Felix Delbrueck wrote in response to me concerning the "aria":

>>Here, he displays a tendency for little hesitations which are slightly
>>annoying; one magazine reviewer described it as "horizontal stretching".
>
>I'm not sure I can describe it exactly, but I know it when I hear it,
>and I'm allergic to it.  It sounds gushing and emotionally pushy, or
>alternatively timid and lily-livered, or something - again, I can't say
>exactly, but I hate it.

To me, at least in Suzuki's case, it sounds like he's a little "behind
the beat".  Suzuki did this purposely, and I assume he thought it was
distinctive and enriching.  I can see that point of view, but overall,
I kept wanting him to "get on with it".  I do want to emphasize that I
don't think Suzuki ruins the aria, but he does take it "down" a notch
or two.  I also have the feeling that, over time, I will become more
comfortable with his approach.

Don Satz
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