Robert Irving and the Concert Arts Orchestra deliver taut performances of the two Copland works featured here. At less than 22 minutes this Appalachian Spring is one of the swifter ones on disc, but it doesn’t sound at all rushed. The more reflective passages simply have more forward momentum than usual, which, along with consistently beautiful playing, serves the interpretation well. Rodeo charges out of the gate like a bucking bronco, highlighted by an especially exciting Buckaroo Holiday–though it’s not quite the Stetson-swinging romp whipped up by Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic. (Irving’s recording might have had greater impact if the bass drum weren’t set so far back in the mix.) For Bernstein the composer the Concert Arts players really strut their stuff, playing Facsimile and Fancy Free with a potent mix of sass and sophistication. In fact, this Fancy Free has a bit more pep than the composer’s own recordings (especially his second, with the Israel Philharmonic), although Irving’s version omits a couple of sections from the ballet. EMI’s recordings were made in what sounds like a very large and empty space (like a gymnasium), with gobs of reverb that emphasize the higher frequencies at the expense of the lower. But don’t let that stop you if this novel, intelligently planned coupling appeals–you’ll have much fun.
