The blurb on the backside of the CD, quoted from a review of the original recording in 1976, says everything: “There really is no point in making comparisons here, as Maazel’s account of Feste Romane is something of a revelation–by far the finest recording this work has ever achieved”. Those words are still true today, as both Lorin Maazel and Decca had reached their zenith with the Cleveland Orchestra in those late analog days. Just for starters, sample the Clevelanders’ spine-chilling precision and garishness in “Circuses”–the opening scene that so graphically depicts the Circus Maximus. From there on, things only get better as both “Jubilee” and “Oktoberfest” quite tangibly capture the atmosphere and flavor of their respective festivities. In the final “Epiphany”, well, what can I say? Just brace yourself to be rolled over by the musical equivalent of a Mack truck.
Maazel’s Pines of Rome fares almost as well, but his “Pines of the Appian Way” doesn’t quite crescendo all way to the very last note (only Fritz Reiner’s justly famous account manages this) and the recording suffers from confusion in the bass (the march rhythms are almost totally lost). Rimsky-Korsakov’s orchestral suite from Le Coq d’or makes for a rather light-weight filler, but who’s going to complain when the sound and execution is as good as it is here? This Decca Legends reissue gets a 10/10 rating on the merit of Maazel’s “Feste Romane” alone–a true orchestral “tour de force”. [9/24/2000]
