Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela
Posted by: Bruce Woodhouse on 17 April 2009
Everything I read about this project makes me want to support it.
Has anyone bought one of their recordings, and if so would you recommend it?
Bruce
Has anyone bought one of their recordings, and if so would you recommend it?
Bruce
Posted on: 17 April 2009 by Diccus62
No but I hear they are tremendous live 
Posted on: 17 April 2009 by soundsreal
Very much so. They've televised several of their performances on Bravo and Ovation, and tons of fun. Lots of latin composers, to be sure, with some Bernstein and others thrown in. Their conductor, Gustavo Dudamel(sp) is a hoot. I wish he had been my conductor when I was in school.
Posted on: 18 April 2009 by JeremyB
Their Mahler and Beethoven recordings are top shelf. I'd be happy if they were my only recordings of Mahler 5 and Beethoven 5/7.
Posted on: 19 April 2009 by Todd A
I've not yet tried the mainstream discs (Beethoven, Mahler, now Tchaikovsky), but the disc of smaller, Latin American works (plus some Bernstein) is quite good. The orchestra is very capable, no doubt, but they lack the polish and precision of the greatest orchestras (eg, BPO, VPO), and the Revueltas work they perform, when compared to the LAPO's recording, show that they don't have any type of idiomatic grip on the music that can't be emulated or outplayed in other ways. Then again, it is a youth orchestra.
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Posted on: 19 April 2009 by Bruce Woodhouse
quote:Originally posted by Todd A:
I've not yet tried the mainstream discs (Beethoven, Mahler, now Tchaikovsky), but the disc of smaller, Latin American works (plus some Bernstein) is quite good. The orchestra is very capable, no doubt, but they lack the polish and precision of the greatest orchestras (eg, BPO, VPO), and the Revueltas work they perform, when compared to the LAPO's recording, show that they don't have any type of idiomatic grip on the music that can't be emulated or outplayed in other ways. Then again, it is a youth orchestra.
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Thanks all. This is music I'd buy for the provenance as much as for the performance.
Bruce