Maazel and the Grand Canyon

 

One hardly needs another Grand Canyon Suite. It is a work which pretty much plays itself, but some vitality and style help.

Having Victor Herbert's symphonic poem Hero and Leander is more notable. It is grandly Romantic, if not a tad old-fashioned sounding.

As makeweights, Maazel throws in some of Herbert's more popular numbers from his operettas, here made for orchestra only.

This recording would be for Victor Herbert devotees only, although I can't imagine that fan club is too large. Worth it for hearing the tone poem once, but not much else. Everything here is pleasant though, if not shaking the Earth.

A review from 2005

Ferde Grofe's best known Grand Canyon Suite is presented here with a host of Victor Herbert music, both serious and light.

The five-movement suite takes a picturesque tour through the typical day in the southwest American desert. While not a definitive rendition, this recording holds up well against "classic" recordings of yore, with even better sonics.

The Victor Herbert symphonic poem Hero and Leander, is also music which guides the listener through a story. This performance comes off pretty well; the music isn't terribly memorable, but it has its exciting moments and it is interesting to hear some little-known, turn-of-the-century, highly Romantic American music.

Also on the CD is a medley of Herbert's greatest show tunes, including probably his most famous March of the Toys from Babes in Toyland. This medley gives 10 hits from various shows, all charming in their own right, and showing early influences of Leroy Anderson and Henry Mancini even.

While the performances here are very good, and the music is keen to listen to, nothing really blew me away. Especially since Naxos has released some excellent all-Grofe CD's of his suites at a budget price. If you really want the Herbert, don't hesitate to buy this CD, but if you only want the Grofe, I suggest you look somewhere else.

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Works
Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite (35.40)
Herbert: Hero and Leander, op. 33 (28.26)


Ensemble
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Lorin Maazel, conductor

Label: Sony
Year: 1994
Total Timing: 72.19

 

 

Truth is, this should probably be tossed to the moat.

Yet, I want to hold on to Victor Herbert's symphonic poem, a work that never pops up anywhere.

But, maybe there is a reason for that...

 

 

 

 

 

Find more Victor Herbert recordings HERE!