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LondonCSA 2216 (stereo), 1966

Given a work as monumental as B7 and an orchestra as mighty as the 1966 CSO, how do you play it?

While Solti is too smart and experienced to pull out all the stops, I can't shake the picture of someone driving around town in a Lamborghini.  Basically, there's no way to hide all that horsepower, and in this case it becomes a matter of always having far more on tap than you need.  Solti does crank it up when appropriate; way up, in fact.  And IMO it is durning the grandest fortissimos that this version fares the best, because this group can do it with such flair and control.  Solti obviously realizes it, and he patiently waits to invoke this special effect, while working some other inter-sectional effects that the orchestra also handles with aplumb.

I love the first movement of this symphony, and I like the 2nd half of the Addagio and Scherzo, and the Finale.  It's not that I dislike this version of this symphony.  I just can't help but believe it could be presented in a more coherent fashion, musically, even by a less-powerful orchestra.

London actually delivers on their "ffrr" wide frequency response claims; yet they must still ride the gain knobs.  Although they are a lot more subtle about it than others, I can say that hearing the 1966 CSO live was a whole 'nother kettle of fish.

BTW: This was a "sessions" recording.

Paul S

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