COMPOSERS: Various
LABELS: Universal
Eloquence – can I make a plea for some information on the music to be included with each CD?
Clean, spirited performances of MOZART’s Symphonies Nos 31, 32, 34 and 35 from Marriner and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields still stand up to the competition (468 166-2), and a LISZT collection, consisting mostly of strong performances of Hungarian Rhapsodies by Roberto Szidon, also contains a splendidly idiomatic Mephisto Waltz No. 1 from Andor Foldes (469 676-2).
Edo de Waart’s 1981 version of RESPIGHI’s Pini di Roma, Fontane di Roma and Gli uccelli has had the famous old I Musici recording of the third Suite of Ancient Airs and Dances grafted onto it – good value at over 77 minutes (468 176-2).
If you want a Rhapsody in Blue, avoid the lush indulgence of Ivan Davis and Maazel (467 410-2), though An American in Paris gets its skates on.
And it’s good to see highlights from MOZART’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail with Wunderlich as Belmonte (469 669-2) – but let’s have some words, please!