Howard Hanson: Bold Island Suite / Symphony No. 2 Romantic Suite from Merry Mount / Fanfare for the Signal Corps

The couplings here turn this into a must-purchase. I can't comment much more about the performances yet. But I will say that while it makes sense to mention other recordings by Hanson, Schwarz and Slatkin, the one you really should get for the thrill of great sound is the closer-miked Gerhardt on Chesky (A Wilkinson Reader's Digest effort, if I recall correctly) that comes with fillers by other American composers. Get them both!

Having long appreciated this work (first from Hanson's performance on Mercury with an under-nourished Eastman Rochester Orchestra, next from its fine Delos recording with Gerard Schwartz and the Seattle Symphony), I next heard about this recording from an American Record Guide overview of American symphonies. I'm grateful for the recommendation for the Cincinnati symphony is an even better orchestra than Seattle's and the Telarc recording is more full, warm and resonant . The interpretation, moreover, is more sweeping and, yes, romantic. Where Schwartz gives you Hanson's First symphony as disc mate (it's a less inventive and satisfying work than the second) this disc includes the more popular Suite from Merry Mount (culled from an opera that is anything but merry) and the first recording of Hanson's Bold Island Suite. Hanson composed the latter on commission from the Cleveland Orchestra in 1961, basing it upon his experience of summer retreats to the eponymous island off the coast of Maine. It's an evocative colorful score making for an enjoyable listening experience. The disc opens with Fanfare for the Signal Corps, one of many such pieces commissioned by the orchestra under conductor Eugene Goosens in 1942-43 (Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man was the most popular outcome). This is a generous amount of music for the money, all beautifully performed and recorded. It was so good, when I found out they released it on multi-channel SACD, I bought that too! If you have a surround system, THAT version is even more satisfying. Telarc really outdid themselves with this 2008 release!

Just wish the SACD version of this disc was still in available.

I was raised with classical music as a pianist. I’ve always found it to be a comfort, which is what I cherish most nowadays.

Awesome versions conducted by an awesome conductor!!

I have really liked this. I have played it again and again, and, for now, it remains new. It helps that I adore this rather popular school of early 20th Century Classical, which has pizzazz, and mixed into it is jazz. Furthermore, this is a good example of that genre. While critics would probably be horrified, I would rank Hanson with Gershwin and Katchatourian.  Howard Hanson: Bold Island Suite; Symphony No. 2 "Romantic"; Suite from Merry Mount

I like that on occasion. I knew of Hanson, an eminently capable American composer, but could tick off only a few of his works that I'd return to for a signature theme or tune. His "Romantic" Symphony is one, and the Maypole Dances from his "Merry Mount" Suite will stick around too.This collection I return to, and often. The Bold Island Suite is a revelation. Hat's off to Maestro Kunzel, the musicians and engineers. Superb!

I like the music of Howard Hanson. I love his 1st and 6th Symphonies and I was looking forward to listening to his 2nd Symphony on this CD, but I seriously recommend that you not buy this product! Why? Every single copy of this CD that I have received from Amazon ( there have been 3: my original purchase and two replacements on returns) has been defective. They take forever to read. When they do play, they stop, skip and jump. There are static noises. It's like poor quality radio, as opposed to audiophile sound. If this is an indication of Amazon's quality control, I'm done buying music from Amazon.

Very good arrived on time

Klassic vom feinsten, leider ist die SACD nur noch sehr teuer gebraucht zu bekommen.Die CD war aber ok, da ich ca. 80% der Kunzel Reihe auf CD haben nicht weiter schlimm gehört zu meiner Sammlung.Aber toller Service das erstemal mit Autorip!

念願のCDが届きましたが、またケースが割れてます。　たびたび過ぎて梱包の無神経さには、もう慣れましたので、泣き寝入りします。で、肝心のCDレビューなんですが、演奏は素晴らしく劇的に盛り上がり、また繊細な仕上がりは、ご機嫌であり、録音も流石のテラークであります。しかし、何が難儀やと言うと、これはCDではなく、CD-Rです。　なので、いつも使用しているCDプレイヤーでは、TOCを読み取れずに再生不能でした。そこで、PCにWAVファイルで、取り込んだ後に、PCで手持ちのCD-Rに焼くと、ようやく再生できるようになるような代物です。よくもまぁこんなバッタもんを平気でCDやと言うて売ってるなぁと呆れました。せっかくの上級な良いコンテンツなのに、そうであるならば、普通のCD品質で売って欲しいです。　これはテラーク盤としての名折れだと思います。　もうテラーク盤ファンを辞めることにしました。

中身は正規のコンパクトディスクではありませんでした。"テラーク盤ファン"さんのおっしゃるとおり、CD-R(得体の知れぬコピー)でした。レーベル表面の印刷及びブックレットの装丁は粗雑であり、とてもアメリカ合衆国製品とは思えません。一時期、市場に出回っていた中国製の海賊版だと疑います。もちろん、即時に返品します。今回の件で、amazon直販商品の中にも、偽物があることを知りました。