This may be the most scintillating, exciting, sonically vibrant Nutcracker of them all, fully exploiting orchestral color and sectional timbres (especially the strings)–and whether you have the earlier, regular CD release or this new hybrid SACD, the orchestra feels close enough to touch (not always a good thing) yet overall maintains a confined quality that, particularly in the big tuttis, makes you wish for more space for the sound to breathe and resonate. Nevertheless, if you appreciate realistic orchestral presence and don’t mind some swifter tempos than found in many other Nutcrackers, Dorati’s realization of this beloved score will suit you well. Of course, many listeners prefer his 1975 Philips version with the Concertgebouw (see Reviews archive), but this one from 1962, recorded on 3-track 35mm film, really conveys life and action, movement and spectacle.
It’s not as successful as some others–Ozawa and Boston, for instance–in capturing the magic and mystery and fantasy, partly because of the proximity of the orchestra and also due to tempos that in some sections don’t allow enough time for the mood to take hold. My measure of this always is the “Arabian Dance”, whose wonderfully exotic character can only be captured by a sensitivity to tempo and careful balancing of the orchestral sections with solo instruments. It’s a fine line between a pretty, functional character piece and a dreamy, sensuous, almost otherworldly dance. Dorati seems more concerned with moving things along, while Ozawa (and only a few others) indulges the music’s desire to cast its spell. And although it was made in 1990, the Boston recording holds up remarkably well sonically to any modern production.
The “filler” is Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, and after hearing its full-bodied, realistic, sharply detailed sound, you might be surprised to learn that it was recorded in 1958, four years before the Nutcracker. This is a great performance, as fine as anything recorded since, and together with this dynamic, high-spirited Nutcracker, it makes an irresistible package, even for listeners who already have one or two versions of these classics in their CD collections. [11/16/2005]
