BBC Philharmonic & Gianandrea Noseda - Liszt: Symphonic Poems Volume 3 (2007)

Between the years of 1848 and 1858, Franz Liszt churned out an impressive 12 symphonic poems. These works have regrettably become somewhat scarce on symphony concert programs despite the fact that they are every bit as engaging as his more frequently performed piano works. In this third volume of Liszt's symphonic poems, Gianandrea Noseda and the BBC Philharmonic do a stellar job of reacquainting listeners with these powerful and energetic works. These works are, of course, pieces of program music and complete enjoyment requires at least a partial understanding of what they are attempting to describe. Fortunately, the disc comes with concise and informative liner notes that give listeners all the information they need. TheBBC's performance is exemplary, again securing its position as one of the world's premiere orchestras. Noseda leads the orchestra through energetic and descriptive interpretations of the fifth through eighth symphonic poems. Every aspect of the performance is clean and precise -- intonation, articulation, rubato, dynamics, and tempo choice are all what one would expect from this orchestra. Chandos' recorded sound is generally acceptable, although there are times when the orchestra sounds a little muddy, particularly in busier, bombastic passages. Still, this album makes for a wonderful introduction to these works. ~ Mike D. Brownell