Roger writes:

>I occasionally sampled Ansermet's Beethoven, especially the Ninth, but
>have to agree with John Culshaw, producer for Decca at the time, who
>said that this was not Ansermet's or the Suisse Romande's strength,
>though Decca liked him enough to let him record Beethoven and even Brahms.

Yes, I'm probably transfixed by the amazing, unique sound of the L'OSR
and the way it was captured, more so than Ansermet's interpretation.
There are some on the 'net that feel that Culshaw's statement was a
little unfair.  Speaking of an affinity for French music, the playfulness
of the Beethoven 7th strikes me as slightly Ravelian, if I may say so,
and there is that tender little reprise of the opening woodwind theme
towards the end of the 1st mov't that sound like something right out of
Ravel's Mother Goose Ballet.  Maybe Beethoven *is* a great composer after
all.:)

As for the Walter 6th, yes: the opening steals into the room...magical.
I once rescued an early pressing from a tall stack of albums which had
become a cat scratching post.  I almost didn't recognise the stack as
records.

John Smyth
Sac, CA