Spritely accounts of these gems!
These works are so fine they need no special representation from me. And so it is all the more puzzling that there are so few modern recordings. This recording is very welcome. It's definitely an 'American' sounding orchestra, as opposed to Russian that is. However, the performances are tightly sprung and pretty swift. The sound of the strings can feel a little clipped at times but this is atoned for by the 'correct' placement of the violins left and right. The benchmark, for me, in this repertoire is Gergiev and the very Russian sounding Rotterdam PO on Phillips. Do try and get hold of this recording if you can to experience the broadest possible expression in these works. Nevertheless, I can't imagine any newcomers to these works being disappointed with this set and they are refreshing to this familiar listener, too. A particularly gutsy bassoonist is evident, too!
