Tony Duggan wrote (about Mahler's 8th):

>Solti's merciless assault has never impressed me all that much.

Do you mean for "merciless assault" the quick tempo and nerve that Solti
employs at the first movement?.  Perhaps you're right.  Solti is sometimes
very (too?) vigorous, but I've always liked that vigour in a plea for the
coming of the "Creator Spiritus".  I should corrrect myself:  Solti's
version is not necessarily the "best", but only my favourite.

>My own favourites in the 4th remain Kletzki, Horenstein, Kubelik,
>Barbirolli, Britten.

I didn't know about a recording of Mahler's 4th by Britten.  It's a good
new for me (never is too late...), because I like both composers.  It would
be very interesting to hear Britten conducting that particular work.  I'll
have in mind the 8th by Horenstein.  (I've never heard that version, but
I've had a lot of comments of it).

Pablo Massa
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