Mercury Living Presence SR 90256: Ballet for Band

Mercury Living Presence SR 90256
Ballet for Band
Eastman Wind Ensemble
Frederick Fennell, conductor

Pressing: US, dark maroon, colorback

Matrix numbers: FR1/FR1

Performance: 8/10

Sound: 9/10

Price range: $24-131 (mean $54) on popsike.com

Comments: Ballet music ... for band?  Sounds a bit funny at first, but just take a listen and you'll see that this is a pretty serious album with very nice performances by a first rate wind ensemble.  The sound is clear, natural, and well-balanced.  Lots of dynamics here, especially in the very upbeat Sullivan-Mackerras Pineapple Poll (yes, that music was arranged by the late conductor/composer Sir Charles Mackerras) and Rossini-Respighi La Boutique Fantasque.  Somehow, I found the Faust transcription to be less interesting than the other two, possibly because to my ears it lacked the full array of textures and color heard in the full orchestration.  Fortunately, there is a decent amount of air around the concert band, and as listeners we don't feel like we are seated on the conductor's shoulders as in some of the more recent Mercuries I've reviewed on the blog.  Ambience retrieval and presence are comparable to some of the best Mercury titles.  This recording has been named to the "Special Merit: Collections" list of the The Absolute Sound HP Super LP list.  A fun album and easy to recommend.

I just thought I'd share with you a part of the personal note by Frederick Fennell at the beginning of the liner notes:

"With this album of transcriptions from the musical literature of the ballet orchestra, the Eastman Wind Ensemble and I enjoy a momentary departure from our principal tasks and interests in this continuing series of recordings for Mercury Records. The fifteen albums thus far released have been devoted exclusively to original music for winds, and this vital concentration will remain as our primary objective. In presenting the music on this disc we seek, first of all, to continue to offer a pleasant and faithful listening experience. Second, we recognize that to countless thousands of record listeners, pleasant listening is not predicated upon the 'purity' of the musical letter -- that transcriptions fashioned with taste and charm, executed with skill and devotion, are a vital and accepted part of the musical scene. To those for whom these transcriptions from orchestral literature may recall nostalgic experiences as players or listeners, we add that we enjoyed them too."