I've listened a couple of times to this one. The Sinfonia Concertante was, I thought, well played and the soloists clearly had a rapport but it didn't excite me as other performances I've heard. I didn't like the tempo changes and slowing down at the end of phrases in the symphony, it just seemed to interrupt the flow. The best bit for me was the 'Haffner' last movement encore which was rip-roaring fun. I was happy to have my prejudices challenged though and while I wouldn't want these performances in my library it was an enjoyable listen for the most part.
I didn't have any problem with the balance and didn't find the timpani overwhelming. Interestingly, on my systems the brass sounded a bit lost in the mix. The woodwinds, on the other hand, were a joy, especially the bassoons.
I didn't have any problem with the balance and didn't find the timpani overwhelming. Interestingly, on my systems the brass sounded a bit lost in the mix. The woodwinds, on the other hand, were a joy, especially the bassoons.
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