Varèse: Orchestral Works, Vol. 2 (2008)

There are a number of "complete" renderings of Varèse on disc, largely as his overall output is so small -- only about 13 works -- and the history of complete recorded editions of his work, actually complete or not, stretches back into the 1950s. Naxos' edition, piloted by conductor Christopher Lyndon-Gee, may not represent a name with the power of Boulez or Chailly at the helm, but nevertheless there are a lot of reasons to check out Naxos' Varèse: Orchestral Works , Vol. 2, in which Lyndon-Gee leads the Polish National ... Read More

There are a number of "complete" renderings of Varèse on disc, largely as his overall output is so small -- only about 13 works -- and the history of complete recorded editions of his work, actually complete or not, stretches back into the 1950s. Naxos' edition, piloted by conductor Christopher Lyndon-Gee, may not represent a name with the power of Boulez or Chailly at the helm, but nevertheless there are a lot of reasons to check out Naxos' Varèse: Orchestral Works , Vol. 2, in which Lyndon-Gee leads the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Men's Chorus of Camerata Silesia, and soloists.At the outset, it is apparent this is a very good recording, demonstrating a satisfying spatial separation of very quiet and very loud elements. Amériques, heard in the first recording of the original expanded version for 155 pieces -- that conducted by Leopold Stokowski in 1927 -- is a crystal clear interpretation in some ways, a little loose in others, but not in an undesirable manner. In recordings where... Read Less