HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: le01167@portal.lasc.lockheed.com (Ron Nadel)
Subject: Mahler 8 (was Jascha Horenstein, and Mahler 9, and Mahler 1))
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Co. - Rye Canyon
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 92 18:55:42 GMT

In article <1992Oct9.170057.13158@spang.Camosun.BC.CA>, dbarker@spang.Camosun.BC.CA (Deryk Barker) writes...

> I am on record as saying that I prefer [Bernstein's]
> 1966 Mahler 8, as a *performance*, to any other I've. This
>is not intended to be some sort of snobbish dismissal of his career,
>conducting Mahler or anyone else, but his approach to the composer
>seems to have become dominant in recent years, and there *are* other
>ways of attacking the music.

I have a friend with whom, years ago, I would hold forth on the glories of
Mahler. He, on the other hand, just could not see what all the talk was
about.  One day I happened to check his record collection and noted
that the ONLY Mahler recording he had was that '66 Bernstein Mahler 8.
I sat him down and went through Solti's recording of it, and could see
the transformation of his opinion taking place before my eyes.  

That's why Jon's words were right on the money when he said re: Horenstein -

>>To call the Horenstein Mahler 8th "the greatest of all" is exactly the
>>sort of harmful idolatry I was talking about.  Some poor schook may
>>actually believe Cardus (or whoever), buy it, listen once, and conclude
>>either that (a) Mahler is a fraud, (b) Horenstein is a fraud, or (c)
>>record critics are unmusical morons.  

and regarding Bernstein's 8th -

>>But all these understandings [of difficulties in recording Mahler in the 60s]
>>don't make it any easier to enjoy the mess that took place on this
>>occasion.  There's no point bothering with it any more, much less
>>saluting it as some kind of excellence.

Ron
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: cb@tamarack13.timbuk (Chris Brewster)
Subject: Re: Beatles and the canon
In-reply-to: roger@crux.Princeton.EDU's message of Wed, 14 Oct 1992 21:19:30 GMT
Organization: pubs
	<1992Oct14.211930.10362@Princeton.EDU>
Date: 14 Oct 92 18:34:26 CDT

Roger Lustig writes:

   Stardust?  Hoagy Carmichael's Stardust?  All-time best seller?  I doubt
   it.  White Christmas and Yesterday are *certainly* ahead of it.

What I heard is that it's the best-selling *song* in all versions,
whereas certain others might be ranked for best-selling single
recordings: Crosby for W.Chr., you know who for Yesterday.  (And
Porter's "Yesterdays" is just as good, though a few magnitudes less
well-known I guess.)

   White Christmas or the Sixth: which one has better recognition?  8-)

Well, I was talking more about permanence than current recognition.  My
hunch is still that older popular styles will just gradually disappear,
though you make interesting points.  And some old pop stuff really does
seem to be getting some Beethoven-style permanence, such as ragtime.

Chris Brewster
cb@cray.com
From: inr@eccles.caltech.edu (I. Neill Reid)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: re: Opera in the vernacular
Date: 16 Oct 92 02:53:00 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology
NNTP-Posting-Host: eccles.caltech.edu
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

Chris Brewster writes:

>This brings up my anti-favorite musical treatment of words: "the bombs
>bursting in air" in the Star-Spangled Banner.  It would be easy enough
>to put "the" before the beat, unstressed, and give "bombs" a longer note
>on the beat, but we force the syllables into the predetermined musical
>line, with a resulting effect of "THUH-b'ms bursting in air".  Maybe we
>should trash it and use Bernstein's America, or maybe Springsteen's Born
                                     ^^^^^^^
>in the USA, at baseball games.

 Sir,
  I protest most strongly at the notion of your using an aberrated
version of OUR national anthem (even if I did boo most vociferously at 
Murrayfield) at YOUR national pastime (marvellous though it is - Go
BJs),
   yours faithfully,
   Brigadier R. Bladder

>Chris Brewster
>cb@cray.com
From: Joseph.J.Marcheso.Jr.@dartmouth.edu (Joseph J. Marcheso Jr.)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: Glass meets Clive Barker response
Date: 14 Oct 92 21:13:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: dartvax.1992Oct14.211359.7117
 <1992Oct14.013706.22631@Princeton.EDU> 
 <1992Oct14.033525.14825@dartvax.dartmouth.edu>  
 <1992Oct14.145821.9242@Princeton.EDU>
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
X-Posted-From: InterNews1.0a5@newshost.dartmouth.edu

In article <1992Oct14.145821.9242@Princeton.EDU>
roger@crux.Princeton.EDU (Roger Lustig) writes:

> >Well we certainly have put our foot in our mouth tonight haven't we? No
> >well recognized hits well then you probably haven't heard "La Donne e
> >mobile" "Va pensiero" the entire soundtrack to Pretty Woman The
> >overture to La Traviata The triumphal March in Aida? Haven't heard
> >these???? Now let me think of ONE Glass "Tune" that matches his "rival"
> >in this category. Please tell me how much a gazillion is? THis is an
> >insult to compare one of the worlds greats to Glass.
> 
> Call us in 125 years, OK?

No other artist needed 125 years (exc. Bach et al) to become popular
and, Verdi's tunes where equally popular in his day and age as they are
now.
From: marcs@slc.com (Marc San Soucie)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: Glass meets Clive Barker
Date: 16 Oct 92 23:12:37 GMT
Article-I.D.: slc.1992Oct16.231237.14403
Distribution: na
Organization: Servio Corp, Beaverton Oregon, US

Gregg Jaeger (jaeger@buphy.bu.edu) writes:

> Robert Haskins (RHASKINS@UMAB.BITNET) writes:

> >I'm more intrigued by the statement Glass is working on a symphonic treatmetn
> >of David Bowie's _Low_ album -- got to love the concept!

> Are you serious?! The next question is: would Eno be doing his `treatment'
> of Glass' treatment?

Let's hear it!

    Marc San Soucie
    Portland, Oregon
    marcs@slc.com
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: gerritse@sci.kun.nl (Bart Gerritse)
Subject: Beethoven cello, was Bach Cello Suites 
Keywords: Bach, Cello Suites, Beethoven, Cello Sonatas
Organization: University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 09:50:11 GMT

In <1992Oct8.164533.9425@cs.umb.edu> jboor@mote.cs.umb.edu (Joan Boorstein) writes:

[...]

>I have also recently heard part of a recording of Wispelwey doing the 
>Beethoven Sonatas for Cello & Piano -- I want to hear this again -- 
>has Bylsma done these? if so, who plays the fortepiano?

Bylsma has recorded all 5 on Elektra Nonesuch, with Malcolm Bilson playing
the fortepiano. I recently borrowed no 3-5 from the local library: it is
great. Finally one can hear cello and piano in balance. Phrasing is beautiful
and the playing is full of temperament.

Recommended!!!

>Joan Boorstein (jboor@cs.umb.edu)

Bart Gerritse
From: pranata@watserv.ucr.edu (Krisanto Pranata)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: The Voyage
Keywords: voyage, glass, opera, met
Date: 9 Oct 92 05:13:36 GMT

Sorry if this has been discussed before.
Does anyone out there know when Philip Glass's 'The Voyage' will premiere with
the Metropolitan Opera?
Also any information about the production would be appreciated very much.

kris

pranata@watserv.ucr.edu


ps: does anyone know if the soundtrack to 'A Brief History of Time' will be  
released commercially?
From: hla@ecs.soton.ac.uk (Helen Ashman)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: melody in Rachmaninoff's 2nd Symphony
Date: 7 Oct 92 13:46:55 GMT

In <srgcraf.17.0@grace.cri.nz> srgcraf@grace.cri.nz (Ross A Fletcher) writes:

>In article <1992Oct3.000904.20496@europa.asd.contel.com> ashley@oasis.gtefsd.com (Bob Ashley) writes:
>>Subject: Re: melody in Rachmaninoff's 2nd Symphony
>>From: ashley@oasis.gtefsd.com (Bob Ashley)
>>Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1992 00:09:04 GMT
>>In article 6073@morrow.stanford.edu, AH.PBL@forsythe.stanford.edu (Mark) writes:
>>>In article <BvGnLI.MrK@cdsmn.mn.org>,
>>>wells@cdsmn.mn.org (Rich Wells) writes:
>>>>The third movement of Rachmaninoff's Symphony #2 begins with a
>>>>melody that I know has been used by some pop/country tune.
>>>>
>>>  The title of the song is "All By Myself".  I don't know
>>>who wrote/sang it, though.  Eric something...?
>>>
>>>  "All by myself, I don't wanna be...all by myself...
>>>blah, blah, blah..."
>>>
>>>-- Mark
>>>
>>
>>I believe it was Eric Carmen ... 
>>
>>
>>Bob - I don't believe it was Clapton

>The original poster is correct.  The song that came out in the mid '70s and 
>was called "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again".  It was sung by an all-girl 
>group (something like the Supremes - but it wasn't them).  I recently heard 
>it as a jazz "original" on a Chet Baker album.  Don't remember the title but 
>it wasn't the one above.

It's both. Eric Carmen really liked his Rachmaninov. He used piano
concerto 2 for "all by myself" and symphony 2 for "never gonna
fall in love again".

Helen.

Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: hafner@ifi.unizh.ch (Michel Hafner)
Subject: Re: Pianist info
Organization: University of Zurich, Department of Computer Science
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 92 21:30:50 GMT

In article <97884@bu.edu> jaeger@buphyk.bu.edu (Gregg Jaeger) writes:
>In article <ld6a2nINNa9a@news.bbn.com> ryuen@BBN.COM (Ray Yuen) writes:
>>Is the pianist Arturo Benediti Michaelangeli (sp?) still alive?  If so, where
>>is he spending most of his time?
>>Thanks,
>>Ray Yuen
>I believe he died some time within the last two years...
He is alive and well, unless he died very recently. 
								M.H.
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: rwd4f@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Rob Dobson)
Subject: Re: The Abuse of Classical Music
Organization: University of Virginia
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 20:22:39 GMT

In article <1992Oct12.195152.23186@genghis.borland.com> alexande@genghis.borland.com (Mark Alexander) writes:
>
>My solution was to discard the TV and get a piano.  (Of course, my
>playing of certain pieces may considered "abuse", but I'm working on it.)

No, no, no. You want to abuse a piano, and yourself? Teach a kid between
5 and 10 how to play the melody line to "When the Saints Go Marching In".
the kid's parents will hate you; if you are a parent, you will hate yourself.
From: cb@tamarack13.timbuk (Chris Brewster)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: Brahms 3rd Symphony (Repost)
Date: 9 Oct 92 19:21:07 GMT
Article-I.D.: tamarack.CB.92Oct9142105
Organization: pubs
In-reply-to: 's message of Thursday, 8 Oct 1992 17:39:39 MDT

Steve Boyce:

   I'm looking for a good recording of Brahms 3rd and would appreciate
   your recommendations.  The recordings I have seen in local stores are
   Szell (Sony), Bernstein(Sony and DG), Karajan
   ^^^^^
Szell is my own favorite.  To put things simply, Brahms consists of
classical structure with romantic content.  Szell emphasizes the
classical medium, and the content takes care of itself just fine.
Bernstein is just the opposite--the performance has a kind of sob and
and loud lamention that, for me, merely gild the lily.

Chris Brewster
cb@cray.com
From: givler@bermuda.cbm.commodore.com (Greg Givler)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: Brendel's Beethoven on Vox Box CDs
Date: 9 Oct 92 17:28:25 GMT
Organization: Another Amiga UNIX System

In article <1992Oct9.080210.2767@netcom.com> bryan@netcom.com (Bryan Higgins) writes:
>
>Can anyone tell me when the ultra-cheap (each "Vox Box" volume is two discs for
>$8 at Tower Classics in Berkeley) Brendel recordings of the Beethoven piano
>sonatas on Vox were recorded?

I just happen to have my set, which is only volume two, I got if for
the Waldstein. And on the back it says that they were recorded 1962-64

The box set that I have is Sonatas Volume 2 which contains:

No. 23 "Appassionata"
No. 22 
No. 26 "Les Adieux"
No. 16
No. 17 "Tempest"
No. 18
No. 21 "Waldstein"
No. 19 

>-- 
>Bryan Higgins, Berkeley, California  (bryan@netcom.com)

Greg
-- 
Greg Givler                 | "There are lies, damned lies, and statistics"
Commodore Product Assurance | - Mark Twain
givler@cbmvax.commodore.com |
===============================================================================
From: rwd4f@poe.acc.Virginia.EDU (Rob Dobson)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: DEBATE for those who are interested
Date: 14 Oct 92 12:32:44 GMT
Article-I.D.: murdoch.1992Oct14.123244.22276
Organization: University of Virginia

In article <1992Oct13.222055.27876@dartvax.dartmouth.edu> Joseph.J.Marcheso.Jr.@dartmouth.edu (Joseph J. Marcheso Jr.) writes:
>Well I seem to have stirred up great controversy with my attacks on
>Glass so in an effort to extend the topic I just would like to say that
>Andrew Loyd-Weber has done more to bring opera (albeit in a highly
>corrupted version) to the mass audience than Glass or his horde of
>disciples. ALW is on the right track of popular music, now if one can
>just find a more talented composer we may have found the solution: Any
>opinions?

this explains very much. While I am not a big Glass fan, I DESPISE Andrew
Lloyd Weber's pretentious "Its so stupid, a child could write it" music,
which gives lots of pop fans to chance to appear cultured. blecccch. If im 
gonna hear something simple and popular, Id rather hear something more
sincere and less pretentious, like some blues or something. ALW fails as
'classical' music, he fails at 'popular' music, but i guess he succeeds
at what hes doing, which is shallow pretentious show music.

-rob, i KNEW this guy would like ALW. Where's yoder these days anyway?
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: bmoullet@ulys.unil.ch
Subject: Re: Bach Cello Suites on Period Instrument: Rec. Wanted
Organization: University of Lausanne - CH (Switzerland)
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 17:12:07 GMT

In article <1992Oct6.210317.23962@fid.morgan.com>, steve@fid.morgan.com (Steve Apter) writes:
> In article <1992Oct6.065125.8678@midway.uchicago.edu> pkbockus@gsbphd.uchicago.edu (Keith Bockus) writes:
>>I'm looking for a recording of the Bach Cello suites
>>on a period instrument, but haven't found any 
>>recommended recordings.  Any suggestions 
>>(or reasons why I should not be looking for
>>such a thing)?
>>
>>Thanks in advance!
>>
>>Keith Bockus 
> 
> Peter Wispelway's recording of the suites on Channel Classics
> is stunning on all counts.  Go for it.

I have the version of Pierre Fournier and I find it very good. Jacqueline
Du Pre had recorded a very nice execution of these suites too. I think
that the performance of Yoyo Ma (with the cello of P. Fournier) and this
from Casal are acceptable too. But for me the recording of Pierre Fournier
is definitive !

Bertrand Moullet Department of Chemistry Universite de Lausanne

Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: tribioli@arcetri.astro.it (Francesco Tribioli)
Subject: Re: Vibrato in aging voices (was : Das Lied etc.)
Organization: Osservatorio di Arcetri
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1992 09:46:08 GMT

In article <1992Oct8.142715.29086@osf.org>, coren@osf.org (Robert Coren) writes:
|> In article <Bvrp88.C7p@news.udel.edu>, conrad@brahms.udel.edu (Jon Conrad) writes:
|> > Is there *any* recent example of a singer
|> > who maintained cleanly defined tone into his/her later years?  Alfredo
|> > Kraus maybe -- it's dry, but it's steady, and he's been at it since the
|> > 50s.
|> 
|> What about Fischer-Dieskau? I confess that I haven't heard him
|> recently (is he still even singing?), but I know I have heard him when
|> he was well past his prime, and I don't recall unsteadiness being
|> noticeable.

Well, I heard him in concert some years ago (10-5). His voice was still very
good. I never heard nothing better.
But recently I bought a CD of Mahler lieder (Kindertotenlieder if I remember
well) with Baremboin conducting. I was very disappointed. His voice became
very unstable and is even impossible to enjoy the music.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Francesco Tribioli				News and system manager
Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri		Firenze - ITALY
Internet tribioli@arcetri.astro.it
DECNET 38954::tribioli
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: steve@fid.morgan.com (Steve Apter)
Subject: Re: Dr. Faustus
Organization: Morgan Stanley & Co., New York, NY
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 23:48:30 GMT

In article <1992Oct9.220333.16215@husc3.harvard.edu> vnguyen@husc8.harvard.edu writes:
>In article <1992Oct9.172207.26226@visual.com>,
> rwh@visual.com (Rob Holzel) writes:
>> Jussi Leiwo writes: 
>> 
>>>I just happened to read Thomas Manns book Doctor Faustus. It's an extremely
>>>good story about music, how Bach and Beethoven have done everything in the
>>>traditional sonata, and how the new music has to get its ideas from war,
>>>pain, disasters, from everything that is on the negative side of the human
>>>thaughts.
>> 
>>>The idea of the book, is that there is a young man, Adrian Leverkuhn, who
>>>is very talent and intellectual. The music chooses him, and he will be the
>>>one who starts creating new kind of music. He promises his soul to the devil
>>>and gets these new ideas of music (I guess the idea is German folk lore).
>>>The basis for 'the new music' is in Schonbergs music.
>> 
>> I understood the model to be Mahler.  The descriptions of the music this
>> composer writes is supposed to be very vividly imagined, as though you'd
>> swear that Mann has actually unearthed this music himself.
>> 
>> Interesting that Mann thinks a composer would have to "sell his soul" in
>> order to come up with the new music.  :-)
>> 
>> Rob
>
>The allusion to music is rather incidental for the specter behind
>Adrian Leverkuhn is no-one but Friedrich Nietzsche.

No no no.  Leverkuhn is Delius.  And the little mermaid is Lou Salome.

>
>Vinh Nguyen


Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: IMAGING.CLUB@OFFICE.WANG.COM ("Imaging Club")
Subject: New England Conservatory Opera Season Opens to Full House
Organization: Mail to News Gateway at Wang Labs
Date: 14 Oct 92 16:22:44 EST

Boston, MA--October 14, 1992--The New England Conservatory in Boston
opened its opera season last night under the direction of John Moriarity.
The New England Conservatory Opera Theatre performed scenes from Ariadne
Auf Naxos, Mignon, and Summer and Smoke, in addition to a recital
of "Tu, che di gel sei cinta" from Puccini's Turandot, sung by promising
newcomer Jennifer Ayres.

After intermission, she started off with a scene from Bizet's
The Pearl Fishers.  This was followed by Thomas Lehmkuhl's
"audition" performance of "Sois immobile" from Rossini's William Tell.

The NEC Opera Studio then put on an impressive performance of
a scene from Bizet's Carmen with mezzo-soprano Angela Horn in
the role of Carmen.  She followed that up with a recital of
"Amour, viens aider" from Samson and Delilah, both performances
being very enthusiastically received by the standing-room-only
audience.

The evening's event closed with the "Spinning Quartet" scene
from von Flotow's Martha, staged by James Robinson, as were a
number of the earlier scenes.

Mr Moriarity had opened the evening's festivities by indicating that
the NEC opera companies this year have some of the finest performers
they have ever had.  This level of operatic excellence seemed confirmed
by the audience, which regularly called the singers back for third
bows, while two bows have been usual in previous years.

The Opera Theatre and Opera Studio perform every second Tuesday at
the NEC's Brown Hall in Boston, next to Symphony Hall.  The next
performance is scheduled for October 27 with scenes from Arabella,
Hamlet, Die Fledermaus, Mignon, The Pearl Fischers, and Don
Giovanni, starting at 8:00 pm.

Michael.Willett@OFFICE.Wang.com
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
From: steve@fid.morgan.com (Steve Apter)
Subject: Re: pierrot lunaire
Organization: Morgan Stanley & Co., New York, NY
Date: Mon, 12 Oct 1992 22:57:52 GMT

In article <1992Oct12.205507.20822@netcom.com> rchrd@netcom.com (Richard Friedman) writes:
:
>
>>-- 
>>/\=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=/\
>>\/Richard Friedman (510)528-7055  |  rchrd@netcom.com    
>>/\Applied Parallel Rsch (Berkeley)|                          /\
>>\/=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=\/


     Are these self-describing, or what?

>
>-- 
>/\=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=/\
>\/Richard Friedman (510)528-7055  |  rchrd@netcom.com    
>/\Applied Parallel Rsch (Berkeley)|                          /\
>\/=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=\/




Xref: sparky rec.music.classical:14424 rec.music.cd:7075
From: david@roth-music.com (David A. Roth)
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical,rec.music.cd
Subject: Wagner's Death March.  Which opera is this in?
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 92 01:39:34 EST
Organization: DAVID A. ROTH MUSIC
Reply-To: david@roth-music.com (David A. Roth)
Distribution: world
X-Mailer: uAccess - Macintosh Release: 1.5v4


Which opera contains the Death March?

Please reply by e-mail since my site doesn't get this newsgroup.

Thanks in advance!
David
david@roth-music.com
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center
Date: Wednesday, 30 Sep 1992 09:31:15 EDT
From: Ken Sherrill <KSSHC@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical
Subject: Re: Which forza/carlos/ballo to buy?
Distribution: usa
 <1992Sep29.215959.15955@husc3.harvard.edu>

I have long viewed Ballo and Don Carlo as being among the Verdi operas in which
the tenor's role is the most crucial -- along with Otello and, perhaps, Luisa
Miller and Rigoletto. Forza also ranks high on this list. Yet most discussion
of the preferred recordings has focussed on the sopranos.

In my view, Carlo Bergonzi is the pre-eminent Verdi tenor of our day and, when
in doubt, it is usually wise to err on the side of Bergonzi performances and
recordings. His Don Carlo is, in fact, a more subtly drawn character than the
ones afforded us by Domingo. Tebaldi, Bumbry,  Fischer-Dieskau, Ghiaurov and
Talvela is not a cast to be sneezed at. Solti's conducting is fine, if not
definative. I find this to be the most satisfying of the Don Carlo recordings.

Bergonzi's Gustavo/Renato in Ballo was -- along with Nemorino -- his finest
role. Leinsdorf's conducting is boring, but Price is magnificent. Reri Grist
and Shirley Verrett are first-rate and Robert Merrill sings beautifully. Price
Bergonzi and Merrill sang in more memorable Ballos at the Met than this record-
ing, but none are available commercially. This was the definitive Ballo cast
of its time, and one not since equalled.

The Toscanini Ballo is a revelation. Peerce and Merrill are full-throated, but
not teribly insightful in their characterizations. The women are weak. Neverthe
less, the recording offers a reading of the score that makes Ballo seem like a
revolutionary opera, one which links traditional Italian opera with Wagnerian
developments. Listen to what Toscanini does with the orchestra in the love
duet in the second act and when the conspirators draw lots in the third act and
then listen to the unapologetic use of the banda in the final scene. Curiously,
neither Leinsdorf nor Solti are as successful in finding the Wagnerian elements
 in Ballo. Toscanini shows us that they are there and makes them more manifest
than they appear to be in his Otello and Falstaff.

Sadly, Bergonzi is not in top form in his Forza recording with Arroyo, et al.
Here, my top choice is the first Price recording. She is in glorious voice and
the supporting cast is superior -- partcularly Verrett, Tozzi and Flagello. My
biggest reservation is the poor orchestral playing on this recording.
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical