James Tobin responded to Donald Clarke wrote:

>> [Two] of my favorite recordings are ... Andre Previn's recording of
>> Shapero's Symphony for a Classical Orchestra, recorded in concert:
>> if it had had to be recorded in a studio I would not have it at all.
>
> So much for the work itself!  I know Shapero liked this recording.  For
> myself, I strongly prefer Bernstein's exciting performance with a pickup
> orchestra done in a studio, even though the sound is hardly cutting edge.

What a coincidence.  I finally got around to pulling out the Bernstein
and it's playing right now ("Columbia Symphony Orchestra", March 1953,
at Columbia's famed 30th Street studio, a disused church, long gone now).
I'm glad to have it, and it's not as bad as I thought; the occasionally
ragged ensemble and the rough sound exacerbate each other.  I think
there's a lot of humor in the piece, which the Previn brings out better.
To think the Bernstein was the only recording of this wonderful piece
made between 1947 and the Previn in 1988.  It's disgustipatin'.

Donald

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