Bruce Jensen

Among the very best Rossini overture collections. The Chicago Symphony plays with terrific precision and vivacity, and Reiner conducts with a great feel for dynamics, ranging from charming lilt to hell-bent-for-leather spectacle. The Chicago brass players are in great form, raising the roof in Rossini’s magnificent climaxes. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a better William Tell anywhere, and I’ve heard plenty. The others are all just as well done. The Thieving Magpie is spectacular, my favorite version alongside George Szell’s Columbia/Sony record with the Cleveland Orchestra. The sound is 1958 RCA Living Stereo sound, pure tube analog at the time of recording, wonderful base and tingling highs, right up there with the best of modern recording practice. I’ve heard a couple dozen different versions of Rossini overture sets, and my favorite collections in terms of performance are Abbado on Deutsche Grammophone, Giulini on EMI/Warner, and this one. This one has fewer selections than the other two, only six compared to 8 for one and 9 for the other, and I REALLY wish Reiner had included La Italiana in Algeri (my second favorite alongside Barber of Seville) as one of his selections - but for the specific set of six on the Reiner disc, I’d put Reiner as first among equals. For sheer guts and glory, and for the ultimate in orchestral playing, he’s unbeatable.

An absolute desert island recording and performance of these three special and favorite Tchaikovsky symphonies. Galvanizing music, with energy to spare.