roaring account of Wagner's 'Faust' Overture and a similarly classy reading of 'Siegfried's Rhine Journey' from the epic 'Götterdämmerung'. Cantelli also treats us to fine accounts of Roussel's Sinfonietta and Berlioz's Hungarian March which demonstrate his flair for French music. Finally to round off we have an old fashioned account of Vivaldi's Op. 8 #3 concerto which is pleasant and very romantic.

Although the recordings date from the early 1950's, recordings are quite clear and well forward, especially in the Mussorgsky. This latest Guild issue is indeed fine memorial to a tragically short lived conductor and which also retails at mid price, thus making it much more attractive for those wishing to explore the Cantelli legend.

Copyright © 2007, Gerald Fenech