Before I got this release, I listened to some internet audio clips and wasn't too impressed. It sounded like the usual Prague mess.

But the CD is amazing.

For once, the City of Prague Philharmonic can be said to actually play professionally.

Timperley's sound is so much better than previous Silva outings. While still offering the same apparently close-miked recording as before, he avoids the trap of having the background music overpower the main melodies or the excessive reverberation - both of which, combined with below-average performance and conducting, ruined the Alfred Newman album.

Rota's music is as magnificent as always.

At times Nic Raine's conducting often sounds too fast. This isn't Formula 1, for crying out loud. It's Rota's most fabulous score. A somewhat more relaxed pace would have made the music so much better. When he does get it right, Raine brings out all the best from the score.

Mike Townend has reconstructed the score. Successful his reconstruction is. It is hard to hear any major differences between this and the original.

Now maybe I'm just a picky bastard, but I can't give it five stars. It's just not what I would have preferred. Muti and La Scala are still my first choice Rota performers. And I still like Richard King's somewhat-studio-but-still-concert-hall engineering more than Timperley's studio job.
The original recording is also somewhat more appealing in its tempi, though Raine tries to follow as much as he can.

Still, a four star production. If you can't find the original tracks, as conducted by Rota, available on either Silva or Cloud 9, this is as good a replacement as any. In some aspects, it even surpasses the original.

Unquestionably, the best Prague production from Silva Screen.

but let it also be said that they have sounded like professionals before, on Kilar's The Ninth Gate.

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Originally posted by JJH:
but let it also be said that they have sounded like professionals before, on Kilar's The Ninth Gate.

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I was hoping I'm not the only one who thinks that.

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If you can't find the original tracks, as conducted by Rota, available on either Silva or Cloud 9, this is as good a replacement as any.

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Now that I've gone back and relistened to the old Silva CD, I'd almost want to bring the rating of the rerecording down to ***½ from ****.

There is a track on the "Original Soundtrack" which runs for 7:48. It's titled "Epilogue" and includes the biggest rendition of the R&J theme, played by the whole orchestra, with the brass taking a more important role. That's missing from the rerecording. I don't know whether the track was even meant to be in the movie, or was just some recording session leftover, which Silva found and stuck to the end of the CD.

What is called "Epilogue" on the rerecording is the second half of the track called "O Happy Dagger" from the original soundtrack, and runs at about 2:00.

The whole "Epilogue" suite featured on the original is missing from the rerecording.

I really like the album myself.

The track that is featured on the old CD but is missing on the new one is obviously a recording from the 1960's.

But the 8-minute suite on the Cinema's Classic Romances album could be a rerecording of that track. I'd have to listen and see.

For the record, I love it, but it could have been better.
(yes, I love seeing my writing too)

He says it was recorded by Silva in the 1990's, and was included on the Rota-conducted original soundtrack as a bonus cue.

Let me say that it's wonderful to hear that a new Rota fan has been born, because not enough people know of his genius. On which Rota cd you should get next...it depends which side of Rota you're ready to explore. I would certainly recommend picking up "The Godfather Part 2," as that is a splended album. The first "Godfather" received a bad album release, with only about 25 minutes of the actual score on there, and not the greatest in sound quality either (there is noticeable buzzing on a few of the tracks...didn't bug me though). That score should be remastered and expanded, as several excellent cues are not included. The second Godfather album has excellent sound, and is 38 minutes long. Highly recommended for the beginning Rota fan.
My favorite Rota score is "Il Casanova," which is the most unique and otherworldly score I've heard in my life. And my second favorite Rota score is "8 1/2."
I recommend the compilation, "Tutto Fellini," which includes a few cues from every Fellini film (Most of what's on there is by Rota, including excellent suites from Il Casanova, Amarcord and cues from other scores not available anywhere else).
Try www.camoriginalsoundtracks.com for clips from various Rota scores (although their sample cue from Casanova isn't the greatest, since the rest of the score isn't like that cue for sample, though that is a marvelous cue). Pick up 'Tutto Fellini,' you also get excellent cues from Nicola Piovani and other composers, but most of it is valuable Rota material.

Best Regards,
Dylan (whose second favorite composer is Nino Rota)

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Originally posted by Marian Schedenig:
So which recording should a Rota newbie get? Is R&J a good next step? Or what else would you recommend?
NP: La strada, suite (Nino Rota)

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This one: http://www.moviemusic.com/title.asp?id=ninorotamuti2
Great performance. Great conducting. Great sound. Low price.

R&J is a great next step, but since the past few months, I have occasionally listened to the original tracks CD and the Prague rerecording back to back. The rerecording, as good as it may be, seems worse everytime (when compared with the original). So if you get R&J, first recommendation would be the original tracks.

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I bought my first Rota CD today, a compilation of four film score suites on EMI, conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti, and I love it.

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...and don't forget to visit www.camoriginalsoundtracks.com

Best Regards,
Dylan (who recommends fans of Rota to rent the "8 1/2" dvd...an excellent film, and an excellent German-produced documentary on Nino Rota is included as a supplement)

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Originally posted by Dinko:
Yup. Love that EMI CD too. Especially for the price. Nice Rhodes sound too.

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