Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5- Reformation; A Midsummer Night's Dream / Haydn: Symphony No. 96- Miracle
A Midsummer Night's Dreamis a score that sounds better the faster you play it, generally speaking. Of course, precision must never be sacrificed for speed, and Paul Paray gives us the best of both worlds in a sizzling Overture and Scherzo. In fact, all of the music here is played swiftly, elegantly, and with style. Paray was probably the last practitioner of a lost style of French conducting, preferring a lithe, lean sound that ideally complements Mercury's pinpoint recording techniques. This sort of classical poise perfectly suits Haydn as well, so if this combination appeals, then by all means give it a  shot.--David Hurwitz