Composer: Gustav Holst, Edward Elgar
Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Sir Georg Solti
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: FLAC (image+cue)
Label: Decca
Size: 292 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: no
Gustav Holst — The Planets
01. Mars, the Bringer of War
02. Venus, the Bringer of Peace
03. Mercury, the Winged Messenger
04. Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity
05. Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age
06. Uranus, the Magician
07. Neptune, the Mystic
Edward Elgar — Pomps & Circumstance
08. March No. 1 in D Major
09. March No. 4 in G Major
10. March No. 5 in C Major
Propulsive, thrilling
Mars may be too fast for some tastes, but there’s no arguing that this performance of the Planets exhibits consistently stunning orchestral execution, gorgeously remastered analogue sound (easily rivalling most DDD recordings) and wonderfully varied atmosphere throughout the travelogue. I don’t look to this piece too much for instrospection or profundity. Solti brings the perfect amount of warmth to Venus, agility to Mercury, and mystery to Neptune, but his shining moments are in Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. I’ve never heard Saturn done with such inexorable momentum – a performance that imbues the inexorable coming of age and ticking of time better than any other. The climax here is harrowing. If you’re familiar with Solti’s recordings with the Chicago Symphony or colorful repertoire, you’ll know what to expect here. The London Philharmonic matches the agility and gutsiness of their American counterparts. This is among my top three favorite recordings of this piece (Bernstein/NYPO and Gardiner being the others). The recording also features wonderfully played, non-indulgent readings of three of Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance marches.