Re: Respighi - Wilson
That most measurable of all things; the tingle factor! Obviously such things are deeply personal. I know the Reiner & Silvestri versions (and the Batiz Ralph mentions which is very good too - and one of the first discs Naxos made with a 'major' orchestra so a bit of a calling card for them as a company) and all are good but personally this new disc tops them - which is a bold statement in the presence of greats such as Silvestri and Reiner (or Kertesz or many others). Did you hear this new disc in its SA-CD format or via a streamed option? If the latter, perhaps that accounts for the lack of engagement - the excellence of this recording technically is a significant part of this disc's success. If you measure the effectiveness of a performance by the end of "Pines" do check out Svetlanov who is genuinely Epic - more Ben Hur out of The Greatest Story Ever Told than anyone else! But as you say - Happy Listening!
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